Chapter 16
16
Kate pulled into the drive of their old home and pulled up the handbrake. It was another mild day, and the lawn looked good, considering the house had been abandoned by its owners. She suspected that Alf next door had something to do with that, and she made a mental note to take him a bottle of his favourite tipple as a thank you. After all, buyers wanted something nice to look at, not neglect and dead flowers. The ‘for sale’ sign stood proudly in the front garden. After ringing the agent this morning, she had been surprised to hear just how many people had been to view the house. The agent was confident an offer would soon come, and it had spurred Kate to take the full day off. Rip off the whole band aid. She was hoping that today would be the last day she would ever have to see this house, and she had come equipped. Getting out, she lugged the boxes and bags from the back seat up to the front door. Taking a deep breath, she put the key in the lock. Ghosts of the past, time to be exorcised.
Two hours later, having changed into sweats and a large T-shirt, Kate was sweaty and covered in dust. It was amazing just how much dirt could accumulate in an empty house.
She had started in Jamie’s room, filling boxes with things he wouldn’t use again. Roller skates, his skateboard. Football boots, recovered from the accident. She had wept over those, sat on his Avengers bedspread. All the little items he’d wanted, cherished. They would never be used by him again. She’d never watch him play a game of football again, never cheer him on from the sidelines as he zipped by. They’d have to make more memories, new ones. Ones that would put the joy back into his life. But it didn’t make seeing the things that represented everything he’d lost any easier. The boots were scuffed, ripped in places, but she couldn’t bear to part with them. They all went into the box marked ‘Jamie storage’ with a red star marked on it. Red for ‘open when ready’. If ready. She had hired a storage locker, a huge space in which to store their furniture and belongings until the next chapter began. She had a moving van coming at five o’clock and a hell of a lot still to do. She was ruthless once Jamie’s room was all done. She had taken every belonging of his, and marked all his furniture, except his bed, with purple stickers denoting to the moving men that they were to go into storage. Jamie would need a special bed now anyway. She marked it on a list on the clipboard she had brought with her. She would give the list to the estate agents. They would have to pass it on to Neil. Anything he didn’t want could be tossed or given to the new owners. After that van showed up, anything not packed up or stickered would be consigned to memory as far as she was concerned. She would only take what was hers and Jamie’s, the rest was not needed.
She stickered her furniture, the items from her father’s house that she would never part with, one of the television sets, a good portion of the kitchen appliances and equipment. She moved from room to room, boxing and bagging, filling the recycling and rubbish bins outside. She heard the noise of a lawnmower out front, and reaching into the liquor cabinet, she pulled out two bottles of expensive scotch. Neil had been saving them for a special occasion. Moving day counted. She smiled to herself as she grabbed them both, heading out of the front door with the rest of the rubbish bags under her other arm. Alf was mowing the lawn, one eye on her house, and she realised that he had probably been using the chore as an excuse to check on her. She dumped the rubbish into the bin, squashing it down as best she could and headed over. Alf stopped the mower and smiled at her as she reached him.
‘You look well, my dear,’ he said, taking her in. He seemed to realise what he had said, and he harrumphed nervously. Kate laughed and touched his arm.
‘It’s okay Alf, we are doing well, Jamie and I. And these are for you, a little thank you for looking after everything.’ She placed the bottles at his feet.
He relaxed then, patting her hand with his. ‘You didn’t have to, but I’m not going to lie and say I don’t enjoy a quality tipple of an evening. Thank you. I am mighty glad to hear that you are okay, we both are. Sheila is down the shops again, spending our pension.’ He chuckled at the thought of his wife, who was just as lovely as he was. Kate realised that she was going to miss her neighbours, and felt guilty that she was always too busy to spend any real time with them. ‘No word from him, then?’ he ventured.
Kate shook her head. ‘I’m working on it though. Just wanted to get the house squared away, it looks like someone will be buying it soon.’
Alf nodded. ‘Well, I hope they’re better at doing the garden then you were.’ Kate laughed. Alf’s face turned serious then. ‘Look after each other. We would love to see Jamie too, if he is up to it sometime.’
Kate smiled at her kindly neighbour. ‘I’m sure he would love that. I will call, once everything is sorted.’
He gave her a hug then, taking her by surprise. ‘I’m very sorry that things haven’t worked out lately, girl, but I am sure that the good things aren’t done with you yet.’
Kate didn’t answer, she was trying not to cry.