Deceit of Angels (8 page)

“Well,
I think the occasion demands it.”

She
let out a breath.  “We need to talk about Hollie.  I have to go into hospital
on Monday to start treatment.  I thought that she could come to stay with you
while I’m there?  Perhaps she could stay from tomorrow?”

“Of
course she can stay,” he said and then added quietly.  “Does she know?”

“She
knows I’ve been sick, but I thought I’d tell her on a need to know basis.  It
might be easier for her to understand that way.  She’s broken up for the summer
holidays but there’s still Brownies and her ballet classes.”

“I
can sort that out.  What about your parents?”

She
gave a bright smile.  “They arrived yesterday.  They’ve taken her to the zoo
today.  They wanted to look after her themselves but Dad’s health isn’t
brilliant and I don’t think he could cope...with everything.”

“Well,
it’ll be no problem for her to stay with me.”

“Thank
you,” she whispered.

“Don’t
be silly.  She’s my daughter.”  He squeezed her fingers.  “I hope you don’t
mind me saying it but I think Peter has picked one hell of a time to leave
you.”

She
gave an ironic laugh.  “It was my illness that drove him away.  It frightened
him witless.”  She glanced down at his hands still gripping hers.  “Isn’t it
strange, the events that bring out a person’s true nature.”

After Kiera had
left, Jason told the others everything that had happened in his office.  Anna
didn’t take her eyes from his face the entire time, Ben stared down at the
table and Mrs Wilby was unable to focus on anything except to dab at the corner
of her eyes with a lace hanky.  At the conclusion, Jason suggested that they postpone
their visit to the Grange until further notice.  In the end this didn’t cause a
problem since after a brief telephone call, his mother was in complete
agreement that her birthday celebrations should be put on hold for the time
being.

The
following day was very strange.  Jason went to collect Hollie as usual and when
she arrived, she crashed into the house pulling a small trolley containing her
possessions and causing Ben to wince at the chipped paintwork on the
doorframe.  She was keen to tell everyone that Granddad and Grandma Macintosh
had come to visit all the way from Canada.

“But
Mummy has to go into hospital tomorrow,” she added sadly.  “She’s very sick and
the doctors are going to make her better.” 

The
adults made no comment.

Anna
followed her upstairs to the small room that had once been her nursery and then
her bedroom until she had left with her mother.  Now it was set aside for her
occasional visits.  Although the smallest bedroom in the house, it had been
decorated in Hollie’s favourite colour, pink and the bed sported a Barbie cover
that matched the curtains.  Anna helped her unpack and noticed that her Brownie
uniform was rather crumpled so she decided to take it to the utility room and
run the iron over it. 

Leaving
Hollie to sort out her things, Anna spent the next ten minutes busily removing
the creases from the dress and pressing the collar back into shape, delighting
in the tiny garment that seemed to be made for a doll rather than a child.  She
cherished her boys and wouldn’t change them for anything, but she would have
loved a little girl, to dress in pretty clothes, to brush her hair and do all
the things a mother could do for a daughter.  She sighed sadly.  If Dave hadn’t
been the way he was, she might have contemplated a second pregnancy, but the
way things had gone it was out of the question.

When
she reached Hollie’s room, she found father and daughter sitting on the bed,
deep in conversation.  They both smiled as Anna entered the room.  Hollie had
unpacked the rest of her things so Anna found a hanger and hung the dress on
the door of the cupboard.

“All
right, young lady,” said Anna turning to the little girl.  “I know you’ve
finished school, but if I remember rightly, the teacher often gives homework
for the summer.”

Hollie’s
expression became doleful.  “I suppose.”

“What
is it?”

The
little girl shuffled about on the bed.  “I’ve got to read two pages of my book
and write down five things I like about the summer.”

“Well,
that sounds easy enough.  Shall we do it now?”

“What
now!” said Hollie in disgust.  “But the holidays have ages to go yet.”

“If
you get it done now, then you’ll have the rest of the time to do fun things,”
Anna insisted, holding out her hand.  Giving a sigh, Hollie collected her books
and took her hand.  Anna laughed and turned to Jason for support.  “I’m sure
your daddy didn’t leave his homework until the last minute.”    

“No,
I didn’t.   But there again, I was a boarder and the school had strict rules,”
he smiled, rising to his feet.

“Martyn
tended to leave his homework until Sunday afternoon,” she said, thinking back. 
“But Chris was very diligent and got his out of the way on Friday night.”

“What
are they studying at university?”

Anna
bristled with pride.  “Chris is studying electronic engineering at Loughborough
and Martyn economics at Warwick.”  She gave a giggle.  “I think my elder son
has ambitions to become Chancellor of the Exchequer.” 

“I’d
like to meet your boys one day.  They sound like fine young men.  Your husband
must have been very proud of them.”

“Yes,
he is…was,” said Anna, her cheeks flushing slightly as she saw Jason frowning.

Hollie
pulled on Anna’s hand.  “Can we go and do this silly homework now?”

The following
week was a whirl of activity as they all adjusted to their new routine and it was
during that first week and afterwards that Anna would often accompany Jason and
Hollie to the hospital to visit Kiera.  It was at one of these visits that she
met Fergus and Gaynor Macintosh, Kiera’s parents.  They were constantly at the
hospital and although in their sixties were determined to be with their
daughter and see her through her illness.  When Jason and Hollie arrived, they
would take the opportunity to catch up on some chores and allow Hollie to have
some time with her mother.  Anna didn’t want to intrude and would often find a
seat and watch Jason and Hollie slowly walk round the hospital garden helping
Kiera along, their arms round her to steady her faltering footsteps.

It
was obvious her illness had rapidly taken a dramatic hold on her.  The
medication was alleviating the pain but the progression of the tumour was
profound.  Jason, who was still her husband and therefore legally her next of
kin, had had long discussions with her consultant.  His prognosis was bleak and
he had to admit that all they could do was make the patient comfortable as
Kiera might have only a matter of weeks.

It was the
middle of August the day Anna received two contrasting phone calls.  Jason had
left for a meeting in Birmingham early that morning and hoped to return later
that night. 

The
first call came about lunchtime and was from Chris.

“We
got exactly the same results, Mum, even though we did different exams.  Two As
and a B.”  His voice at the end of the phone was excited and filled with
delight.

“That’s
wonderful, sweetheart.  So, your places are confirmed?”

“Yes,
everything’s sorted.  Grandma said she’ll help us pack all the stuff we’ll need
to take with us for living in halls.”  He paused for a moment.  “But we have
something to tell you and we don’t want you to be upset.”

“Why
should I be upset?” she laughed.

“Dad
was dead pleased, of course and he’s given us some money, so we’re off to Ibiza
for two weeks.  We got a great last minute deal.”

“That’s
fantastic.  You enjoy yourselves.”

“The
trouble is you wanted to celebrate our results, but we’re going on Sunday so
there’ll not be time and also we’ll be gone for your birthday.”

“Don’t
worry about that.  I think I’d rather forget my birthday.”  She grimaced. 
“Thirty-eight is not exactly a birthday to celebrate.”

Chris
chuckled at the end of the line.  “Can’t imagine being that old.”

“Cheeky
sod!”

Anna
smiled to herself as she resumed working.  It seemed her boys were doing fine
without her and in a way she felt relieved.  In early October they would leave
home to start their degrees and who knows where they would end up after that?

The
second call came mid-afternoon and was from Gaynor Macintosh who told Anna that
Kiera’s condition had worsened and she was asking to see her.  Although very
surprised at the request, she could do nothing else but comply.  Ben drove her
to the hospital and while he waited in the car, Anna made her way through the
corridors to Kiera’s room.

Her
parents were at her bedside as usual and as Anna entered the room she gave them
a smile and then winced at the figure lying in the bed.  Kiera was propped up
on two pillows and now and again her eyelashes flickered as she drifted in and
out of consciousness.  Her pale, sunken features seemed in sharp contrast to
the dark hair that had been tied back out of the way.

“We’ll
pop out for a coffee,” said Mrs Macintosh.  “There’s a snack bar just down the
corridor.”

Anna took a seat
and reached across to hold Kiera’s hand.  The movement disturbed her sleep and
she slowly opened her eyes.

“Anna,
is that you?” Her voice was so weak it could hardly leave her throat.

“Yes,
I’m here,” said Anna.

Kiera
struggled to sit up further and Anna eased her into a more comfortable
position.

“I’m
so glad you came.  I want to ask you something.”  She started coughing and Anna
held a cup to her lips while she drank.  “I need to be…sure of something…before
it’s too late.”

“You’re
very tired.  Do you want to leave it until you feel stronger?”

Despite
her illness, Kiera gave a hoarse chuckle.  “I don’t think I’m going to get any
stronger, “ she said.

“Then
what do you want to ask me?”

“It’s
about Hollie.  Anna, please, please promise you’ll take care of her for me.”

Anna
gripped her hand tighter.  “Of course I’ll look after her.  You don’t need to
ask me that.”

Kiera
shook her head slowly.  “No, you don’t understand.  I mean, always be there for
her.  I want you to marry Jason and be his wife and then care for my Hollie as
a mother.”

Anna
almost stopped breathing.  “Kiera, I can’t promise that!  Jason might not see
it the same way.”

“Oh,
but he does.  I know he thinks a lot about you.”

“Yes,
as his personal assistant.  But marriage is a completely different thing.”

“As
Jason’s assistant you could leave at any moment, then my little girl will be on
her own.”

Anna
became alarmed and bent closer to her.  “No, Kiera, you’re wrong.  Hollie has
her father and her grandparents and Mrs Wilby and Ben to take care of her.  She
doesn’t need me.”

Kiera
closed her eyes for what seemed a long time, but then her eyelashes flickered
once more.

“Her
grandparents are too old.  Ben and Mrs Wilby are fine, but you’re a good
mother…and you know how to bring up kids.  I need to know that she’ll be OK.” 
Her eyes opened wide and seemed as black as night.  “Please don’t… let me
down.”  Anna could hardly speak.  “Promise me.”

Anna
opened her mouth to answer, tears filling her eyes.  “I…promise,” she said
hesitantly.  “I promise that I will do everything I can for Hollie.”

Kiera
smiled and closed her eyes.

It was nearly
midnight and Anna was sitting alone at the kitchen table.  Everyone had gone to
bed, but she had insisted on staying up until Jason came home.  It had been a
hot day and she left the door open to let any draught enter the house and bring
in its wonderful coolness.  Her mind was troubled.  She had promised a dying
woman that she would do all she could for her little girl and she would keep
that promise to the best of her ability.  But to marry Jason was out of the
question.  She had too many marital problems of her own to sort out and to marry
a second time was a thought that had never entered her head.

Jason
appeared out of the darkness, startling her out of her grim thoughts. 
“Goodness, what are you doing still up?” he asked, giving her a smile.  He came
into the kitchen and flung his briefcase onto the table.           

“Would
you like me to make you some coffee?” she said, ignoring his question.

“No,
I’ll have a quick drink of orange and then I’m off to bed.”

“How
was Birmingham?  Did it go OK?”

He
opened the fridge and poured himself a glass of juice smiling triumphantly. 
“Well, I got the contract.  Has Hollie been good today?”

“Yes,
but…” He turned to face her and his smile faded.  Anna swallowed hard.  “It’s
Kiera, Jason.  Her condition became critical.  She died just before nine o’ clock
tonight.”