Catering With Benefits (3) - An Appetite for More - 34. Memories

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ONE MONTH LATER

Virginia and Desmond were at the Mallacoota house when Jonathan called her.

“Nia I want to talk to you, but I didn’t know you were going away.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“It might be better in person.”

“Sounds serious, can you give me some idea now.”

“Are you sure you want to discuss this over the phone?”

“I don’t know until you tell me.”

“I’ll come straight to the point. Nia, I want a divorce.”

“Oh that, about time Jon, I thought you’d never ask. I was about to ask you.”

“Oh, really...well that’s...fine, I suppose. So if we agree on that, then is it ok if I get Smidmore working on the details?”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Good, when will you be back to attend a meeting?”

“I can come back any time, just let me know when you want to meet.”

“Fine, I’ll have Prism set it up and let you know a few days before.”

<>

As he hung up Jonathan said “That was easier than I thought, she’s in agreement.”

“Good for you.”

Virginia said to Desmond “You’re not going to believe this, but he just asked me for a divorce.”

“Good for you.”

“Yes, what a pleasant surprise.”

“Do we have to go back straight away?”

“No he’ll let me know when he sets up a meeting.”

“There’ll be lots to sort out, you’re going to need a solicitor of family law.”

“He already has one. Smidmore is our lawyer. Well, Smidmore and his army of law people of various kinds. I’m sure there’s a family law expert among them.”

“No, you can’t do that; you need to have your own legal representation.”

“Why? I trust Smidmore he’s been the family solicitor for as long as I can remember.”

“Maybe but you need someone to protect your interests.”

“But if we both agree and there are no dependent children, then it’s just matter of signing the forms, waiting the appropriate time and we’re divorced.”

“That’s true for the divorce, but property settlement is an adversarial process.”

“What do you mean?”

“You both need to come to some agreement over how much of the family assets you each retain and generally that’s not an easy process. His solicitor will want to keep as much as possible for him and your representative will oppose that and want more for you.”

“Really? Do you think Jonathan would want to...what do they say...screw me?”

“Yes for the first time, well second time anyway...sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Whatever.” replied a distracted Virginia, “I’ll have to think about that. I’ll talk to Maggie, her husband’s a solicitor.”

“Why do you think he has asked for a divorce after all these years?”

“Basically, because he doesn’t need me anymore, is the short answer. Our marriage has been revealed as being a sham, his political ambitions are over and he’s been outed. He probably wants to move on, as do we all. I admire him for that, recognising reality when it hit him in the face. So this property settlement thing, will it be a lawyers picnic like in the movies?”

“It doesn’t have to be, depends on negotiations. Court should be the last resort, not the first.”

“And when that’s done, are you going to ask me to marry you? I may be an independently wealthy woman, quite a catch.”

“Do you think I’m only after your money?”

“No, I hope you want my body as well.”

“I won’t answer that, but it does mean I’ll have to find a job.”

“Why, I’ll support you, as I do now.”

“Now, I am your driver and take care of all the vehicles at Crystalline, as well as the household plumbing. That’s a real job.”

“So what will change you can fix the plumbing here, if that makes you feel better.”

“No, what I do now is an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. I’m not going to live off you. I’ve still got all my gear, I can set up a plumbing business down here, it’s quite a nice town.”

“Ok, if that’s what you want. Bugger, I just realised. If we live here and you’re working then that makes me a housewife. Maybe I can find a local girl to do some housekeeping.”

“I don’t think we use that term anymore.”

“Well what do we call a housekeeper?”

“I meant housewife, you can choose to do domestic duties or even be a domestic goddess.”

“You really want me slaving away here while you’re out servicing the local domestic goddesses.”

“What?”

“Have you forgotten how we met?”

***

None of the family was planning to attend the inquest into the death of Brendan Haynes. That, at least was what was agreed between them all. However, on the first day, Jared sat in the public gallery, merely as an interested bystander. Very little evidence was presented to the coroner other than statements from prison authorities and medical reports.

The coroner asked to be shown the CCTV footage from around the time of the suspected hanging took place. Council assisting, suggested the court be adjourned for the day, so the footage could be retrieved.

On the second day, Jared returned to the court, as he had an interest in seeing the CCTV screening. The court was shown a time lapse version of the footage for the two hour period that the prisoner Haynes was permitted to be in the exercise yard. Each time a prisoner or guard went into the blind spot, the coroner asked for the screening to be paused and directed the prisoner officer assisting to note the name or some identification of that person. At the end of the screening she asked the officer how many different people he had noted.

“Sixteen Ma’am.”

“How many prisoners were in the yard at the time?”

“Twenty Ma’am.”

“And prison officers?”

“Four Ma’am.”

“So sixteen people out of twenty four could have seen the activities of the deceased?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Now, refer to you notes and tell me out of a count of sixteen people, what number was the deceased?”

The officer counted down his list and answered “Number fourteen.”

“Now, of the two persons, numbers fifteen and sixteen, tell me are they prisoners or staff?”

“Both prison offers. As it was towards the end of the exercise period they were probably checking all prisoners were returning to the main building Ma’am.”

“Will the evidence clerk please find the relevant report detailing the time the body of the deceased was found? While that is being done we will adjourn for lunch and reconvene at 2.00pm.”

Jared was intending to leave at the next break, but changed his mind when the coroner asked her last question.

When the court reconvened, the evidence clerk reported that the deceased body was found by a prison officer, during a search, prompted by the prisoner’s failure to report at the end of the exercise period, The body was found fifteen minutes later.

As this is not a trial and it is not my duty to apportion blame, I will reference in my report a possible failure to properly investigate the cause of this death.

At the end of the second day, the coroner asked if anyone wanted to present any more evidence or make any statements. Council assisting said “Ma’am, as there appears to be no further evidence, may I suggest we adjourn for you to consider your findings?”

A concerned Jared left the court and approached the clerk’s counter to register his interest in receiving a copy of the coroner’s report. When asked “How can I help you Sir?” he replied “Can you direct me to the men’s room, thank you.”

One week later the coroner returned a preliminary finding of ‘Death by Misadventure.’ She recommended the following:-

1. Further enquiries be made of the persons who were observed to enter the CCTV blind spot in the last thirty minutes before the end of the exercise period.

She further recommended that the prison make changes:-

a. To prevent prisoners from having access to dangerous objects or materials that could be used for self harm.

b. The CCTV should be upgraded to cover all areas of the prisoners’ recreation yard.

c. All possible hanging points to be removed.

***

Edward was preparing the evening meal and waiting for Romel to come home from a day shift, when his phone rang. It was from his mother’s second husband, Paul Reader.

“Hi Edward, it’s Paul here from Brisbane.”

“Yes Paul, how are you?”

“Not too good, I’m ringing about your mother, she’s just about to be rushed off to hospital with a suspected stroke.”

“How bad is it?”

“They don’t know yet. She seems unconscious, so they have stabilised her and are preparing her for transport. I’m just leaving myself. God I hope she’s all right. It scares me, I couldn’t bear to lose her.”

“Ok, I’ll get the first flight I can. I’ll text you details when I get a booking. Hang in there mate.”

“Thanks Edward, I’ll keep you informed when I find out how she is.”

“Talk to you soon Paul.”

Edward turned off the cooker and went on line looking for the first available flight to Brisbane. He could not get a flight that night so booked the 6.00 am for the following morning. Just as he finished his booking, Romel arrived home.

“Is dinner ready, I’m starved.”

“Oh that, sorry I got distracted, it’s Mum, she’s had a stroke, they think.”

“What’s her condition?”

“Not sure, she’s unconscious and on her way to hospital now.”

“Are you going up?”

“Of course, but the earliest flight is at sunrise tomorrow. I’ve booked, but I know I won’t get any sleep tonight. Tell me, what do think is the likely prognosis?”

“It’s impossible to say, it depends on the severity of the aneurysm, how quickly they can restore normal blood flow and what type of stroke. There are three types, Ischemic, Hemorrhagic and Transient ischemic attack. But it doesn’t sound like the third one, which is also known as a mini-stroke and is a warning. It is of concern if she is unconscious.”

“What should I expect when I get there?”

“She could come through it with minimal permanent damage or she could be left paralysed. Even that can range from just slurred speech to complete paralysis. There just no way of predicting these things, even by the doctors that are attending her.”

“Ok, I’ll just have to remain calm and wait for Paul to let me know.”

“Do you want a drink to settle you a bit?”

“Yes, and then you’d better get yourself something to eat. I’ve started a chicken casserole, maybe you can rescue it.”

<>

Paul called Edward around midnight and advised him that his mother had not regained consciousness and was on life support as a precaution. Edward barely closed his eyes all night and just lay there waiting for his 4.00am alarm to sound.

He didn’t disturb Paul with another call before he boarded his flight, assuming he would call if there was any change.

As soon as his flight landed he switched on his phone to find two messages, one from Romel and one from Paul. He chose to read Paul’s first. ‘Please call me as soon as you can’.

Romel’s message was just checking in for any news.

“Hi Paul, any news are you still at the hospital?”

“Yes, I’m here, but it’s not good news. There’s been no change in your mother’s condition and the doctors want to talk to you as soon as you can get here.”

“Did they say why, won’t they tell you all the information they have?”

“They have spoken to me, but I want you to hear it from them.”

“You’re sounding a bit mysterious Paul. Should I be worried?”

“Yes Edward.”

“Ok, should be there in about thirty minutes.”

Edward was allowed to see his mother as soon as he arrived at the hospital, but had to wait over an hour to speak to her doctor. Paul was supportive of Edward, even though he was equally concerned about his wife.

When the doctor finally appeared he was up front about his patient’s condition but the likely prognosis was not favourable.

“I’m sorry gentlemen, but Mrs Reader’s condition has not improved and I believe it will deteriorate over the next twenty four hours.”

“What does that mean exactly doctor?” asked Edward

“That means, by this time tomorrow, your mother may be only being kept alive by the life support equipment. So I want you both to be prepared for that and the decision we may ask you two make.”

“Are you saying we will be asked to turn off life support?”

“It may come to that. Scans and tests show that the brain damage is irreversible. Even if she were to regain consciousness I believe she will be deprived of many, if not all major brain functions.”

“Thank you for your honesty doctor.”

“Can I suggest you both go home and get some rest. We will call you if there is any change.”

***

Neither men had slept for the past twenty four hours, nor had they eaten much, so Edward suggested they get take-away on the way home, have a drink with their meal and try to sleep and be ready to face what was going to be a very difficult day.

<>

Paul’s phone rang in the early hours of the morning. He spoke to the nurse, thanked her for calling and then went to Edward’s room.

After a brief discussion, the two men hugged each other and Paul asked “Do you want to go back to sleep, or can I make you coffee or something else?”

“I think I’ll try to sleep, thanks Paul. I just feel a bit numb and not really ready to chat, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure, I understand mate.”

“Edward sent Romel a text as he did not feel like talking.”

***

The following morning the two men were very sombre as they ate a light breakfast together.

Paul said “The nurse told me last night that if we want to see Pat’s body we should call this morning and they will arrange that for us. I guess we also need to notify an undertaker. What would like to do mate?”

“I would like to see her one last time. As this happened so quickly I don’t feel I’ve had an opportunity to say goodbye.”

“My feelings exactly, I’ll call the hospital now and then find an undertaker.”

<>

When they arrived at the hospital morgue Paul said “If you want to go in alone, I’ll wait here for my turn.”

“That won’t be necessary, unless you want to go alone. I’d like to go together.” answered Edward.

The two men said their goodbyes as they held each other’s hand for support, but also as a symbol of their solidarity in mourning the woman they both loved.

The funeral was held two days later, at the funeral home chapel and attended by all Pat’s friends. Her closest friend Jill, arranged for a morning tea at her house so that Paul and Edward did not need to host the event. As the coffin was being loaded into the hearse, for the trip to the crematorium, Edward took a large bunch of carnations from the collection of flowers and wreaths. The carnation was Pat’s favourite flower and many of her friends knew this when they made their choice of flowers to send to the chapel. Edward walked among the friends gathered and gave each a carnation to add to their personal memories of his mother.

<>

Edward stayed for a week after the funeral so the two men could support each other, attend to legal matters and talk about the future. They agreed Paul would remain living in the house, even though it was in Pat’s name only and she had willed it to Edward. He was determined nothing would change in that regard and promised Paul that as long as he wanted to live there, it would be his home for life, rent free.

While looking through his mother’s possessions, Edward was reminded of many happy and a few, not so happy times from his childhood. He decided to pack up the old family photos and a few other personal items to take back with him. He had forgotten about his mother’s large collection of vinyl records covering almost her entire life. The collection was too large to take with him so he picked out a few, he knew were her favourites and played them one day while Paul was out. They brought back memories of times he thought he had forgotten about completely. For a couple of hours, Edward was transported back to his teenage and early adult days when he and his mum would bop away to their favourite songs. Also amongst her collection were some of those disco hits that Edward would later use in his drag shows.

Edward wanted to get back to Romel and the familiarity of home but he promised to return if any matters needed his attention. He took a couple of family items to remember his mother and left the rest for Paul to deal with.