Memory House

by Ruth Hay

  Larry was a travel agent with excellent prospects.

  It was all about togetherness and Faith thought they had a better-than-average chance of success in all fields of activity.

  Jolene was home, staying with her parents in Westmount, when she got Faith’s call.

  “OMG! Where are you? Get your butt down here right away. So much to tell you! What have you been doing? Are you Prime Minister yet? Why on earth not? Larry’s with his parents for a day or two. We have a sweet rented apartment for now. We have booked a radical river cruise in Europe. You just caught me in time.”

  Their reunion was no less frantic than the phone call. Faith knew how lucky she was to find Jolene when she came to school in London with few ideas of how to behave and succeed in school culture. They had mutual respect for each other from the beginning, but Jolene’s group of friends had paved the way for Faith and ensured her acceptance. Jolene’s basement, where they met to plan strategies, was the first normal family home Faith had ever experienced. It was a lesson to her that she never forgot and underlined how much she had missed. She would never forget this family.

  “Yes, my little nuisance of a bro has grown up into this big bruiser of a policeman! Don’t know how much influence he has, but at the least he can steer me to good source of info on this dude. He’s living outside London? No problem. Give me all the gen. I’ll see what I can find for you. Give Shania my sympathies.

  Now, enough business. Let’s talk about life and love! Who’s this new guy you mentioned?”

  It felt like they had been together for weeks instead of mere minutes. Jolene was a force of nature. Faith wondered what they could achieve together if she could ever get Jolene to work with her in Ottawa one day when she was tired of travelling the world.

  * * *

  Going back to Harmony House after seeing Jolene was not the quiet respite Faith expected. The workers had departed for the day but there was a definite undercurrent of excitement in the air, perceptible as soon as she saw her aunt.

  “The doctors are here!”

  “What? Who’s sick? What happened?”

  Honor laughed. “No! No one is ill. The two young medical doctors have arrived to occupy Eve’s old room upstairs, and Mavis and Hilary are in a panic. Wait until you see them! What a pair! We are having an introductory dinner downstairs tonight to introduce them to the household. You are invited of course.”

  No rest for the wicked. This house makes Ottawa look like a sleepy backwater.

  Faith summoned the energy to wash and change into something suitable from Honor’s closet. She presented herself in the dining room and found extra chairs employed and good china displayed on the polished table. Mavis and Hilary were pulling out all the stops to make these men welcome. Faith recalled the fuss made over Braden and Mandy, but Vilma and some of the others had previously met those two in Jamaica so they knew what to expect. Stuart and Grant were an unknown quantity to everyone here, other than to Faith. She was glad she was present for their introduction to the Harmony House family. She would remind them of the cautions she had mentioned to them before.

  Grant Caskie was the first to arrive. He was in full Scottish apparel and looked like he stepped out of an ancestral portrait on the wall of some baronial hall in distant Scotland. With his red hair and beard, and his colourful tartan, he seemed to occupy more than the average amount of space. The air positively quivered around him.

  Stuart Ingleby, by contrast, was a smaller, more compact figure. He wore normal summer clothing and ignored his flamboyant companion, turning his attention to the females around him and making a good impression. His neat dark hair and horn-rimmed spectacles gave him the appearance of a serious person who had serious work in mind. Faith knew they made a formidable pair with superior intellect and this peacock display of Grant’s was not all he was about, by any stretch of the imagination.

  The women around the table were all a-twitter like a flock of birds. Home-cooked dishes were handed around to Grant first, and the rare whisky bottle he brought for them was sampled and exclaimed over.

  “Now, ladies, I do not mean to suggest to you that tartan and whisky drinking will be the pattern from now on. This is a special occasion for Stuart and I and we wanted to bring a taste of our homeland here for you all. Tomorrow we meet our renowned research team at LHSC. It’s there we will pursue our important studies.”

  Stuart continued in the same vein.

  “We want you to know how much we appreciate having such a magnificent home to return to each evening. We promise to do everything we can, not to disturb your usual routines, but please call on us for any help we can give with anything you need.”

  Faith caught Stuart’s eye and nodded in approval. It was a fair start.

  As the meal continued, she noticed how both Grant and Stuart involved the women in conversation about their interests and work, and how they inquired politely about the origins of the co-housing project. No one mentioned Eve, by mutual consent.

  Jannice was enchanted by the tartan costume and hardly took her eyes off Grant all evening.

  Hilary seemed confused about which man was which and kept quiet mostly.

  Vilma was assessing them both with an eye to asking for help with her dogs.

  Mavis was anxious to know about their research but, other than a few initial enquiries, she gathered she must wait until they had more detailed information from the hospital.

  Honor wondered how Jared would fit in, should she decide to go ahead with the room sharing and all it indicated for her.

  Faith thought about packing for her return to Ottawa in the morning. She hoped she had not landed trouble on her friends and allies with these two robust Scots.

  * * *

  None of them would have believed the conversation that took place later between Grant and Stuart as they settled into their spacious quarters complete with a private washroom.

  Grant was carefully packing away his traditional highland outfit in a special zipped cover. He listened to Stuart’s comments with some interest but he had more urgent matters on his mind.

  “Did you get a look at that kitchen? It’s a chef’s dream all right and it looks like there’s going to be an extension to make it even larger. This place is a palace compared to anything we ever lived in. Are we lucky or what?”

  “Don’t forget that glorious garden outside. I can’t wait to walk around it. But laddie, the most important thing we saw today was those women who live here.”

  “What are you getting at Grant?”

  “Their ages are in a range from, say, late thirties to late seventies.”

  “So what?”

  “Don’t you get it, Stu? We are here to study the causes and effects of dementia. In this very house, we have the opportunity to observe at close quarters the mental and physical processes of five women of varying ages. If we can incorporate them into our research we would have the chance of doing a paper to explore over time any evidence of even minute changes.”

  “Grant Caskie! You are dangerously close to getting us expelled from here before we even unpack.

  We cannot take this risk. Remember what Faith said?”

  “Well, my lad, I am not suggesting we do this without warning them. Let’s take it slowly and see what can be achieved. You must admit, it’s a unique opportunity for us.”

  Stuart Ingleby was aware of the potential of Grant’s brilliant idea. He was the sensible one, however, and it was his duty to rein in Grant from time to time. It looked like this was one of those times. They were walking on thin ice and it would be up to him to get them safely to solid land, if that were at all possible.

  Stuart was too tired to quarrel about it. He lay down in the new sheets and placed his head on the perfect pillow. Tomorrow he would begin his campaign to hold Grant Caskie in check. For now, he needed rest and recovery.

  * * *

  Two floors below them, Faith Jeffries had a niggling doubt about inserting those two men into Harmony House at such
a time when so much seemed to be uncertain. There was her aunt’s situation with Jared, and Jannice with similar issues, and Vilma’s big changes and serious stuff happening next door with Shania.

  One thing was certain in her mind. She simply must keep in touch with all of this from a distance and monitor progress.

  Chapter 13

  On some days, Mavis felt as if she was living in the midst of a whirlwind.

  The workers were still in the building, Faith had come and gone too quickly, Honor was now inclined to move Jared Pace into Vilma’s old room for a trial period, and Jannice’s situation with Mitchell was not yet determined.

  The thought occurred that if Jared and Mitchell moved in, Harmony House would be home to a total of four men and five women, a circumstance she could never have dreamed of ten years before.

  Of course, she told herself, things change. But this change was major. These men took up much more space than the average woman did. There would be no more swanning around in dressing gowns, no silly giggle sessions between women and as far as the male behaviour went, it was a very long time since she lived with a man and, no doubt, there had been changes also in that area. She did not know what to expect and that made her nervous.

  The matter of car parking was a looming problem. House cleaning might soon become a problem unless Jannice was willing to take it on again. More feet moving around meant more dirt and dust accumulating. Mavis felt it was her duty to maintain the condition of the house as well as that of the garden.

  Her mind slipped naturally to Hilary at this point in her musings, and that was another huge worry. Usually, she and Hilary divided the household tasks between them and solved problems together. Lately, Hilary was not interested in much outside her tower room. She was spending more and more time in her room. While Mavis was out working in the garden, it now seemed that Hilary was sleeping and doing very little else.

  Mavis would understand if this behaviour was in response to the general chaos of the house with new people arriving while the renovations were continuing, but something had happened a couple of days before that had her very concerned.

  They were enjoying a chat about the two doctors over a cup of tea. Rain was falling outside which kept Mavis from the garden, temporarily, so she was checking in with her friend. The upper tower room was usually a place of quiet contemplation, blocked off as it was from the rest of the house by its double doors. This afternoon, Mavis noticed a newspaper scattered on the carpet, towels on the washroom floor, and a Hilary who looked less tidy than her usually-immaculate self.

  “Are you feeling well, Hilary?”

  “Of course, I am! Why do you ask?”

  It was an abrupt response to a polite question, but Mavis put it aside.

  They continued to speculate on the personalities of the young doctors until Hilary changed the topic.

  “I am feeling disturbed by all these changes, Mavis. This is not what we intended when we came here. The house is changing around me and I do not like it. I can’t keep track any more. For instance, I have not seen Marble for so long. Is she off somewhere hiding from the noisy workers?”

  Mavis’s heart stopped and her breath caught in her throat. Marble had been gone for several years. She passed away peacefully on the bottom shelf of Mavis’s bookcase where she had her soft nest.

  She and Hilary buried the little cat in the garden and mourned her loss together.

  How had Hilary forgotten this?

  What could she say now by way of explanation, that would not upset Hilary even more than she was already?

  Mavis picked up her cup and gave herself a moment to think.

  This was shocking. Put together with the untidy appearance of the room, it was an indication of some kind of trauma. For a second the floor fell away from beneath Mavis’s feet and she felt she was suspended and alone. She blinked and swallowed convulsively to bring saliva back to her dry mouth.

  “Oh, she must be around somewhere. Don’t worry, Hilary.”

  General conversation resumed, and Hilary made no other mention of Marble.

  Mavis tried to remain calm until she could extract herself and go off to think about the implications of what just happened.

  Several days later, she was still thinking and worrying and this was a worry she dared not share with anyone.

  Mavis Montgomery must now add Hilary Dempster to the long list of things and people at Harmony House for which she was solely responsible.

  Help came from an unexpected place.

  A week went by and the workers were beginning to move out. Mavis did an overall inventory.

  Vilma was delighted with her new quarters and the gorgeous white furniture she added to the porch, was an invitation to everyone to relax and enjoy the view. The view included a line of motor vehicles at street level. Some trucks belonged to workers and there was hope they would soon disappear, but the issue of car parking must be addressed at some point. Shuttling cars around was not a good solution.

  Jared moved in with Honor. Mavis added him to the two other men who left early most days for work, leaving the house in the hands of the women owners.

  Mavis scheduled a discussion with Honor about finances with respect to the additional costs.

  Jared was a quiet man who did not interfere with the running of the house and he was on the spot should anything go wrong with any of the house’s electrical systems. A definite plus.

  Best of all, Hilary seemed to have returned to normal once again.

  Mavis would monitor her friend more closely, but for now, there was no emergency.

  * * *

  It was when the young doctors called for an informal meeting one Friday night, that help arrived for Mavis.

  Stuart took the lead after the women sat down in the kitchen. The plastic sheeting was gone at last and the new spacious sitting area, with restored gas fireplace, was awaiting a final coat of paint.

  Grant had made two large dishes of lasagna as an incentive to attendance. One was vegetarian and the other had a meat sauce.

  The smell was delicious and more than one woman present was thanking the heavens that food preparation could now, hopefully, be shared with a new resident chef.

  Stuart began to relate how well the two doctors were getting on at LHSC.

  “It’s a wonderful facility and everyone there was very welcoming. The laboratories are top class and their inter-departmental team approach happens weekly. The discussion around the tables is mind-blowing. Grant and I will need to keep on our toes to match the expertise we have seen there.

  Now, there is something you ladies can do to help us along.”

  This unlikely request caused forks to be replaced on plates.

  What now?

  “A new approach to mental health has been appearing in the medical journals. It is very simple. Sometimes the simplest strategies are the most effective. Grant and I would like to invite you to be a part of our research. It involves one simple thing daily. And it is something you should do in any case.”

  Grant now came forward with a gadget in his hands.

  “This is a blood pressure monitor. We have two of these. If you agree to take your blood pressure reading every day, the machine will record the results for you. I will give you an identification number and at the end of a week we can give you our assessment. I will demonstrate how easy it is to use the machine and you can choose which time of day suits you best.”

  Grant proceeded to take Stuart’s blood pressure watched by the women with some interest. It looked fast and easy. It could be helping science. It was also a positive health action not requiring a doctors’ surgery visit.

  Jannice was happy to sign on.

  Mavis agreed readily and encouraged Hilary to do the same. She was thinking this small step could be a start in getting some kind of help for Hilary, should her strange symptoms occur again. In addition, she had medical experts available in-house now, and she need not feel alone in her worrying. Faith might have done a better favou
r than she realized in sending Grant and Stuart their way.

  Honor fell into line although she was sure her blood pressure was good considering how much yoga she did.

  Vilma immediately suspected something unusual was going on and she decided to keep an eye on these two. She would take great interest in any results they were willing to share.

  * * *

  Grant produced a large tub of ice cream for dessert but most of the women had eaten heartily of the lasagna and did not want more. They went off to their various activities leaving the men to clean up the dishes. They had refused any help, saying it was the least they could do, considering how the women’s cooperation would assist their project.

  When the dishwasher was humming along, Grant turned to Stuart.

  “I told you it would work!”

  “Hmm! It might have been your lasagna rather than anything else. We’ll have to see if it produces useful information. You may have to continue the food production to encourage participation.”

  “I still say it’s worth a try. If something does pop up from this, it could be crucial for us.”

  “Well, don’t count on it. A long-term study is the only thing that will produce results of any note. Keep your recipe book handy.”

  Chapter 14

  Faith decided it would be preferable to convey information about Ty’s father over the phone rather than in any traceable form of writing. Consequently, Jolene spoke to Faith first, and then Faith spoke to Shania.

  “Are you somewhere you can’t be overheard?”

  “Sure! I am in my room. There’s no one else in this part of the house and the door’s shut and bolted.

  I am doing research.”

  “Good. Turn off your computer and don’t write any of this down. Jolene’s brother went out of his way to get this info and we don’t want him getting into trouble.”