Conciliation
Nothing belongs to me other than the story, Roy Clarke is the genius behind Last of the Summer Wine.
Howard was dead. Pearl had woken one morning to find the bed beside her cold and empty. When she got downstairs she found him asleep in his favourite armchair, a look of peace and contentment on his face. When she brought him a cup of tea he didn't wake, that was when she realised he was dead. After shedding tears for her husband, surprisingly she loved him still after all he had put her through, she pulled herself together and telephoned the undertaker.
The next couple of days went by in a never-ending whirl of people coming to express their condolences and to ask how she was. The first to call was her next-door neighbour Norman Clegg, who had often been persuaded by Howard to help in one of his constant schemes to sneak away and spend time with Marina. They had known each other a good many years and were able to raise a laugh or two over a cup of tea.
After that there was a constant stream of visitors, from noon till night it seemed, which she greeted as warmly as she could. It was a relief when she closed the door after the last visitor and could sit down.
She was dozing off when she heard a noise. Getting up she saw an envelope on the doormat, addressed to Mrs Sibshaw. She opened it to see a bereavement card, inside was written; "So sorry for your loss. M. xxx." She could smell perfume on the card and realised there was only one person this could have come from. Quickly opening the door, she saw Marina mincing away on her usual high heels.
"Marina." She called. The woman stopped, then continued walking. "Marina!" This time the woman stopped, though she didn't turn around. "Marina, come back here." After a moment's hesitation Marina, for it was she, turned around and walked slowly back to the house.
"You put this through the door." Pearl held up the card. Marina nodded, wondering if Pearl would give it back. "Why didn't you knock? Everyone else has."
"I didn't think you would want to see me, under the circumstances." Marina replied quietly. Pearl sighed.
"Come and have a cup of tea." Marina followed her into the house, the first time she had ever stepped over the threshold. "Sit down, I'll put the kettle on." She sat awkwardly on the sofa as Pearl went into the kitchen, wondering what was going to happen.
Pearl soon returned with a tray of tea things and sat in her chair. "How do you like your tea Marina?"
"Milk, one sugar please." She took the cup from Pearl and waited until the older woman had hers before speaking again. "I'm really sorry -" She began, but Pearl held up her hand to stop her.
"It's not the time for this Marina, we can do it later if we need to. You are grieving for the little idiot as much as I am." She looked Marina straight in the eye. "I know nothing ever happened between you, though god knows he tried. Or pretended to. To be honest I don't think he really knew what he would do if you ever did get the privacy he was always looking for."
"Don't you hate me?" Asked Marina. Pearl threw back her head and laughed.
"No Marina, I don't hate you at all. To be honest I was grateful you got him out of my hair so often, he really was a pain to have around the house. You made him happy, and I am also grateful for that. He loved you you know, just as he loved me, in his own peculiar way. Remember that Marina, Howard loved you." By now Marina was crying softly and gratefully accepted a handkerchief from Pearl. "You are coming to the funeral of course."
"Oh, I couldn't, it wouldn't be right."
"Don't be silly, it's only right the two women in his life should be there to say goodbye to him. And don't you bother about what people say, you will be with me in the church. Now, you will come, won't you?" Marina gave a watery smile and nodded. "Good."
"I'll have to get something black to wear."
"You will do no such thing lady, you will wear what you always wear. Do you have an outfit Howard particularly liked?"
"Yes, I do, but – "
"No buts, wear that. I mean it Marina, wear it for the daft little beggar and damn what anyone else thinks."
There was a big turnout for Howard, which touched Pearl enormously. She hadn't realised how many people liked her husband. She waited outside the church while everyone went inside, then spotted Marina walking up the path. She wore a bright orange low-cut blouse, a black leather mini-skirt, black tights and teetering black heels. Marina greeted her with a hug.
"Perfect, just perfect." She put her arm through Marina's. "Ready for this love?" Marina took a deep breath and nodded. "Good girl. Let's go." They entered the church.
Pearl would never forget the looks on people's faces when they saw who was with her, especially as they were arm-in-arm. She could hear the whispers as they sat together in the front pew, but she didn't care. Howard was having a proper send-off.
The service over, the pallbearers came to pick up the coffin. Marina whispered something to Pearl, who nodded, then began to laugh. Marina went up to the coffin and laid something on the lid among the flowers, then returned to Pearl who was still laughing.
The two women left the church together and followed Howard's coffin to the churchyard where they stood at the grave that had been dug. As the coffin was lowered into the ground people could see what Marina had placed on Howard's coffin. It was a tube of glue.
The end.