Fantasy House Read online

  Fantasy House

  Ruth Hay

  Contents

  Fantasy House

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Afterword

  Also by Ruth Hay

  Fantasy House

  By RUTH HAY

  Phase Two in the Co-housing series.

  Home Sweet Home

  * * *

  The perfect harmony of six women sharing a home is disrupted with the unexpected arrival of a fourteen-year-old girl--a long-lost relative who turns everything upside down. Companionship and female friendship are central to this story of mystery, travel, family and drama. Dreams don’t always come true but sometimes even fantasies can be fulfilled.

  A house is made with walls and beams. A home is made with love and dreams.

  Author unknown.

  Chapter 1

  Hilary Dempster thought their first meeting would take place after two weeks in Harmony House.

  In fact it was closer to a month before they met together in the panelled room which seemed appropriate for gatherings, even though they had provisionally designated it as a ‘winter’ room.

  Getting everyone settled in to their new rooms and new routines was not as simple as it had first seemed. In comparison to the marathon job of selling their homes and moving in furniture and dividing up the lower level storage space, not to mention assigning kitchen cupboards and garage spaces, gathering six women together for an hour or so had seemed comparatively simple. But it soon became apparent to Hilary, that six women with different requirements and activities were as difficult to corral as a flock of sheep and she was not keen to act as the sheepdog.

  Mavis suggested making use of the chalkboard system Eve, as Kitchen Queen, had already put in place.

  It worked well to coordinate visits to the nearest shopping centres at Colonel Talbot Road or Byron Village where many useful services were available. Not all of the women owned a car so a quick glance at the car schedule saved much time.

  Mavis purchased a second magnetic board, and attached a printed sign saying; Meetings/Meals.

  She found a set of coloured, round magnets and used permanent markers to put each person’s initials on a specific colour so it was a matter of seconds to move the magnet into line to show the date had been noted. Even with this organizer in place, it required two tries to arrange a time for all to be present.

  Hilary presumed, in her most worried moments, that they would be falling over each other in Harmony House. She was wrong. Their version of a co-housing plan was still in development but it appeared as if each woman had her own idea of what a day should be.

  Eve was an early bird and had coffee brewing in the kitchen before the sun was fully risen. Hilary was her first customer as she had the ingrained lifetime habit of starting the day early so as to be organized before school started.

  Vilma had coffee in her own room and read the newspapers in bed before emerging some hours later dressed and fully made-up.

  Jannice, on the other hand was still in recovery from the last-minute hassle to get her home vacated and her new room painted in a bright yellow shade. She lingered in her dressing gown and watched television news until ten o’clock.

  In contrast, by eight thirty, Honor was at work at her desk with computers humming and she did not break for coffee or food until close to eleven, then calling it ‘brunch’.

  Mavis preferred to work in the garden before the day became too hot so she had a quick coffee with Eve and Hilary and then walked out of the front door and around the house to the rear gardens.

  It was no different at lunch time. Depending on the weather, one or two might assemble on the back patio with Honor to watch Mavis finish digging or weeding or tying up roses. Unless Vilma, or someone else with a car, had taken orders for lunch from Tim Hortons, the women made their own lunch in the kitchen and carried it outside to the nearby deck or onto the shaded front porch. Hilary, who despised outdoor eating because it attracted flies or other insects, ate in solitude in the kitchen then cleaned up any dishes left in the sink. She was so grateful to Eve for taking on food and kitchen supervision that she was always on the lookout for ways to lighten her load.

  Had it not been for the proposed twice weekly supper meal schedule, which Hilary thought of as a ‘command performance’, it was becoming a rarity to see all the women in the same room together for more than a moment or two. This issue was one near the top of the list of items on her meeting agenda but as the days went by the agenda seemed to grow longer and longer.

  Finally, she resorted to asking Mavis for her opinion. They met in Hilary’s tower room for a private conference.

  “How do you think things are going?”

  Mavis took one look as her friend’s frowning face and decided to be non-committal for as long as possible. She did not want to add to Hilary’s worries. The entire project of finding and housing all the women had not been without problems and setbacks and Hilary had borne the brunt of that stress.

  “Well, it’s early days yet. There will be some adjustments to be made. We were aware of that from the start. What seems to be worrying you?”

  “I want to know how you feel, Mavis. It’s always possible I am misreading things. I need to hear your opinion.”

  There was no way to escape now, so Mavis took a deep breath and launched into her account.

  “I do believe we are beginning to settle into our new environment. Everyone is a bit tentative as far as expressing their feelings goes. We are all glad to have the chance to live in such a special house but it is a new experience for us. We two lived together for some months and we are familiar with each other’s ways. It takes time to learn where the boundaries are. Remember each of us is an individual with different life experiences.”

  Hilary bit her lower lip as she absorbed these words. She knew Mavis Montgomery was a wise observer of human behaviours. She trusted her opinions.

  “Of course you are right. I am probably worrying unnecessarily. It just seems to me as if all of us are avoiding contact and I am concerned about it. We came together to support each other not to live separate lives.”

  “I am sure if there was a problem we would be hearing about it. Take it as a good sign that everything is peaceful. It may not always be that way. Let’s see what emerges from the first meeting but we might get a sense of things during supper tomorrow. Who’s cooking?”

  “I believe Eve is making spaghetti with meat sauce and Jannice is doing a green salad.”

  “You see! Isn’t that a cooperative effort?”

  * * *

  The irresistible smells of good cooking wafting through the house drew all of the housemates together. By seven o’clock they were gathered around Hilary’s old teak table, now established in the kitchen eating area, for a casual meal. There was crusty warm Italian bread and extra parmesan to add to the dish, served in a set of bowls that came from Mavis’ home. Vilma brought two bottles of red wine and poured it into glasses she had bought for the occasion after scanning the kitchen shelves without finding a matched
set of glassware to use.

  “The wine is new. The glasses are too. Let’s raise them in a toast to our beautiful Harmony House and a brand new start for all of us! Then let’s tuck in to this fabulous repast.”

  It was the perfect beginning to what would eventually be an annual event; Spring Spaghetti.

  Hilary breathed a sigh of relief. She had always hoped Vilma would take on a leadership role.

  Eve and Jannice beamed with delight over the welcome reception the meal they had made was getting.

  Honor’s mouth was watering in anticipation of a home-cooked meal; something rare in her experience.

  Mavis sliced the hot bread and passed around the platter that had come from her kitchen and matched the bowls now heaped with fragrant spaghetti topped with chopped parsley from her garden. It was good that these few dishes brought back such good memories of happy days with Peter in their old Ontario cottage. Now it was time to make new memories.

  Conversation around the table was not a problem. Despite Hilary’s fears, it seemed everyone had been busy with various projects. As the meal progressed, news of these activities began to filter through.

  Honor and Eve were spending time together monitoring the progress of their joint investments. In addition to the original funds required to purchase Harmony House, each woman had to contribute a monthly sum to cover bills for city taxes and energy expenses. It was essential that these fees were kept under control and allocated fairly, as several of them did not have access to much more money than they originally came with. This was one of the worries that kept Hilary awake at night. It would be many months before they could accurately assess the monthly expenses. A shortfall could threaten their co-housing project’s success. She was, therefore, secretly thrilled when Jannice announced she was looking for an online course to allow her to gain qualifications as a home support worker.

  “There’s not much I don’t know about caring for elderly people and I want to put those skills to good use. I know there’s much demand for home nursing care on a short term or a longer term basis. Of course, it goes without saying, if I can help anyone here that would be my first priority. Hopefully, we won’t need that kind of help for many years.”

  Hilary noted the general approval of Jannice’s ambitions. She was beginning to see her contribution, and that of Eve, went far beyond mere financial considerations. A way to figure this into the monthly requirements would need to be devised.

  Vilma was next to speak up. She refreshed the wine glasses and said she had been busy with a project she hoped all would support.

  “I’ve been scouring the city for a new companion.”

  There was a perceptible gasp as this news sunk in around the table. Vilma laughed her deep-throated chuckle when she saw the reaction on their faces.

  “Ha! Got you all worried! No, I have sworn off men. The companion I have in mind is of the four-legged variety. I am searching for a dog, and not just any dog. He, or she, must be a rescue animal, not too small or too large, friendly to women, of course, and amenable to being walked by any one of us who wants to keep fit and explore the neighbourhood on foot. Don’t be concerned about damage to our house. I will take a training course and the dog will live mostly with me with visiting privileges once he, or she, has earned our trust.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea, Vilma. A dog is a safety factor as well as a homely addition to our lives. I can have the dog with me in the garden anytime.”

  “Mavis, I am glad you agree. I am impressed by your cat control. She is quiet and lives in your tower room without any perceptible problems. Am I correct?”

  “Marble is a good girl. I am keeping her indoors for now but later I hope to allow her more freedom. Cats are inclined to return to their former home ground although she is very glad to be back with me at last, and I am sure she will stay put.”

  “That’s another consideration. My dog must be used to cats. You can all see why it is taking me some time to find the right animal.”

  There were nods around the table and no one expressed any concerns about the animal factor. Hilary hoped there were no allergy issues in the group which would cause Mavis or Vilma to alter their plans.

  “Are there any more exciting bits of news?” She really did not expect to hear more but she took the time to look at each woman in turn with a ready smile on her face. The only one who did not return that smile was Honor. Her head was down and she was wiping her mouth with a napkin. Hilary made a mental note to talk later to Honor.

  “May I congratulate tonight’s chefs?” said Mavis. Applause was the response. Eve and Jannice shyly bowed their heads in acknowledgement but they were obviously delighted.

  “And may I also suggest everyone helps to clean up after our shared meals?”

  “A good plan,” shouted Vilma, as she rose from the table and began to collect plates. “Count on me for clean-up duties as I am incapable of supplying a delicious meal like this one.”

  “Not a lot of clean-up tonight, Vilma. There’s no spaghetti left. Next time we’ll make double and start a freezer stock. Who’s signing up for the next supper? Write the name, or names, on the board. And Vilma, when your turn comes you can order Chinese food, Thai or pizza, or whatever if you want.”

  Chapter 2

  The kitchen was soon emptied and the sound of happy conversation followed the housemates to their individual rooms. Hilary noted it was time for another Room Reveal although none could be as spectacular as Vilma’s had been.

  She went to her upper tower room and closed the door with a sigh. It was all very well to enjoy meals together but it was also wonderful to have a space to escape to.

  A dash of guilt lingered as she looked around the large room equipped with everything she needed.

  It felt unfair to have one of the best rooms in the house but the others had insisted it was appropriate.

  She had the extra space to create a mini house with all her favourite pieces from Camden Corners.

  Her entire master bedroom suite was here, including the sofa that served as a spare bed. The best of her rugs were spread over the neutral carpeting and her favourite paintings and photographs made the room a home. The walk-in closet held all her newer clothes and shoes with room to spare for luggage and her purse collection. The ensuite washroom was spacious enough to provide a bath and separate shower, which she considered to be excessive, but possibly useful. The marble countertop had a built-in dressing table with lighting for the make-up mirror and its own set of storage drawers.

  She often sat near one of the three windows looking out to the side of the grounds and thought how lucky she was. Harmony House was a great find. It was like living in the country with the amenities of the town not too far away. Best of all was the knowledge that her dearest friend, Mavis, was enjoying a similarly generous suite of rooms downstairs, below her own.

  * * *

  Mavis Montgomery returned to the lower tower room and was greeted by Marble. It was so satisfying to hear her friendly, welcoming purr and to bend down to stroke the little cat. It brought a warm feeling to her heart and reminded her all was not lost from her former life with Peter. There had always been a cat in the Ontario Cottage they shared.

  The tower room was not originally intended to be a bedroom but once she had rescued her stored furniture and installed it in the unusually-shaped room, it became what she had always wanted; a replica of the best of her beloved home where she felt safe and surrounded by good companions, including the dozens of books now displayed on the built-in bookshelves on the window wall.

  It was only here that she was able to throw off the awful residual feelings left by the attack on Eve to which she had been an unwilling observer. The moment when Mavis crashed the painting onto the assailant’s head and the glass splintered around him, was a nightmare scene she could not fully banish. Until they made the move from Hilary’s home to this new environment, she had not had an unbroken night’s sleep. It was not possible to tell this to either Eve or Hilary.
She did not dare to open old wounds but she was pleased to hear about Vilma’s dog idea. One more layer of security beyond those already installed in Harmony House would be welcomed indeed, especially since she was the only resident sleeping on the ground level.

  There was only one more item to complete her comfort. Her old upright piano remained in a storage facility dedicated to maintaining the correct atmosphere, in order to preserve both the carved wooden case and the strings inside it. Pete had been the real pianist, but it was Mavis’ ambition to learn to play properly. She could never compete with her husband’s skills on the keyboard but even if she could manage a tune or two it would be the most wonderful comfort for her, not to mention for the cat.

  Marble had originally adopted a spot underneath the piano for her own little lair and doubtless she would welcome that spot again. The little brown cat had only once ventured into the deep closet and inadvertently closed the door behind her when Mavis was working outside in the garden. The experience unnerved Marble and she shied away from the closet ever since. This was no problem for her owner as she preferred the cat’s company at her feet on the bed at night and would never have intentionally shut her away in the closet at any time. Cat hairs on dark clothing were about the only disadvantage to cat ownership Mavis could think of. It suited both of them to have a litter box in the adjoining washroom, safely enclosed by the lip of the shower base. During the night the washroom door was left wide open so Mavis could get to the toilet quickly. She knew her bladder was not as efficient as it had once been and rapid access was the answer for now.