RIDE THE TIDE

Chapter 14-Laid to Rest:

All was quiet in The Black Bull. Left at the bar were Tom, Davey and Penny. It had been decided that Tom and Penny would spend the night. Tom was in no condition to drive and Penny wouldn’t try it at night.

“Davey, you did a great job here tonight,” Tom said.

“Yeah, it turned out great. I think Mum was pleased.”

Penny commented, “I had no idea ya’ll could sing.  I am greatly impressed.”

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Davey? But, yeah, we used to play at the local in Pateley Bridge when we were kids. I was stationed at Harrogate for a while when I was in the Army. Davey had great plans, didn’t ya? Gonna be a rock star, he was.”

“Nah, I just enjoyed it. All in fun, ya know. How about one more for the old man before we call it a night?” Davey reached under the bar and brought out a bottle of Irish Whiskey, pouring a shot for himself and Tom. He raised his eyebrows at Penny but she declined.

Unsteadily the three of them made their way up the stairs. Davey handed Penny the key to the bridal suite, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and walked down the hallway.

Tom and Penny were up early Sunday morning and, dressed in their evening clothes, quietly left the pub. Akkers was frying bacon and eggs when they made their appearance at the farm. “A sorry sight ye be this morning. Sit yer selves down at table.” She went about setting plates and knives and forks and pouring some much needed coffee. “Was it all right last night, then? Sent him off, did yer?”

“Aye, we did in grand fashion, Akkers. Is Mum up yet?” he asked.

“Ah, yer Mum is allus up early. Had her tea, she did, and went for her bath.”

Penny, feeling a little wilted this morning, was grateful for the coffee.  A bath sounded good. After breakfast she and Tom went down to the bungalow. Penny turned on the taps in the bath while Tom stretched across the bed. She began telling him about their shopping trip and all the money she spent.

"Whatever you want to do is fine with me," he said, rubbing his eyes, then smiling, added, "Don't worry about it.  I'll have to see about getting you an account set up at the bank for whatever expenses you might have.  Don't want you to have to ask for money." He sat up. What

did you buy?"

She opened the wardrobe.  His clothes had been pushed to one side. He noticed and smiled. They would need another wardrobe. He leaned back on the bed, falling asleep, so Penny had a long soak in the tub.

Anna was going to church dressed in the steel gray suit she planned to see her through the day. Tucking a hanky in her bag, she went down the stairs to wait for Peter, Janey and the children. She would have to get Tommy to see to her car.  It had been sitting for some time and needed some work before she could drive it.  John had always insisted on driving her about and her car had been used mainly for running to the dairy or over to Janey’s. Once it was properly serviced, she would be able to drive anywhere and whenever she wanted to. Anna and John had been married for forty-five years, sharing a deep love that had seen them through all the pitfalls of married life. Anna had left her father’s home for John’s and never lived independently. Now

she would take it one step at a time and find her way.

Tom and Penny pulled out on to the main highway and headed toward Pateley Bridge. Nestled in the Nidderdale was an old stone church with stained glass windows and a stone fence bordering the graveyard. The Sunday service was over. Some people were leaving and those staying for the funeral service were wandering around on the grounds. The vicar was at the doorway shaking hands with his flock, his white hair and black skirts blowing in the wind. Tom parked the car and the two of them walked up by the lynch gate where Davey and Peter were smoking cigarettes.

Across the road an old white Vauxhall van pulled up and parked. “Akkers,” Peter nodded. “No one knows how many of them there are.”

The Akkers began emerging from the vehicle. Donnie crossed the road along with several girls. On the other side, a tall young man unfolded from the van. He was wearing a blue suit and a large porkpie hat pulled low over his face. As he crossed the road and started up the path, he noticed Tom and Davey by the gate. He seemed to develop a slight limp and began holding his sides.  As he neared the doorway, his Mum mumbled something, reached up and pulled the cap off his head, giving him a shove.

“Ah, he seems to have cleaned it up a bit,” remarked Tom, rocking back and forth.

“Looks like a newly-laid egg, he does,” Davey said, narrowing his eyes.

Penny had to cover her mouth. There was Johnny at last. Gone were the three inch blue spikes and now he sported a rather oddly-shaped bald head. His ears were still red from having the earrings forcibly removed and his nose looked a bit blue. Oh, poor boy, she thougt.

When the bells began to toll, they stubbed out their cigarettes and entered the church. It was shadowy and cool inside, the pews full. They took their seats on the front row with Anna and Janey and the children. Tom was asked to read the lesson. Hymns were sung accompanied by an old pump organ.

Tom, Davey, Peter, Jamey and Young were among the pallbearers carrying the casket out to the gravesite, which lay open in a gated enclosure.  The family gathered around and the vicar said the Lord's Prayer. Janey and her mother, arm and arm, were among those shedding their tears for Old John Cox. Penny dried her eyes and looked over the graveyard.  There were many Cox stones in the iron-gated enclosure. The wind had picked up and was sending the white puffy clouds scuttling across the blue sky. Penny, feeling somehow they marked John's final leaving,

reached out and took Tom's hand.

The cars began to arrive in the yard of the farm house. People were walking around to the open front door.  Akkers had set out plates, tea service and cups.  There was a Madeira cake, seed cake and a fruit cake. Sausage rolls and thinly-sliced tomato sandwiches rounded out the buffet on the dining room table. Just a bit o’ something, she thought.

The solicitor had arrived from the church and motioned for Anna. She gathered her family and Akkers and Donnie, all of them crowding into John’s office for the will.  Much of it was already known. The behest to the Akkers was a bit of money and they looked at each other and nodded. He came to the codicil and when he read the contents Davey, who had been leaning against the wall expecting nothing and looking at the floor, covered his face with his hands. He turned and walked out of the room, all the way to his mother’s rose garden.  He was shocked to his core.

Did it meant his father had forgiven him, after all? It was suddenly too much and hot tears began streaking his cheeks. 

Tom approached his side and put his arm around him. “There, Lad, it would appear you are a man of property now.”

Davey turned jerkily, embracing his brother. Getting himself under control, he said, “It would appear that I am, Tom. I know that piece of property. It was yours and I'm sorry. If you want it Tom….”

"It's yours. Dad wished there be nothing more said about it." He also told him what he had done for Peter.

Davey was happy to hear that. "Does that mean you'll be living here full time now?"

“Yes, I think so, Davey.  There will still be some travel, but I won’t be living out of a suitcase

any longer. I have Penny to consider now. I may as well tell you, we've set a date for around Christmas. Not a specific day yet, but that’s when Penny wants to get married.  Her brother

and sister-in-law can come over then.”

Davey looked at Tom through his wet lashes. "I'm happy for you, maybe even a bit envious. Hey,

I need a drink! Join me?" They headed for the living room drinks' tray.

It was late afternoon and Anna, standing by the drapes, thought how the days were drawing in now. She turned on the lamps and began picking up odd teacups left on the tables. Akkers had cleared away the dining room and pulled the heavy velvet drapes over the tall windows, leaving the room in near-darkness. She carried the cups out to the kitchen.  There was a good smell coming from the old Aga.

"What have you got cooking? she asked Akkers. 

"Just a bit of chicken casserole. I thought that and some baked tattie would be a good meal for the evening, since you had only had snacks today. I'll put it on the back of the Aga and the family can eat when it suits them."  Now she was off home to see to Donnie. "You’ll be all right Anna, you will,” Akkers said as she walked out the door.

Aye, thought Anna, I shall have to be.

Anna’s family had been for a walk and now was returning through the rose garden path. Laura, who was eight, tall and slim, was skipping ahead with six year old Petey trying to keep up on his short legs, Peter and Janey arm in arm behind them. Farther down the trail Davey was picking up pebbles and throwing them in the garden while Tom and Penny, holding hands, brought up the rear.

Anna came out on the stone patio. "Are you hungry? There's chicken casserole and baked potatoes."

That sounded good to everybody and they followed her into the kitchen.

Penny thought the coziest place in the house was Anna’s kitchen. The old cream-colored Aga,

surrounded with light green tile, held court on the end wall opposite from the eating area. The walls were a creamy white with a green tile backsplash running the length of the counter.  One side of the farm sink was marble for Akkers' pastries, the other scrubbed wood. There was an old work table in the business end of the kitchen and Akkers had left the remains of the cakes on a plate. Glass-fronted cabinets, where all the dishes and glassware were stored, claimed the other wall. She forked a slice of tomato off the plate, deciding she wanted to see the entire farm, and soon. It was a special place.

There was talk around the table about the day. Anna mentioned her car to Tom. "I'll see to it,"

he replied. "What about Dad’s Rover? Can you drive that?"

"I prefer my own little car," Anna explained.

"Perhaps I'll teach Penny to drive the Rover," Tom mused. "I'd like to do that on the farm before I let her out on the highway." 

Penny gave him a sideways look, she did after all, own a Jeep Cherokee.

Penny and Janey washed and dried the dishes then set the plates on the Aga for morning. Davey left for Knaresborough, promising to be back to have a look at his property very soon. Peter and Tom walked back to John’s office.

“Peter, I guess you're familiar with all Dad’s paperwork and know what to do with it.”

“Yeah, I guess I am. I'd really like to move the lot to my house, if you don’t mind, at least the

day-to-day work. Whatever else he kept in here, of course, would stay. I’ve got a makeshift office at the house in the old potting shed. It would just be handier for me there.”

“You’re the man, Peter. Whatever you think will work for you. Also, begin looking out for some help.”

Peter sat back in John’s chair and rubbed his chin. “I might just know a bloke, Tommy. He used to run the shearing circuits with me. Now if I can just locate him...and he’s sober.”

“Sober would be important, Peter. Whenever you’re game, we can go through this office and sort it all out.” Tom turned to leave, ready to gather up Penny and go to the bungalow.

“Will you be moving in the house here, Tommy?”

“You know, that never crossed my mind, Peter. This is still Mum’s house, you know.”

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