A Dream, or True?

An unexpected inheritance leads the beneficiary into unknown territory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A DREAM, OR TRUE?

 

She died during the night. On her file, where it put ‘next of kin’ there was just one name. The following day the hospital receptionist wrote a letter to the name on the file informing her of the events. Meanwhile the corpse was taken to the hospital mortuary, and her bed was being prepared for another patient. Soon there was no trace left behind of the dead woman.

The next day the letter from the hospital arrived at the correct address. It was a letterbox in a high rise block which was just one of many in the big city.

 

It had been a long time since Amanda had heard any news of her great-aunt Maria, so when she opened it and read the letter she wasn’t sure what to think. There was not much of a relationship between the two women, due to the fact that her great-aunt had never married and had no idea of how to deal with children. Besides as she was grandmother’s sister she was not so important in the family life. And now, after so many years, to receive news of that spinster with a nun-like air, who had never managed to get involved with the young people or children of the family, was puzzling to Amanda.

When Amanda’s husband arrived home, he found his wife and daughter having tea and talking in the kitchen. “What’s going on here?” he asked.

Amanda washed her hands, “Follow me, I’ve got something to show you.”

While Amanda was making him tea, her husband read the letter she had received that morning. “Who was this lady?” he asked.

“My great-aunt Maria. You didn’t meet her. She was my grandmother’s sister,” and she placed the cup of tea on the table in front of him.

“I believe you told me about her once, if I remember correctly. What I don’t understand is why they have written to you. You’ve got cousins, haven’t you? It’s not as if there was a close relationship between you and her. That’s what I don’t understand.” Robert drank up his tea and looked at the letter. At the same time he thought it could be a trick on the part of the hospital to get money out of them. “Have you rung the hospital?”

“Yes, I have and we’ve got an appointment for tomorrow. I’ve also rung the undertakers and the florists.”

“Who’s going to pay for all this?” asked Robert.

“My great-aunt, I suppose. Well, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, she has to be buried and I was the only relation who was named in the hospital file. We’ll find out everything tomorrow. It’s better we don’t think about it tonight.”

“As you like. By the way was your great-aunt wealthy?”

“Not that I know of. She probably had enough savings or a pension to pay for her expenses. Why do you ask? Don’t get excited. There won’t be anything. So forget about becoming a millionaire.”

Amanda and Robert hardly slept at all. The only one who slept well was their daughter, Monica.

 

At the hospital the following day both husband and wife were rather disappointed, their great-aunt had been admitted into the hospital a couple of days before she died and there was no time to talk to her due to the bad state she was in. The only thing the hospital could do was to hand over her great-aunt’s belongings and the authorisation to bury the corpse.

The receptionist gave a parcel to Amanda and then a book to sign. They drove home with Amanda eager to open the parcel. Amanda made some coffee while Robert sat staring at the parcel. Seated opposite each other with the parcel on the table between them, Amanda opened the parcel, curious as to what could be inside it. There were keys to her house, a photograph album, a pair of gold and amethyst earrings of an old-fashioned design, and an old fashioned-watch. Underneath all of these things there was a very old book full of anniversaries, birthdays, and addresses. Amanda looked to see if she recognised any names. Some names were scratched out, maybe they were of dead people or had ceased being her great-aunt’s friends.

“What are you looking for?” Robert asked her.

“I’m looking for the name of a relation or a lawyer or a doctor, anyone who would be able to clear up something for me.”

“Yes, all right, but how can they help you ?”

“My aunt owned a house and these are the keys to that house.”

“That house is probably yours now.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because otherwise she wouldn’t have put your name as next of kin on the admittance sheet.”

“Well, I don’t know. Anyway we have to speak to someone who knows about these things.”

Amanda at last found among her great-aunt’s papers the word ‘lawyer’ and a name and a telephone beside it. “I’ve got the name and number of a lawyer, I’ll ring him now,” Amanda told her husband.

“The sooner the better,” her husband replied.

Amanda rang the number and after waiting several seconds the voice of a woman of indefinable age answered, “ Good morning, how can I help you?”

“Good morning, I’d like to speak to Mr Croft about the recent death of my great-aunt Maria Michaels, who actually died two days ago in the General Hospital. Amongst her possessions which  were handed over to me at the hospital I found this number with the word ‘lawyer’ written under it.”

“If you could come to the office this afternoon, Mr Croft will inform you of anything you need to know.”

“Thank you very much. I’ll be there about half-past four, if that’s all right with you. Good morning.”

“Good morning.” And the voice on the other end rang off.

Amanda turned to Robert. “We have an appointment with the lawyer, Alfred Croft, at half-past four, this afternoon. I’ll go and prepare some lunch. If there are any surprises to be had with the lawyer I don’t fancy receiving them on an empty stomach.”

 

At four o’clock Amanda and Robert left the flat. It had been agreed that the neighbour would pick up Monica from school as at other times Amanda picked up the neighbour’s daughter.

The lawyer’s office was situated in a street that was unknown to them. They were both very nervous and weren’t sure how to deal with the situation. It was very peculiar that the great-aunt had remembered Amanda when there had been no communication for such a long time. The office was neither old nor new, it was functional. This was a shock to Amanda who when she expressed her feelings to Robert, he asked, “What did you expect?”

“I had a different image in my mind. I must have seen too many films.”

The lawyer was a tall, thin man with a slight stoop, which is not uncommon among men who are too slim for their height. He resembled a giant bird.

“Good afternoon, please sit down. My secretary informed me of your telephone call. The hospital has confirmed me of the death of Miss Maria Michaels, and as everything is in order the funeral will be held tomorrow.“

“Yes, we’ve arranged everything. Have you any idea what all this is about?”

“I’m sorry, but until the funeral is over I am unable to tell you anything. Tomorrow at midday we’ll all meet at this address I’ve written down here. You’ve got keys, haven’t you? Well then, I shall see you tomorrow at twelve o’clock.”

“Can’t you give us some indication of what all this is about?” asked Amanda.

“I’m sorry, but, as I informed you, that’s not possible,” insisted the lawyer.

“Do you know if there are any other relatives?” Amanda asked him.

“I suppose so, but I know nothing about them.”

“Thank you, good afternoon. Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon.”

 

Amanda and Robert sat in their car feeling rather disillusioned at not having received more information. They would have to put up with the feeling of uncertainty till the next day.

“I’ve got an idea. Let’s go and get something nice for Monica and the other little girl,” Amanda suggested.

Amanda got out of the car and went into a sweet shop and returned a little later with two small packets of sweets. “I’ve got them fruit sweets that children love so much because they’re nice and soft.”

“Good, I like them too.” Robert started the car and drove off.

 

Due to the accumulated tiredness from the night before Amanda and Robert slept soundly. They both woke up ready to start the day. The morning before them was fully programmed, the funeral at ten o’clock, then the appointment with the lawyer at twelve midday.

“Nothing ever happens to us, and now �" this.”

Robert stared at Amanda when he heard these words. “All this is a waste of time. Whatever happens, after today I must go back to work.” Robert said, irritated.

“Yes, I know. Don’t worry. Everything will finish today. Probably this morning,” Amanda said hopefully.

The most surprising of all was that there weren’t any other relatives. There were the doctor, the lawyer, a young girl accompanied by a young man, and Amanda and Robert. They all shook hands and entered the chapel. There was an odd smell inside and Amanda thought it had to be of death.

 

At twelve o’clock the six were standing at the front door of the old lady’s house, while the lawyer opened the door. As soon as the door was open they all filed inside. It was very lugubrious. On the left there was a staircase, on the right two doors, and at the end of the passage another door, and beside that yet another door. The lawyer switched on the light. Everything was covered in a thick coat of dust. From the ceiling hung huge cobwebs, as if they were trying to hide something. The fitted carpet threw up a black dust in an attempt to remind them that they were intruders. At the end of the house there was a living-room. None of them liked the idea of sitting in there on such dirty chairs. The lawyer got out a tissue and dusted the table. Behind him were the French windows that looked onto the garden. He opened the doors to let in the fresh air. The doctor went off to find the kitchen to see if there was any water. The others sat staring at the garden which was a reflection of the house. The lawn had long since been left uncut, and now it was just wild grass.

The doctor returned. “There’s water, so at least it’s possible to get someone to clean the house. We’ll have to look for someone. The poor old lady was too ill and upset to look after all this by herself. She never took any notice of me when I suggested moving to a residence. Let’s get on with things, shall we?”

They sat down at the table with the signs of dust still visible. The lawyer took a folder out of his briefcase, put it on the table, and began to explain. “We all know why we are all here. Miss Michaels only wanted you to be at the funeral. This is Miss Michael’s last will and testament, and if you will permit me I’d like to read it to you.”

Maria Michaels was not at all interesting. The doctor received an antique clock for all he had done for her, the young couple, whose grandmother was a friend of Miss Michaels, received a set of cut glass. Amanda received the house and everything in it. Amanda said, “I’d like to clean the things my great-aunt left you before you leave.”

The doctor said, “It’s not important, I’ll take the clock just as it comes. Thank you, anyway, but I think that you have more than enough cleaning to do.”

The young couple also offered to help with the cleaning but Amanda answered that she knew some women who would be delighted to do it.

The lawyer said, “There are some papers to be signed to show that everyone has received their inheritance, and then we’ll leave the house.” When it was all over the lawyer asked Amanda, “Have you got the keys?”

“Yes, I have.”

“If you’ll organise the cleaning, I’ll give you the inventory.”

He shook hands with everyone, and then left.

 

Monica was more then a little curious when she was told about the house. “When can I see it?”

“When it’s all nice and clean. This weekend we are going to begin the clearance and if there’s time, try to get some of it cleaned.”

The child went to bed happily. The house held something magical about it, even more so because it was old and dirty.

Amanda spent the evening looking at the inventory from the lawyer. There was a lot of furniture. There were also carpets, curtains, and paintings. As everything was so dirty it was impossible to calculate the value of the contents, that is if there was anything of  value.”

Amanda said to Robert, “Everything inside the house is probably rubbish and the only thing of real value is the house itself.”

“That’s possible, Amanda, but we have to clean everything before we can judge whether or not it is worth anything. We need a couple of ladies to help us with the cleaning,” Robert said.

“I’ll go and see them tomorrow,” Amanda said, still wondering why her great-aunt had left everything to her.

 

Early Saturday morning the family went to the house. Monica was excited and anxious to see it. Her parents thought she would be put off by the dirty state of the place. It turned out to be the opposite, in fact, Monica was enchanted with the house and the garden. As she was used to living in a flat since her birth, to see the garden was the best thing that could happen to her. While her parents and the two ladies employed to help them got on with the cleaning, Monica spent the time running around the garden.

Robert and Amanda went through the house in search of any kind of paper or document, but there was nothing.

Out of all the old stuff in the house they decided that they only wanted to keep the carpets. All of the eight carpets had the same grey tone to them, which made it difficult to see the original colours. “We’ll put the carpets by the front door ready to take to the cleaner’s on Monday. Being so dirty it’s impossible to see what they’re really like. They’ll probably fall to pieces during the cleaning, but  we can have a try,” Amanda declared.

By ten o’clock at night they finished getting rid of cobwebs, the walls and floors washed, the furniture and the windows shining. No one could even hazard a guess as to how long it had been since the house had been so clean. The ladies were both given an envelope with the agreed amount of money inside. Robert and Amanda picked up an already sleeping Monica and went home.

The next day both Robert and Amanda woke up in agony after the hard work of the previous day. Monica wanted to go back to see the house again. Her parents had no desire to do so until it was necessary.

 

On Monday they went back to the house and it still looked old and in a disastrous condition. It was like a woman who has stopped taking care of herself. Amanda thought that the house resembled her great-aunt �" old and out of date. She could hardly avoid these thoughts as she had nothing else to remind her of her great-aunt except the house. The carpet cleaners arrived and said the carpets would be ready in two weeks. Amanda gave them her own address as she wanted to use them in her flat before putting the old house up for sale.

Amanda was looking at the photo album that had been with the keys. The photos were very old of a young great-aunt and with Amanda’s grandmother and Amanda. There were two photos of a young man. The photos had aroused Amanda’s interest, she spent a while trying to find some more photos of the young man. There were no more. Later on Amanda went from room to room, the house was not the same as it had been the week before. Now it was cleaner and open to the street, for people to see the years of abandonment and the strangers who were busy removing all the belongings.

Amanda felt a strange curiosity  towards her great-aunt who was strangely an unknown, yet someone she had known. What had she really been like? The fact that she was the only one to inherit the property still had Amanda somewhat surprised. She put the house up for sale, and that was that.

The carpets took four weeks before they were delivered to Amanda’s flat. They had been so dirty the company had to pass them through the machines twice before the colours showed up. Robert helped Amanda open up the packaging. The large carpet was placed in Monica’s room as it fitted not too badly under her bed. The others, after a lot of shifting and shoving, went into the other rooms. The flat now seemed cosier with the great-aunt’s carpets, and Amanda was no longer afraid of annoying the neighbours below with the noise of her high heels or the vacuum cleaner. And the little girl played happily in her bedroom with her toys on the floor without getting cold. Having the carpets made life easier and more comfortable for everyone.

 

One Saturday afternoon Robert was watching television and Monica was playing with her dolls and marbles in her bedroom. Some marbles rolled under her bed and she got out a torch to look for them. It was then she discovered the stain. The child stayed staring at the stain. She didn’t like being under the bed and picked up the marbles and continued playing her game. When Amanda got home, Monica told her about the stain.

“It’s probably come from some medication my great-aunt was taking or it could be from a drink. It doesn’t matter. These carpets are useful for now, and we can buy some new ones when the house has been sold.” Monica satisfied with this answer went back to her toys and her marbles.

Later on Amanda too took a look at the stain, and said to Robert, “I don’t remember seeing it before.”

“It doesn’t matter. Frankly, I’m astonished that they are in such a good state after such neglect. Don’t think about the stain, no one’s going to see it, it’s under the bed.”

“You’re right. It isn’t important. It’s just that I don’t remember seeing it.”

“Perhaps Monica spilt something on it and doesn’t want to tell us,” Robert summed up.

 

The next day while she was cleaning Monica’s bedroom, Amanda pulled out the bed to remove the stain. With some hot water and detergent she rubbed at the stain for some minutes. She then left the window open to dry the wet patch quicker. The strangest thing about the stain was that it seemed more like a shadow or threads of a slightly different shade, but there was no way it could be the stain of a drink or medication. When she considered it was time to see if it was dry, Amanda saw that the stain was still there. Monica came home and her mother said, “ I’ve tried to clean the stain away but it won’t go. Anyway nobody’s going to see it as it’s under the bed.”

“That’s what I thought. It isn’t important then.” Monica said.

“No, of course not.”

 

“Who is it? Who’s there?” Amanda switched on the bedside table lamp, her heart beating uncomfortably. There was nothing, only the sound of Robert’s breathing.

 

The next day the stain under Monica’s bed had changed shape. It was bigger. Amanda put it down to the washing she had given it.

At ten o’clock that night she told Robert she was going to bed. He decided to go too. In bed Amanda told him about the stain changing shape and that she had had the sensation of someone being in the bedroom with them. Robert, a man of little imagination, said, “It’s the spirit of one of your old boyfriends who has come back to annoy you.”

“Don’t joke. I’m speaking seriously. There was another person in the room with us.”

Robert looked in all the cupboards and under the bed, and said, “There’s no one here except us.”

He then went to look in on the child, and reported back to Amanda that she was fast asleep.

Amanda didn’t understand what was going on with her. Robert said it was due to nerves and tiredness after all the business with the house.

“Yes, of course,” and she switched off the lamp.

 

Amanda, Amanda wake up, it’s me.

Who are you?

Wake up. Amanda.

Why don’t you answer me? Who’s there?

The voice was now weaker. Amanda, wake up.

Robert switched on the lamp. Amanda was fast asleep, but talking. “Who are you?”

When he heard those three words repeated, Robert said, “I’m Robert, your husband.”

Amanda gave a long sigh, and said, “Oh, yes.”

And then silence.

 

“If you have to dream, could you do it without talking. Last night you asked me who I was. Who were you dreaming about?”

“I dreamt that someone was in the bedroom with us. This time the shape was more solid.”

“Tonight you’re taking a sleeping tablet. Last night gave me the creeps.”

 

The stain now resembled a human form. Just as when a body is drawn on the floor by the police. It was not so big, but the details were all there. Amanda arrived at the conclusion that the dream and the stain must be related.

 

“Amanda, Amanda, wake up. You’ve been asleep too long in the sun. You must be more careful. You don’t want to get ill, do you?”

Her great-aunt’s voice woke Amanda up, and she put her hands in the fountain and threw water onto her face. It was unbearably hot. The garden where she found herself belonged to a house, everything was whitened by the sun. The climbing plants were dried out, as was the rest of the garden and the leaves on the ground. The air was not at all refreshing but desert air, old and stale. The fountain was the only thing that was like life, the only sound was the falling of water on water, the only continuous movement in so much dryness, heat, and decrepitude. Amanda played with the water letting it splash through her fingers. There was no lawn under her feet only a stone floor. In order to get away from the fountain she had to go under an arch, around which there were some branches of dried white and yellow flowers. From under the arch Amanda could see the house. It had only one floor, old, and although it was still inhabitable it was past its best.

Approaching the house Amanda saw her great-aunt sitting on the veranda writing letters. When she saw Amanda she made a gesture for Amanda to go and sit with her. Now the sun was not so strong and the sunset showed itself to be not far off. Amanda was now alone. The light from some ancient lamps gave a yellowish aspect to the inside of the house. She saw her great-aunt and a man arguing. Amanda couldn’t make out a word they were saying. Her great-aunt put her hands against the man’s chest imploringly, he brushed them off. Her great-aunt tried once again to convince him but  once again it was useless. The man was now talking to her and she turned her back on him. He placed his hands on her shoulders to try and make her understand something. She ignored him. Amanda didn’t know why, but she knew that something profoundly sad was happening in there. The sun was now only a deep pink line on the horizon. In the garden a light breeze had sprung up and the flowers on the climbing plants perfumed the night. At that moment the man had put his hands on her great-aunt’s shoulders. There had been a very long silence. Amanda kept her eyes on the window. At last her great-aunt got up from her chair and left the room. The man sat back in his armchair and covered his face with his hands. Amanda felt tired and covered her mouth to avoid yawning.

“I see the tablet was effective,” Robert said to Amanda.

“Yes, I slept well.”

 

That day Amanda avoided looking at the stain, instead she decided to look at her great-aunt’s photos again. She found the photo of the unidentified young man. Who was he? What was he? Amanda closed her eyes in an attempt to return to recall the dream. She saw everything in the room, and then the thing she didn’t want to see �" the carpet, and then something else, the resemblance between Robert and the man. She was confused and wished that her great-aunt hadn’t left her anything.

 

The sky was now black with many stars. Amanda rubbed her eyes. The man still had his hands over his face. A light came on in the back part of the house. Her great-aunt entered and went up to the man and said something to him, he didn’t answer, nor did he show that he had heard her, so she left the room. Everything was as still as in a picture. Amanda felt cold but she didn’t want to leave her place on the veranda, she picked up a shawl that her great-aunt had left on a chair and wrapped it around her to keep as warm as possible.

Dawn came through the trees and the singing of the birds announced a new day. Amanda woke up and tried to see inside the house. The man was now on the floor. Amanda knew that the man was dead.

What had happened?

When had it happened?

She kept her eyes on that inert figure on the floor. The sound of a mosquito made her react and she got up from her chair and went to get her great-aunt. Outside the house the sun was high in the sky. She opened the door and saw a familiar figure sitting on a chair. Her great-aunt had aged since the previous day, she was not the young woman writing letters sitting on a chair on the veranda. Amanda wanted to touch her but she felt thwarted. A voice she didn’t recognise said, “He’s dead, there in the living-room on the carpet.”

Amanda saw that her great-aunt was crying, “Yes, I know he’s dead. I killed him.”

Amanda said, “I don’t believe you. There’s no blood. There’s no sign of any physical aggression.”

“There are many ways to kill someone.”

Amanda saw the sadness and desperation in her great-aunt’s face and she tried to feel what her great-aunt was trying to make her understand.

“Is it possible to die because your heart is broken?”

“Yes, it is.”

“And you have seen and understood everything, haven’t you?”

“Yes, I understand everything. Goodbye, Great-aunt.”

 

At eleven o’clock that morning Amanda received a call from the estate agent’s informing that someone was interested in the house. She let the agency sell it for what they could, even if it meant losing money.

Monica had left the window open and Amanda closed it before going shopping.

 

On Sunday afternoon it was rainy and windy and Robert got out a game for all of them to play, but Monica preferred to play with her marbles and her dolls. Robert and Amanda decided to play the game without their daughter. Some of her marbles rolled under the bed and Monica didn’t think twice but went underneath to get them. She got the torch to see better and then went running into the living-room where her parents were playing the game, “Mummy, Daddy, the stain isn’t on the carpet any more. It’s gone.”

Robert said, “You see, I was right, it was water or some other liquid that got spilt.”

Amanda got up, “I’ll be back in a minute.”

She pulled the bed out and stared down at the carpet where the stain had been but was no more.

Monica said, “Daddy was right, wasn’t he?”

“Yes, of course. Don’t you want to play with us?” Amanda asked Monica.

“No, thanks, I’m playing with my dolls.”

 

Amanda shut the door and returned to the living-room. Had it been a dream? Or her imagination? Days ago she had thrown all her great-aunt’s photos in the rubbish.

Fear or superstition? Or true!

From that moment on, the dream never bothered her again. Neither did she want it to.

Amanda smiled to herself and at the same time she thought, supposing I hadn’t kept the carpets.