Seven Days Horizons

by Ruth Hay

  “Dad, I’m here to help. But first, tell me how bad it is with mother’s heart?”

  If it were possible, Aylward Beck sank even further into his chair and it was a few seconds before he could call upon a reply.

  “Megan was so upset to hear about her mother. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth and your mother doesn’t even know. The doctor agreed it was not beneficial for her to know the gravity of the damage to her heart, at least, not just yet. It’s important for her to have some confidence in her recovery. If she knew more, she might give up entirely.”

  Terrence was shocked to his core. A bad situation immediately assumed much more desperate consequences.

  “Oh, Dad!” He could not speak without dissolving in tears in a most unmanly way. He stretched out a hand to his father’s hunched shoulders and patted him gently while he composed himself for a reply.

  “I want you to stop worrying about this place right now. Concentrate on mother. Jillian is already sending meals for both of you, and Megan said a qualified nurse will be visiting each day to deal with medications and physiotherapy.

  It seems to me that you both need to be in a safer place, close to the hospital and closer to all of us.”

  “Just a minute there!” his father had drawn from some depth an echo of his former, commanding personality. “I will not countenance one of those ghastly, seniors’ retirement places. Marian and I are adamant about that. It would be the death of both of us.”

  “No, no! That’s not what I’m saying. We need to get you into a one-floor apartment that’s easy to run with an elevator and a variety of services in place for health and convenience. Louise is looking into this for us. It’s a top priority now.

  I’ll get Abi to pack up what you need. Abi will provide a stabilizing influence for Portia when she moves back in with her mother. Abi can stay there until she gets a place of her own. She has a good job with Zoomer now and both she and Portia need to be downtown for work.”

  Aylward was surprised to hear the determination in his son’s voice. He did seem to have a grasp of the situation and perhaps it was time to let the boy, no, the grown man, have a chance to show what he could do. He regretted that a professional career had passed his son by long ago but it was a valuable life skill to be able to deal with practicalities in an efficient way. The restaurant business had taught him that much.

  The renowned professor Aylward Beck acknowledged the baton passing from his hands to another generation and he was content.

  “I leave it in your capable hands, Terrence. I will confess to feeling glad to be done with the responsibility of this place. We should have sold up years ago. I can assure you whatever you find for us, can be paid for. This house is worth a substantial fortune. Some American or foreign buyer will snap it up.”

  “Megan is dealing with the house sale, Dad. As you know, Devon has already started to clear the valuables out. We’ll rent a large storage facility for now to speed up the process and we’ll have you and Mom safely out of here within days, I promise you.”

  Suddenly a huge weight was lifted. Aylward pulled himself upright in his chair and felt as if the entire atmosphere of the library had brightened. It was like a ray of brilliant sunshine had crept in through the curtained windows and brought hope and warmth to this dim place where he had spent too much of his time and his energy.

  Everything around him was about to undergo radical change. He could feel it. He would not fight these changes. He would try with all his mental strength to welcome them, if not for his own benefit, for that of his beloved Marian.

  * * *

  Abi had no real contact with Moses Znaimer at Zoomer. His sister, Libby, took more to do with the magazine and she seemed pleased with Abi’s work. The series of articles on Canadian snowbirds had taken a new turn with the change in her grandparents’ plans but this opened up a different investigative path; that of how Canadians dealt with their finances when downsizing and the laws regarding the amount of time and money that could be safely held in the United States or other countries.

  Abi was doing an online investigation into the Canadian Snowbirds’ Organization when she received an email telling her to prepare for a Q&A role at the Zoomer Show to be held at the end of October at Toronto’s Exhibition Centre. For the first time the show was to be in conjunction with the British Isles Show Canada. She was surprised. Combining both shows was a big deal. She would, undoubtedly meet some of the listeners who called into her radio program on a regular basis with questions about services and community events for seniors. It would be an opportunity to enlarge her profile in communications.

  The work with seniors had never been on her radar before. She had imagined herself as a glitzy presenter on a national television program, far from her present position. And yet, she had a good feeling inside about helping people. Living with, and watching, her grandparents at close quarters had given her a new perspective. She was not totally focussed on her own selfish plans for a change.

  She knew Zoomer also had an interest in a television station. It was not beyond the bounds of possibility that she would be in the perfect position to assume the presenter role if the ever-ambitious Moses Znaimer should turn his attention to a news channel exclusively for the growing Canadian population in the 60+ category.

  She marked the October date in her smartphone calendar and saw a note she had made about helping Louise find an apartment for their grandparents. She sent a text to her sister asking if there was any news on that score and received an instant reply.

  Working on it. Jason came up with a list and we’ve been checking the facilities.

  Need to show you possible candidates. Dad says do it NOW.

  Send me a list of top priorities.

  Louise.

  As soon as she had a break, Abi took her lunch to a quiet corner and gave serious thought to the problem. She figured her grandparents would have no idea what was being built in Toronto these days so asking them for input would be pointless. Since moving in with them she had a fairly good sense of what they might need given their present circumstances.

  She started with her grandmother’s health situation.

  * * *

  One floor apartment with private elevator.

  Close to medical facilities downtown.

  Health/leisure club on site.

  Restaurant in building with delivery services.

  Concierge and security personnel.

  Some outdoor space for a garden and/or a rooftop area for residents.

  A view of the lake.

  * * *

  She looked over her list and thought it would be suitable for her grandfather also. These requirements came with a big price tag in Toronto but she knew that was not going to be an issue. In fact, there would be more than enough money to permit the couple to buy a lovely place in Arizona for winter holidays. It wasn’t the Bahamas, but there had been news recently of a big storm hitting the island so perhaps it was not going to be a good choice for them after all. Arizona was much closer and required less travel time.

  She made a note to tell her Aunt Megan to look into this future purchase.

  As she was about to send off the list to Louise and Jason, Abi had another thought and added a couple of items.

  If possible avoid an all-glass frontage. Too big a change for them.

  Also don’t waste time on brand new buildings. Something more traditional will suit them better and the residents might have a range of ages.

  When she returned to the mansion tonight she would begin a campaign to gently introduce the advantages of downtown apartment living. She would also go through the linen cupboards and start to put aside bedding and soft furnishings for the move. Her Gran would advise about these. Better to start slowly. There was a big task ahead.

  Abi realized she would soon be packing her own belongings for a hopefully short stay with Aunt Megan and Portia. She wanted to find a place for herself fairly soon although it would be nothing like the luxurious apa
rtment her grandparents could afford. She decided to ask around at the Zoomer offices. Someone might know about a sub-let or an inexpensive place nearby.

  It would be nice to be on her own again and live the life of a single girl around town with restaurants and wine bars at her command. It was time to pick up her social life again.

  Changes were happening all round, it seemed but that was not always a bad thing.

  Chapter 24

  Dan found the office of Dr. Wesley J. Philips, Psychotherapist, in a small building tucked away in Fleet Street. He entered the reception area and fell under the beady eye of one Beth Simmons who asked for his name.

  “Sorry, I’m not a patient as yet. I heard about the doctor from a friend and I just wanted to see if you had any openings for new patients.”

  “We deal only with referrals here. You will need to see your physician first.”

  The tone was not welcoming so Dan turned on his best smile and lent a quaver to his voice to garner some sympathy.

  “It’s just that I have had trouble with treatment before. What kind of man is Dr. Philips? Is he sympathetic to guys with marriage problems? Is he married himself?”

  The receptionist was taken aback by this approach.

  “Young man, I am not in the habit of answering such intrusive questions about my employer. I can assure you he is sympathetic to all his patients.”

  “But have you known him for a long time?”

  “I am happy to say I have worked for the gentleman since long before his marriage and hope to continue with him for many years. Now, please leave. A registered patient will be arriving soon.”

  Dan smiled. He had what he needed; now to check his sources to find out the good doctor’s home address. Unlisted likely, but that would not stop him. He had a bloodhound’s sense that this story was about to prove a money-spinner for him.

  He chuckled as he emerged from the building into the dusky evening. Here he was, only a stone’s throw from the biggest newspaper companies in London and none of them had ferreted out this huge story right under their noses. He was going to get great satisfaction from putting one over on all the bigwigs who had turned him down for a job in the past. This story would put him in the major leagues. Money would no longer be a problem. He could write his own ticket from here on.

  He rubbed his hands together. He might condescend to take Jess out for another meal when the story broke, but he did not intend to continue with her. She had been useful for a while although she had a shifty look about her that made him uneasy.

  When he was in the money there would be far better choices for him among the city’s young and beautiful people.

  Chapter 25

  Wesley Philips was in a state of high anticipation; a state he sought to conceal from his wife. It was such an important stage in the development of her pregnancy and he wanted everything to go well.

  He brought Zoe a simple breakfast on a tray and encouraged her to take her time getting up. He had hired a car for the ride to the clinic, collected it on the Friday night and it sat just outside the gates to Dunstan’s Close. He did not want to share their moment of joy with any limo driver. This was a very special day for both he and his wife. He had a plan to take Zoe afterwards to an exclusive restaurant in a hotel where they could celebrate in style. It was not something they usually did, preferring to stay out of the public eye as much as possible, but today’s events justified a large gesture in his mind, at least.

  Everything depended on the results of the scan. Dr. Ambrose had agreed to a private session. The clinic was closed and she would conduct the procedure for them. It was an ideal setting. They would go there together, out in the open, as a married couple.

  * * *

  All went according to plan. It was a perfect September morning was just a hint of autumn in the air. The leaves on the trees around their home were beginning to take on their colourful forms and it seemed to Wesley the trees were celebrating with them.

  He had left plenty of time for the drive to the clinic so they arrived early. Dr. Ambrose was doing paperwork but she welcomed them with a smile and showed them into the examining room without delay.

  Zoe held his hand throughout the procedure and he needed that anchor. The doctor’s words of explanation flew over his head. He saw and heard nothing until the pulsing image of Zoe’s uterus arrived on the screen and the sound of a steady heartbeat could be heard.

  There it was! An actual baby cushioned safely within its mother. No longer an idea; a possibility; it was, finally, a reality. His eyes teared over and the picture blurred. With his free hand he wiped away the moisture behind his glasses and blinked until he could see clearly again.

  His plan to identify the sex of the baby vanished in the amazement of the miracle before him. He saw a tiny heart beating and hands moving. He could not stop looking.

  After what seemed like an age gone by, he heard words again.

  “So, Zoe and Wesley, do you want to know if you are having a boy or a girl?”

  Zoe turned to face him. Her hand gripped even more tightly and on her face was an expression he had never before seen. She was always the most beautiful woman in the world to him from almost the first moment they met in his office, but now her face glowed from within. It was a sign of her complete immersion in this moment, in this discovery and in this new life they would share together. His worries faded to nothing.

  Here and now was everything precious, everything perfect. They were blessed beyond all desiring.

  “What do you think?” she whispered.

  He had to drag himself back from a place of bliss to respond and his voice was a croak.

  “I want to know.”

  “Good! Me too!”

  “Right then! Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Philips, may I present your son. He’s a fine strong boy and should give you many sleepless nights in a few months, so enjoy this moment together.”

  The doctor left the machine running and went out of the room to collect the prints.

  In later years, neither Zoe nor Wesley could find the words to describe the next five minutes. They knew only that it was when two became three.

  * * *

  The plan for the restaurant celebration was abandoned. Zoe wanted to keep the feeling of togetherness for as long as possible in a private setting and Wesley agreed. He drove back home with extreme care and ushered Zoe through their front door as if she were made of fragile spun sugar. She laughed and told him to come back soon.

  He had intended to return the rented car but as soon as he turned around after closing the front door, he noticed a taxi parked right behind his vehicle. Suddenly he remembered seeing this taxi following behind him for most of the journey from the clinic. He had thought nothing of it. London streets were crowded with taxis at any time but this one had, undoubtedly, followed them home.

  Anger rose within him. How dared someone invade their privacy at such a tender moment? He approached the taxi with the idea of dragging someone out of it and demanding an explanation but as soon as he got within striking distance a window rolled down and a blaze of light blinded him completely. He stepped back, involuntarily.

  Before he could recover his balance the taxi sped away.

  What had been red hot anger now turned into cold analysis. Someone had uncovered the location of Zoe’s home and the identity of her husband. A wave of dread followed this realization. It was entirely possible whoever had just taken a photograph of him had also photographed the two of them arriving home and, God help him, may have followed them back all the way from the clinic. The thing Zoe had dreaded had happened on this very day when their happiness had reached an unparalleled height. The paparazzi had finally tracked them down and the invasion of their peace of mind was about to begin. Their tranquility was gone. It was only a matter of time before the pack of media hawks would be surrounding their sanctuary every hour of the day and night.

  Wesley Philips knew he had to protect his family. There was no telling how this invasion might
affect Zoe and what affected her, could affect their child.

  It was unsupportable. He could not allow this to happen. A multitude of scenarios flooded through him and his body grew colder with the necessity to concentrate. He had to think clearly and decisively and he had to do it immediately.

  He turned on his heel and marched back up the path. The finest piece of acting he had ever attempted was now before him. At all costs, he would have to conceal from his wife what was about to happen.

  He found Zoe waiting for him in the lounge. He gathered her up in his arms and with a show of excitement he said, “My darling! This is such wonderful news. Tell me, who do you want to tell first? Is it your father and Isobel? Is it Sandra in Mull or is it Corinne? I will take you to Canada if you want to see Valerie, I will take you anywhere you want. It’s time to share our secret with those who love us.”

  Zoe was clearly surprised but she was also caught up in the excitement of the moment. Rarely had she seen Wesley so commanding and she rather liked this new, masterful version of her husband.

  “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it at all. I suppose Dad and Isobel should be the first to know but we can’t just run off without warning everyone. What’s come into you, Wesley, darling?”

  “I just want to share our happiness with our nearest and dearest, that’s all. Let’s start in Scotland. Pack a small bag with necessities. I am booking a train right now.”

  “You mean now?”

  “Absolutely! We are leaving within the hour. Trust me, Zoe, this is the right thing to do.”

  With that, he was off up the stairs two at a time and Zoe was left with a gaping mouth wondering what had got into her mild-mannered man. Could the knowledge that he had a son on the way have made this transformation? If so, there was going to be an entirely new Wesley for her to get used to and today was only the start of it.