Legal Prejudice 2 - Weather The Storms

Chapter 30

Susan had tentatively asked a few times if Allie felt ready to sort through Michael's things, but each time Allie had said she just didn't feel ready so she'd let it drop. Now it had been more than three months since he'd left them she brought it up again, having dropped 'round to Allie's for coffee.

Susan looked around and noticed the house was messy. Maria, the cleaner who'd followed them from the apartment and who also cleaned for Daniel, ensured the house was hygienic, but there were toys, clothes and dishes lying around. Susan also saw Allie was wearing jog pants and an old t shirt, and she was concerned how they hung off her small frame. To her surprise Allie sighed and agreed it was time, and Susan arranged to come over the following day to help, worried if she left it longer Allie might change her mind.

She arrived in the morning after Allie had got back from dropping Rose at day care, bringing a couple of lattes and some muffins with her, hoping Allie would eat something while she was there to put her mind at rest. Allie did pick at the muffin and she drank the coffee. They started to go through the closets. Susan was trying to get through it fairly quickly as it was painful for both of them. She saw Allie holding a couple of t shirts against her face, and she came and hugged her from behind as Allie said, "It still smells like him Susan." It was heart-breaking and Susan held her, "You can keep anything you want to Allie yeah." She nodded and put one particular black T shirt back in the drawer. The worst moment for Susan was when she found Michael's stuff from the hospital, still in the plastic bag they'd sent it home in. The suit and shirt he was wearing and his wallet which had a wedding photo and the picture Patricia had taken of the first moment they met Rose. It reduced her to tears and she opened the drawer, dropping the wallet in. By early afternoon they had finished, and Susan quickly moved all the bags into her car to get them away from Allie, ready for John to take to a local charity. She'd made them sandwiches but neither of them had eaten much. Allie insisted she'd be fine, and Margie was collecting Rose and Emmie, so she left. When she got home Susan allowed herself a few minutes to cry, but then wiped her eyes and called Daniel. He answered and Susan said, "Hey Dan, I just left Allie's. We've just gone through Michael's stuff and I've taken it away. John knows somewhere we can donate it to." Daniel sighed and replied, "God, that must have been so hard for you. Is Allie okay Susan?" Susan's voice broke a little, "that's kind of why I'm ringing. She says she is, and she seems okay, but I wondered if you call later since Margie's picking the girls up for her, and just check on her?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll leave a bit earlier in case she needs someone to lean on, talk to, okay? And Susan, Is John there for you?" Susan relaxed a little, "Thanks Dan, Yeah, John'll be back in a little while. I'll feel better knowing you'll be there soon. She was fine, but I don't know, the house is messy, she doesn't eat much, and she looks like she doesn't sleep much either." Daniel took a deep breath, "l'm glad you said so Susan because I'm worried sick. She functions enough to look after the girls, but otherwise it's like she's sleepwalking. I'll call you later when I've checked on her and I'll talk to Max, see if we should get Jeremy involved." Susan agreed and Daniel put the phone down.

He worked for another hour, but his mind wasn't on the task, and he logged off sending Max a message from his phone to explain he was leaving early to check on Allie. When he arrived at Allie's he found her sitting on the floor by the couch surrounded by the cups and plates from earlier and the previous day, holding a few of Rose's clothes which had been left lying around. She hardly seemed to notice as he let himself in with the key Max had given him in case they needed to get access. He sat down next to her gently stroking her arm saying, "I'll make us a drink yeah?" He got up and went to the fridge and saw there was no milk and little else in there, so he came back to where she was sitting. "Allie, I'll go and get some milk and stuff. You get a shower while I'm gone yeah? You'll feel better." She nodded mechanically and got up heading upstairs. Daniel felt uneasy but went into the kitchen and filled the dishwasher and turned it on before creeping upstairs. He could hear the shower running so he left to visit the grocery store.