And now what?

5. And now what?

Grace was unsure how she had arrived home. She was in a trance, on auto pilot. She kicked off her shoes by the front door and slowly walked into the kitchen.  Fiona was just mopping the kitchen floor, 'Oh hello Mrs Wilton, sorry the floor are still wet, I've finished the house, just five more minutes and I'll be out of your hair'

She continued to mop as Grace flopped down onto the kitchen chair.

'Are you alright?' queried Fiona, 'you look a little pale' 

'Grace slowly looked up at Fiona, but couldn't find any words. Fiona propped her mop up against the wall and walked closer to Grace, 'Would you like me to call the doctor?' she quietly asked.

Grace finally found her voice, 'No, thank you Fiona, I'll be fine, just leave the rest please, I just need to be on my own'

Fiona looked compassionately at Grace, 'no problem,' she replied, 'I'll just be off then, if you need anything, anything at all just call' and with that she collected her things and let herself out by the back door.

Grace just sat by the table, unable to move, unable to think.  Her mind and body numb. She had no idea what to do.

Annabelle and Luke jumped off the school bus and crossed over the wide empty road, there was never much traffic on their leafy suburban road, slowly walked up the garden path to the front door.

'I'm starving,' Luke announced as they walked through the door, 'Annabelle, if Mum's tired again, will you make me some French Toast, I prefer yours anyway!' 

Annabelle looked down into his smiling face, lately, since their father's death, their mother had not had much time for them, she always seemed tired or simply just sat around moping. Annabelle really wished she would just accept heir father's death and start to move on and re build her life, she knew it was harsh to want that, but they both needed her and needed normality to be able to move on themselves.

'Sure, she answered her little brother, 'I'll add some extra cream if you like'

'Ohh yes please' he answered as they stepped into the hall.

'Mum, hi, we're home' Annabelle shouted out. No answer. Great! she was probably in her room again.

They walked into the kitchen and saw their mother sitting at the table. 

'Why didn't you answer us!' Annabelle angrily asked her mother. Her mother slowly turned and looked at her children.

'Sit down, both of you, I have some news'

'But I'm hungry and Annabelle was going to make me some French Toast,' moaned Luke.

'I said SIT DOWN!' This was the first time in over two weeks they had heard their mother shout. They both looked at her pale face and empty eyes. 'please, just sit down' she repeated.

They both dropped their school bags onto the floor and pulled out a chair each from the table and sat down a little apprehensively, Luke looked as thought he was going to cry but Annabelle looked him straight in the eye and almost willed him to take control. He sniffed and look a big breathe.

Grace looked from one beautiful face to the other, 'I really don't know how to put this,' she started, 'so I am just going to come straight out with it'

She took a deep breath, 'Your father was in the process of expanding his business, in order to do this he had decided to make some heavy commitments and investments, if he was still alive today we would have no problems, unfortunately because of his death, the loans he made will be called in and basically we don't have the money to pay them.'

She stopped and looked at her children, did they understand what she was saying.

Luke was the first to speak, 'I don't understand mum, why don't you just use your card and pay them'

'Because darling, your father has used up all the money on our cards, I have a little in my account which will see us through the next month or so, but after that their isn't any more money'

Annabelle looked up. 'Mum, how serious is this'

'Very' Grace answered shortly

'What do you mean,'very', ' almost shouted Annabelle, 'Dad wouldn't leave us like this'

'Annabelle, please, try and understand, firstly, dad didn't expect to die so soon, he was young and in his prime.  He was expanding for our sake's. But what this situation does mean is that I can no longer afford to pay for your school. You will have to change to a state school. I will have to sell this house and if we are lucky we may have enough to buy a smaller house. I guess I will have to go and find a job.  Our life is going to change, dramatically, but we all must stick together and help each other.  If we do that then perhaps we can all come out of this stronger.'

Her speech was met with silence. Luke was the first to respond, he jumped up from the table his chair fell with a smash to the floor, 'I don't want to leave my school, I don't want to leave this house, what about my friends, I hate you, I hate you, why didn't you die instead of Dad!'

and with that he ran off out of the kitchen sobbing his heart out and raced up to his bedroom. 

'Well done mum!' Annabelle glared at her mother, 'How eloquent!' she followed her brother upstairs.

Grace stayed at the table. 

(to be continued)