I Did The Deed

Walking with us back to the carpark. Standing by the boot of mums car, he told us to 'not come back,' turned and walked away without a goodbye. It's not like I could blame him after all I'd done. Still, it took us a while to get over his blunt dismissal. In the end, we had to decide for ourselves how we wanted to continue? Using him as a shield was unfair and unrealistic.

Mum was upset by his dismissal, she'd had to endure some hard times with him and he had never considered her needs. This was something, I can only help with so much. She had to come to terms with our new life in her own way. Our new life?

That was something weighing on my mind too. So instead of dwelling on it, I set to work. First of all, I spoke with the solicitor and the bank. The power of attorney was now in effect, and I had access to all my father's finances, except for the life insurance, of course.

30+ years of hard work had given dad the opportunity to work on his finances carefully. His solicitor and accountant led me through the extent of it all. First, I discovered he had two private pensions? The first with the bank and the second through his business, which all employees paid into. The accountancy firm that handled the pension scheme, also handled his investments, which were not just surprising but extensive.

There was also his savings, which were paired with the household account to keep it topped up. And of course, there was the house with its mortgage entirely paid off, those deeds were in a safety deposit box in the bank which also contained the ownership paperwork for the business. When I read the assets sheet, my eyes nearly popped out of my head! No wonder dad was so knackered! Earning all this must have taken every hour of everyday!

My next stop was Jason Gardner, dad's manager. My first day on the job, I had explained to him that I didn't have the time-in to run the business and if I got a good offer for it, I would consider selling. He asked me to give him time to speak to the staff about this. It was only right, as the place had over 500 people working there. That conversation was months ago and I returned to him about it now. He had a lot to tell me.

In order to continue with our love-life, mum had to put herself on the pill as she hated the feel of condoms and yet, she still wanted more children. The thought of being denied again was not a happy one for her. That wasn't all that was bothering her. 'I don't want to stay here, luv,' she told me softly that evening on the couch. 'Everywhere I look, I see him, it's like he's haunting me.'

Wrapping a comforting arm around her slim shoulders, I confided in her what I had been up too. 'Well, mum, you will be delighted to know things are about to change.'

She looked up at expectantly. 'What do you mean?'

'You know Jason Gardener, of course?'

She nodded.

'On my first day, made it plain to him that I didn't know how to run the business and if I got a good offer, I would sell. He asked me to give him some time to talk to the staff and I did. Earlier this week, he let me know that he and the staff had arranged a business loan and I want us to sell to them.'

'You mean this can happen now?' She asked, surprised.

'End of the week, if you'd like?' I assured her. 'We don't even have to be here once we put the house on the market.'

Sadly, before the paperwork was finalized, dad had a stroke and it had to be put on hold. Where they normally would cause paralysis down one side, this involved a ruptured cerebral aneurysm that paralyzed him completely. If he was still alive, he was trapped in his own mind. A week later, we made the decision and I switched off the life support machines.

The funeral was mum, me, Jason and the rest of staff. The arrangements fell to me as mum simply couldn't. I hired a nanny to look after both sets of twins because there was more to do today than simply saying goodbye to dad. As his parents were long in their graves and his one surviving relative, a younger brother had disappeared into America. I arranged for him to be buried between his parent's plots. While dad was not that religious, I felt it was only right that there should be a priest to say the rites over his final resting place. No one thought it strange that mum clung to me on that cold, bright sunny day as we watched the casket lowered into the ground. It was about as final as it can get. After all I had done to him, all I felt was relief he was gone.

When it was all over, when everyone had their chance to commiserate with mum and me at our house, and the last of them had been seen to the door, mum flung herself at me, hugging to me in desperation.

Looking down at her, I said. 'Well, now, mum. You be glad to know that the last to leave was Jason Gardner.'

She looked up at me frowning, too miserable to understand.

I stroking her cheek, my eyes giving her reassurance.

'You remember the staff had arranged a business loan?'

The look in her eyes suddenly brightened for the first time in days.

'You mean...?' She asked tentatively.

'Yes. The loan is big enough that they can afford the cost of everything in one go.'

I smiled down at her, kissing her lips and she kissed back.

'In a few days, the paperwork will be complete. The solicitor knows, the bank and the insurance are covered. Only respect stopped them sending people to view the house. All we have to decide where we want to spend the rest of our lives together?'

I imagine that her mind was suddenly a whirl with all sorts of details which she picked up over the years. How the pensions, insurance, savings, of course, the house and business all combined made a pretty substantial sum. There were also the investments, but those could keep for a few more years. For a rainy day?

I grinned. More like torrential flooding!

In the end, we found ourselves a place in the south of the Wicklow mountains. An old manor house that was in excellent condition. It had four wooded acres around it, plenty of space for four active babies to run and play. The previous owner had been a Celtic Tiger millionaire before pushing his luck too far. He had ensured the house had excellent wi-fi and satellite-TV reception. The electricity and heating were hooked up to solar panels on the roof as well as the grid. Each of the rooms contained good solid furniture that would last years. It was easy for us to make ourselves at home.

The people in the local town were curious for a while, but only for a while. As time rolled on, mum's grief lessened and she was able to enjoy life again. To the point where we have third set of twins on the way. She is still deciding whether she wants them to be her last. The idea of it being her last sex however is not to be thought of.

Looking back now from nearly 4 years on while standing in our lush green back garden, about how my golden opportunity to do the deed had turned into so much more, my children come tearing around the corner of the house shouting for their dada, I can only grin and run at them to play Monster. Their delighted shrieks will soon bring her to the window or the door, grinning delightedly at the happy fool I'm making of myself with our beautiful children. Grr!