On the west side of Downshire is Eastchapel, a quiet medieval village living in the shadow of its noisy neighbour, the Industrial powerhouse of Northchapel and it is also the home of the Cripps family and had been for century’s.
The house, named Twelve Trees, had once been a row of
labourer’s cottages, was now home to brothers Aaron and Grant, and their father
Roland although he had been in hospital for some time.
However, as he had been told they could do no more for
him than palliative care he told his sons he wanted to die in his own home.
The brothers were happy to accommodate him, but some
adjustments needed to be made first, such the front path which needed to be
widened to accommodate a wheelchair, the front door was already wide enough as
was the hallway.
Grant Cripps was an independent Publisher and needed
to be in Frankfurt for the book fair and
it was not something he could miss at short notice, so his brother Aaron had to
arrange to have the front path widened to accommodate a wheelchair and clearing
the dining room to accommodate a hospital bed with enough chairs for the
visitors, and the subsequent decorating
that was required.
However, he was rewarded for his endeavours by finally
getting together with Julie Hopkins, which Grant doubted would ever happen.
When he returned home from the book fair, he found the
house eerily quiet, and he didn’t much like it at all, he had been denied his
own company for so long while he was away that he craved some time alone, but
now he had what he craved he didn’t like it.
Aaron had taken Julie away for a couple of days as a
birthday present and the events that occurred while he was in Germany gave him
pause, his father’s terminal illness and Aaron starting a relationship with
Julie, made him realise that life was too short.
So, when he awoke next morning Grant was restored to
his pre-Frankfurt best, full of vim and vigour and ready to take on the world.
After breakfast he took a call from Reverend Huffer,
reminding him that there was a Parish Council Meeting that evening at the
Church Hall, and who the expected attendees were, so when he hung up, he smiled
to himself.
A couple of hours later his brother Aaron returned
home and they had some catching up to do, which they did over a late lunch and
as Aaron was also on the committee, they walked into the village together for
the appointed time.
As they approached the Church Hall, he saw Cath
Hopkins and her sister Julie, crossing the road, followed by the Vicar, Nigel
Huffer, and his verger Katarzyna Karabin.
Once inside they found the remaining members of the
committee were already there and seated at the table.
Pleasantries were exchanged after which the business
of the day could commence.
After the meeting they were all going over to the pub,
but Katarzyna was always the last to leave because she always put the room back
in order before locking up, so Grant hung back until the others had gone.
“Do you need some help?” he asked.
“Oh, um, yes please” she replied, “that would be
nice?”
So, he stacked the chairs while she cleared the cups
out to the kitchen, then when he was finished, he joined her in the kitchen to
wipe up as she washed the cups.
“So how was the book fair?” she asked.
“It was good”.
“It must have been heaven for someone who loves books
the way you do” she said.
“I do love books” he agreed “But not as much as I love you”.
“What?” she exclaimed and dropped a cup in the sink.
“I said “not as much as I love you”” he replied and
turned her around to face him.
“Everything else pales into insignificance compared to
you” he said placing a hand on her cheek and inclined her head upwards so he
could kiss her trembling lips.
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