Now or Never Read online

  “Oh, there you are Susan!” Jake scarcely diverted his eyes from the screen to acknowledge his wife’s arrival but the two big Labradors lifted their heads and wagged their tails as soon as they heard her name. She moved across the kitchen floor and rested her hands lightly on her husband’s shoulders swallowing deeply to prepare herself for the inevitable announcements.

  “Have you seen this report on a local woman from Stratford who had the procedure in India last August?” Without waiting for a reply, Jake rushed on. “She says here her legs are feeling a lot lighter and she has the sense of warmth in them for the first time in ages.

  This is a quote; ‘The sky is the limit now for healing. My body is showing me every day something new and it has only been a week’. Only a week! Susan wouldn’t that be incredible?

  Imagine what a difference it would make to us if I could have the balance to walk easily again.

  I could fold this wheelchair and lock it away in a closet for good!”

  Susan made conciliatory noises toward her husband’s head but all the while she was longing to say that it was too soon to be claiming long-term improvements. Harking back to an old theme she ventured timidly, “Jake, darling, I read that the MS society in Canada has invested over $46 million in cutting-edge research. Wouldn’t it be safer to wait until they have their new drug treatments approved and available here?”

  Jake swung his chair around to face his wife. The dogs clattered to a safe distance away from the wheels and sat down again to witness the drama their senses picked up.

  “Susan, you know how I feel about this. Time is not on my side. After every attack I have, the possibility of recovery is diminished. I am not getting better and you know very well, how much worse I could get.”

  Jake pulled his wife toward him and gently stroked her arms. “I have to tell you that I am becoming determined to try this new therapy. No, don’t shake your head, Susan. I understand your objections and I can’t deny the truth of them, but I feel so strongly that this may be my last chance. I want to go to Italy.”

  “Anna! Thank God you are back from Scotland! I really need to talk to you.”

  “Susan what’s up? You don’t even sound like yourself. Is Jake all right?”

  “Well, he’s fine physically but I am beginning to doubt his mental state at the moment.”

  “What? That can’t be! You two are the most stable married couple I know. Get yourself over here right now. It will be nice for me to help you for a change, if I can, of course.”

  “Are you sure you are not too busy? I need a good friend’s listening ear.”

  “I can promise you two of those ears. Alina is handling the business at the moment and she’s at the warehouse this afternoon. I am free as a bird, Susan.”

  “Would it be all right if I brought the dogs? I don’t want Jake to think I am taking our troubles out of the house.”

  “Definitely! I’d love to see them. I’ll expect you soon.”

  “Thank you Anna. I was hoping I could count on you. Bye for now.”

  Anna put down her phone and tried to make sense of the conversation she had just heard. Susan was the go-to gal for the entire Samba group of friends. Susan and Jake were acknowledged to be the happiest married couple around. Their devotion to each other was evident and a contributing factor in Jake’s ability to handle his illness so capably.

  What could be so wrong with them that Susan was afraid to let her husband know she was asking for help?

  Anna sighed at the prospect of an afternoon of problem solving. It was not a role she was familiar with on this side of the Atlantic, although she had developed the skill in Scotland when she was faced with challenges she had never expected in her lifetime.

  Susan was the one who had steered Anna through the whole uncertain business of taking a chance on living in a primitive estate house outside Oban. More importantly, Susan had helped to find the identity of the relative who had left Anna the property in the first place.

  Anna had lacked the confidence, then, to make the many decisions that were required. Susan’s positive influence had made all the difference. Susan was the one the Samba group had always relied on when any legal issues were involved.

  Anna ran her hands through her short, bronze cap of hair. No point in standing here worrying she thought. I’ll make sure the back gate is closed so the dogs can safely get some exercise and then I’ll put on a pot of coffee and set the table with some of those goodies I brought back from Scotland.

  Susan made fast time from her downtown location out to the new development where Anna and Alina had recently bought a house in a gated community. They were lucky to buy on the edge of parkland and achieved not only a fine view of tree-lined avenues but also extra space at the rear of the house which descended to a valley where a tributary of the Thames River meandered along the shady bottom. The condominium was spacious and included the custodial services that allowed Anna and Alina to leave their home for Scotland whenever their international A Plus business required their attention. It was a convenient arrangement, Susan thought, and quite a significant change from the separate lives both were living prior to Anna’s inheritance.

  She reminded herself that Anna was a different person now. In appearance and attitude she had learned to make the best of her circumstances. Susan felt a degree of pride in the transformation as she knew she had had a hand in this new version of Anna.

  The Anna in question emerged from the front door as Susan called the dogs out of the rear of her low-slung station wagon. Susan knew it was an old model but it had been converted to accommodate both Jake’s wheel chair and a compartment to contain the two large dogs.

  Oscar and Dominic raced to Anna’s side for a minute of hearty ear scratching on their respective black and brown heads. They were always well behaved animals but more so when they scented that Anna had stocked her pocket with the special dog treats they loved.

  “I’ll take the boys around to the back, Susan, while you go inside and get settled. Isn’t it a gorgeous fall day? We’ve been so lucky with the weather this year.”

  Susan just nodded in response and headed into the great room where the kitchen and living areas were lit by sunlight from huge glass patio doors. The spectacular view monopolized the attention of anyone who entered. She saw the table set for coffee and conversation and plopped herself down in an upholstered chair with a deep sigh of relief. She held no illusions about Anna’s ability to solve her problems with Jake, but it felt so good to remove herself from the situation and let someone else take the strain for a brief time.

  “Right then! The dogs will be happy exploring outside for a while. Pour us each some coffee, Susan, and I’ll just wash the residue of dog treats off my hands. Oh, and please eat some of those Scottish cookies and candies. If you don’t, Alina and I will be forced to consume them all and believe me, I ate my share while I was in the farm house this visit. Maria will be annoyed with me if I can’t wear my beautiful new clothes any longer.”

  “Nonsense, Anna! You look wonderful. I swear that Scottish air does you good every time you go there. It’s hard to believe how different your life is in such a short time; a new home, a new business with workers on both sides of the Atlantic and the self-catering holiday rental of your renovated house outside Oban. Bev and the boys just raved about the beauty of the setting. She’s becoming quite a regular visitor, I hear. How is the romance going?”

  “Susan, it’s incredible! Alan Matthews is the typical outdoors man, tall and rugged. He spends his days with sheep and cattle but in many ways I think he reminds Bev of the young husband she lost to war. You should just see them together! Bev walks the hills with Alan, and Prince, his sheepdog, loves her. There would have been no romance if Prince had not approved.”

  “Oh, Anna! I can hardly believe it. Bev and Alan’s lives were the exact opposite of each other before they met in Scotland. How do James and Eric feel about this? They had their mother all to themselves for many years.”


  “James is an independent young man now. He still works for us at A Plus and we are funding a business course for him in England. Eric was a bit surprised at the outset, but he really took to Kirsty, Alan’s mother, and the two of them spend hours together. Kirsty is teaching him about the animals and the old Celtic folklore she loves, and Eric has introduced this elderly woman to his laptop computer, would you believe? It’s a riot to see the two heads bent over the keyboard and Kirsty taking in every word Eric says.”

  Susan had visibly relaxed by this point in the conversation, and Anna was pleased to see a smile on her friend’s face. She calculated that this seemed to be the right time to introduce a new topic.

  “I would adore it if you and Jake could come to Scotland and see the house and its surroundings and meet the people I’ve grown to love. Is he well enough to make the journey?”

  Susan’s expression changed immediately to one of concern, but she could not ignore Anna’s delicate way of asking what was troubling her friend.

  “I hate to burden you with this, Anna. “

  “Look, we are old pals, Susan. You know I will do anything I can to help.”

  Susan looked down at the table, now liberally decorated with cake and cookie crumbs. Her lips were pursed and Anna could see how hard it was for her to open up.”

  “Let me start first, my dear. You mentioned on the phone that you were worried about Jake’s mental state. What made you say that?”

  To Anna’s considerable shock, Susan dissolved in tears and the whole story flooded out of her, interspersed with sobs and pauses to wipe eyes and nose. Anna switched chairs so she could put her arms around Susan and she tried not to react with dismay as she heard the unexpected details.

  Eventually, when Susan had calmed down a little, Anna had to interrupt.

  “Look, I just returned to Canada and although I heard a bit about this procedure in Scotland, I am not up to speed on the details. Why would a logical man like Jake want to risk his life on this mad scheme? It reminded me of that apricot-seed treatment that sent flocks of cancer sufferers to Mexico some years ago. As far as I can remember it was just a hoax to get sick people’s money.”

  “It’s not the money, although the expenses would be immense. It’s the damage it could do to Jake that worries me the most. Some MS patients have died from this neck and spinal cord vein unblocking and even if he did get temporary relief of his symptoms, what would happen when the inevitable realization struck that it wasn’t a permanent cure? It could devastate him, Anna.”

  “And you say he doesn’t care about these dire possibilities?”

  “No. I have tried everything I can think of to appeal to his common sense. He wants to go to the clinic in Italy as soon as possible.”

  “But what do his doctors say?”

  “They agree with us, Anna. They quote the Canadian clinical studies that may even produce results in a year or less but Jake just won’t wait.”

  “But, didn’t I see on television that Saskatchewan has agreed to fund trials because their population has a very high prevalence of the disease? Wouldn’t it be safer to trust our health system to come up with some definitive advice on this?”

  “I know! I know you are right, Anna! He just won’t listen to any of it. I am going to have to accept that I must take my husband to a hospital in a foreign country where they may kill him.”

  Chapter Three

  October arrived and the glorious weather continued. Cooler evenings brought brilliant red colour to the burning bushes and golden leaves could be seen on the less-sheltered side of maple trees. It was still pleasant to sit outside in the afternoon sun and Paul was drawn there to watch light and shade dance across the wooded skyline. When all was quiet he could hear the leaves rustling slightly. It was a sure sign the trees were preparing to drop their burden of leaves in preparation for winter.

  Paul was aware that winter would arrive earlier for him than for his family this year. He had not yet told Maria of his plans. She seemed even more tense than usual this month and he hesitated to drop the surprise on her until he had figured out a solution to at least one of her current problems. In fact he was quite pleased with his latest ingenious plot. Of course, Maria could reject the whole idea out of hand but he felt he could possibly persuade her if the timing and the setting were just right.

  The opportunity arose on Thanksgiving weekend. Theresa had volunteered to host the family meal on Sunday with copious contributions from her mother’s favourite Italian restaurant.

  This left Maria with a few hours to spare on Sunday morning and her husband insisted that they take a short drive together while Lucy was locked in her bedroom composing her holiday outfit.

  “A drive where?” demanded Maria. “Just let me sit here and enjoy the peace, Paul. We’ll be leaving for Theresa’s soon.”

  “It isn’t far. There’s something I want you to see and I promise it won’t take long.”

  No amount of pleading was going to change her husband’s mind, so Maria gave in and allowed Paul to drive her away from their house. She noticed he brought along two of his cameras and she closed her eyes to rest until the photographic expedition should begin.

  She had hardly begun to relax when the car stopped and she found herself in an unfamiliar area.

  “Where are we? I don’t recognize this but it must be close to home.”

  “Come on, I want you to see this hidden gem. It’s a trail on the edge of a new subdivision. This used to be a corn field until recently. We passed it often but the new houses are springing up where the corn grew, and this one wild piece has been left. I spotted it recently and wanted to return to catch the first of the fall colours.”

  “Just as I thought,” moaned Maria. “It’s a photographic opportunity!”

  “Well, not entirely. I have another agenda that concerns you.”

  Intrigued in spite of her objections, Maria followed her husband down a sloping pathway. She was pleased to find her smart shoes were not to be ruined by unfinished paving, so she caught Paul’s hand and in only a few steps she began to see what had attracted him to this area.

  On their left, backyards of a few substantial new houses could be seen behind high mesh fencing, but to the right, plants, bushes and trees were growing freely in a riot of fall colour. Yellow butterflies hovered over purple asters and white wood asters. Seed heads were heavy on golden grasses and milk weed pods. Thistles were beginning to shed their puffs of silk and goldenrod competed with ragweed for any spot that wasn’t already filled.

  Maria found the names of these plants popped into her mind as she saw them. Years of helping the girls with school projects had supplied her with nature knowledge she rarely needed now, and had forgotten she ever knew.

  “This is amazing, Paul! It’s so secluded. There’s no one around. It’s like a private little wild kingdom here.”

  “I know! It may not last long when more houses are built but let’s follow the trail along. Another surprise awaits around the corner, my lady.”

  Maria chuckled. Paul was such a romantic when he wanted to be. A pity they didn’t get much time together like this. She sighed because she knew that was her own fault. No else was to blame for her long hours away from home.

  By the time they reached the large pond designated by city planners as a catchment area for storm water, Maria was breathing deeply of the fresh air and smiling widely. The pathway now wound around one side of the pond and the houses had been left far behind. Paul’s surprise turned out to be a large flock of Canada geese resting on the surface of the pond with mallard ducks bobbing near the edges. A field of tall grass was to the left now and the pond area was bordered on their far right with willows and sumac and drifts of Queen Anne lace.

  They stopped to take in the scene. There was no noise of traffic although Maria calculated they had to be fairly close to a major road. The trees must be blocking the sounds of weekend traffic, she thought.

  Paul raised his arms to take a photograph and t
he watchful geese rose clumsily into the air, first in ones and twos and then in a flock streaming over their heads.

  Paul followed the movement with his camera and even Maria could see that he was capturing some very good shots.

  “Too bad we scared them off,” she said.

  “They were probably heading for the farmers’ fields near here to feed for the day. They’ll return later. Let’s go to the raised viewpoint at the head of the pond. I have something to tell you.”

  Leaning on a sturdy metal frame with the length of the pond before them, Maria began to wonder about Paul’s unusual behaviour.

  “I am really enjoying this break, sweetheart, but what’s all the secrecy about?”

  “Well, it’s partly what you just said. You really need a break from the daily routine and I have an idea I want you to consider.”

  “Hold on, Paul! The Christmas season starts soon at the store. I have masses of work to do and I need to cover expenses before the winter sales. You know there’s less money around these days and I have to work harder to attract it.”

  Paul did not reply immediately. He looked at his wife and saw the stress move through her whole body. Only a moment before she had been leaning comfortably gazing at the peaceful scene before them and now she was upright, tense and distracted. She pulled at her clothes and touched her earrings in a gesture Paul recognized as a signal of her distress.

  “It’s not just your work that concerns me, honey.” As he ventured into more problematic territory, Paul put his arms around his wife and held tight, hoping his strength and support would give her the courage to stay still and deal with the issues. “I’ve seen you with Lucy lately.