Promises Beyond The Veil Of Light ( PT 48 )

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Part Forty Eight

 

 

 

 

As Kendrick and Mina drank their tea, the officer in charge had gone out of the room, but asked father and daughter to hang around a little longer.

 

This was all too much to take in as Mina tried her hardest to process the news. What would this all mean now? She wondered! Will I end up in another foster home? She felt like her world was falling apart.

 

“Did Evie have a heart attack dad?” She asked turning to face him, as if somehow he knew.

 

“I really don't know any more than you butterfly.” Kendrick felt the weight of it all on his shoulders knowing it would be his responsibility to let others know the news. He couldn't focus on where to start and had no idea where Evie's son David was. “You'll have to help me contact family and friends butterfly, you know them better than I do.”

 

Mina didn't reply, she just kept wondering if she'd been the cause of Evie's death. Perhaps I shouldn't have gone away and left her alone over Christmas, she thought! Then remembered Hirwin Ravenclaw. I wonder if they got together over the holiday? He'd not been around for quite a while! Which was unusual considering Evie had known him for three years.

 

Mina's mother's words resonated in her thoughts and left her reflecting, as she remembered the promise not to tell her dad about the money, but Mina felt things were different now, her dad would be her guardian from now on, so she needed to tell him everything. Mina then remembered the night around the fire in Cornwall and the cat saying, 'not to trust him.' Perhaps the cat was in her imagination! She mulled it all over in her head. Anyway why shouldn't I trust dad? She pondered! After much deliberation Mina decided to tell him everything.

 

“Dad!” Mina was just about to speak when they were interrupted by the officer.

 

Kendrick looked at his daughter, “Just a moment butterfly, let's hear what the officer has to say.”

 

“Mr Hunter, you and your daughter can go now, we've all the information we need, apart from how to contact Evie's son.”

 

“I've only met him a few times. His name's David, all I know is he works for a company called Welters as a long distant lorry driver,” replied Kendrick.

 

The officer knew he'd have to touch on the subject of Evie again. “If you wish to see the body, I suggest you contact the hospital morgue tomorrow, they'll be able to give you more information on when you can visit.”

 

Mina held onto her dad's arm for dear life, she had no intention of going to the morgue, wanting to remember Evie as she was when alive. All Mina wanted was go to her dad's caravan...but not to Evie's. “Come on dad. Please can we go to your place, I don't want to spend another night in that flat.”

 

This was becoming all too much for Kendrick. “Butterfly, there's no room at the caravan for you. Look, I'll stay at Evie's, I'm certainly not going to leave you on your own.”

 

Reluctantly Mina agreed desperate to speak about everything. “Dad! I really need to talk to you, there's so much you don't know.”

 

Now Kendrick was intrigued as they left the room, walking down the corridor and back through the swing doors in silence. There was hardly a soul around as they left the building, glad to be out in the fresh air even if it was freezing and blowing a gale. The snow had eased off as if the wind had blown every last flake away.

 

They both knew this wasn't the time or place for talking, Kendrick would need to concentrate on the road, so they returned to the flat in silence, with just the sound of the engine humming as they were deep in their own thoughts.

 

***

Walking into the flat the atmosphere seemed somehow even colder than before, any life that existed had disappeared. Kendrick went to turn the light on in the hallway as the bulb cracked. Mina saw this as a sign. “Dad I really need to talk to you now.” She clung to his coat sleeve as if her life depended on it, begging him to come into the sitting room and listen to what she had to say.

 

“Just let me change the bulb butterfly, then we can sit down.” Mina agreed and took him to the kitchen where Evie kept the bulbs in a drawer. Kendrick was so weary as he changed the bulb, but was glad it happened before it got too late to see.

 

Mina was agitated, she had no idea where to start, but felt it best to explain from the beginning. Passing the telephone on her way to the living room, Mina noticed messages had built up on the answering machine, but at that moment she didn't care who they were from.

 

Throwing her coat on the back of the sofa, Mina flopped down and kicked out in frustration, scratching at the arm of the settee with her finger, eager to get all this mess off her chest.

 

Finally Kendrick walked in and sat down in one of the armchairs. “Right then butterfly, what's all this about?”

 

“It's about mum's Last Will and Testament,” replied Mina trying to hold back tears. She bit her lip in anticipation, wondering what his reaction would be to her keeping secrets from him.

 

“What Will? I never saw any Will.” Kendrick responded with a concerned expression.

 

“That's just it dad...I wasn't supposed to tell you.” It was becoming all too much for Mina, her lips began quivering she could feel the tears coming, welling up she carried on. “Mum was concerned your views were different from hers. She didn't think you'd understand my needs.”

Mina began stuttering her words trying to grasp for breath. “Mum was concerned that you didn't care about my feelings, that...that all...all you wanted was...was what you thought was best for me.” It was hard to get the words out right as Mina's speech stumbled. She'd never cried so much in her life, not even when she'd been at the bedside of her dying mother. Thinking about how different she felt now compared to back then made it feel even worse.

 

Kendrick stood up quickly walking over and sitting beside Mina, he put an arm around her shoulders. “Butterfly, I don't know where your mum got that idea from, I've only ever had your best interests at heart all these years.”

 

When she was ten Mina never fully understood, but now she was thirteen she did and gazed into her father's eyes. “I know now dad, but at the time you wanted to put me in a foster family with loads of kids I had nothing in common with, it frightened me which was why I ran away.”

 

Mina's revelation puzzled Kendrick as creases formed on his forehead, he could feel a migraine coming, the pain felt like many pins forcing their way into his skull. This is insane! He thought trying to understand how Nina, the only person he ever loved would treat him this way. “Your mum was wrong about me butterfly, although I do understand that she knew I was a drifter, it's not because I'm insensitive to others feelings, but I thought she understood our needs were different.”

 

Mina curled up on the sofa leaning into her dad, feeling the comfort and warmth she needed. Throwing aside all her fears now, glad it was all out in the open. She dried her red eyes, Mina knew exactly what she had to do now. “Dad, from now on I don't care where you send me, I'm gonna think on my future. Mum promised I could return to the forest when I become eighteen, so that will help me endure my time in this world.”

 

Kendrick was glad his daughter was coming to her senses, but was still curious to know more about the Will. “So, butterfly what exactly does it say in this Will? And who is the solicitor dealing with it?”

 

Mina feared her dad would be cross when she told him about the money. “Mum put a million pounds in a trust fund for my education and made Evie the executor.” She gazed at the shocked expression on her dad's face and felt her stomach churn.

 

“WHAT!” Kendrick was beside himself with anger at his wife not telling him. “So! Who is the solicitor in charge of this trust fund might I inquire?”

 

“It's Hirwin Ravenclaw, the man that Evie was seeing.”

 

Kendrick couldn't believe what he was hearing, not fathoming why Nina would put a sly fox like Ravenclaw in charge of his daughter's inheritance. He knew there was something not quite right about the man. It all came together in his head. Hirwin taking Evie out, his visit to the health clinic. This man had been far too cunning all these years...but no more.

 

Mina had no idea what was going on in her father's head, he'd suddenly gone quiet with a vacant expression. “Dad! What's wrong? You've gone as white as a sheet.”

 

“Oh! I've just seen the light butterfly.” He stood up pacing the room, rubbing hands together. “That...that man.” He stopped in front of Mina and spoke. “We'll be finding you a new solicitor butterfly, there's something not right about Hirwin Ravenclaw,” Mina had never seen her dad so angry. “I've a feeling he's after something that belongs to you and that's why he was taking Evie out. As soon as I can, I'm gonna make sure Ravenclaw has no more to do with you, you're my daughter and I'm responsible for you from now on.”

 

Mina was confused by the whole mess, wondering why adults were so false with their fabricated lies and wondered how her mother ever became involved with a man like Hirwin and his deceptions. It also occurred to her that the cat in the fire, might have been talking about the man himself.

 

It was clear to Kendrick he was going to be very busy over the next couple of weeks. There would be many trips to cancel which left him disappointed, but putting Mina first was his only priority, she'd been through so much without him even knowing.

 

To be continued...