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Listeners' Fantasies |
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Siobhan's Revenge
by loveinamist
 We're sure this won't be the last contribution to the Fantasy Archers topic of to be inspired by the latest turn of events in the troubled Aldridge family.
The sun shone through the stained glass windows of Holy Trinity, dappling the floor with coloured lozenges of light. The smell of summer flowers drifted through the air, along with the sound of sobbing.
Brian sat towards the back of the church, looking at the coffin on the byre at the head of the nave. Such a slender coffin! She was so slim, so beautiful, he could hardly believe she had gone. As the service continued, his thoughts drifted back over the last four months, since Siobhan had told him the devastating news.
He had honestly thought that Jenny would agree to take Ruairi into the family, and had been astonished and angry when she had point blank refused. For God's sake, Ruairi was his son (his only son thanks to her inability to conceive a boy), of course he had to live at Home Farm! But Jenny had put her foot down and then Adam had poked his nose in and told Kate and Alice the truth and the whole thing had exploded in Brian's face.
Playing the Home Farm trump card had been his only choice, but even that failed when that silly old buffer Jack set light to The Lodge and killed both himself and Peggy. Jenny's share of the inheritance came to just under 4 million, so she was able to support herself, and Brian threatening to divorce her and sell the farm came to nothing. She was leaving him anyway, buying a small arable farm just outside Ambridge, which Adam would run for her, and a house in South Africa so she could spend half the year with Kate. Whatever her divorce settlement was or wasn't it didn't matter to her.
None of the children would have anything to do with Brian. Debbie had completely shunned him and had decided to stay in Hungary with Vlad, Adam had barely been able to conceal his glee when he told Brian where to put his job, and Kate and Alice were so disgusted and horrified to discover what Brian had been up to that their relationship with their father was in tatters.
The service was over, the coffin was being carried out. Brian, dry eyed until now, had tears running down his face as he watched his lovely, vibrant mistress take her final journey. It had been such hell the last few weeks but now finally it was over and he could take Ruairi back with him to Ambridge, to whatever future awaited them after the sale of the farm. Not as wonderful a future as Brian had planned certainly, but he would have his son with him, that mattered more than anything.
Tea and sandwiches were on offer at the Donovan house but Brian had an appointment with Siobhan's solicitor first. A bit of a mystery but he supposed it was to legally appoint him as Ruairi's guardian as he wasn't actually named on the boy's birth certificate.
Then, with the legalities over and done with, he would return to Siobhan's family home and finally, oh finally! Ruairi would be his. He would have his son.
Brian sat in the reception area of Crabtree and Morris, Siobhan's firm of solicitors. His foot tapped impatiently on the parquet flooring. What the hell was the wretched man doing, didn't he know Brian was a very busy man and shouldn't be kept waiting? Finally Mr Crabtree's secretary appeared and beckoned Brian into the office. Brian sat. "I'm Ruairi Aldridge......sorry, Donovan's father" he said. "You said in your letter you needed to see me immediately after the funeral, I presume it is to do with Siobhan Donovan's will?"
Mr Crabtree peered at Brian over half moon spectacles. He had a file on his desk and what appeared to be a sealed envelope in front of him. He cleared his throat. "Not her will as such" he said, "But certainly her last wishes." Brian was puzzled; last wishes? What on earth was this all about? Again Mr Crabtree cleared his throat. "Ms Donovan appraised me of the situation regarding her son. She wanted you to have this letter, and she wanted me to give it to you to avoid distress to her family. That is all, Mr Aldridge, good day to you." Brian left the office in a daze. What was going on?
There was a small park at the end of the road. He sat on a bench in the afternoon sunlight and opened Siobhan's letter:
Dear Brian
If you are reading this then it is over and you have just attended my funeral.
Realising that your life expectancy is very short is a real wake up call! My life was fine, I had my child who I adored and I thought I was pretty much over you and the way you treated me. Then suddenly I was facing death and I realised I wanted to sort a few things out before I went, to make sure Ruairi had the best possible future if I couldn't be a part of it.
Oh, Brian, your face was a picture when I told you! Even through your sympathy and sadness I could see the realisation that you could have Ruairi as your own. You tried to disguise it but I know you so very well. You never loved me, just lusted after me and then when I produced the son you had given up hope of ever having, you loved him but still not me. You wouldn't even put your name on his birth certificate in case it caused a scandal and ruined your precious, precious reputation. You even stayed with that stupid Jennifer just to keep up appearances, instead of making a wonderful new future with me. Oh, Brian, you fool!
When you get to "my parents' house" you will find that they actually moved 12 months ago, no-one will tell you where to so don't trouble yourself to ask. My mother and Ruairi adore each other and with such a huge extended family, he is in the best possible hands. You could have had it all, Brian, but your hubris brought you down. I have to admit Jennifer divorcing you and all your other children hating you is a bonus I couldn't possibly have expected (Elizabeth kept me well informed). OK so Jennifer had to inherit some dosh before she finally had the guts to tell you where to go, but from my point of view it is still a result!
You've lost your son, Brian, you will never see him again unless he wishes to find you later. My parents will not lie to him about his father, but they will take great care to tell it "like it is", and don't forget Brian, they were the ones that helped pull me back together after your final rejection of me. They saw the grief I went through, the nights of endless crying. They won't forget that, and will be very glad to make sure Ruairi doesn't either.
You will find the standing order for the maintenance payments has been returned to your bank. Ruairi doesn't need your money, he will do very well with the love, comfort and security that is available in huge quantities in the Donovan household. You will have no reason, and no means, to interfere with his life. I could never be free of you, but Ruairi can.
Goodbye, Brian
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