by Ruth Hay
He laughed again. “Good! I was not looking forward to that. My experience has been similar.
Please think about the future, my darling, and let me know what you want me to do so that we can be together for longer than one night at a time.”
For Vilma, there was one way to accomplish this without too much delay. The February week in Jamaica was fast approaching. The island had escaped the worst of the tornadoes of the early part of the fall season.
She and Andy could go there as a couple and occupy one of the cottages. It would be like a proper honeymoon; something they really needed to cement their relationship.
She could rent out the remaining cottage and that would pay for their holiday. She had an idea to solve two problems in one by finding rental candidates from an unusual source; a source that would provide compatible occupants with much in common with Vilma.
She stopped abruptly.
She was constructing in her head, a vast and complex future for them without including Andy in these decisions. She must not do this. It was demoralizing for him to be presenting with a fait accompli.
She had years of planning for herself. She must not start out by putting him in an inferior position.
He had asked for her input. The discussion would start from that point and she would be careful to go slowly and resist overwhelming him with her extensive ideas. This was the way she must proceed in future if this relationship was to be successful.
Chapter 26
Mavis Montgomery was spending quite a lot of time with Louise Ridley now that her garden had been put to bed for the winter months. Louise found her to be a sympathetic and restful companion whose advice and help seemed to blend seamlessly with that of Hilary, who Louise considered her guardian angel.
Mavis became Louise’s closest confidante shortly after they had a conversation about the social work Mavis had done while working at the courthouse.
“What happened to those families with severe drug or mental issues?”
“It depended on what resources were available for them in the city. Sometimes a foster family could be found to care for the children while a parent was undergoing help in a hospital facility. Sometimes, sadly, the family was never able to reform because the time apart was too long and older children moved to take up their own lives elsewhere.”
“How sad for them!”
“Yes. Many of the stories ended badly.”
Mavis was thinking about Faith and how close she was to being a lost child with no place to go.
Louise was thinking about small children who needed love and support while separated from a sick parent.
“How many of the cases you describe involved more than one child needing temporary homes?”
“Most of them, I’m afraid. By the time the situation was so advanced that the courts were involved, a family had grown, as did their problems of unemployment, or absent fathers.”
“Were these children able to be housed together?”
“Only very rarely could that happen. Registered foster families usually had one or two youth or children already and the influx of three or four more was impossible to arrange. Of course it could be very destructive for the children to be separated when their family unit was already under stress. Many spent years trying to get back together again.”
Louise appeared to be strongly affected by these stories. Mavis began to wonder why she was so concerned.
“What makes you ask, Louise?”
“I am so sad for these children. I must confess to you, Mavis, that much of my mental distress was related to my inability to have a child. You see, I come from a large family. Life with children around was what my childhood was all about. As one of the oldest, I looked after my little brothers and sisters and loved it all. Mother called me ‘her little helper’. I seriously thought of becoming a child nurse specializing in the care of babies, but my life took a different turn when I met Dennis and moved far away from my family home. I haven’t been in touch with my siblings for years now.”
She stopped talking, and Mavis could see how painful these memories were to her. With the new strategies she had gained from psychotherapy and from knowing there was help readily available next door, Louise could now pull herself back from the dangerous brink where failure could lead.
Mavis watched this recovery process happen right in front of her and she knew Louise was safe.
“What are you thinking about, Louise?” Mavis spoke in a gentle and tender voice.
The silence deepened and the ticking of the kitchen clock could be heard. It was the only sound in this large home. Mavis could relate Louise’s story of her busy childhood life to the complete contrast of her life now. It was such a different and solitary existence. No wonder Louise had collapsed under the extreme disappointment of being childless.
Mavis went into problem-solving mode. She scoured her memory for a solution. She must move slowly and carefully. Louise’s recent mental problems would not permit her to qualify for foster parent status but there was much that could prepare her and give her the comfort she desired without a formal qualification. That could come later. There was time.
“Louise, my dear, I am about to suggest something to you. Only you can decide if it is something you want. There is a program in London to train women for childcare responsibilities. You would work closely with qualified people and gain knowledge of how the system operates.
It would be a minor role for some time but you would be able to help vulnerable children and their families.”
Louise Ridley turned her tear-filled eyes on Mavis with an expression that reminded the older woman of a cat she had once saved from drowning.
“Is this true? I would work like a slave for this chance. When could I start? What should I do to prepare? If I could eventually become a foster parent it would make me so happy and I’m sure Dennis would love to fill this house with the sounds of children’s laughter. It was what we intended when we bought into the crescent. Oh, Mavis! Thank you for giving me hope.”
There were tears to follow and noses to be wiped. Mavis was just as moved as was Louise, but part of her mind was still forming the plan.
Slow stages so as not to overwhelm Louise.
Get Dennis on board soon.
Look for a winter beginner course if possible.
Ask Faith to talk to the couple about some of her foster home experiences.
Bring Hilary into this. Louise would need a lot of support.
Several cups of tea later, and after a tour of the empty bedrooms with an exhilarated Louise who immediately had plans for decorating themes, Mavis set off back to Harmony House through the snow with visions of Louise surrounded with happy children in a house full of laughter.
Andy was surprised when Vilma suggested the February holiday in Jamaica. His first thought went to the expense. His second thought went to the dogs.
Vilma quickly assured him she had an idea to defray the cost but she needed some more time to put that in place.
“I have been thinking about the dogs, however. They would be most comfortable here at home. I am confident, Jannice and Faith, between them, could cope with the dogs’ regular routines. Faith would stay with them overnight and we have time to coach both in the signals they respond to so well.
I will take Faith and Jannice for practise runs with the dogs in the woods if you clear some paths of snow for them. If they stick to the usual paths the dogs will do the rest.
It’s only for one week.”
Andy was beginning to grasp the ever-creative mind of Vilma Smith. It was a mind that never acknowledged an obstacle she could not surmount. He was somewhat less confident about the abilities of a woman and girl to succeed with two energetic dogs who had wills of their own.
“It’s certainly an idea, Vilma. I suppose we have a few weeks to work on this but we should have a backup plan in case they can’t cope.”
“I am good with that, Andy. If you know of an alternative, I will be glad to hear of i
t.”
She had deftly put the ball back in his court. He wondered if he would ever get used to this amazing woman who was so full of mental and physical resources.
The subject of the discrepancy in their ages had never come up. He knew why. She was his match in energy levels. She was his superior in emotional intelligence. She was creative and curious and positive and beautiful and…….he could run on with this forever. Age had nothing to do with it. She was everything he wanted and needed, and he considered himself saved from a worthless existence and transported to heaven where he would happily worship at her feet. He would not allow himself to tell her this in actual words, however.
Vilma was nothing if not practical and his overtly romanticized statements were greeted with appropriate amounts of scepticism. She preferred actions to promises and he was delighted to provide these evidences of his affections whenever they were together and alone. Like now.
He looked over at the face he loved. He could deny her nothing. If she said there was a way, he knew she would find it and make it work for them.
They were a team. His part was to provide the strength and determination to match hers. He had all the incentive he would ever need, right here in his arms, to make this dog training centre a viable business. Until that was settled, he meant to continue gardening and snow-clearing with his regular clients and with the new city clients Hilary had been supplying for him. Now she was visiting older seniors regularly, she could see they needed more than driving help. Most wished to remain in their homes but had not the energy to do maintenance tasks like hedge and tree trimming. Hilary had reminded several of them that a poorly-maintained yard was an invitation to a break-in. Appointments for more garden work resulted from this.
He sighed deeply and thanked the gods for Harmony House and Vilma and Hilary and all the women.
He was certainly not unaware of the challenges ahead.
There might, in future months, be an occasional tussle with his Vilma over the plan to build a suitable house on the ridge overlooking the stream. He expected to have to rein in her decorating ambitions but before they reached that ultimate goal, the thought of a week relaxing together in endless sunshine in a beach cottage, sounded like exactly what would be needed. He could hardly wait to see his stunning Vilma in a bikini.
When Andy’s truck was parked overnight near the garages, everyone at Harmony House knew he was staying with Vilma. There was an unspoken agreement to leave them in peace. Everyone knew their difficult situation with regard to accommodations and no one who had watched the slow development of their relationship was at all surprised at the outcome. The women conspired together to exit the kitchen early and leave copious amounts of bacon, pancakes and whatever else was available, in the warming oven for Andy’s appetite. Vilma secretly gave Eve a meal subsidy to cover Andy’s greater food requirements.
His presence was not a real problem as he always went off just after daylight to do driveway clearing jobs for people who lived at the city limits.
After Andy left Harmony House, happy and well-fed, Vilma mentally dusted off her hands.
Mission accomplished on the February holiday idea. The next part of her plan would require time and thought and not an inconsiderable amount of research.
For some time she had been wondering if Harmony House had similarly-successful models elsewhere in Canada. She thought there must be a group, or co-housing organization, where common problems and advanced ideas could be discussed for mutual benefit.
Online sources indicated there were over a dozen housing models ranging from small establishments like theirs, to almost full-sized apartment buildings. British Columbia had several and Saskatoon had an early version in a purpose-built condo complex called Wolf Willow. Alberta was one of the first provinces to adopt the co-housing model and they were about to begin a new multigenerational community based on the same principles.
This caught Vilma’s interest. Since Faith joined the Harmony House community, she was forced to admit the girl had brought new life and energy to the other residents. Honor and Jannice were also proving to be valuable members in their different ways. The idea of mixed generations might well be the way forward for Harmony House. Faith would likely leave fairly soon. Goodness knows what Jannice would do now Mitchell Delaney had arrived on the scene.
She could only speculate on the advantages of a new approach to co-housing in a small facility such as theirs. Most of the ones she researched were much larger in scope and some even accommodated families. It was more like a village concept than an individual house for a few women.
She knew this might not be what Hilary and Mavis had visualized initially. It was not Vilma’s job to tell them what to do in the future especially since she was most likely to be leaving Harmony House in the next year.
Something about the opportunity to take a winter break in Jamaica had started a line of thinking for Vilma. These women, and even some men, in co-housing communities spread out across the country, had much in common. Why couldn’t they all band together and consider ideas to enlarge their options? Exchanging residences for brief periods of time could be beneficial for visiting distant family, medical needs, or simply for a change of scenery or a change of climate. The basic legal and financial requirements of their respective co-housing residences would remain in place. It would merely be a move to a different location for an agreed period of time.
A bit like AirBnB without the fear of an unknown person who might not respect the privileges.
Vilma thought such an organization should exist, if it did not already.
All the statistics suggested the population was aging rapidly. The projected rise in these numbers by the year 2036 was around 4.1 million.
A quick survey, locally, showed her there were several new seniors’ residences planned or started, but the monthly costs were always excessive and the investment uncertain.
For those who could afford to buy a share in a co-housing project, their future was much more in their own hands. They could recoup their investment whenever they wished.
She thought about these ideas and finally decided to send out letters or emails to a number of co-housing establishments she found online. She chose the smaller ones in hopes of finding a couple who might want to share the expenses of the second cottage in Jamaica. She enclosed photographs of the island location and information about her present situation in Harmony House.
It was a remote chance, but one worth attempting. If no one responded, she always had the option of asking the rental agent to find her a couple for the cottage. That option reduced the money she would receive by finding candidates on her own, but it also meant her idea of establishing connections with other co-housing proponents would need a different and more organized approach. With so much going on in her life at the moment, Vilma had to be content to let fate determine if this minor step was a viable way forward to a bigger future plan.
Chapter 27
Christmas Day dawned bright and beautiful. The evening before had been magical with the slow drift of fresh new snow covering the fir trees with festive white decoration. The bare branches of the forest trees were laced in white and there was not a sound to disturb the peace.
Andy and Vilma stood together looking out the window at Mavis’s garden, now shrouded in its winter blanket.
Harmony House was even quieter than usual.
Jannice had left on Christmas Eve for her old house downtown.
Faith and Honor took the trains to Kingston two days ahead so they could explore the city from their hotel before going to join the Jeffries’ family on Christmas Day.
Eve had arranged a ride to St. Mary’s with a friend from the Byron Art Club, where she was now an active member. Their paintings had gone ahead and were displayed in a museum near the Christmas Market, but there would also be interactions between buyers and sellers at an open stall. It was an annual occasion, much enjoyed by art lovers. Eve was thrilled to be included. The participants would be entertained
at a feast supplied by the town council in their handsome old building after the market closed.
Mavis was with Louise and Dennis helping with dinner preparations for three couples and thinking she could never have imagined this a year ago. Louise insisted Mavis was to be seated with the guests and not to hide away in the kitchen.
“We’ll serve together and Dennis can carve the turkey and the roast beef. I expect you and Hilary to take any leftovers back with you, although how much will be left with three men to feed, is an unknown at this point!”
Mavis was delighted to see the confidence and sheer joy in the face of her neighbour who had advanced in leaps and bounds since her awful breakdown. Mavis could detect no signs of that now. Her suggestion of a program to prepare Louise for a foster home application had given the woman a fresh ambition and she and Dennis were closer than ever in going forward with this plan.
* * *
Mavis’s earlier footsteps across the lawn were all that could be seen from Vilma’s window to break the snow covering on this special morning.
Vilma sighed contentedly.
“Let’s go back to bed. I just heard Hilary moving along the hallway to the kitchen. We are practically all alone here for a change and there’s no rush. The dogs will wait for a bit and I can make coffee right here whenever you want.”
Andy was happy to oblige. Cuddling beneath the covers with Vilma and with two dogs as an extra heat source at his feet was a pleasure he could never get enough of.
Christmas Day.
He did not want to struggle to remember this time last year. It was a dark period in his mind only brightened by the thought of visits from Vilma and her dogs on the distant horizon.
How had everything changed so much in such a short time?
