(aka Bike) Part 2051 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad
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The first we heard of Gloria’s demise was a police car came up the drive and two officers emerged, a man and a woman. I immediately tried to think who was out and could something have happened to them. Simon was playing golf, Danny was at Peter’s house and all the girls except Julie were at home, Phoebe electing to stay at home and help look after her niece rather than go to the salon with Julie.
As they approached the front door I went to answer it with fingers crossed that it wasn’t about Simon, Danny or Julie. They couldn’t be coming about Neal being discharged, because they wouldn’t come to me, they’d surely just let him go.
The bell rang and I waited a few seconds before answering so it didn’t look as if I was curtain twitching. “Could we speak to Miss Phoebe Allen?” asked the woman.
“Do come in, I’ll go and find her.” I ushered them into the lounge and dashed off to the kitchen where Phoebe was talking to David. I told her the police wanted to see her.
“But I haven’t done anything wrong,” she protested.
“I don’t think it’s about that sort of thing, sweetheart.”
“Oh god, don’t say something’s happened to Neal?” she gasped as we approached the lounge. “Will you come in with me, Mummy?”
“If they’re agreeable, of course I will.”
We asked and they asked who I was. I’m pretty sure they’d know who lived at this address and while there are a few women here under thirty, I suspect my attitude suggests I’m the top banana–or maybe just bananas?
When I told them I was Cathy Cameron, they both looked as if they’d sat in something wet, but they allowed me to stay at Phoebe’s request.
“I’m afraid we have some bad news for you, Miss Allen...”
“Oh god, Neal–what’s happened to Neal?”
“Neal? Um no–we’re here to report the death of Mrs Gloria Allen.”
“What?” we both gasped, “I only talked to her an hour or two ago,” I added, feeling absolutely shocked by the news.
“Oh, what time was this?” asked the woman and her colleague prepared to write down anything I said.
“Just before lunch, I’m looking after their baby with Phoebe’s help, and I was just feeding her.”
“With a bottle?”
“No, from the breast.”
She gave a little start and then regained her composure, “I see, and would you mind telling us what the conversation was about?”
“Yes, I told you we’re looking after little Lizzie, their baby and she asked if I minded looking after her a little longer because she and Neal had some issues to work out. I was surprised that she decided to ask me to do that, but they were having problems of communication I suspect, and I agreed I’d have her a day or two longer if it was necessary.
“She was in the hospital because she fell off her bed and banged her head against a wall, causing a skull fracture, but she was making good progress and she expected to be discharged later today.”
“How did her mood seem?”
“Conciliatory, we used to work together, and we didn’t always see eye to eye.”
“Yet she asked you to have her baby?”
“Not originally, she was unconscious and Neal went off to the hospital and asked me to watch the baby. I told him I’d bring her home with me and he was fine about it. When Gloria found out she wasn’t best pleased, but then after they spoke she agreed to it.”
“And you still have the baby?”
“Yes, as I said I was expecting her to come and collect her today, but then she phoned and said otherwise. You said she’s dead?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“How is Neal, he’s in hospital himself.”
“I don’t know, we were just told to come and tell Miss Allen, as there aren’t many other relatives to inform.”
Phoebe was sitting on the settee in total shock.
“What happened–to Gloria–I mean?”
“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to divulge that, Mrs Cameron.”
“Surely it wasn’t illness–was it?” I probed.
“I can’t say.” She looked at Phoebe, “Miss Allen, if there’s anything we can do to help, please do contact us.” She handed her a card. “She may need some bereavement counselling,” was added before the two coppers went back to their duties.
As soon as they’d gone I called the hospital and finally tracked Neal down to a different ward. I explained to the ward sister that I was calling on behalf of Phoebe and that we had the Allen’s baby, and that the police had just called to see us. Was it possible for me to come and speak with Neal?
“I see so you know about his wife’s death?”
“Yes, the police have only just gone. I need to speak with him about the baby and to see what help he’s going to need for funeral arrangements.”
“He’s deeply shocked and under sedation, he’s not going to be able to speak with you until this evening at the earliest.”
“Could you tell him I called and will be coming to see him at the first opportunity.”
“Of course, but don’t hold your breath for this evening–he’s right out of it.”
“I’m not surprised–it’s a huge shock to us as well. Phoebe, Neal’s sister is devastated.”
“I’m sure.”
I rang off and went back to Phoebe who needed me to sit and hold her while she vented her grief. “Why am I crying, Mummy, I couldn’t stand the woman?”
“Shock, sweetheart. You thought it was Neal. Now we know it isn’t, but that complicates things for the baby and you’ve grown fond of her already.”
“She’s lovely.”
“Yes she is, but now we’ll have to work with Neal to try and compensate for the loss of her mother.”
“Will you adopt her, too?”
“No, certainly not, she’s still got a loving father–we’ll just have to try and support them both as best we can.”
“What happened to her–Gloria, I mean?”
“I don’t know–she sounded alright on the phone, so it must have been something sudden, like a clot somewhere.”
“I didn’t like her, but poor little Lizzie–what’s it going to mean for her?”
“I don’t know, Pheebs, we’ll just have to do what we can to help and what Neal wants us to do. She’s his daughter so what he says goes.”
“But he won’t cope, will he?”
“I don’t know. Once he’s got over the shock–we’ll have to see, won’t we. I’m sure he’ll do his best.”
“Does that mean I have to look after her for him?” She looked really worried.
“If you mean does it mean that you have to sacrifice your life to look after the baby? No, not unless you want to, and even then I’d try and talk you out of it. The baby will need a mother substitute of some sort but it could well be that just a good dad will suffice. There are plenty of single fathers doing a great job of bringing up their children–you don’t have to be female.”
“No, but it helps,” she said wryly and I shrugged.
“I refuse to prejudge the issue. I think Neal has the capability to do a great job.”
“Yeah, but he won’t, will he?”
“Let’s not prejudge him. Now c’mon, let’s go and have a cuppa and see what we can do to look after our motherless waif.”
Comments
Worried about Neal now too
as his mental and emotional condition isn't particularly strong or stable. What a mess. Glad baby Lizzie is in a supportive and safe environment right now.
Me too, Woody
You have expressed it very eloquently. I too am worried about Neal, but then I was after the last paragraph of the previous episode. I still anticipate several more rather tense episodes before this is resolved.
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
All things considered, Neal
All things considered, Neal and Stella just might make a go of it as both have waifs of their own and have lost their signifigent other.
May Your Light Forever Shine
Nice idea Stan
but i very much doubt Neal could cope with Stella and her particular needs, To be honest the best thing Neal could do now is to concentrate on his own needs and that of his baby... Hopefully at some time in the future he will find himself another partner and enjoy the relationship that never really happened with Gloria..
Kirri
I can't say about UK
...but here in NJ, the baby would be given to a family member in what they call Kindred Care, or straight foster care since Neal is only recently a survivor of a suicide attempt himself.
My worry, given the immediacy of Gloria's actions on the heels of Neal's attempt would be that they had made some pact ala Romeo and Juliet. I had a dear friend online who did just that; after she failed in her attempt, her partner killed herself. And then she attempted and succeeded at suicide shortly thereafter. Heartbreaking
Either way. he's in no way stable enough to care for the baby on his own. Perhaps him living with the family until such time as he's able to assume sole responsibility; right now no one would certify him as safe enough to have guardianship of his own child.
Love, Andrea Lena
A mess.
It's not impossible for kids to grow up without parents, they just grow up 'broken'. Let's hope Neal manages at some juncture to do right by his child. I'll just repeat what I said a few comments ago, Cathy should be reducing her commitments not adding to them. There's got to be an alternative to Cathy becoming involved with rearing the baby. Let's hope Neal doesn't see Cathy as a guilt free route to ducking his responsibilities.
Good chapter Ang.
Still lovin' it.
Bevs.
x
Agreed, Cathy is already overburdened
She cannot take on all of everybody's problems. Honestly, Phoebe will have to step up to help Neal as she is pretty much her only family it sounds like.
Kim
I'd like to see...
I'd like to see Neal turn into one of those awesome single parent fathers... He's demonstrated reliability and care of small (very small) animals for a few years... They're cute, and from all reports his kid is quite cute. Perhaps it'll translate.
I got the impression he actually did love Gloria (even if she thought she was second choice) and was jealous of the kid... Perhaps this small bit that's part of both of them can be the thing that returns him to sanity and such.
Though, the kid... Assuming the kid finds out. One parent attempted suicide... The other successful. That'd really suck. I could see a kid (not carefully handled) coming to be convinced it was their fault.
Hmmm. Gloria did sound upbeat on the call. Is it beyond the realm of possibility that she didn't actually commit suicide - that it was done to her, to cover something ELSE up? (Perhaps someone made advances and was spurned and she was hurt/killed and the perpetrator hung her to divert suspicion... She died... She hung herself... Obvious cause for death why look further... Could be. That'd REALLY suck for Neal though.
Thanks, I think,
Annette
Neal & little Lizzie
I don't see Neal being able to take care of little Lizzie, he was pissed that the baby was taking up so much of Gloria's time before all the recent events started, to the point that he was jealous of the baby.
Then with Gloria's injury, his being held for supposed assault of Gloria, and his suicide attempt, he just isn't stable, I'm not sure he can be. I think that Gloria's suicide will be the final trigger, pushing him over the edge once again.
I have a feeling in my gut that, sooner or later, he's going to follow Gloria, and Lizzie will lose both of her parents.