The Covids - 26. Sins of the Father

A few days later, Jason decided that he needed to talk to Beryl. He had not seen or heard from her since Daniel told him that she wanted him and Colleen to leave. Jason thought it terribly unfair that he and Colleen should suffer for something they had no control over. He summoned up his courage, put on his mask and tentatively knocked on his Gran’s door. As he heard her approaching the door, he called out “It’s Jason Gran.”

“Coming, my boy, I’m not as fast as I used to be.”

“In your own time Gran.”

As she opened the door, he asked “Can we have a little chat Gran, I’m really worried.”

“And what has a young’n like you got to worry about?”

They sat down and he answered. “Is it true that you want Colleen and I to move out of the house?”

“Did your father tell you that?”

“Yes, of course, but I don’t think that’s fair or a good idea.”

“Not fair, you say.”

“Yes Gran, we have nothing to do with the problem and it was Dad that argued with you, not me. I’m not even sure why you two were arguing and I don’t really need to know; that’s between you two, I don’t want to get involved.”

“OK point taken, maybe I shouldn’t take it out on you. After all, you’re not the one that is so ungrateful. But you also said not a good idea.”

“Yes, it’s not a good idea for you. After all we came here to support you during this pandemic thing and it’s far from over.”

“You know what Jason? For a boy that earns a living by taking his clothes off, you sometimes surprise me the way you think things through. Also, I admire your guts in coming here and presenting your case so simply.”

“Thanks Gran, but can you let up on the clothes off thing, I also work the bar and I’m learning bar management as well.”

“With half your clothes off!”

“Oh Gran!”

“OK, I’m just having a bit of fun.”

“As long as that’s all it is; I work hard on the job and in the gym so I can keep my job. There’s plenty of young ones waiting to take over; that’s why I’m learning more about hospitality management. One day I’ll have to stand aside when a new gym bunny comes along.”

“I’m not sure I understood everything you said Jason, but I think I got gist of it.”

“Good, so are we cool Gran. Colleen and I don’t want to see you left alone here because of a silly argument with Dad.”

“Jason!” she said sternly “It was not a silly argument. It’s a matter of principle and your father has shown me no respect for the way your Gramps and I tried to protect him, his marriage and Kevin for all those years.”

“I’m sorry Gran, that’s not what I really meant and as I said, I don’t really know what it was about, but it seems to have upset you enormously and I don’t want to add to that.”

“OK boy, I don’t want us to be on separate sides here, so I’ll tell you what I’ll do. The rift between your father and I remains; only he can fix that, but as they say, the sins of the father should not be visited upon the son.”

“Now, I’m not sure I understood everything you said. Is that a quote or something?”

“Yes Jason, what I mean is I don’t really want to punish you and Colleen, because of your ungrateful father’s actions, so you can stay. By the way, where is that lovely girl that you still have not wed? I don’t see her much lately”

“She works a lot of extra shift because the hospital is so busy and so many staff are off sick or in quarantine.”

“Yes, this damn Corona thing.”

“And thanks Gran for letting us stay. I’d love to give you a big hug but you know the rules.”

“Bugger the rules my boy, give your old Gran a hug. If this bug dares to come near me I’ll give it a run for its money. I’ve survived everything else this world has thrown at me.”

That evening Daniel was watching the TV news when he heard the following,

NSW health authorities have warned of potential coronavirus exposures at three venues in Sydney. They are the Master Hot Pot in Canley Vale and the BBQ City Buffet in Bankstown on August 1, plus the Eveleigh Hotel in Redfern on Friday July 31 from 7:30pm to 10:00pm. Patrons of these Sydney businesses have been told to monitor for symptoms and seek testing if they have symptoms.

He immediately recalled his conversation with Christine, a few nights back and called out to her. “Did you hear that Chris?”

“What’s that Dad?” she called back as she came from the kitchen.

“Wasn’t it last Friday night that you were at the Eveleigh?”

“Yes, why?”

“There seems to have been a Corona positive person there between 7.30 and 10, when you were there.”

“Are you sure it was last Friday?”

“Yes, but check the health department website anyway.”

Christine went back to the kitchen to tell her mother and retrieve her phone. A few minutes later she returned to Daniel. “You’re right Dad I was the night I was there.”

“How are you feeling?”

“I was OK until just now. Do you think I should get tested?”

“They say if you have any symptoms, you should get tested.”

“Yeah, but there have been a lot of people who are asymptomatic and still pass it on. I don’t want to take that risk.”

“Let’s go and talk to your mother.”

After their discussion it was decided to call Colleen for advice. She advised Christine that she should isolate immediately and go for a test the next day. Jenny took charge, put quarantine procedures in place and after sending Christine off to her room, she called the rest of the family together for a meeting.

“Now guys, Christine will remain in her room except for when she needs to use the bathroom. In that regard, she can have exclusive use of the family bathroom and Kevin, you can use our ensuite.”

“Sure Mum: do you think she will be OK?”

“We won’t know till she gets tested but in the meantime we need to sanitise the house.” She threw out the salad that Christine was preparing and gave the boys each a bottle of disinfectant and sponges to clean every surface that Christine was likely to have touched in the last few days. “And when you finish that dispose of the sponges, change your clothes and shower.”

“Mum, isn’t this a bit over the top, we don’t even know if she’s got it yet?”

“If she has been infected and we don’t take precautions then we may find that she has passed it on. Do you want that?”

“S’pose not” he grumbled.

“Right then, gloves on, disinfectant in one hand, sponge in the other and off to work we go.”

“You’re sounding a bit Disney there Jen.”

“You don’t have to whistle, unless you want to.”

“What are you two talking about?”

“Never mind Kev, it’s a bit before your time.”

“Do you mean we’ll be Coronabusters?”

“Something like that.”

The following day, Christine borrowed her mother’s car and lined up at the local drive-in Corona testing clinic. Upon return she was asked, by a masked Jenny, “How did it go?”

“Oh it was fine, if you like having your brain probed by an oversized cotton bud.”

“Did it hurt?”

“Of course it bloody hurt.”

“Sorry love, now you had better get back to your room and rest. I’ll bring you some lunch soon.”

“Thanks Mum.”