Chapter 32
The four mice arrived in the Scottish town of Linlithgow later that afternoon. Basil breathes in the clear air from the distant sea, but it felt good to breathe in the clean air. Olivia also takes in the sea air and her brain clears up.
They locate Aunt Sophie's home on the hill and they were greeted by Uncle Logan, Aunt Hannah and their respective spouses and children. "Look at you, you do look terrible," Aunt Hannah said to Olivia, "That little one is going to get big, I am sure of it."
"Where's Aunt Sophie?" Basil asks, but the atmosphere dampens at that instant.
"It's best for you to sit down for this," Uncle Logan answers and sits them in the living room. "I'm afraid Mama has...well she..." Uncle Logan struggles to get the words out.
"Logan, please," his sister insists, but he shakes his head. "Mama has been very sick lately. Doctor said it's cancer," Aunt Hannah finishes and the four went silent with shock.
"Cancer? Is she being treated for it?" Dawson asks, but Aunt Hannah shakes her head.
"There's nothing they can do, it must've started in her lungs and then it spread to her entire body. Mama hid her illness all through last year, oh she is so stubborn," Aunt Hannah replies and begins to cry.
Olivia thought she was going to start to cry. She lost her father six months ago and now she was going to lose her great aunt. Basil places a comforting hand on her shoulder and pulls her into his embrace.
Basil was at a loss for words as he barely knew Aunt Sophie, but she turned out to be kind and understanding at Hiriam's funeral. "You can see her if you like. I think she wanted to see you before she leaves this life," Uncle Logan said and points to the upstairs bedrooms. "Her's is the final door on the right."
Basil and Olivia went up first. It did feel good to walk these halls again, but they still had that dreary feeling in the air. The door to Aunt Sophie's room was open and they saw the elderly mouse in her bed with a book in her hand, but she was shaking.
"Aunt Sophie?" Olivia asks and her great-aunt looks up.
"Olivia!" she exclaims, but she coughs and the two rush in. "Don't mind me, do come in. Let me look at you," Aunt Sophie said and they settle down in the chairs by her bed.
"You certainly don't look like you're with child," she said as she examines Olivia, who shakes her head. "But I sense the first few weeks were terrible," she adds and both Olivia and Basil nod.
"But you Elliott were always beside her. That's what I like about husbands who care for their sick wives," Aunt Sophie said with a weak smile.
"Aunt Sophie, why didn't you tell us you were sick?" Olivia asks, but the elderly mouse shakes her head.
"I am old and I lived a good life with a loving family. Sometimes many mice don't get that opportunity, but I might've ruffled some feathers with ours, especially with your father when he took you to London after your mother died," Aunt Sophie answers and coughs into her handkerchief. Basil notices specks of blood and was shocked.
"Aunt Sophie, do you need anything?" he asks, but she shakes her head.
"Elliott, we all grow old and die. I know my time is coming, but yours with Olivia is just starting. I want you to take care of her and the children you will have, including the one she is caring," Aunt Sophie said and looks at Olivia's abdomen. She gestures for her great niece to come over to her side. She then places a weak hand over Olivia's abdomen.
"Hmmmmm, I sense something unusual with this one," Aunt Sophie said and shakes her head, "I might be crazy, it's my old brain," she laughs, but Basil thought she wasn't crazy.
"Actually Aunt Sophie," he begins, "Dawson said he thought he heard two heartbeats when he listened with his stethoscope. You don't think Olivia..." he trails off and Olivia realizes what he was saying.
"I might be having twins?" she replies in shock, "But the Flaversham's never had twins, at least according to our family history."
"And what of you Elliott?" Aunt Sophie asks, "Do you have any twins in your family?"
"Yes, my sisters and maybe a few here and there within my family tree," he answers and he begins to process this new information.
"Well, our family will be ecstatic if she is to have twins, but I wouldn't be surprised if she is having only one. I suggest you two keep a calm mind and not be stressed when your child comes," Aunt Sophie said and they listen. "I've seen many children in this family grow up and yes, their parents did everything in their power to make sure they didn't fall into the wrong crowd or so to speak," she adds.
"Olivia, you are by far the only one that changed my view on life. No one should be denied of what they desire all because of their gender or background. I hope one of your future daughters becomes a politician, make those prideful males be ashamed of what they think of women," Aunt Sophie said and they talk for much of the afternoon. The elderly mouse then decides to go to sleep and they leave her in peace.
Downstairs, they heard chattering and Olivia recognizes the voices. They enter in the dining room where Olivia's aunts, uncles and cousins were sharing small talk with Mrs. Hudson and Dawson.
"Speak of the devil!" Uncle Stewart shouts as he sees Basil and Olivia. "Good Lord, Hannah wasn't kidding when she said you look terrible," he adds.
"Well you two, just so you know, it'll be many years of sleepless nights and stress non-stop," Uncle Kendrick said, but they noticed he had a crystal whiskey glass in hand.
"Oh Ken, don't tease them," his younger brother insists and offers Basil some Scottish whiskey, but he thought it was best to decline. "Trust me, it's best in all of the UK," Stewart said and Basil decides to try some.
The sting of alcohol went down all the way to his toes, but the other mice chuckle. "You'll grow use to it," Uncle Logan said.
"Dr. Dawson was talking about the case ten years ago, what was it that you called Olivia?" Uncle Kendrick asks, but Basil felt heat in his cheeks.
"Uh..." Basil was embarrassed, but Olivia smiles at him.
"Entertain them, we could probably use some humor right now," she replies and rubs his shoulders.
"Hmmmm, if I recall correctly, I called her Miss Flangerhanger at the end of the case," he begins and everyone starts chuckling. "And...there was Flamchester and Flamhammer," he adds and the whole room roared with laughter.
"Now Mr. Basil, or maybe Mr. Basley," Uncle Kendrick starts, "I am curious, surely you didn't really mean to mispronounce our family name." The detective doesn't laugh.
"Okay Ken I think you had enough to drink," Stewart said, taking the whiskey glass away. "Sorry, alcohol makes you do stupid stuff, you will even talk stupid," he said to Basil.
Stewart takes his brother to the other room to sleep off the alcohol and the others spoke for much of the night. Stewart then sits next to Basil and they begin to talk. "Elliott, I pretty much figured that Olivia changed you ten years ago, maybe at the start of the case or perhaps at the end," Stewart said and continues, "You didn't want to share the mispronunciations of our family name, it was out of respect, I understand.
"I have to say you are bound and determined to protect Olivia, much like you did ten years ago and just six months ago. However, I hope you don't take this the wrong way," Stewart warns and Basil listens, "We can't always protect the ones we love. Hiriam suffered the loss of his wife and he was determined to protect Olivia while they were living in London. Sometimes, fate has something planned and honestly, I think it was fate that brought you two together."
Basil nods with a teary look in his eyes and Stewart offers some more whiskey. The detective takes some more and smells it. "Kendrick was right, this is the best in the UK," he said.
"Be careful, you are a detective. And much like the police, they can't be drunk at an opportune moment," Stewart warns and Basil was shocked when he heard him say that, but he chuckles. "I did observe you at the wedding and at the funeral, you didn't drink much. So maybe I should take this out of your hand," Stewart said and Basil nods in agreement as he sets the glass aside. They continued to talk for much of the night until Basil saw Olivia go up to the bedrooms upstairs.
The two peek into Aunt Sophie's room where Aunt Hannah brought a broth soup for her. The elderly mouse looked as if she was ready to go to sleep, again and they leave her be.
They settle in the bedroom where Olivia stayed during the funeral and they cuddle up in bed. Before Basil could shut his eyes, he hears Olivia sniffle a little. "Are you feeling all right?" he asks.
"I don't want Aunt Sophie to die, at least not yet. I want her to see our child," she replies and rubs her eyes.
"Olivia, are you familiar with the saying "Sunrise, Sunset"?" he asks and Olivia nods. "The Ancient Egyptians believed that the sun died in the west and be reborn in the east. However, when many kings and queens died, many believed that the sun had set on their time. Like us, the sun will set on us, but it'll rise when new life comes to this world," he explains, but Olivia was not sure of how to take this.
"Sometimes I fear death," she said, "It takes life without warning and it leaves devastation behind. Many mice say it's like the enemy, but I think they're wrong."
"How so?" her husband asks.
"I think death is the one friend many don't understand very well. It provides comfort for those who suffer and it provides relief for the loved ones of the sufferer," Olivia replies and Basil likes the sound of it.
"That's something everyone needs to hear, but unfortunately, I ran into many mice who say death isn't fair," he said and she rests her head on his chest.
"Very soon, I won't be able to rest my head on your chest," Olivia whispers, rubbing her abdomen, but Basil chuckles.
"Here, turn around," he suggests and slips an arm under her and places it on her stomach. "There, is that good?" he asks and she nodes. Basil takes a sniff of her hair and they settle down to sleep.
From the author: Can't say much except Death is very acquainted with the Flaversham's, but as Olivia said, Death is very misunderstood.
While Death takes life, we will see new life come to this world. Stay tuned my friends!
