Chapter 2

It was a warm Sunday afternoon, Mrs Watson and I were enjoying one of her delicious blueberry pies with a cup of tea on her porch. From where the porch was you could see the road leading to the village. In the distance, we saw something shining from the reflection of the sun. As it got closer to the house, we noticed it was a black sedan. I did not recognise it as one of the residents of the village, that is when I knew it was here for me.

The car stopped twenty metres from the house, the sun was reflecting on the glass so you couldn’t see who was inside. I slowly got up supported myself on the porch rails waiting in anticipation to see who it was. As the car door opened, a lady got out of the car. It was as if I saw a ghost, Sarah’s ghost. But it wasn’t. It was Jacky Taylor my ex-mother-in-law. Dressed up like she came from a funeral, all in black. She approached the house, just before the steps leading to the house she took off her sunglasses while she looked up.

“It took you a while to find me Mrs Taylor, has new evidence been found against me!” I said.

She looked at me for a few seconds before answering. “Hello George, I knew where you were when you moved here, did not want to cause you any problems, we all suffered enough.”

That is when Mrs Watson spoke. “Please come up join us for some tea.”

Mrs Watson reorganised the chairs, then asked Jacky to have a seat.

Still standing in the same spot holding onto the porch tight looking towards the village, not wanting to look at her. I said. “Why are you here?”

“Your father-in-law passed away.” She replied.

Slowly turning away, I started walking towards the cottage. “I’ll send some flowers with my florist,” I said

“The baby survived!” she shouted.

Freezing on the spot, I felt a tear run down my cheek. Still facing away, I carried on walking. I said. “Leave all the details with Mrs Watson.”

Pacing up and down the living room of the cottage, trying to think, at the same time saying to myself. “Jacky is lying, why come to tell me that my child is alive.” Needing air, I opened the back door I stepped outside. I had a stack of logs piled on one side of the cottage. Taking my axe, I started to chop firewood, carried on till my arms ached.

Then a voice from behind said. “We won’t need wood until winter George.”

That’s when I collapsed onto my knees put my head down I started to cry. Mrs Watson came behind me kneeled down to put her arm around my shoulder.

“Why don’t we go inside George.” She whispered.

Sitting on the sofa just staring at the TV. The show Britain’s Got Talent was on with Simon saying something to Amanda while laughing. The volume was off, I didn’t hear what he said, but what came into my mind was. “Will I ever laugh like that again.”

Mrs Watson came into the living room with two mugs of tea. She put one of them in front of me on the coffee table held the other one in her hand. She sat next to me rubbing my back with the palm of her other hand.

“It is a long drive back to the hotel, so Jacky is staying at the house with me tonight.” Mrs Watson said.

Angrily turning to look at her I said. “That woman and her husband tried to destroy me.”

“George, you will have some time to calm down, in the morning you can come to my house, all three of us can have breakfast then you two can talk.”

Still looking at her I said. “Ok Mrs Watson, but I am only doing this because I respect you.”

All night all I could do was toss and turn in the bed. Thinking “What if it’s true. Could the baby have survived.”

Managing to fall asleep in the early hours of the morning, I was late getting up. It was the first time I did not go for a run. After a shower, I got dressed then made my way to Mrs Watson’s house. Approaching the back door which took me directly to her kitchen, I could hear there was a conversation between the two ladies.

Knocking on the door, I waited for an answer.

Mrs Watson called out. “It’s open George!”

On entering the kitchen. Sitting at the table was Mrs Taylor, Mrs Watson was preparing something on the stove.

“Good morning, Mrs Watson, good morning Mrs Taylor,” I said.

They both responded with “Good morning George” at the same time.

“Didn’t see you go for a jog this morning George.” Mrs Watson said.

“I felt a little down today.”