Chapter 6: Two Deaths One Murder

Saturday morning Ernie ran Rupert back to the home to collect the rest of his things. Whilst Rupert went inside to pack, Ernie knocked on Mrs Jeffersons door. ‘I was asked to give you this,’ he said giving her the other signed form.

She welcomed him in and said, ‘I was delighted to hear your fostering is sorted. Did you decide how it happened?’ ‘I can only guess,’ he said. ‘My niece’s boyfriend is a wonder at solving other people’s problems. I could only think of him, but I couldn’t see how at fifteen he could have any connection to MI5.’

‘Anyway, I couldn’t think of anyone else, so I asked him. He said he had asked a friend if he could help or knew anyone who could, but he had no idea if MI5 was involved. So, my guess is that whoever Lewis asked for help had connections. I think somewhere along the line Lewis had helped one of them with a problem and instead of just speeding up the CRO they went a step further to say thank you and speeded up social services too.’

‘Is that Rupert’s friend Lewis you’re talking about?’ Mrs Jefferson asked. When Ernie said, ‘Yes.’ she said, ‘Yes I could see Lewis having that sort of connection.’

‘Is Rupert with you?’ she asked. ‘Yes,’ Ernie said, ‘He’s next door, packing.’ ‘Let’s go through then.’ Mrs Jefferson said.

She led Ernie through to next door and knocked on Rupert’s door. ‘Come in.’ came a cheery call. They went in and found Rupert with three black bags on his bed ready. ‘I was just about to come and find you.’ he said to Ernie.

Rupert went over and gave her a hug, ‘Thank you for looking after me.’ he said. ‘I’m so pleased about your news, Rupert.’ Mrs Jefferson told him. ‘I know you’re going to be very happy.’

Ernie carried two of the bags out and Rupert the other. Mrs Jefferson led the way opening the doors. At the outer door Ernie said, ‘Thanks for all your help.’ ‘Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.’ she said. She stood at the door and watched them put the bags in the back of Ernie’s truck then get in. As they drove away, she waved them out of sight.

When they got home, they took the bags into Rupert’s bedroom then left him to sort all his bits and pieces out. Susan started preparing some lunch and Ernie sat doing some paperwork. It was boring and his mind wandered a few times. He thought of Mrs Jeffersons comment about Lewis and wondered what had made her think that, when as far as he knew, she and Lewis had never met.

Then he remembered Lewis’s comment about waiting a week, as they would have the Jeffersons on their side by then. He was puzzled but decided not to say anything to Susan or ask Rupert and he felt sure Lewis wouldn’t tell him anyway. So, he pushed it all into the back of his mind and forgot it.

‘We’ve got Rupert for good. That’s all that matters.’ he decided.

After lunch they took Rupert to see his mum. They dropped him off and went shopping. When they returned, the Matron came out and waved to them to come in. ‘Rupert’s mum is fading fast,’ she said, ‘I told him to stay with her and I’d fetch you.’ She led the way through. Rupert was sitting at the side of the bed, tears streaming down his face holding her hand.

His mum was lying still with her eyes closed. Susan went over and gave him a kiss on his head, then went and sat down. Ernie did likewise, then stood with a hand on his shoulder.

Matron had gone round to the far side of the bed. As she picked up her wrist and checked her pulse, Rupert said, ‘Just after you went out, mum opened her eyes, gave me a lovely smile and took hold of my hand. Then she lay back and closed her eyes. She hasn’t moved since.’

Just then his mum made a gasping noise as she sucked air in. Then she went silent. Several minutes later the noise was repeated. Matron looked over at Ernie and gave an imperceptible shake of her head. Then coming round to Rupert, she squatted down by his side.

‘Rupert,’ she said, ‘I’m very sorry, your mum has gone. What you are hearing is called chain stokes breathing, her body won’t let go and keeps trying to take a breath. It won’t last for long then it will stop. When your mum opened her eyes and smiled at you, she saw the son she loved. She reached out and took your hand then she died. Peacefully without any pain.’

Rupert got up and ran over to Susan. Throwing himself in her arms he cried his heart out. Susan just sat still holding him. Matron said to Ernie, ‘The doctor is here visiting another resident, I’ll get him to come in and certify her.’

When Matron had left, Ernie went over and stood by Susan and Rupert. He put his hand back on Rupert’s shoulder and just stood quietly. Rupert had finished sobbing and he looked up at Ernie with a tear-stained face. Ernie knelt down and they both had their arms around him.

Soon Matron returned with the doctor. He did his checks and nodded to Matron. The gasps had stopped so Matron pulled the sheet up over her face.

‘Take as long as you like,’ she said quietly to Ernie, ‘Then find me before you go.’ After a while Rupert turned to Ernie and asked, ‘What do we do now?’ ‘In a moment, we’ll go and see Matron,’ Ernie said. ‘Then when you’re ready we’ll leave. Do you want to say a last goodbye?’ ‘What do you think?’ Rupert asked.

‘When you arrived today.’ Ernie told him, ‘I’m sure you gave your mum a hug and a kiss. When she opened her eyes and smiled at you, she reached out and took your hand. That was her goodbye to you. Your goodbye to her was your kiss and hug when you arrived and being here to share her final moment. That is a lovely thing to remember. I suggest you leave it at that. You last memory of her then will be her smile and her reaching out and taking your hand.’

‘Much better than the memory of a dead body. But it is your decision. No one else can make it for you.’ Rupert stood up. ‘I agree,’ he said, ‘I’m ready to go.’ When they reached the door, Ernie said, ‘Why don’t you call out, ‘Goodbye mum,’ as we leave.’

‘Goodbye mum.’ Rupert said in a shaky voice. Then he turned and walked out. Rupert led them to Matrons office. Settling them down Matron opened a folder on her desk. ‘I can tell you that Rupert’s mum left clear instructions ready for today.’ she said.

‘She has enough funds in her account to pay for the funeral and her clear wish was to be cremated. She left no instructions about her ashes so you might like to think about that. I will arrange the funeral locally and let you know when it is,’ she said. ‘Then her possessions and any money left will be passed as per her instructions to Rupert. These instructions were given when she first moved in and knew Rupert was her only survivor.’

‘Will there be a post-mortem?’ Ernie asked. ‘No,’ Matron said. ‘The doctor you saw earlier has treated her for over twelve months. He has been expecting this for a while and has already issued a death certificate.’

‘I’m so pleased Rupert has got the two of you,’ she said. ‘He came and told me as soon as he arrived that you were now fostering him. I think that’s lovely.’

They drove home in silence then when they arrived, they sat on the settee, Rupert in the middle. ‘Is there anything you want to know?’ Ernie asked him. ‘I don’t know what to do about mums ashes.’ Rupert said. ‘Well, there are several options,’ Ernie said. ‘If there is somewhere your mum considered special, you could scatter them there.’ Rupert thought for a few moments. ‘I can’t think of anywhere,’ Rupert said, ‘I don’t really remember where we were before, and the last few years she’s been in the nursing home.’

‘Well, you don’t need to decide until we get them.’ Ernie said. Then he realised Rupert was thinking of something. When he didn’t say anything, Ernie smiled and said, ‘Come on, out with it, you’ve thought of something haven’t you?’

‘Could I put them here in the garden?’ Rupert asked. Ernie glanced at Susan who nodded. ‘Yes of course you can,’ Ernie said. ‘There are two things you could do. You could scatter them all over the garden. Or you could put the jar of ashes in one spot and perhaps make a little memorial garden around it.’

‘Oh, that sounds nice,’ Rupert said, ‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’ ‘We’d be honoured to have her here.’ Susan said. Rupert hugged her then hugged Ernie. ‘We’ll have a look at where is best during the week.’ Ernie said.

‘Would you like to tell anyone else about your mum?’ he asked. ‘Lewis and the others,’ Rupert said, ‘Oh, and Mrs Jefferson.’ ‘Ok,’ Ernie said, ‘Why don’t you ring Mrs Jefferson and tell her now. Then we’ll invite Lewis and the others over for the evening and you can tell them yourself.’

Rupert went over to them and took their hands in his. ‘Thank you so much,’ he said. ‘Thanks to you, I saw mum a lot more times than I would otherwise have done. And being there with her for her final moments was also down to you.’ Another long hug from both of them then.

Whilst Rupert was talking to Mrs Jefferson, Ernie texted Julie and Lewis to invite them over for the evening.

Lewis and Mike had a busy but uneventful day at the shop. Late afternoon Lewis got a text inviting him over to Ernie and Susan’s new house for the evening which he accepted happily.

Once they closed up, Mike said, ‘This is most unusual, both of us leaving together.’ They set off in separate directions.

Lewis arrived at Ernie’s before all the others, so Rupert told him about his mum right away. Lewis hugged him and told him how sorry he was to hear the news.

A little while later Julie, Ella and Gemma arrived. After hugs and kisses all round Ernie said, ‘Rupert has something to tell you.’ As they all looked at him, he told them, ‘My mum died earlier today. I was with her when it happened.’ Gemma dashed over to him and hugged him, followed by Ella and Julie. They all told him how sorry they were.

‘She died happy, holding my hand,’ he said. ‘Although she knew nothing about it, it’s almost as if she waited until I had a new home and family before she went. When I say family, I mean all of you,’ he added, smiling at them.

They had a buffet dinner then they all sat around the table playing games. They finished off of course with a game of Cluedo. Gemma won just. But she smiled at Rupert and said, ‘That doesn’t count as one of our three. Your mind is elsewhere tonight.’

After they had all gone home, and Rupert had gone up to bed, Susan and Ernie went up to tuck him in. They had got into the habit of sitting one each side of him and chatting for a few minutes first.

That night, Rupert put his arms out and took hold of a hand each. ‘I’m so lucky,’ he said, ‘If it wasn’t for you, I’d be completely on my own now.’ ‘You never need to be alone ever again.’ they told him. They tucked him in, gave him a kiss and headed for the door.

As he turned at the door and reached for the light switch, Ernie said, ‘Don’t forget, we’re only along the landing if you get upset in the night.’

Lying still in the dark, Rupert’s mind turned over the events of the day. He cried again at the loss of his mum. Then thinking how he would be feeling if he had still been in the home and possibly not having been to visit his mum that day, he had another cry. Then he drifted of into a restless sleep.