Aunt Bessie's Holiday

by Diana Xarissa

  “Poor Monique,” Bessie muttered. The words were hardly out of her mouth when she spotted Margaret Hopkins. The woman was walking very slowly towards them, trying to keep out of Nathan’s line of sight. It wasn’t all that difficult, as the man was staring straight ahead and didn’t actually seem to be seeing anything.

  “She really fell for Charles,” Nathan told her now. “And she was heartbroken when he told her his wife was coming and he was planning to get back together with her.”

  “That wasn’t going to happen,” Bessie replied.

  Nathan shrugged. “She wanted to leave. She said she couldn’t work with Charles anymore. I agreed to go anywhere she wanted, but she didn’t want me to come with her. She was going to leave me here, knowing I’d never keep my job without her help. I’m simply not a very good chef.”

  “I’m sorry,” Bessie said quietly, watching Margaret closely.

  “Try to keep him talking,” the other woman mouthed to Bessie. At least that was what Bessie thought she said.

  “So she was going to leave?” Bessie repeated his words.

  “I didn’t mean to kill him,” Nathan said, glancing around and spotting Margaret. “I didn’t mean to kill him. I just wanted to talk to him. I was hoping he could persuade Monique to stay, that’s all.”

  “But that didn’t happen, did it?” Margaret asked, her voice low.

  “No, he wouldn’t listen. He said Monique had just been a bit of fun, that’s all. I was so angry,” Nathan dropped his head into his hands.

  Bessie looked up at Margaret and then rose to her feet. “I’m sorry,” she said again to Nathan, not entirely certain what she was sorry about.

  Margaret waved a hand and several uniformed policemen quickly surrounded the bench as Bessie slowly walked away.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “I didn’t get any pastries,” Bessie said as she walked into her cabin. “I’m sorry, I completely forgot.”

  John, Andrew and Doona all jumped up and rushed towards her.

  “Never mind pastries,” Doona said. “Are you okay? I was so worried about you.”

  “I’m fine,” Bessie insisted as she was pulled into a huge hug. Once Doona released her, John gave her a quick hug as well, and even Andrew wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a small squeeze.

  They all made their way into the kitchen, where a huge box of pastries and a pot of coffee waited. Bessie sat down with a croissant and coffee and sighed deeply.

  “I’m glad someone remembered the pastries,” she said after she’d had a bite of her flaky croissant.

  “I said I’d bring them,” Andrew told her. “And I had to find something to do while we waited to hear from Margaret that you were okay.”

  “I was fine,” Bessie said with a wave of her hand. “I wasn’t in any danger. Nathan just fell apart.”

  “He started falling apart right after the murder,” Andrew said. “His cooking suffered immediately.”

  “That might have been because Monique wasn’t helping him anymore,” Bessie said, telling them what Nathan had said about the real talent behind his delicious meals. She took them through her conversations with both Monique and Nathan.

  “I wonder why Monique didn’t come forward sooner,” Doona said when she’d finished.

  “I’m not sure we’ll ever know,” Andrew replied. “But I’m sure Margaret will ask.”

  “Nathan insisted that he never intended to kill Charles,” Bessie said thoughtfully. “He was just upset because Charles wouldn’t help him keep Monique here.”

  “I’d be more inclined to believe that if he hadn’t stolen the knife from your cabin,” Andrew said.

  Bessie gasped. “I hadn’t thought about that,” she admitted. “That certainly makes it seem more likely to have been premeditated, doesn’t it?”

  “I would say so,” John said. “But I’m sure he’ll come up with some sort of explanation.”

  “You do seem to have a knack for getting confessions from people lately,” Doona said to Bessie with a sigh.

  “I don’t mean to,” Bessie replied defensively. “I just seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “From my perspective, this time it was the right place,” Doona told her. “I was sure Margaret thought I did it.”

  “Well, I’m just glad it’s all sorted before we’re due to head back,” Bessie said.

  Everyone ate silently for a few minutes before Doona spoke. “I’m not sure I feel like going to the book club this afternoon,” she said to Bessie. “I hope you don’t mind if I skip it.”

  “I’m not feeling like talking about books much myself,” Bessie admitted. “I only finished two of them and I can think of a lot of better ways to spend our last day here.”

  “Like what?” Doona asked.

  Bessie looked over at Andrew and grinned. “We should all go and play crazy golf instead,” she suggested. “And get two scoops of ice cream.”

  “And maybe play Poohsticks on the way back,” Andrew added.

  They all sat back and ate and drank. Bessie felt as if she were waiting for something, but she wasn’t sure what. Margaret called a short time later and had a long conversation with John.

  “He’s confessed to everything,” he told the others when he’d hung up. “He’s even admitted to stealing the knife from your patio. He still says he didn’t go to Charles’s office intending to kill him, but he can’t explain why he took the knife with him otherwise.”

  “What about Monique?” Bessie asked.

  “She told Margaret that she suspected him all along, but she says she didn’t want to believe that he was capable of murder. According to her, she was never in love with him, but she thought he was a good person.”

  “I think we should put it all out of our minds and go and get some lunch and have some fun,” Andrew said.

  “Andrew’s right,” John agreed.

  “Give us fifteen minutes to freshen up,” Doona suggested. “We’ll meet you on the bench out front.”

  The men left and Doona turned to Bessie. “Did Nathan really say that Charles dumped Monique because of me?” she demanded with tears in her eyes.

  “Yes,” Bessie said.

  “I don’t even know what to think,” Doona said, shaking her head. “Maybe he really did want to give our marriage another chance.”

  “I suppose we’ll never know,” Bessie said, hugging her friend. “You should believe whatever makes you the happiest,” she suggested.

  “That’s a thought,” Doona replied. “I wish I knew what that was,” she added with a small laugh.

  “You’ll work it out,” Bessie told her.

  Andrew seemed determined to make sure that everyone thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. They had lunch at the American-style restaurant and then played several rounds of crazy golf. At the ice cream stand, he bought them all double scoops. They found a bench in a quiet spot and sat down to enjoy their treat.

  “This has been a fun afternoon,” Doona said between bites. “And it’s taken my mind off things, as well.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Andrew told her.

  John had pulled out his phone and was checking his messages. “I need to ring Margaret,” he said with a sigh. He walked a few steps away and punched the numbers of his phone. When he came back a few minutes later, he was smiling.

  “Jessica Howe is going to be just fine,” he told them all. “Apparently, she’d just had far too much to drink. Herbert hasn’t left her side and I gather the two are talking about a second honeymoon and starting over. For some weird reason, I hope it works out for them.”

  “Did Margaret have anything else to say?” Bessie asked.

  “Yes, you and Doona are free to return home tomorrow as planned,” John replied. “But Charles’s solicitor wants to talk to Doona before you go. He’s suggested a meeting tonight.”

  “I don’t suppose I have a choice,” Doona said.

  “Not really,” John replied. “He’ll be here at seven u
nless I ring Margaret back to change it.”

  “That’s fine,” Doona shrugged. “At least I can have a good dinner before I hear what he has to say.”

  As it happened, he didn’t have much to say. The foursome had a light dinner together and then Bessie and Doona returned to the cabin to wait for the man. When he arrived, he got straight to the point.

  “Mrs. Adams, your husband has left his entire estate to you. A few days ago I would have said you were now quite wealthy, but there seem to be several concerns about the partnership your husband was a part of. All I can tell you at this point is that, if there is any money in the estate after the legal issues are resolved, you will inherit it. I will be doing my best to represent Charles as things move forward.”

  “So I shouldn’t start planning to buy a mansion in the Algarve just yet,” Doona replied dryly.

  “No, I’d say not,” the man replied solemnly. “The only other thing I have for you is a letter,” he said, handing Doona an envelope. “Charles wanted you to have this if anything happened to him.”

  Doona turned the envelope over in her hands. “Thank you,” she said eventually.

  After the man left, Bessie gave Doona a hug. “I can leave you alone if you want to open the letter,” she said tentatively.

  “I think, for now, I’m just going to put it in my suitcase,” Doona answered. “According to the schedule, there’s a disco on tonight. Why don’t we put on our dancing shoes and have some fun?”

  Realising that her friend was hoping to keep her mind off Charles, Bessie was quick to agree. She rang John and Andrew and they joined them on the walk to the Squirrel’s Drey. They could hear the loud music as they approached and Bessie exchanged glances with Andrew.

  “My children and adult grandchildren are in there somewhere,” he told Bessie. “I keep telling myself it’s going to be fun.”

  “We just might have to work at making it fun,” Bessie said with a small sigh. The tables and chairs in the food court had all been removed and the entire space was being used as a dance floor. Flashing lights and loud music assaulted Bessie’s senses. She looked over at Doona and decided that this was exactly what her friend needed tonight. They stayed out until they were all exhausted enough to sleep in spite of everything.

  The next morning, Bessie was up at six again. As she walked around the lake for the last time she kept her thoughts on home. Doona didn’t get up until nearly time to leave, so she had to scramble to finish her packing in time. John and Andrew arrived to help them carry their bags back to their car.

  “We don’t have enough stuff to warrant driving the car here,” Doona said. “Although it was nice having it brought to us when we arrived.”

  “I think the VIP treatment is over,” Bessie said.

  “I’m just worried that we’ll get a bill for everything,” Doona replied.

  “We’ll work it out,” Bessie told her.

  “I’ll be flying back in a few hours,” John told them at Doona’s car. “We should get back to the island around the same time.”

  “And I hope you’ll keep in touch,” Andrew said. “I meant what I said about visiting the island. I think the little beach houses near you would be perfect for me and my family next spring or summer.”

  Bessie promised to send him a brochure about the holiday cottages and to keep in touch. Then she and Doona headed back towards Heysham and the ferry terminal.

  “That wasn’t exactly the holiday I was hoping for,” Doona said sadly as they drove away from the park.

  “Maybe we should take another holiday somewhere far away,” Bessie suggested. “I’ll talk to Doncan and see if I can afford to take us both to America or something.”

  “Maybe once the legal issues are settled, I’ll be able to afford to take us both somewhere exotic,” Doona said. “Or at least to Liverpool for a long weekend.”

  Bessie laughed. “Even that would be fun, if we do it together,” she told her friend.

  “Thank you for being my best friend,” Doona said. “I don’t know how I’d have made it though this last week without you.”

  “That’s what friends are for,” Bessie told her. “You were there for me during all the awfulness in July and after. I’m just hoping we can both have a quieter life for a while now.”

  “Quiet sounds wonderful,” Doona replied with enthusiasm.

  Glossary of Terms

  English/Manx to American Terms

  advocate

  Manx title for a lawyer (solicitor)

  bin

  garbage can

  biscuits

  cookies

  book

  reserve (like restaurant tables)

  boot

  trunk (of a car)

  car park

  parking lot

  chips

  french fries

  creche

  a day care center for babies and small children

  crisps

  potato chips

  cuddly toy

  stuffed animal

  cuppa

  cup of tea (informal)

  disco

  a party with dancing

  duvet

  a comforter with a removable cover, usually filled with feathers and down

  en-suite

  an attached bathroom

  fairy cakes

  cupcakes

  fizzy drink

  soda (pop)

  flat

  apartment

  fortnight

  two weeks

  gaol

  jail

  half-term

  a school break, usually a week long, in the middle of the term

  hire car

  rental car

  holiday

  vacation

  jumper

  sweater

  lie in

  sleep late

  loo

  restroom

  midday

  noon

  motorway

  highway

  pram

  stroller

  pudding

  dessert

  queue

  line

  return

  round-trip

  rubbish

  garbage

  shopping trolley

  shopping cart

  stabilisers

  training wheels (on a bicycle)

  starters

  appetizers

  takeaway

  take out

  tannoy

  public address system

  telly

  television

  till

  check-out (in a grocery store, for example)

  trainers

  sneakers

  Other notes:

  As far as I can determine, there really aren’t any US equivalents to a UK holiday park. Imagine a huge site where every family can stay in their own private cabin or cottage with two or more bedrooms and multiple bathrooms. Most of the parks offer a central location for a large indoor swimming complex as well as shops and restaurants. Elsewhere on the site will be sports fields, tennis courts, mini golf, possibly a full-sized golf course, indoor sports courts for things like basketball and squash, pool tables, table tennis, etc. Some even offer things like horseback riding or off-roading. Such parks now also offer spa facilities, but those weren’t yet popular in the late 1990s when Bessie visited Lakeview. The sites offer an enormous range of activities for guests of all ages, from day-care facilities for the very young to introductory classes in just about every sport you can imagine for children from two or three and up. They also offer arts and crafts, special activities just for teens and their own small supermarkets.

  Ronaldsway is the area of the island where the airport is located. Although officially called the “Isle of Man Airport,” nearly everyone on the island calls it “Ronaldsway” when talking about it.

  Poohsticks comes from the Winnie the Pooh stories by A.A. Milne.

  CID is the Criminal Investigation Department of the Isle of
Man Constabulary (Police Force).

  When talking about time, the English say, for example, “half seven” to mean “seven-thirty.”

  The emergency number in the UK is 999, rather than 911, as used in the US.

  The Lieutenant Governor on the Isle of Man is the Queen’s official representative there. Today the role is largely ceremonial.

  Hop-tu-naa is a Celtic festival that most closely approximates to US Halloween and takes place on October 31st each year. Traditionally children hollow out and carve turnips and then light them up with candles. They also go door-to-door and sing the Hop-tu-naa song in exchange for treats. (The song varies depending on which part of the island you live in.)

  Holidays that include “self-catering” have facilities within the accommodation to allow the guests to cook their own meals rather than having to eat at restaurants each day.

  A “full English breakfast” generally consists of bacon, sausage, eggs, grilled or fried tomatoes, fried potatoes, fried mushrooms and baked beans served with toast.

  It has been pointed out to me that I talk about different biscuits but don’t explain them. Digestive biscuits (usually just called digestives) are round, hard, slightly sweet and probably the most common biscuit in the UK. The closest US equivalent that I can come up with is a graham cracker, but digestives are less sweet and have a harder texture. You can find them covered with a layer of chocolate or even caramel and chocolate, which (to my mind) only improves them slightly.

  Waterproofs are rain jackets (and sometimes matching trousers) that attempt to keep their wearer dry in spite of the heavy rain that is common in the UK.