JONATHON - Book 1 [Watty Awards 2012]

Chapter 28

The alarm jangled them from slumber. Jonny reached out and swiftly shut it off. For a moment he wondered where he was and then he remembered. He waited for the iron fist to squeeze his heart with grief and pain but there was just a familiar ache that he had grown used to bear. He looked up into Bea’s gentle, smiling face.

‘Good morning, sweetheart.’ she said. He sat up.

‘It is.’ he breathed. ‘It always is when I wake and you’re still here.’ He kissed her then. ‘I can’t believe I slept so well.’ he observed. ‘You wore me out.’ He remembered. She chuckled and he knew that had been her hope and intention.

‘And I’m going to again.’ she promised him and saw the look of anticipation and joy and pleasure the thought of that gave him. He moved towards her. ‘No.’ she said very softly, very gently but very firmly. ‘We’ve other rooms to explore.’

He chuckled. ‘I’ll make your morning cuppa first.’ he said and left her in bed. He went downstairs to make the tea.

Bea lay there for a while then got out of bed and went to the loo before he got back. She came out and noticed that the door to Jonathon’s mother’s room was open. She went to close it and saw Jonathon standing by the bed, his eyes shut and silent tears coursing down his face. She approached him quickly and slid her arms around him.

‘Oh, sweetheart.’ she murmured and he grabbed her tightly to him.

‘All her…. All mama’s things have gone.’ he choked. And Bea saw the open, empty wardrobes.

‘Caro would have done that, darling.’ she explained. ‘And that’s right and proper. A daughter should do that for her mother. Caro wouldn’t want you to have the pain of going through her things and your mama would not want you or Patrick or Liam to have to sort her clothes, her underwear…. That’s a job for her daughter, not her sons.’

Jonny wordlessly nodded. She was right.

‘The other things of your mama’s…. you and Caro and Patrick and Liam must decide what you want to keep. You have said I may make this house my home and to do that I shall need to change so many things… But I am not trying to erase the memory of your mama, sweetheart. I would never do that. I know how you love her. Only to make this house our home. You do understand why I have to do that don’t you my darling?’

‘Yes sweetheart, it’s yours. It’s all yours.’ he whispered.

‘So you must all tell me what things you want to keep and what things may be disposed of – passed on to others or to charities. We’ll talk about that tonight. And we must go to visit your mama and take her flowers. You and I, we must do that soon, sweetheart. Are you strong enough for that, Jonny? Can we do that today? Tomorrow?’

He nodded.

‘When?’ she pressed him, for these things had to be faced and it was better sooner, than later.

‘Today. On the way home.’

‘That’s good, Jonny. That’s so brave of you, my darling. Now, where’s that tea?’

He turned and picked up the tray and took it back to their bedroom. Bea silently closed the door to his mother’s room and followed him.

He sat quietly on the bed and wasn’t in the mood to jiggle up and down to tilt the tray and make her scold for fear of spilt tea.

‘Would you like me to cook you breakfast this morning? You haven’t got rehearsals, so there’ll be no reason for you to be sick.’ He knew how hard she was trying to ease his pain.

‘That would be lovely.’ he said, not altogether sure he would be able to eat it, but as long as he tried, he knew she wouldn’t scold him for that either. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.