The September Outcome

Chapter 25: Trespassers

 Audrey Mathers wore a sullen expression as she sat in the Grable Manor kitchen reading a women’s magazine on a Thursday. The legs of her clean jeans were crossed and cup of coffee sat on the table.  The article she read discussed the latest fashion show taking place in New York City. She lamented over her hometown, now and again. Audrey did not miss the city or any of its values. Audrey Fallbrook was a spoilt brat and a manipulative user. Audrey Mathers was an improvement of that dislikeable incarnation.

 She could have been classified as a bully along with her friends Paulette Thorndike, Sharon Havers and Trish Lexington were the prom queens and highly regarded popular girls of the school. Throughout her years in the mixed fee paying boarding school outside of New York, Audrey was one of the wealthiest students and the most sought after girls. Boys trailer after her, their tongues hanging in awe. Audrey was delighted.

 Yet she made other people’s life miserable. Audrey Fallbrook was the oncoming storm in the hallways, the girl who made jokes about the ugly and fat girls. Everyone other than her friends and advisors hated her dreadfully. Audrey with her pretty face and desirable body made those below her cower and avoid her. But they never let it go not until graduation day. When Audrey accepted her diploma and made a speech, ten or fifteen people who she had teased stood up and threw buckets of water at her. It was a damaging and embarrassing moment for her that she had deserved. It was lucky she would never see those people again as they never would have let it go.

 Yet that was why she had wanted to forget about New York. She realised her obnoxious attitude was not the way to go about, and meeting Dwight made that all the more clear. When Aunt Esther had died and left Grable Manor it was a godsent from heaven. Audrey still kept in touch with her girlfriends, her kind-hearted father and sometimes her mother.

 Irene Mathers was the pure definition of the word malice. Irene was a nasty woman in her fifties and had a motor mouth on her. She made snappy remarks about people and looked down on those below her. So Irene was glad to that her daughter had become the product of her. This was why when Audrey married Dwight, an ordinary man, Irene and Irving were furious. Irene more so while Irving was more open to the idea. Audrey and Irene completely disagreed with one another and disconnected. Irene never approved but surprisingly came to the wedding, wearing a sour expression. Dwight made frequent attempts to talk to her but Irene ended up insulting him, to her husband’s dismay. Even during her depression, Irene was still cold as ice to her.

 Audrey didn’t know why she was thinking about her home and her earlier life so much. She supposed that between the case and all of the endless dramas that followed, memories seemed to dredge up all the time. Her friends and family were obnoxious, stuck up and judgemental. Audrey did still love them, to an extent.

 The door bell rang. Audrey placed the magazine sourly on the table and strutted to the door. Audrey didn’t know who could be calling so early. Possibly an evangelist or someone coming to preach to the door. Audrey did not want to see the Fraternity for a while, they were driving her up the wall after last nights’ revealing meeting. Audrey opened the door and widened her eyes at who was there.

 ‘‘AUDREY!’’

 ‘‘Paulette?’’

 ‘‘AUDREY!’’

 ‘‘Sharon?’’

 ‘‘AUDREY!’’

 ‘‘Trish?’’

 Audrey gaped at who the last person was.

 ‘‘Audrey.’’

 ‘‘Mom?’’

 Oh dear God, what was she doing here? Why were any of them here? They stood in their designer coats, expensive hairstyles and their thinning hair. Irene Fallbrook’s lips were pursed and her latex gloved hands were crossed firmly. Her black and white spotted coat was draped over her shoulders and her dyed blonde hair sat in a pin up.