The Paradise Trees (7 page)

Fury took hold of Alicia. ‘You know exactly what you’re doing, don’t you,’ she said quietly. ‘Be careful, old man. You only have one family.’

His gaze left hers but he chortled on as Alicia went out to the kitchen, not trusting herself to stay in the same room as him.

The kettle was boiling when Alicia came down from settling her father for the night. Jen, bless her, was sound asleep already. She’d spent most of the day in the woods
with Conker. Alicia smiled, remembering how the little girl had come running into the kitchen at dinner time. Not for the first time her daughter had managed to surprise her.

‘Mummy, who’s King Oberon?’ she asked. ‘It’s a game I play in the woods but I can’t remember who he is. And Titania?’

‘Oberon? He’s from a Shakespeare play called
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
– that was the one they did in Middle Banford this year – Oberon is King of the
Fairies, and Titania is his Queen. What made you think about them?’

‘Nothing. I was just playing. It’s our special game, isn’t it, Conker?’ And off she’d run back outside, Conker galumphing along behind her.

Alicia reached for the teapot. Thank Christ she’d be able to go to bed soon, this tiredness was horrible, and if her father didn’t let her have a better night’s sleep tonight
she didn’t know what she would do.

She poured tea and lifted the mugs. Margaret was sitting out on the bench, lit up from behind by the light from the kitchen window. The garden was in near darkness. It was an almost midsummer
night right here, but the dream was more of a nightmare.

‘Tea up,’ said Alicia, handing over a steaming mug and sinking down beside her aunt. ‘Oh, this is just what the doctor ordered. I’m exhausted, Margaret. I don’t
know how you’ve been managing here all by yourself.’

Margaret sniffed. ‘Perfectly well on the whole. And the doctor’s been ordering something else too, I see. I don’t approve of sleeping pills, Alicia. It isn’t
natural.’

‘Well, not sleeping isn’t natural either. We all need our sleep,’ said Alicia mildly. She took a deep breath. ‘Margaret, I really would like the two of us to go together
and have a look at St. Joe’s. Then we could have a proper talk about it, involve Frank Carter too. We’ll be able to decide things much better when we’ve seen exactly what
we’re deciding about.’

If only she could make Margaret understand. It would be much better if they both went to St. Joe’s on Thursday, met Douglas Patton, and saw round the place. Her aunt, however, soon
dispelled any illusions she had about that.

‘Alicia, there’s nothing to decide! I don’t want my brother in a home and that’s all there is to it. He has family to look after him! It isn’t as if he’s
wheelchair bound. I’m very grateful for your help this summer, and I’ll be glad to take things a bit easier while you’re here. Then I’ll have plenty of energy to cope by
myself again when you go back to Bedford.’

Alicia was silent. By the looks of things she would have to go it alone. Frank would help her. And maybe Douglas Patton. But her aunt wasn’t finished yet.

‘David phoned this morning to invite me to stay with him and Sheila in York for a few days while you’re here to hold the fort. I knew you wouldn’t mind, so I’m going on
Thursday morning. I’m sure when I get back you’ll have come round to my way of thinking, Alicia dear. Bob doesn’t make much work at all, and looking after him here is something I
feel I have to do.’ And with that, Margaret stood slowly, and headed back inside.

Left alone in the darkness, Alicia sipped her tea, feeling her courage sag. Brilliant. With Margaret away, not only would she be alone here with her father, but the plan of moving him to the
care home would be on hold until Margaret returned. Alicia knew she hadn’t reached the point yet where she would go completely against her aunt’s wishes. She could still go to St.
Joe’s on Thursday, of course, but now she would have to find a sitter. She couldn’t leave Jenny and her father here together with just Conker looking after them.

She glanced across to the house next door, all but hidden behind tall shrubs.

One of the neighbours would help out for sure, and this way at least she’d get Douglas Patton all to herself for an hour or two.

Which, when you thought about it, was a very big advantage.

The Stranger

Two afternoons in a row with little Helen, how lucky he was. The memory of his finger brushing over those warm little lips was so, so delicious. He had never touched another
person’s lips before, except of course for his own Helen’s. Or possibly Mummy’s too, but he couldn’t remember anything definite about that. And now that he had little Helen
within grasping distance he didn’t want to think about his futile quest to win Mummy’s love. Those had truly been years of desperation, starting with the death of Snugglepuss and not
ending until Mummy went to hell. It was only afterwards, with the hurt all parcelled away, that he had learned how to live in the world. He had realised that if he was nice to people they were
usually nice back, and this had worked splendidly for him until Helen came along. She was such an angel. But she hadn’t loved him unconditionally. Just like Snugglepuss and just like Mummy.
The anger had returned and that wasn’t his fault. He hadn’t wanted to hurt Helen, he truly hadn’t meant for her to go to Paradise. But now he could make it up to her by giving her
the two new Helens. And oh, little Helen... he just had to enjoy her as often as he could in this world before he sent her off to the next.

So he’d gone back to the woods this afternoon, and what a good thing he had, for there she was, and this time when she saw him she waved and laughed.

‘King Oberon! You’re just in time for a picnic, Mummy gave me some lemon wafers and some grapes, look!’

He bent over the bag she was holding out. ‘Food fit for a king,’ he pronounced, taking his place on the fallen tree trunk. She busied herself setting the ‘table’, a paper
serviette spread beside him, and he sat there watching her, clasping and unclasping his hands, feeling his body tremble in anticipation. She was here, and his was the power. He could do whatever he
wanted with her. He could kill the dog ‘by accident’ and then comfort little Helen and cuddle her straight off to Paradise today.

But of course he wouldn’t. A fairy queen deserved a better plan, a special ceremony. And he deserved more of her, too.

‘There!’ said little Helen, looking up at him with those sweet, trusting eyes. ‘That’s the table almost ready, now if you watch that um, Puck doesn’t steal the
biscuits I’ll just pick some flowers.’

‘It will be my pleasure,’ he said, watching as she crouched down to pick bluebells. How glorious she was. What a pity she wasn’t wearing something a little more regal. He would
find her something fitting to wear on her journey to Paradise. A golden robe, for instance, or a white one.

She danced back to the tree trunk and spread her handful of bluebells around the grapes. ‘We’re ready! What would you like, King Oberon?’

‘But Madam! Allow me to serve you first. My Queen must eat her fill before her king and humble servant.’

He had lifted a little bunch of five grapes, and slowly, one after the other he placed them in her perfect little mouth, touching her lips every time. She giggled and chewed and swallowed, and
then when the fifth grape was gone he took a tissue from his pocket and wiped her lips, holding her face with his other hand. And she had let him. It was so wonderful; it made the sweat start all
over again.

‘There!’ he said. ‘Now my Queen has eaten, and
you
may serve
me
!’

She stood in front of him, holding the grapes to his mouth, but some sixth sense had told him that she wasn’t quite comfortable doing this so he’d only accepted two before offering
her a wafer to eat by herself. Then she had chatted away again, telling him about the dog and her mother and poor Grandpa... she was absolutely enchanting. He would make his plans carefully now,
ensure that her passing ceremony was indeed fit for a queen. He would enjoy her again, and much, much more.

And at the end of the enjoyment they would have a beautiful midsummer ceremony before little Helen started her long journey to Paradise. Sunday would be a good day, a holy day, and it would give
him time to plan everything perfectly.

And to meet little Helen again, tomorrow and the next day and the next...

Alicia

The ringing of the house phone woke Alicia abruptly and she struggled upright on the elderly sofa, adrenalin rushing through her. She had fallen asleep after dinner, right
opposite her father in his chair, and just for a moment on waking she’d been back in this house as a child. It was the same phone, the same ring tone, and her stomach shifted as fear gave way
to tiredness. Hell. Another memory, half-disguised as a dream this time. A teacher had caught her and a little group of friends smoking after gym class one day and had threatened to call all their
parents. He had, too. How terrified she’d been when the phone rang that evening and her father had answered it. Okay, thirteen-year-olds shouldn’t be smoking but it had been the first
time, they’d only been trying it out and what kid didn’t do that? She had been grounded for a month and made to read some section of the bible, all about sins and vices, every night for
an hour. All month. Over and over, her father listening righteously. However, he hadn’t touched her, and the punishment would have been fitting if there hadn’t been so much of it.

‘Mummy? It’s a lady for you.’

Jenny put her head round the living room door and Alicia struggled to her feet. After a night chasing after her father every time he’d woken – four times – and then a day spent
sorting through some of her mother’s old things she was completely knackered.

She took the receiver from Jenny and sat down on the bottom stair.

‘Alicia? Hi, honey, it’s Sonja. Frank told me you were back in Lower Banford.’

Hot tears of pleasure rushed into Alicia’s tired eyes. Sonja. Her old friend. Sonja and Cathal had been the best parts of her life back then.

‘Sonja. You sound like... like yourself!’ she said. ‘It’s lovely to hear from you, how are you?’

‘Great. We’ve been in Paris for two years now so the kids can chatter away in French, be a big advantage for them later. We’ve got a really nice house just up from the Champs
Élysée, huge rooms and a fantastic conservatory which is marvellous for all the entertaining we have to do for John’s job. And as you can imagine the shops are brilliant. But
tell me about you, Frank said your Dad’s been ill?’

Alicia grinned to herself. Even as a child Sonja had been keen on the posher side of life and it sounded as if she really was living the dream now. She peered round the bannister to see if
Margaret was in the kitchen, but the back door was open and there was her aunt halfway up the garden, heading towards the rasps with a colander in one hand. Good. She could talk openly.

‘He’s had a few strokes, plus he’s got dementia. I’m looking into a home for him but unfortunately Margaret’s dead against it. Frank’s been great, he’s
a big support.’

‘Oh poor you. How awful. I’m glad Frank is there for you, how is he, do you think he’s okay? I was worried when he moved back to Lower Banford, I was afraid he was chasing the
past and you know you can’t go back. He was distraught when Nell died and I really think he should have made a fresh start in a completely new place.’

Alicia pictured Frank’s thin face. ‘Well, he’s a bit skinny but he seems positive enough. I didn’t know him well back then, but if I didn’t know about his wife
I’d never have guessed he has such a tragedy in his life.’

‘It was a dreadful time for him. We were afraid he was going to lose the plot completely and end up in hospital himself. He and Nell were completely devoted to each other, he barely spoke
for weeks after she died. Sounds like he’s a lot better now so maybe moving back was the right decision for him after all. I’ll see you both for myself next week, Alicia, I can’t
wait to visit!’

Happiness spread warmly through Alicia, an unaccustomed feeling in her father’s house. Sonja would soon be here.

‘Me too! And you can help me with some odd memories I’ve been having,’ she said impulsively.

Sonja laughed. ‘Odd memories? Sounds intriguing. I’m sure your Dad never let anything in the least odd anywhere near you,’ she said. ‘We’ll stroll down memory lane
together over a bottle of something, shall we? Alicia, I have to go, Logan has a fencing lesson in half an hour and I’m chauffeur as usual. I’m really looking forward to seeing you!
Bye, honey!’

Alicia found herself smiling as she replaced the phone. Sonja hadn’t changed, scatty but with a heart of gold nonetheless. She stood up and stretched, glancing through to her father in the
living room.

Sonja was wrong about one thing though. There were plenty of odd memories attached to those years. But soon they’d be able to sit down together and have a real talk. So one little thing
– big thing, actually – had gone right today.

Counting out her father’s evening pills, Alicia thought about Frank. It sounded like he’d been through the wringer when his wife had died. You’d never know it to look at him
now, though. And he hadn’t mentioned it at all yesterday.

Wasn’t that just a little strange?

Alicia

Tripping over her feet in her hurry, Alicia rushed into Jenny’s room and gently shook the little girl awake. By the smell of things Margaret was grilling bacon
downstairs, and Alicia grabbed clean jeans and a t-shirt from Jen’s wardrobe and tossed them onto the bed.

‘My alarm didn’t go off, we’re running late. Get dressed, have breakfast, and
don’t go off to play
!’ she said, already halfway out the door. ‘Your
bus leaves at ten, and Margaret won’t be pleased if she misses it because you and Conker are out gallivanting in the woods!’

It had been Jenny’s own idea to go with Margaret and visit David and Sheila. Alicia had agreed, knowing that Jen would enjoy seeing Sheila preparing for the baby expected in September. The
little girl was to come back by herself – with Conker – on the half past six bus. Alicia frowned uneasily. Margaret had assured her that she’d place Jen on the bus herself, and
ask the driver to keep an eye on her. The journey took less than an hour, and with so much else to worry about, Alicia felt she needed to trust Margaret on this one. After all, no child needed an
overprotective mother.