Effy's Realisation
Pandora and Effy were spending some time together, enjoying a day out in Bristol city centre. They were in Pandora's favourite café, the Krispy Kreme in Cabot Circus. Effy was with Pandora because Anthea did not think she was well enough to be out on her own and she recognised that Pandora was the best company she could have. They were both waiting for Emily Fitch, who was attending an interview that morning for a job which would take her to New York.
The local radio news reports that morning carried the story of a murder in Clifton. A local psychiatrist, Dr. John Foster, been found bludgeoned to death in the basement of his house. A local man, James Cook, had handed himself in to the police, admitting the killing. The police were searching the premises as Mr Cook had implied, under questioning, that another murder had taken place there a couple of days earlier. James Cook had been on the run from the police, having escaped from a remand centre some time previously.
"I wonder why Cookie killed your counsellor." said Pandora, "I mean, I know he's a bit wild, but I didn't think he'd go around killing people."
"He must have had his reasons." said Effy, "I'm worried about the other killing. Freddie disappeared a few days ago, but he did say he was going away for a bit to think about things."
"I do hope he's alright." said Pandora, "Try not to think about it until we know a bit more. It doesn't pay to worry. Try to be happy. 'Don't be down'."
Effy smiled, remembering the little song Pandora and Katie had sung to her when she was still in hospital. Pandora squeezed Effy's hand in a gesture of reassurance.
"But I can't help worrying about him." said Effy, "Freddie disappeared at about the time mum asked him to see John to try to persuade him to stop seeing me."
"Let's hope that's just a coincidence." said Pandora, "Anyway, here's Emily."
"Hello, you two," said Emily, "How's things."
"Okay!" said Pandora, "But Effy's worried about the news. Anyway, how did your interview go?"
"Brilliantly." said Emily, "It looks as if I'm going to New York."
"I seem to be losing all my friends one by one." said Effy, looking sad, "Cook's with the police. Freddie's disappeared and may have been killed. Thomas is going to Harvard, and so are you, Pandora. Now You're leaving as well. What about Naomi?"
"That's something I'm not looking forward to telling her." said Emily, "Although she's hinting that she might go to London. Don't be so depressed, Effy. Naomi, Katie and JJ are still here."
"I suppose so," said Effy, "I'll try to make the most of the friends I've got while I'm still here."
"Effy," said Emily changing the subject, "Have you done something about what you're going to do after college?"
"Yes, I have." said Effy, "I've applied to a hedge fund company in London. They advertised in the local press. It looked interesting, so I sent for an application form. I had an interview the day before yesterday. They told me straight away that I'm almost certain to get the job."
"You're a dark horse," said Pandora, "You haven't told any of us about this. But it does mean that you'll leave all your friends behind anyway, but I am told that a big city can be a very lonely place."
"I know," said Effy, "But it would be good to get away from this place with all its bad memories. In any case, I've been on my own before. I'm used to it, so it's no big deal. I'm a girl who doesn't mind her own company."
After their lunchtime meeting at the doughnut shop, the three girls moved on to a pub where they could carry on their discussion over something stronger than cola. Emily bought the first drinks, A sweet sherry for Pandora, a Cointreau for Effy and a Jack Daniels for herself. She got out her mobile phone as it had beeped. When she looked at the message, her face fell.
"What is it?" asked Effy.
"I hope you're ready for this." said Emily, "Katie just sent me a text with the news that the police have found the body of a young man at John Foster's house."
Surprisingly, Effy didn't react openly, but took another sip from her drink.
"I suppose that's another reason to get away from here." said Effy, sadly.
While Effy was speaking, Emily was sending a text from her phone.
"Don't be so certain." said Pandora, "We won't know who he was until they identify him."
"He's got to be Freddie." said Effy.
"What makes you think that?" said Emily.
Effy's answer was a surprise to the two other girls.
"Over the last few days," said Effy, "I've been getting these 'visions' and waking dreams. Sweet Freddie is talking to me in them, almost as if he's keeping a gentle eye on me from wherever he is."
"That's amazing!" exclaimed Pandora, her eyes wide, "You mean his spirit is talking to you?"
"Something like that." said Effy.
"When did this start?" asked Emily.
"The 'visions' started about a couple of hours after Freddie left to confront John Foster about my treatment." said Effy, "The odd thing is, I had a strange feeling that I was never going to see him again when he left. Mum told me not to worry about it, but the feeling would not go away."
"What sort of things does he talk about?" asked Emily.
"Oh, just general things," said Effy, "But he seems to know that I'm looking for work in London. It's almost as if he can read my thoughts."
"This gets spookier by the minute." said Pandora, "Did he say anything about you going to London?"
"He said that I should go for it and get myself a new life away from my memories." said Effy.
"What do you think this all means?" asked Emily, "I mean - it's a bit weird."
"I believe that he is dead." said Effy, "I've believed that ever since the 'visions' started. I mean - if he was alive and wanted to tell me something, he would have called me or come around to see me. Don't worry about me. I'm not about to dissolve into a pool of tears. I've accepted that he's gone. That's why I didn't react when you told me about the young man's body found at John Foster's place."
"You're stronger than me." said Emily, "I'd have just collapsed. Anyway, the text I've just sent was to tell Naomi where we are. She'll be with us any minute."
"Apart from the fact that she's your girlfriend," said Effy, "Why have you called for her?"
"As I said, she's talking about looking for work in London." said Emily, "I'm concerned about her. Obviously, If I go to the Big Apple, I won't be seeing her anymore."
"Unless she goes stateside with you." said Effy, "That is a possibility."
At this point, the tall blonde entered the bar, recognised the three girls and joined them.
"What can I get you three?" asked Naomi, as she approached the friends.
Their drinks were replenished and Naomi had a single malt whisky.
"You must have called me for a reason." said Naomi.
"Yes." said Emily, "There are several reasons. First, we believe Effy's boyfriend, Freddie, has been murdered."
Naomi gasped. She was clearly shocked.
"Secondly," continued Emily, "There's something I've been meaning to tell you, but I've been putting it off day by day. I can't delay it any longer."
"What's that?" asked Naomi.
"This morning," began Emily, "I had a job interview, which went very well."
"So." said Naomi.
"The job will be based in New York." said Emily, "All being well, I'll be going there in November."
Naomi didn't react as if she was shocked, partly because she was planning to look for work in London.
"That means you won't be coming to London with me." commented Naomi, looking sad, "I think I'll still go to London though, but it'll be lonely without you, Ems."
A tear escaped from Naomi's eye and rolled down her cheek. She quickly composed herself, produced a tissue and wiped it away.
"Don't be so sad, Naoms." said Pandora, gently, "Things may seem bad now, but it'll all come out right in the end. It usually does."
"That's part of the reason I've called you." said Emily, "How would you like Effy to go to London with you?"
"What!?" exclaimed Naomi.
"Don't panic." said Effy, "I'm almost certain to be starting with a hedge fund company in the City in September. It'll be lonely up there. I'd welcome some company."
"I'll have to think about it." said Naomi, "I can see good and bad sides to it. I like the idea in principle, but there could be a downside."
"I think it might work." said Emily, "You two could share a flat, which would halve your accommodation costs. Also, buying food for two costs less than twice buying for one. Providing you get on with each other, it's a win-win situation."
"I suppose that does make sense." said Naomi, "I think you've persuaded me. Let me know when you get a starting date and we can make plans. I'm still a little sad that we're all going our separate ways after being together for so long."
"I suppose that's what usually happens at the end of college." said Emily.
"I've just had an idea." said Pandora, "Before we all go, let's all have a party."
"All!? Who would you invite?" asked Naomi, "With Freddie and Cook gone, there's only six of us, seven if you include Thomas. Mostly girls."
"We could include your brother and his girlfriend." said Emily.
"I suppose so," said Effy, "But they seem to be living in their own little world these days. I suppose it's because they've spent so much time getting used to the thought of living 300 miles apart. Still, if this goes ahead, I'll ask them."
The friends agreed that they would have a party. Naomi and Effy made up their differences and agreed that sharing a flat in London would be a good idea, especially if Naomi decided to take up the offer of a place at Goldsmiths.
All day, Effy had been holding her emotions in. Yes, she had accepted in her mind that her boyfriend, Freddie was the young man whose body was found in John Foster's house. She had been having lucid dreams and visions in which they talked to each other. He even seemed to know about her plans to go to London.
As she made her way home from the pub, she felt a sudden surge of melancholy. She wasn't sure where it came from, but she was beginning to lose control of her feelings. When she reached home, unusually, she went straight up to her bedroom, collapsed onto the bed and burst noisily into tears. The commotion alerted Anthea, who came into the bedroom to see what was the matter. She found her daughter sobbing violently and unable to speak. Never before had she seen her like this, even when her depression was at its worst. Anthea just held Effy gently until she began to calm down.
"Oh, darling," said Anthea, gently when Effy eventually ceased crying, "Something must have hurt you. What was it?"
"It - it's finally come home to me that Freddie's dead." said Effy, "And I so loved him. He was special. He was my life. He was the only boy who really understood me."
"You don't know that he's dead." said Anthea.
"I think I do." said Effy, "A few days ago, as you know, he went to see John Foster to confront him about my treatment. About two hours later, I started having these 'visions'."
"What kind of visions?" asked Anthea, baffled.
"It was as if Freddie was with me and actually talking to me." said Effy, "They seemed so real, as real as you are now. They are sort of lucid daydreams. Then, at lunchtime today, I heard that the police had found the body of a young man at Dr. Foster's house. It couldn't be anyone else. It could only be Freddie."
"What were the police doing searching John Foster's house?" asked Anthea, sounding perplexed.
"Haven't you heard?" said Effy, "John was killed by Cook two evenings ago. He's given himself up to the police. It was Cook who told the police that he believed that there had been another killing at the house."
"How did you hear this?" asked Anthea, "You've been with Pandora all afternoon."
"I heard about John Foster and Cook on the local radio this morning." said Effy, "Emily joined us after a while. Katie was texting her, keeping her up to date with developments."
"How is Emily?" asked Anthea.
"She's just got herself a job in New York." said Effy, "She had a very good interview this morning. She's over the moon."
"It seems everybody's going away." said Anthea, wistfully, "Pandora's going to America with Thomas. You're going to London. Will there be anyone left."
"As far as I know, Katie and JJ are staying in Bristol." said Effy
"What about Naomi?" asked Anthea.
"She's thinking about looking for work in London." Said Effy.
"That's nice." said Anthea, "You two could join up and share expenses, and you'd have someone you know up there. I, for one, would be less worried about you."
"I think that might actually happen." said Effy, "That's one of the things we discussed this afternoon. Naomi said she'd have to think about it, but after a while, she came round to the idea."
"That's good." said Anthea, "Naomi's a sensible serious minded young woman, she'll be good company for you. Anyway, you seem to have got over whatever was hurting you when you came in."
"Yes, I don't know what came over me." said Effy, "I just let a wave of sadness overwhelm me. I'm cried out. I don't think it'll happen again."
"Don't worry about it." said Anthea, "You do need a good cry now and again. It releases all your tensions, and it's only natural, especially when you've lost someone who was so close to you."
"I suppose you're right." said Effy, "I do feel relaxed, but that's possibly because you're holding me like any mother would hold her daughter. In my mind, I've accepted that he is no more, so I've got to prepare myself for a life without him. I suppose that's how it has to be. Anyway, with me going to London, how are you going to get on."
"Oh! Haven't I told you." said Anthea, "Your father's coming back. He's realised he was a bit hasty, walking out like he did. I now realise it was a big mistake dating his manager."
"That can only be good." said Effy, "You two try to get on with each other this time. It might end my jinx."
"What jinx?" asked Anthea.
"I seem to have gone through my teenage years leaving a trail of broken people in my wake," said Effy, regretfully, "You two, Cook, John Foster and now Freddie, and I haven't exactly been helpful to Tony. It's all my fault."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, darling." said Anthea, "You can't blame yourself for everything that goes wrong in the world."
"I suppose not," said Effy, "But it does seem that whatever I do does seem to have tragic consequences. I do seem to have a jinx surrounding me."
"Try not to think that way, my darling." said Anthea, "Perhaps the move to London might end your 'jinx'."
"I certainly hope so." said Effy, "Hopefully, Naomi's company might prevent anything really bad happening."
During the next few weeks, Effy spent a lot of her free time with Naomi. The two girls became very good friends. Naomi, for her part had come to accept that her long relationship with Emily was finished as she had no wish to go to the United States. She did take up the offer of the university place. Effy had also come to accept that her boyfriend had been murdered by her psychiatric counsellor, and that her other male friend, James Cook, was possibly facing a life in prison for John Foster's murder. Perhaps the move to London would break the jinx that Effy felt was surrounding her.
The farewell 'party' suggested by Pandora turned out in the end to be little more than a quiet get together in their favourite pub. Several of the friends outlined their dreams and ambitions. Emily, while deeply regretting leaving Naomi, said that her future lay the other side of the Atlantic. She would probably settle there. However she felt she had left Naomi in a good place as she was now Effy's best friend. Effy's ambition was to get to know as much about high finance as she could, and work her way up the career ladder By talent and persuasion. She hoped then to make her fortune. The group also wished Pandora and Thomas the best of luck for their future stateside.
In late August, once their accommodation had been arranged, Effy and Naomi moved to London. The hedge fund Effy had joined had a number of properties in its portfolio, so they let Effy live in one of these, a top floor flat close to their city offices for a nominal rent. This arrangement went well for about four years, while Effy made progress up the lower rungs of the career ladder.
Unfortunately, things rarely work out as hoped or expected. Once again, it appeared that Effy's jinx had struck again. After graduating, Naomi contracted cancer. It wasn't very long before it was diagnosed as terminal. She told Effy not to tell Emily about it, but when Emily found out, she was very angry with Effy for not keeping her informed. Not unexpectedly Naomi died a short time after this, leaving both Effy and Emily devastated. Troubles never come singly. It was about this time that Effy was accused of insider trading. She was arrested and questioned, but there was not enough evidence for the case to stand up in court. She was free to carry on with her career, but knew she had to be a bit more cautious in her choice of associates.