Saint Patrick's Day - The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club Part III: A Dark Comedy Cozy Mystery With A Twist (10 page)

Chapter 16

24 Hours before St. Patrick’s Day

“I’ll be blunt and straight to the point,” said the doctor. A tall man with a receding hairline, he stared directly at Steven before shifting his gaze to Sarah and then back to Steven. “Your mother has had a stroke, a
cerebrovascular accident. She was lucky. If her housekeeper hadn’t found her, then she would have most likely died. When they brought her into the ER last night, the duty doctor didn’t think she would make it through the night.”

Steven Launer gripped his wife’s hand

“I have to say though, she is a tough one and pulled through in the end,” added the doctor.

“Can we see her now?” asked Steven.

“You may. But before you do, I must tell you that though she can hear you, she can’t speak. I also have to inform you that the prognosis isn’t good. I doubt that she will ever regain the power of speech, and as for the paralysis…. well, I am sorry to say that your mother is now paralyzed. She will never walk again. She will need care, a lot of it. I am sorry.”

Steven nodded his head, indicating that he understood the dreadful news he had just received.

“Can she hear us though, will she know we are there?” he asked.

“Yes, one of the saddest things about this type of stroke is the fact the patient’s thought process and cognitive deficits do not affect their power of thought, hearing, or reasoning. Sadly, she will not be able to respond verbally, and her paralysis means she cannot communicate with you in any alternative way.”

Both Steven and Sarah nodded, indicating that they understood, before the doctor summoned a nurse who led the Launers to Heidi’s hospital room.

“She can hear you, she can understand you, but she can’t communicate,” said the nurse as she opened the door to Heidi’s room, re-emphasizing the doctor’s words, “So please try not to cause any anxiety. It is important that you realize that no matter what you say, she will understand, but will have no power to communicate, or respond.”

Steven Launer was a practical man and he knew that, at his mother’s age the symptoms of a stroke would be irreversible. She had lived a good life though, and at least if she could hear and understand him, she would be pleased to hear his news about her family.

The nurse directed Steven and Sarah to a pair of chairs, one by the side of Heidi’s bed, the other at the foot of it. The nurse gave the couple a pleasant smile before giving the Launers their privacy.

Heidi had heard people enter and despite trying to turn her head to see who it was, she couldn’t; her gaze remained fixed upwards, staring at the ceiling of her room. Sarah sat down on the chair at the foot of Heidi’s bed as Steven walked to the side of his mother’s bed and stood over her, smiling and staring into her confused eyes.

What are you doing here? The last person I need to see right now is my idiot son. Why on earth do you look so sad? You need to leave. I hope you didn’t bring those ghastly children of yours with you, and I hope Sarah isn’t here. I expect that she is enjoying this, but just you wait until I am back on my feet. Oh, have I got a surprise for you two.

Steven took his mother’s hand. Heidi tried to recoil it away from him but found she couldn’t it. He began to pat her hand gently as he stared sadly into his mother’s eyes.

Heidi tried to speak again but the words that left her mouth turned to a garbled sound, meaningless nonsense. Steven took his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his mother’s chin.

What are you doing? Stop that immediately. I am not a dog.

“Just some dribble Mom, that’s all.”

Dribble? Dribble? What do you mean dribble? I do not dribble. I have never dribbled. Now, just get me out of here and take me home. Where is Fuchsl? Call Betty if you won’t take me home. She will collect me in the car. What are you doing here anyway? I don’t want you here. Where is Betty? Someone call Betty.

“Don’t try and speak mother,” said Steven “Just try and relax, everything is going to be fine. We will find you a nice place where they will look after you. Don’t worry about anything, we will take care of the house and your things. Everything is going to be okay,” he continued, as he gently patted his mother’s hand once again.

A nice place? I already have a nice place thank you very much. What place? Take care of my things? Over my dead body. You will not enter my home. I forbid it. Betty, where the hell is Betty? Don’t you even dare go into my room. If you set one foot in that room I will…I will…

“There, there Mother, don’t try and speak. I know that you are grateful. It’s the least we can do. Everything is going to be just fine.”

Oh, go away you stupid man.

“I think she is trying to tell you how much she appreciates what you are doing for her,” said Sarah from the foot of the bed.

Heidi recognized the voice. So she was here. Heidi tried to rise from the bed but again she found herself unable to move.

What is she doing here? I knew it, here to gloat I expect. Get her out of here.

“See, she is pleased that you are here. Did you hear that?” said Steven to his wife. Still clutching his mother’s hand, Steven smiled kindly into her eyes. “I know, I know, you don’t want us to trouble ourselves but really it isn’t any trouble. We will find good homes for your furniture and your knick knacks, and of course Fuchsl will live with us. Don’t worry about the expense. Of course, we will sell the house to cover the cost of your care in a suitable facility. And you have money. We will find a place for you near us. Just please try not to worry.”

Steven turned towards Sarah and nodded, indicating that he believed that Heidi could understand what he was telling her. Sarah smiled back at her husband before he turned to face his mother again.

“Naturally, I will have to obtain power of attorney over your estate and obviously in your condition, you will not be able to sign anything. Leave all that to me. It’s fortunate that I am a lawyer and know all about these things,” he said, smiling as he spoke.

Heidi could feel the rage inside her rising. She wanted to slap him, to scream at him. He was here for the house, for her money, and he would discover the room. He was planning on putting her into one of those homes, where the old folk just sit around all day, staring into space, being fed like infants, and talked to like children. She would rather die. She gripped her son’s hand tightly, trying as hard as she could to inflict pain on him, trying her best to get him to understand her, to obey her orders, as he had his whole life. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t move a muscle and she couldn’t grip anything.

“Its fine, Mother, there’s no need to thank me,” said Steven.

Heidi took a deep breath and released the non-existent grip on her son. Her idiot son. Her son who was weak and pathetic. Her son who had no backbone, no honor, and had no idea that the blood running through his veins came from superior stock. He was clueless of the fact that his heritage came directly from one of the greatest men in history. Oblivious to the fact that he was a living relative of
him.
And how would
he
have felt? Knowing that this, this pathetic specimen was all there was left of his dynasty? This pathetic balding and bespectacled man, a man who looked more like a Jew than Aryan.

It’s time you left now, you pathetic little man. Take your ugly wife, your ridiculous brood if you brought them with you, and your ideas of ‘homes’ and ‘care’ and take them back to New York. Leave now. Immediately.

“Yes mother, that’s right, everything is going to be fine. Just fine.”

Idiot.

Once again Steven turned towards his wife. “Can you hear her? She must be so pleased that we care so much. I told you she would be pleased, didn’t I?”

Sarah nodded, but didn’t speak.

What did she say? I didn’t hear that. Just leave, leave now…you, you…moron.

Now what was he doing? She could hear papers rustling. Her eyes still fixed skywards, so she could no longer see her son’s face but could sense he had sat down next to her. Now what? What was he doing? Papers? Oh how she wished he would just go. Could this be any worse?

Steven rose from his chair, placed the briefcase at his feet and smiled lovingly at his mother.

She stared up at him blankly, but if she could have, she would have frowned.

“I do have some good news for you. I took up a hobby. Genealogy. It is basically the studying of family trees and linages. You know, tracing people’s roots and such like.”

Oh, go away you buffoon.

“Well, I have always wanted to know about our ancestry, especially on your side of the family and I have some amazing news. Startling really. I have managed to trace your linage all the way back to Austria. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Heidi once again tried to turn her face into a scowl and tighten the grip on her son’s hand but couldn’t. What had he done? Of course she knew about genealogy. She knew exactly what it was. What on earth had he done? He should never have dabbled in this.

What have you done? What have you done you idiot? Please tell me you haven’t…please don’t say…you know they will find out? They will come after you and hang you and your ugly frumpy wife. They’ll throw those vile looking children of yours into a furnace, when they find out you have been investigating me. These are dangerous people; don’t believe they don’t still have power. They do, and you would be wise to leave now, before they come for you.

“I told you she would be pleased,” said Steven to his wife. Sarah once again nodded that she concurred with her husband, but again, didn’t speak.

What did that bitch say? Get me Betty. Get me Betty now! I want to leave. I want to go home. You need to go. Who the hell called you in the first place? Where is the doctor? Why can’t I move? Why can’t you understand what I am saying?

“She is getting excited, I think she wants you to tell her everything. It will definitely cheer her up. Go on, Steven, tell her,” said Sarah, as a slight smile formed on her face. “I think she really wants to hear all about her family.”

“I think you are right,” replied Steven, “do you want to hear all about it, Mom? About where you came from, your family?”

No. No, I do not. I already know. Go away. Betty. Where is Betty? Get me my Betty.

“Okay, well, here we go then. You know you said you arrived from Austria with your parents just before the war; and that you didn’t have much recollection of anything before that? Well, guess what? I have some news for you.”

Heidi felt a wave of dread engulf her. Finally, her secret was out. After all these years of lies and hiding her true identity, of being unable to proclaim that she was related to the greatest man who had ever lived, here it was. Steven had discovered the truth. He sounded excited. Maybe he wasn’t shocked? Odd, she thought.

Don’t tell me anything. I know. I warned you, you are treading on thin ice, boy.

“You want me to tell you? Of course you do.”

If Heidi could have, she would have slapped him.

“Well, you were born in Vienna. But your parents were not your real parents – no, your family stayed behind in Austria.”

Tell me something I don’t know.

“Ah, you are confused. Of course, I thought you would be. Okay, well the couple who escorted you to America were actually friends of your real family, which, I am guessing you probably knew anyway as you were, according to records around ten years old. Why they pretended to be your parents isn’t clear at all, but I have my suspicions. I was really hoping you could tell me that, but I guess you can’t,” Steven paused “not right now, that is. But maybe, once you get better, you will be able to fill me in on that.”

I really cannot believe that you are my son. You are such an idiotic man.

“So Grandma and Grandpa were not my real grandparents. Which was a bit of a shock, I have to say, though I never met them, so I guess it doesn’t matter. At least they got out in time.”

Got out? Got out of what in time? Stop speaking in riddles and just get on with it.

“So, their names were Franz Muller and Ida Muller. They were a childless couple and friends of your real parents. Well, I say friends, but they were actually employees of your father, your real father. I checked their lineage and it ends with them, so I know they didn’t have kids. I wish you had told me, you secretive old goat.”

Heidi was surprised. He was taking this so well. He didn’t seem to be the least bit phased that she was
his
niece and that
he
was Steven’s great uncle.

You are taking this well; now get on with it.

“Yes mother, I know. I know you want you want to hear more.”

Actually I don’t. I wish you and your silly little wife would just leave. Weren’t you meant to be going to the parade? Hadn’t you better go and buy yourselves some green outfits, or are you going to wear that horrible blue suit?

“Well, it seems that Herr Muller and his wife were in the employ of a Siegfried Launer, a very wealthy and respected jeweler from Austria. He was married to Anne Launer. They had three children: Heinrich, Gretchen…and…wait for it…. Heidi. Now, it seems that your parents were extremely wealthy.”