Chapter
3
Nicky
stumbled back and hit the living room wall, she stood there spaced out, she
couldn't believe, she didn't want to believe that the man she loved was dead,
"Mum"
Ellie stepped towards her and placed her hand on her Mother's arm "Mum say
something" Ellie knew her mother's shock,
"Do
you want to sit down" Nicky didn't answer "Mum please" Nicky
turned and walked out of the room, everyone looked on, Chrissie got up and ran
towards the door,
"Chrissie,
honey don't" Ellie stopped her leaving the room,
"But
Mummy needs someone" Chrissie began to cry again,
"I
know, let me go, it's been quite a shock for everyone" Ellie turned to Martin
"Martin can you make sure everyone is fed please"
"Of
course Ellie" Martin got up and gave her a hug. She looked at him and
smiled then walked out of the room.
Ellie
found her mum in her bedroom, in her hand she held a picture of her wedding day
to Patrick, she still hadn't shed a tear and stared out of the window into the
distance,
"Mum,
Mum" Ellie approached her mother an knelt down in front of her "Mum,
please say something" Nicky didn't move, Ellie didn't know what to do,
tears ran down her face, she sat with her for a while,
"Mum,
we need you, you can't stay like this forever ok, take a few days to yourself,
we can handle the farm until then, ok" Ellie kissed her mum on the
forehead and headed back downstairs.
The
dining room was quite when Ellie entered, Martin stood up and walked over to
her,
"How
is she" he asked as he took her hands,
"Still
in shock, I'm going to go check on her a bit latter, how are the others"
"Their
ok, still really upset" another tear ran down Ellie's cheek, Martin pulled
her close and put his arms round her,
"It's
going to be alright Ellie, I promise you everything will be alright, ok" Ellie
nodded, she put his arms round him and gave him a hug. Ellie then sat down at
the table and ate her dinner.
After
they all helped clear the table and clean the kitchen. Everyone was still
quite, the shock of the news still hung in the air. Ellie and Martin helped get
Chrissie and Lindsey ready for bed and Jennifer and Louis got ready too,
"It's
going to be ok Chrissie" Ellie and Martin tooked Chrissie onto bed "I
promise in a week's time we will hold a memorial service for Dad ok"
Chrissie nodded and closed her eyes.
Once
everyone was asleep Martin and Ellie sat at the table with cup of tea each,
"I
wish Mum would cry" Ellie said,
"What"
"Mum,
she just sits there holding her wedding photo and staring out of the window,
she hasn't cried yet"
"Ellie
calm down, she will, she will ok, just give her time, she's in shock"
"I
know, I'm just scared she will never recover" Martin put his arm round Ellie
and kissed her on the side if the forehead, she looked at him,
"Thank
you Martin, thank you so much for being here"
"It's
my pleasure, It's just like when my mum died, I had to look after my sister's;
your mum will come round, just give her time"
"I
know, thank you Martin. I'm going to go to bed, I'll see you in the
morning"
"Goodnight
Ellie"
Ellie
bought her mother breakfast and a cup of tea in the morning, Nicky was still
sitting where she had been the night before still holding her wedding photo and
staring out the window
"Morning
Mum" Ellie put the down the tray she was carrying "I brought you some
breakfast and a cup of tea, Mum, Mum" Ellie noticed her mother hadn't
slept "How about we eat something ok" Nicky shook her head, "Mum
you have to eat something, remember what you told me last year, we need to eat
every meal as food is rationed now, please Mum" Nicky placed her wedding
picture on her knee, she reached for her breakfast and started to eat, Ellie
sat in front of her. Nicky ate slowly, with every bite she felt like throwing
up, she struggled every time to swallow what was in her mouth. After she was
finished Ellie took her bowl,
"I'll
come and cheek on you a bit later" Ellie
picked up the tray and left the room, she returned to the kitchen to find Martin
talking to Mrs Latham, they looked up,
"I'm
so sorry for you loss Ellie" Mrs Latham gave her hug and left the room,
"I
thought I would let her know what happened, if that's ok, I don't want to
upset..."
"Martin
it's fine, thank you, it saved me from doing it, I don't think I could have
handled it" Ellie smiled at Martin who gave a little smile back,
"What
do you need doing today Ellie"
"Oh...em...I
haven't thought about it...em...the sheep need feeding, Chrissie will tend to
the chickens, Louis the cows, can you make sure that Jenny and Lindsey tend to
the vegetable garden and housework" Ellie breathed
"Ok,
and what will you be doing Ellie" Martin stepped towards her,
"Well
I will need to check on mum at lunch time, I'm at the shop this afternoon and
this morning I'm going to go down to the church and arrange a memorial service
for my Dad"
"Ok,
Ellie let me know if you need any help with planning"
"I
will" Ellie looked at him, Martin came a little closer took both of her
hands as he put his head against hers. They smiled at each other, then Ellie
left the room.
It
was a cold day, Ellie had wrapped up warm and was slowly walking towards the
church. The wind blew towards her as she walked, she kept looking up the sky
wondering why this was happening, why was she the one who had to plan her
fathers memorial, why her brother and sister had to grow up without a father.
She entered the church and shivered. As she looked towards the alter she could
see Reverend Edward preying. She walked down and sat to wait for him to finish.
As she did she began to prey herself in hope that everything would be ok, a
tear ran down her cheek.
"Good
morning Miss Pickard" Reverend Edward said as he stood before her "How
my I help you today"
Ellie
looked up and smiled,
"Good
morning Reverend, I need your help"
"What
is it you need help with Ellie"
"A
memorial service, my Dad..." Ellie began to cry before she had finished
her sentence,
"Oh
Ellie, I'm so sorry" Reverend Edward comforted her and handed her a
tissue. Ellie explained everything and how her mother had reacted,
"You
know Ellie, we all greave in different ways and it will take time for her to
adjust to what has happened, your parents were very much in love, I remember
the day I married them"
"You
married my parents" Ellie look amazed as she didn't know how long he had
been at the church for,
"Yes
I did, anyway let me look at my diary and we will arrange date, wait here"
Reverend Edward got up and went to get his diary. Ellie sat looking at the
ceiling, she started to cry again as she remembered the good time she had with
her Dad, all the walks and the theatre trips, days by the river and herding the
sheep,
"Is
next Monday ok Ellie" Reverend Edward said interrupting Ellie's thoughts,
"Oh...em...yes
that's fine" she replied as she stood up,
"Ok
will 12 noon be ok"
"Yes
well I will see you next week"
"Ok
Ellie, see you next week and I'm so sorry for your loss"
"Thank
you Reverend" Ellie started to walk home, as he stepped outside it had
started to rain,
"Dame"
Ellie stated as she remembered she had forgotten an umbrella.
“Willies
off Lindsey” Martin said as Louis, Jennifer, Lindsey and Chrissie come through
the front door,
“Is
my mummy ok Martin” Chrissie asked running up to him, he knelt down to her
height,
“No
change yet, but I’ve taken her some lunch ok” Chrissie nodded and Martin gave
her a hug,
“Ok
now go wash up lunch is on the table”
“Ok”
Chrissie walked through the dining room to the kitchen. Martin looked out of
the window as the rain poured down heavily,
“I
hope Ellie’s ok”
“Ooo,
someone’s falling in love” Jennifer teased her brother,
“Jennifer
now is not the time”
“Sorry”
Jennifer ran into the dining room
Ellie
walked through the door an hour later, wet through, cold and shivering, Martin
came out of the living room,
“Oh
my god, Ellie you’re wet thought”
“I
know, I forgot my umbrella” Ellie stood shivering as Martin grabbed a towel and
put it round her,
“Martin
I’m fine”
“No
you’re not, come on let’s get you dried of and warm”
“Ok,
can you give Mrs Fleming a ring and tell her I won’t be in today”
“Of
course I will”
Ellie
smiled as Martin led her upstairs.
Once
dried and in clean dry clothes Ellie made her way downstairs. As she entered
the living room she saw Martin had made her a bed up on the sofa to keep warm,
“Hi
Ellie, I’ve er…I’ve made you up a bed to keep you warm”
“Thank
you Martin…Achoo” Ellie sneezed
“Bless
you” Martin said as Ellie lied on the sofa,
“Thank
you” she smiled
“Here’s
a hot water bottle Ellie” Chrissie handed Ellie a hot water bottle
“Thank
you” she said taking the hot water bottle “how’s Mum” Chrissie looked at her,
“Same
as this morning but she ate her lunch, Martin brought her another cup of tea
whilst you were getting changed”
“Ok
Chrissie, I will check on her in a bit” Ellie closed her eyes; Chrissie went
back to playing a board game with the others. Martin looked at her and smiled, Ellie
caught him as he opened her eyes and smiled back,
“Can
you put the radio on please Martin?”
“Of
course” Martin leaned over and turned the radio on then turned back to face Ellie.
He grabbed his book and went to sit against the sofa,
“Hey
Ellie, did you get a date for the….memorial service” he asked
“Yes
Monday at noon”
“Ok,
I’ll take care of it of you want” Martin took Ellie’s hand softly,
“No,
no it’s ok. I can take care of it” Ellie fell asleep, Martin tooked her in and
made sure she was warm then started to read hid book. Jennifer looked at him
and smiled.
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