Memory House

by Ruth Hay

  “That’s a relief! Did they seem like conspirators to you?”

  “Exactly what I have sensed, Honor! They are up to something all right. Keep your eyes and ears open ladies!”

  The breakthrough happened when Mitchell Delaney phoned Jannice from Quebec about his invitation to the party.

  “My mother is not doing so well, Jannice, as you know. Would you please explain to Mavis and Hilary that I will do my utmost to attend, but I cannot be certain at this point?”

  “Attend what, Mitchell?”

  “The Tenth Year celebration party, of course! Don’t tell me you do not know about this?”

  “Mitchell, excuse me! I will call you back later. I have to go. Tell your mother I am asking for her.”

  She put the phone down with a clatter and ran downstairs to Honor’s office.

  You are not going to believe what I just found out!”

  Honor rolled her chair away from her desk and looked up at Jannice.

  “I hope it’s good news. I got a strange message from Jared the other day that sounded like code of some kind.”

  “Well, I may be able to explain it for you. Mitchell has been invited to a Tenth Year party at Harmony House by Mavis and Hilary!”

  “What? Those two sneaky little devils! Is this what all the secrecy has been about?

  Do you think Vilma knows yet?”

  “I doubt it. She’s at the new house interviewing decorators while Jamison is in Boston.

  Shall we call her on her cell phone?”

  “Right now?”

  “Oh definitely, right now!”

  Honor put the phone on speaker so Jannice did not miss one word of their conversation.

  “Hi Vilma! How’s it going out there in the wilds?”

  “Going well, Honor! I finally found the right colour for the walls. The light out here is incredible. The colour I thought would work looked entirely wrong in this light.

  What’s up with you?”

  Jannice chuckled. She knew it would not take long for Vilma to catch on.

  “Who’s listening to us?”

  “It’s Jannice here with me. We have some interesting news for you. The big Mavis and Hilary mystery has been revealed.”

  “Wow! Do tell.”

  “Jannice will do the honours.”

  “Mitchell called me today to inform me he was not certain he would make it to the big celebration.”

  “What big celebration?”

  “Our Harmony House partners are planning a party to celebrate the tenth year of our occupation of the house.”

  There was a pause on the line for a total of three seconds then Vilma exploded

  “What a great idea! Why did they need to keep it a secret? Do you two think the invitees have been ordered to stay quiet and not tell us? Just wait till I get my hands on those two schemers.”

  “Oh, we are first in line for that interesting little talk, Vilma. Don’t ask us to wait for you. You can come in as back-up if there’s anything more to be said, after we get through with them!

  “Don’t be too hard on them! Think about what a good indicator of Hilary’s recovery this is.

  By the way, when is this big event happening?”

  Jannice and Honor looked at each other. Neither one knew.

  “Sorry, still uncertain, but that news will follow shortly.”

  Good! Keep me in the loop. I hope it isn’t next week. I have a lot on.”

  “Same here, Vilma! Take care. Talk soon.”

  The phone went down and Honor looked at Jannice.

  “Who do we want to tackle first?

  “With any luck we will get both conspirators in the same tower room at this time of day.

  Let’s go!”

  “Right! I will be calling Faith Jeffries directly afterward, with a few choice words to say.”

  * * *

  Mavis knew the cat was out of the bag the minute she opened the door to Honor’s knock.

  She invited them inside, offered them the couch to sit on and gave Hilary a look to warn her of what was to come. There was no point in trying to hide it any longer. She confessed, and apologized, and let Hilary outline the main events of the day. The two women were stunned.

  “What I can’t understand,” exclaimed Jannice, “is why you did not include the rest of us in your planning. We would be happy to help with all these details.”

  “All three of you women are in the midst of a very busy time in your lives. We knew you would want to help, but we decided this was our deal and we would do it on our own.”

  Jannice looked up at Hilary and Mavis and thought how fitting it was for the two women who started the entire co-housing project, to plan this celebration. She decided to back down at once.

  “All right, then! Honor and I are here if you need us, and we know Vilma feels the same.

  Just one last question, if you please! When is this extravaganza to take place?”

  “Oh, there’s time yet, but we warn you no last minute changes are required. Everything has been attended to.”

  “So it would appear. Date please?”

  “Sorry, Honor. The last Saturday in May is the chosen date. We looked up the long-term weather forecast and we should have sunshine. We expect a lot of visitors and we will need to use all areas inside and out.”

  “You do seem to have thought of everything. Well done!”

  Honor went off to talk to Faith and Jannice called Vilma immediately with the date.

  “On my calendar right away,” was her response.

  “Jannice, I am wondering if Jamison knew about this and did not tell me. Getting the date on his busy calendar is unlikely unless he had prior warning. That brings up the topic of sharing all relevant info with me. He’s in trouble either way!”

  “Oh, let him off the hook, Vilma! Just look around at where you are. The man has moved to another country to get your approval, not to mention building you a house, and splitting his business into two parts. I think you can give him a break.”

  “Hmm! When did you get so wise, Jannice O’Connor?”

  It was probably something I caught from you, Vilma…. or it could just be the luck of the Irish coming through!”

  Chapter 36

  Mavis and Hilary were determined to keep some of the Tenth Year Party Plan a secret.

  They agreed to let Jannice order in a cleaning service to give Harmony House a thorough going over.

  They submitted to Vilma’s shopping trip to purchase new summer outfits for them.

  They promised Honor they would forward to her all the catering costs for the dinner and she would cover the bills from the investment income.

  That left much that the younger women still knew nothing about, and that was how Mavis and Hilary wanted it.

  Something about the ‘end of an era feeling’ surrounding the party, caused matters that had been undecided, to suddenly reach a conclusion.

  Honor declared that she would be sharing her room in Harmony House with Jared on a more permanent basis, as soon as he completed his contract in Toronto and moved back to London as manager for Southwestern Ontario Elevator Services.

  Jannice confessed she had finished her book and found a publisher. This was news to everyone, including Mitchell, who was immensely proud of her title, Irish Tales from My Elders.

  “Will you be moving nearer to Quebec now, Jannice?”

  “No, Mavis. We have decided to split our time between here and Quebec City. It is the only answer to suit both of us. When we are not living together, we will be pursuing our own careers.”

  “So,” said Hilary, with a contented sigh, two out of the three of you will still be living here. That is good news.”

  All eyes now turned to Vilma. She was expecting this topic to arise.

  “I know how difficult these decisions have been for Jannice and Honor. Jamison and I have been over the same ground more than once, I may say. In our case it is even more complicated, but just recently we came to a final compromis
e. We will eventually move into the new house, which will be an occasion for another grand party, by the way!

  I have yet to see Jamison’s Boston home and meet his red setter dogs. When he is working for longer periods of time in his Boston office, I will live there with him.”

  There was a gasp from her listeners as they calculated Vilma was leaving Harmony House behind her.

  “But,” she continued, “when Jamison is busy flying back and forward for shorter spells, I will be returning here. The new house will be turned over to Stuart and his friends, or closed up altogether, and we will live here in my suite with all of you.”

  A spontaneous cheer broke out. Mavis said it for all of them.

  “We would miss you so much Vilma, if you went away permanently. We will keep your suite for you.”

  “Thank you, but there is one condition, Mavis.

  As it was intended, originally, to be the guest suite, I want you to consider it for that purpose when it is vacant. I am not recouping my original investment and I will continue with monthly upkeep payments, so you are not getting rid of me that easily, or ever, as far as I am concerned. Harmony House will always be my favourite home. Don’t tell Jamison I said that!”

  “Excellent news! but when do we see your Prince Edward County home? You have not said much about it so far.”

  “That’s because it is a simple building with beautiful clean lines and very little decoration. It is hard to describe and you really need to see it for yourself. We are waiting for the glass window walls to be installed. They are coming from Germany where they make a very special kind of glass, supported by narrow steel beams, so the views are unrestricted.

  Jamison had to re-order when I had a fit about how easy it would be for any passersby to look in and see everything we owned, and everything we were doing, especially after dark.”

  “What did he do about that? Isn’t it the problem with all glass houses?”

  “The manufacturer had a special finish put into the glass. During the day, the entire front of the house is like one huge clear window, but, at the touch of a switch, the glass turns opaque and no one can see in.”

  “I can’t wait to see this effect, Vilma! It sounds enchanting.”

  “I can’t wait either, Jannice. Until the glass comes, we will be here for most of the time and Mavis and Hilary will have a chance to get to know Jamison Ingleby much better.”

  It was a wonderful conclusion to what had been an unsettled period in all their lives.

  Mavis and Hilary were particularly pleased to know not everything would be changing around them.

  Change was to be the theme of the lunch held in the winter dining room for an exclusive guest list on the last Saturday of May.

  Five of the original women who made up the first occupants of Harmony House, were assembled together, and welcomed in Faith as their sixth.

  The dining room looked spectacular with garlands of flowers and greenery from the garden, and white candles in crystal sconces on the table. Polished silverware gleamed amidst pure white china dishes.

  The women in their bright summer outfits brought another splash of colour to the room.

  Jannice and Vilma wore fitted dresses fashioned from fabric paintings done by Eve. Faith wore a loose shift with a diagonal stripe in vibrant green and Honor favoured a slimming pantsuit in mellow yellow.

  Mavis and Hilary had selected long floral skirts and matching jackets with flattering collars. They had also chosen complementary shades of lilac and pink.

  Looking along the table, Vilma thought the women were like flowers with heads of hair showing a range of colours from white to fair and auburn. Faith’s natural almost-white hair was now tinted an attractive shade of blonde, to match her eyebrows.

  The first thing on the program was a champagne toast, poured by a handsome, uniformed waiter who withdrew, as ordered, until summoned back with the rest of the catering staff to serve lunch.

  Hilary took the floor.

  “Let us begin with a toast, my dears, to the memory of our darling Eve!”

  Glasses were raised in silence, but every woman thought of the one who was missing this very special occasion.

  Mavis then stood in Hilary’s place.

  “My dear, dear friends it is hard to believe a decade has passed since we first entered into a new way of living together. Harmony House has sheltered us and given us much more than its walls promised at the start. We sit together as friends and family now.

  Hilary and I decided the best way to celebrate all the changes we have known in these years is to ask you to relate a favourite memory of the house or its inhabitants. We two will start off first to give you a chance to think of something, although I suspect it will not be difficult. So much has happened here.”

  Mavis sat down as she continued to speak.

  “My memory is of my first sight of the tower rooms. Those curved walls and the windows, just cried out for comfortable furniture and rows of books and records. I just knew at once, that whoever chose those two spectacular rooms would be happy in them. Of course, I did not expect Hilary and I would be the lucky ones! Thank you all for that generous gesture.”

  Hilary was primed to go next. She spoke from her seated position.

  “I remember best, seeing Mavis first walk through the garden with its raised beds and paths, knowing that she would create a remarkable feature of the space and bring joy to everyone who ever saw her work there. Oh, and another very happy memory was the day when the atrocious purple stair carpet was ripped out at last!”

  Faith spoke up quickly, as soon as the laughter died down. “May I be next?”

  Heads nodded.

  “Well, Harmony House is stuffed full of memories for me. There’s Mavis, making it possible for me to live here, Hilary, coaching me for exams, even although she despaired of me ever passing one in the beginning. No, don’t deny it Hilary!

  There’s the birthday surprise that was almost ruined, until Vilma jumped in to save the day. Of course, who will ever forget the dangerous, crazy idea of climbing up the tower wall to send out messages to the world in hopes of finding a father!

  But, best of all, is the memory of finding a real live aunt who I knew nothing of before I came here. She is the one who taught me by her example to be a brave, hard-working, useful woman. Thank you to Aunt Honor and to each and everyone here for giving me back a life.”

  There was laughter and tears following Faith’s speech. Honor dried her eyes and continued with her niece’s theme.

  “How do I follow that? I can’t, except in the gratitude I have for the chance to be here with the most generous and helpful group of women in the world. When I compare my lonely, isolated life before coming here, to what I enjoy in Harmony House today, I am truly overwhelmed. And now, as if it was not enough already, you are welcoming Jared into the fold.

  I hope to stay here forever.”

  “We hope so too, Honor!” called out Hilary. Jannice then signalled she would take her turn next, before she lost her nerve.

  “I find it hard to know where to begin. I think back to our sessions in Camden Corners when we were all strangers to each other. I believe I was the strangest of all of you. If my dearest Vilma had not taken me under her wing, I would never have had the courage to join with such an extraordinary group of women. As Honor just stated, the contrast between the Jannice O’Connor then, and now, is so great it is almost impossible for me to recognize myself.

  It was Vilma all the way. She has been my guiding light.”

  Vilma got out of her chair, and went over to Jannice and gave her a hug, while whispering in her ear.

  “I have always had an eye for a good thing, Jannice, my dear.”

  Vilma cleared her throat and started.

  “Since I am already on my feet, let me conclude the memory accounts by saying that it has been my privilege and delight to spend these years in your company. When it comes to generosity of spirit, may I remind you how I brought two large and e
nergetic dogs into the mix? In any other establishment, I would surely be out the door for breaking the rules. Instead of that fate, not only were my dogs tolerated here, they were welcomed into the wide-open hearts of everyone in this house.

  As with everything in life, changes must come. I am thrilled to know I am not leaving you forever. You can expect me and my dogs and Jamison, of course, to be around, now and then. By the way, I am looking out for another Faith to take over the early morning walks!”

  Vilma had no sooner taken her seat again before Hilary rang a small bell by her plate.

  “Now, raise your glasses in a toast to all of us, and all of our memories!”

  Before the champagne had lost its bubbles, a crew of waiters and servers entered the dining room with hot plates and platters and a variety of dishes that they arranged along the centre of the table.

  There were exclamations of delight and everyone began to talk and eat and remember.

  * * *

  The surprises were by no means over, however.

  When all the plates were emptied, Mavis made her final announcement.

  “Ladies, please follow me!”

  Chapter 37

  The front door was opened wide to allow the guests to enter quietly into the foyer entrance.

  When the six women emerged from the dining room, they were confronted with a throng of familiar faces.

  A smiling Louise and Dennis Ridley, stood with Ty, in a red bowtie, and Betsy holding Shania’s hand.

  The Ridley family group surrounded Jamison, Jared and Mitchell, patiently waiting to claim their respective women.

  Andy was there with, by his side, a woman who, Vilma was pleased to discover, was the masseuse, Anita, who was treating Oscar and was now, also, Andy’s official companion.

  “Don’t worry, Vilma, the dogs are in good hands. Collect them tomorrow or the next day.”

  By the time the congratulations were exchanged, the company spilled out onto the front porch where Mandy was waiting with greetings from Braden and her mother, and photos in hand of her husband and two baby girls and Braden and Yvonne’s two little boys.