The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 2017 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

“Who was the lady who died?” I asked Heidi.

“Marcia Holloway, she has three children, two girls and a boy, Justine is eight, Rob is six and Alice is two. Her hubby’s name is Matt.”

“My goodness, how’s he going to cope with three youngsters?” I gasped.

Simon gave me a look which as much as said, ‘No.’ Not that I would have wanted to take them on, I have more than enough now.

“The bank will give him a grant towards childcare seeing as she died serving us,” offered Heidi.

“How much?”

“Five thousand a year–should help towards child minders and so on. Plus she is entitled to a hundred thousand life insurance pay out, or her husband is.”

“That should help somewhat–I mean the poor chap may not be fit to work for weeks after a shock like this.”

Heidi agreed with me by nodding.

“We do try to look after our staff, Cathy,” said Simon almost testily. I know this wasn’t a pleasant task to fulfil but he seemed more than usually bad tempered. We arrived at a fairly smart semi-detached house with a neat garden.

“What do we do now?” I asked, this being new to me.

“Lord Simon and I will speak with Matt and I have a cheque for him to keep him going in advance of the insurance payout, as that can take a few weeks. If there’s no one to look after the children, Lady Catherine, perhaps you could distract them. I have a bag of goodies for them–comics and sweets.

“Sure,” though I expected a grandparent or friend would be there to help the poor chap.

We got out of the car and I followed the other two down the path by the side of the drive holding the bag of goodies. The door was opened by an older woman who had red eyes and looked very tired. She also had something wrong with her chest–COPD–yep, that’s what it was, and it wasn’t doing her heart any good. Alas, I was unlikely to have an opportunity to say anything to her, and I suspect she didn’t care much for her own life any more, she had to be the dead woman’s mother.

“Hello, Mrs Cord, this is Lord and Lady Cameron from the bank, I’m Heidi the manager of the Bedminster branch–I was Marcia’s boss.”

“You’d better come in,” she stepped aside and we trooped in and she shut the door. “Matt,” she called and man of about thirty two or three appeared. He was grey, not his hair, but his skin–this man was ill and it wasn’t just bereavement. “People from the bank.”

“Hello, Matt, I’m Heidi, Marcia’s boss, we met at Christmas the year before last.”

“Hi,” he said.

“Sorry, this is Lord and Lady Cameron, from the bank.”

Matt nodded but neither walked forward nor said anything. I could feel energy being drawn towards him but I needed closer contact. I stepped forward, “Hi Matt, I’m Cathy, why don’t you come and sit down and I’ll make us a nice cuppa.” I put my hand on him and he winced.

“Who are you?” he said but it was more about the energy he felt than wanting to know my name.

“I’m a friend, Matt, come to help you cope with the kids for a bit longer.”

“Why do I feel hot?” he asked me as he sat down on the settee and I sat beside him.

“Because you’re healing yourself.”

“I can’t, it’s terminal.”

“Bear with me, Matt, they’ve been wrong before and they are this time.” I could feel the energy coursing through his veins and into his bones.

He sat back and seemed to go into a sleep, his mother in law saw him and gasped, “My god, he’s not dead as well?”

“No, he’s fine, he’s just resting–he’s going to recover you know.”

“That isn’t what the doctor says.”

“They often miss things and the chemo was more effective than they thought.”

“But they said it didn’t work–you’re not a doctor are you?”

“No, but I can help him.”

I nodded at Simon and he grabbed Heidi and he muttered something about insurance–they bundled Mrs Cord out of the room and I got to work in earnest. “Matt, listen to me–I’ve been sent to help you.”

“No one can help me now–why did it have to happen to Marcia–it should have been me–I’m the one who’s dying, so what difference would a few weeks make?”

“Matt, I can’t answer why Marcia died and why you’re going to live. I just do what I’m told and I’ve been told to heal you.”

“Don’t bother, I don’t want to live without my Marcia.”

“You don’t have choice, Matt, the universe needs you to be there for your kids–Marcia needs you to be there for them. She says she loves you and she needs you to get well and raise your children.”

“She said what, she’s here?” He opened his eyes, “Where?”

“She’s standing beside you and wants you to know everything will be all right but it’s going to be hard at first. She’s telling you to work with me.”

“You can see her?”

“Yes, she’s wearing a blue cardigan or jacket–she said, ‘tell him John Lewis.’”

“My god, you can see her, can’t you?”

“Yes, she’s very close–she said it was her time to go, but yours isn’t for a long time yet and to take good care of the children, she loves you all.”

“Tell her I love her too, I miss her so much, so much,” he began to weep and my heart was breaking.

“She knows, Matt.”

“Is she still here?”

“No, she’s gone.”

“But I can’t live without her.”

“You have to, Matt.”

“Tell her to come back.”

“I can’t, Matt, she used up all her energy coming to see you. Now relax and let me help you.”

“I don’t want to be helped, I want to die as well.”

“If you do you won’t be with Marcia.”

“Of course I will, she’s my wife.”

“She will be so disappointed with you that I doubt she’ll have anything to do with you.”

“But she loves me and I love her.”

“I know she does and he used up all her remaining energy to come and tell you to take care of the children.”

“But I can’t, I’m sick–my bloods are off the scale–I’ve got weeks, that’s all, weeks. What use is that?”

“Matt, I know you’re upset, but I keep trying to tell you but you’re not listening. You wouldn’t even listen to Marcia, would you?”

“Yes I did.”

“That isn’t how she told it. Now for her sake, listen to me now. I can save your life so you can look after your children and do what she wants you to do, or you can carry on and die and your kids will go into care–is that what you want?”

“No–course not.”

“I’m glad to hear that and so is Marcia.”

“You said she’d gone.”

“She has but she can sort of hear what we’re saying.”

I stood up and walked round behind him and placed my hands on his shoulders, he jumped a little then just fell back. Sometimes it’s easier if the energy reduces their resistance first. He go so hot I thought he was going to catch fire and the sweat was dripping off him. Then suddenly the room got very cold and I knew we had an uninvited guest.

“Good work, Catherine.” I looked towards where I thought the voice had emanated and for a split second I saw Billie, she smiled and waved then she was gone.

It took me several moments to compose myself, the energy had stopped and the room returned to normal, so had Matt’s colouring. I tapped his arm, “Uh,” was his response.

“I’ve got some comics and sweeties for the kids, where are they?”

He opened his eyes, “I just had the strangest dream, I saw my Marcia and she was telling me what to do.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“What?”

“What she told you to do.”

“Er–yeah, she said I was going to be alright, well enough to look after the kids.”

“Good, give them these, won’t you?” I handed him the bag.

“Er–yeah, thanks.”

“You’re welcome, while I’m here I need to speak with Peggy, your mother in law.” I excused myself and sent the other two into speak with Matt, while I sat with Peggy.

“Tea?” she offered.

I nodded and then after she put down the teapot I took her hand and she looked at me in astonishment, then beyond me. “Marcia,” she gasped and the room went colder. I rose and went round behind her and put a hand on her back and one on her upper chest. She was still looking at something I couldn’t see but which she thought was her daughter. The energy absolutely blasted between my hands and I was half surprised not to see scorch marks on the older lady. I stepped back and she had an almighty coughing fit. She spat into tissue and suddenly she could breathe normally.

“Look after Matt and the children, won’t you?”

“Who are you?” she asked.

“A messenger.”

“That’s what the word angel means, isn’t it?”

I shrugged, “It might do–I have to go–you won’t remember my being here, neither will Matt but you’ll both know something special happened and that Marcia asked for it to happen.”

“She’s a good girl,” offered Peggy dreamily.

I found Simon and Heidi and we left. I knew that she’d only recall seeing Simon that morning–funny thing memory.