Guests and Guilt

by Diana Xarissa

  Fenella had to smile. She had been in a relationship with Jack Dawson for over ten years, but she’d known all along that they weren’t right for one another. They were both history professors at the same university, which would have made ending the relationship awkward. As soon as she’d decided to move to the island, however, Fenella had had no trouble telling the man that they were through. Jack still seemed to be having difficulty accepting that, however, and he still called Fenella occasionally to try to persuade her to move back to Buffalo, New York.

  “I certainly don’t miss him,” she admitted, “and I truly am enjoying being on my own. After ten years with Jack, it’s lovely to make all of my own decisions without having to think about another person. Katie isn’t nearly as much work as Jack was.”

  “I know what you mean. I loved John dearly and if I could have him back, I would in a heartbeat, but Smokey is less work and I am enjoying being in charge of my life in a way that I never was when John was alive. That was one of the things I admired about Mona. She was always fiercely independent, even at a time when women weren’t meant to live on their own.”

  Fenella often heard such things about her aunt, Mona Kelly. The woman had led a fascinating, if slightly scandalous, life. From what Fenella had heard, Mona’s wealthy boyfriend, Maxwell Martin, had showered her with expensive gifts, including property and cars, but the pair had never married. Fenella wasn’t sure if it was Mona or Max who’d been unwilling to make the commitment. Mona had passed away at the age of ninety-one, still happily single. The Mona who haunted Fenella’s apartment looked and acted like a woman in her thirties, however, sometimes making Fenella feel old.

  “Okay, what’s wrong?” Shelly asked a few minutes later. The pair had walked to the end of the promenade and were turning back toward home.

  “What makes you think something is wrong?”

  “You’ve been staring at the sea and sighing deeply for the last five minutes.”

  “I’m sorry. My brother, James, is coming to visit.”

  “That’s the brother who wrote the book and hasn’t done anything since, right? The one who really wanted to fight over Mona’s estate but couldn’t afford to pay to take you to court?”

  “Yep, that’s the one.”

  “Why is he coming here?”

  “He said he wants to visit to see if he wants to move here.”

  “Oh, no,” Shelly exclaimed.

  “I should be happy. I truly do miss my brothers, all of them, even James. I just can’t help but feel as if the whole visit is going to be a battle. He’s going to take one look at Mona’s apartment and realize how much it must be worth. Then he’s going to start telling me about how badly he needs money and how lucky I am to have simply been given a small fortune without having to do anything to earn it.”

  “And then you’re going to start to believe him and give him some money,” Shelly guessed.

  “Probably. He really does need money. He always needs money. I’m sure he needs a new car. He’s probably had his current one for ten years or more. His house probably needs a new roof or a new furnace, or more likely, both. I know my other brothers help him out once in a while, but they all have their own expenses. I am really lucky that Mona left me her estate, when you think about it.”

  “It would be better if he didn’t know just how much you’ve inherited.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not sure how to keep that information from him. He’s going to see the apartment and all of the gorgeous furniture, not to mention Mona’s car.”

  “Maybe you should move into the building next door while he’s here,” Shelly suggested. “I’m sure you could afford a flat over there that would convince James that you’re almost penniless.”

  Fenella chuckled. “I was thinking about moving into one of Mona’s other properties, if I could find one that would be suitable.”

  “Mona had other properties?”

  “Oh, yes, lots of them. Apparently I own houses all over the island.”

  “That doesn’t mean James has any right to any of them,” Shelly said quickly. “Don’t let him talk you into giving him a house over here.”

  “He was Mona’s relative, too, though. If he does want to move over here, maybe I could give him a little house, maybe somewhere quite far away from Douglas.”

  “I understand that you want to help him. He’s your brother, after all. But don’t you think it would help him more if you told him no? How old is he?”

  “Sixty.”

  “So he should be old enough to take care of himself and stop asking his family for money, surely.”

  “I know that, but I also love him and worry about him. He’s never been any good at being an adult.”

  “Or maybe he’s never had to be any good at being an adult, because his family have always looked after him,” Shelly suggested.

  Fenella shrugged. “I’m going to go and see Doncan tomorrow. Maybe he’ll have some ideas about all of this.”

  “If you do move out of your flat, do you want me to keep Katie for you?”

  “I don’t know if I can stand not having her around for three weeks, but it might be easier for her to stay with you. I don’t know. Moving seems awfully drastic, but I also don’t feel like I want him in my apartment.”

  “Maybe you could just get him a room at one of the hotels on the promenade. I’m sure you could find a good reason for having to do so, if you tried.”

  “I already told him that I have a guest room, otherwise I’d turn my spare bedroom into an office before he arrives.”

  “What if you already had a guest in the guest room? Maybe I should stay there while he’s here.”

  “That’s an idea. We could tell him that your apartment flooded or something, and you need a place to stay while it’s being repaired. I’d happily pay for the man to stay in a hotel, that’s for sure.”

  “See what Doncan says tomorrow, but at least we have one idea that might work.”

  Feeling better about the impending visit, Fenella enjoyed the rest of their walk in the sunshine.

  “It’s nearly time for dinner and I don’t feel like cooking,” Shelly said when they finally returned to their building. “Can I twist your arm into going out with me somewhere?”

  “Sure. I don’t feel like cooking, either. Just let me feed Katie, and we can go, if you’re hungry now.”

  “I’m always hungry,” Shelly laughed. “I shouldn’t be, not after my huge lunch, but I am.”

  The pair ate at one of the nearby Chinese restaurants. “How about a trip to the pub?” Shelly asked as they left the restaurant.

  “Why not?” Fenella replied.

  The Tale and Tail had once been the private library in a large mansion. When the building was sold, contents and all, the new owners turned the bulk of the mansion into a luxury hotel. By adding a large bar to the center of the library, they’d turned the space into the most wonderful pub that Fenella had ever seen. The walls were still lined with books, and patrons were welcome to borrow them, one at a time. She and Shelly were regulars there. Crowd levels varied enormously, and Fenella was pleased to find the place nearly empty as she and Shelly walked inside.

  “Your usual?” the bartender called.

  Fenella nodded and then looked around the room. Aside from the books, the pub was also special because of its resident cats. There were half a dozen or more cat beds scattered around the room, and cats of all ages, shapes, and sizes lounged in them, on the shelves, or on the couches and chairs on the upper level. Fenella and Shelly took their glasses of wine up the narrow winding staircase and settled in at the first empty table they found. Within minutes, a pair of small cats joined them and made themselves at home on the women’s laps.

  “This is perfect,” Shelly sighed, “and to think I didn’t even know this place existed a year ago.”

  “I didn’t, either,” Fenella pointed out. “I barely knew the Isle of Man existed, really.”

  “Why didn’t you ever visit after you mov
ed away?”

  “I’m not sure. It never seemed like a place to visit, I suppose. I didn’t have any memories from here, as I’d been so young when we moved. My brothers were a lot older when we moved and they’ve never visited, either, though. My mother came back on her own once, but my father never returned once he was back in the US.”

  “That’s right, he was American, wasn’t he?”

  “Yes, he was, and I don’t think he ever really felt settled over here. From what my mother told me, he wanted to move back to the US as soon as they were married, but she wouldn’t leave her own mother behind.”

  “Do you want to go back to Buffalo for a visit?”

  “I don’t know,” Fenella said, feeling surprised by the question. “I’ve not really thought about it. I mean, once I realized how much money I actually have, I did think that I’d like to do some traveling, but I was thinking more about seeing all of Europe or maybe visiting Australia. I never even considered going back to Buffalo.”

  “You don’t miss it?”

  “I don’t think I do. It’s strange, being that it’s September, though. This is the first September I can remember when I’m not involved in going back to school. I started kindergarten in the US at the age of four, and September has meant back to school for me ever since. Until this year, of course.”

  “You went straight from being a student to being a teacher?”

  “I started teaching undergraduates while I was doing my PhD, so I was both a student and a teacher for a few years. I was fortunate enough to get a position in the history department at the same university as soon as I finished my doctorate and I was there right up until I moved here.”

  “It’s odd for me, too,” Shelly told her. “I did my teacher training and then got my first teaching job right out of school. Every September has meant back to school for me as well. I didn’t even think about that when I retired right after John died.”

  “Do you miss it?”

  “I’m not sure. Some days I feel as if I’m not doing enough with my life, and I do miss being around children and feeling as if I’m making a difference in their lives. But other days I’m awfully glad that I can simply do whatever I want to do with my time and that I don’t have to wipe another runny nose or help a child find their missing mittens ever again.”

  They finished their glasses of wine and then headed for home. Fenella was feeling reflective as she walked back toward Promenade View Apartments. Perhaps it was simply the approaching autumn that made her feel slightly nostalgic for her old life. Or maybe it was James’s upcoming visit that had started that train of thought. Whatever the reason, by the time Fenella had given Katie a small snack and changed into her pajamas, she was almost looking forward to seeing James again.

  “Right, so we’ll put the apartment on the market and split the proceeds, fifty-fifty,” James said. “That seems fair, doesn’t it?”

  “No, not at all. It’s my apartment,” Fenella told him.

  “Yes, but, really only on a technicality. You should be glad that John, Joseph, and Jacob didn’t come as well. They’d all want a share, too, you know. This way we each get half. If they were here, we’d each get a quarter and you’d get nothing.”

  “It doesn’t work like that. Your math is all wrong. This is my apartment.”

  “Sure, but only at the moment. I’m sure it will sell quickly and then you can take your share and buy yourself something else. There are apartments in the building next door, I believe. Or you can go back to Buffalo. I’m sure Jack would have you back.”

  “I don’t want to go back to Buffalo and I don’t want to sell this apartment. I want you to leave.”

  “Now, now, don’t be silly,” James said. “I’m just trying to be fair. Why should you get all of Mona’s money? She was probably senile when she wrote her will. Maybe she just forgot about me and your other brothers. We want to do what’s fair, don’t we?”

  “Then we should sell everything and split it five ways,” Fenella suggested.

  “Everything? Is there more than just the apartment?”

  Fenella stared at her brother. “Not really,” she said.

  “Tell me,” he demanded.

  “I won’t,” she replied. When he grabbed at her arm, she pulled away.

  “Mmmmmerrroowww,” Katie complained as Fenella sat up and pulled on the bedclothes.

  Fenella blinked and then rubbed her eyes. “I had the most awful nightmare,” she told Katie. “James wanted to sell the apartment.”

  Katie shook her head and then curled back up and went back to sleep. Fenella glanced at the clock. It was only three and far too early to get up. She snuggled back down under the covers. Doncan won’t let James get away with anything, she reassured herself. It’s all going to be okay.

  2

  “Fenella, how nice to see you again,” Doncan Quaye said the next morning. “What can I do for you today?”

  “James is coming for a visit.”

  The man raised an eyebrow. “The brother who wanted to contest the will?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “Is he threatening anything or just paying a brotherly visit?”

  “He claims he’s just paying a brotherly visit.”

  Doncan nodded. “He doesn’t have any legal right to anything that Mona left you. Obviously, you can give him anything you’d like, but only if you truly want to do so. The money, property, et cetera, are all yours.”

  “I know, but, well, I don’t even know why I’m here,” Fenella sighed. “I’m worried about seeing him.”

  “Are you worried that he’ll be able to talk you into doing things that you really don’t want to do?”

  “Maybe. He is my big brother, though, and I do feel, well, guilty for having inherited Mona’s entire estate. Perhaps we should give some money to all of my brothers.”

  “We can certainly do that if that’s what you truly want to do. They are all very well provided for in your will, of course.”

  “Yes, but they only get that money if they outlive me. That might not happen. They are all quite a bit older, after all. I don’t know, maybe we could give them each a lump sum. That might make me feel less guilty.”

  “As I said, we can certainly do that. Perhaps you could share your inheritance from Mortimer Morrison with them?”

  Fenella nodded. Mortimer had been a neighbor, although Fenella had never met him. Through an odd series of events, she’d ended up looking after his dog, though. She’d attended his memorial service along with Shelly, and they’d both been surprised to learn that he’d left his estate to be divided among everyone who had done so. The amount they were each to get was still undetermined, but the estate was proving to be worth more than anyone had expected it to be.

  “That might work, and it would mean I wouldn’t have to touch the money from Mona.”

  “Do your other brothers need the money?”

  “Not really. They’ve all done quite well for themselves. James is the only one who didn’t finish college and never found a proper job.”

  “Is James going to be staying with you?”

  “I don’t know. I told him he could, because it’s the right thing to do, but I’m not sure I want him in my apartment, not staying for three weeks, anyway.”

  “Do you want me to see what other properties you have that might be able to accommodate him? Maybe you have a little house that he might like.”

  “I’m just afraid he’ll never leave,” Fenella replied.

  Doncan chuckled. “You needn’t worry about that. I can make sure he has no choice but to go.”

  Fenella frowned. “I don’t want to upset him, though.”

  “Let’s take things one step at a time. Shall I look for a small house that he can use while he’s here?”

  “Yes, I think that might be best. I was thinking about putting him up in a hotel, but he might like a house better.”

  “And if it’s your property, it won’t cost you anything.”

  “That
’s true, too, aside from gas and electricity and whatever.”

  “All of your properties are managed by an agency that deals with all of the utility bills. You will have to cover them while your brother is staying there, but those expenses will be considerably less than what it would cost for a hotel room for three weeks.”

  “Okay, see what you can find. I’ll start working on finding an excuse as to why he can’t stay with me.”

  “Perhaps Shelly could have a sudden problem with her flat, flooding, maybe? If she needed to stay in your spare room, there wouldn’t be any room for James.”

  Fenella laughed. “Shelly and I had the very same idea,” she said.

  Doncan turned to his computer and opened up a file. After a few minutes, he smiled at Fenella. “I see two possibilities here. Let me ring someone and check on them.”

  Fenella sat patiently while Doncan made his call. When he put the phone down, he made a few notes before he spoke. “Right, well, the letting agents are more efficient that I had hoped. One of the houses has already been rented back out; they simply hadn’t updated the database yet. The other one is available, however. It’s a little bit larger than you might have been thinking, though.”

  “How large?”

  “It has four bedrooms and two baths. It’s on a housing estate on the outskirts of Douglas. It’s a great neighborhood for families. There’s even a primary school nearby. It’s on Poppy Drive.”

  Fenella nodded. “My driving instructor took me through that neighborhood a lot. It’s lovely. I didn’t realize that I owned a house there.”

  “You do. Do you want to go and have a look at it?”

  “It’s empty?”

  “There isn’t anyone living there at the moment, although it is fully furnished.”

  “I probably should take a look.”

  “Let’s go now,” he suggested. “I could do with a half hour away from my desk. I’ve been working too hard lately.”

  “It feels huge, even though I know it’s small by American standards,” Fenella said a short while later. She was standing in the small living room of the home she hadn’t known she owned. The furniture was bland, but functional, and she knew it was much nicer than anything James owned.