Chapter 4
Didn't Rock suspect anything? You obviously never knew Rock or you wouldn't even ask the question.
So, for the next few weeks it went forward. Rock noticed nothing that wasn't directed openly at him or manufactured by him. His actions, his thoughts that he thought so cunning and secret were known to us but never acknowledged while all around him there lived a whole landscape of silence and subterfuge. Of plans not said but whispered, a future moving forward with slow but sure steps. Chris sent me a note inviting me to tea to talk over plans for a baby shower for both Celia and Nami. Rock saw nothing amiss in this he even encouraged me to go; now he'd know where I'd be for a few hours. On my way to Chris's house I managed to waylay Murray and send a note to Romana to warn her. Chris had some bad news for me about the farm. It seems that when I married Rock his name was added to the farm deeds as joint owner. If I was to divorce him I'd lose half the farm to him and he'd be able to sell his half to anyone he wished. I had no chance of being able to buy it from him not with all the money he'd spent. I'd even have problems forcing him to leave. She could see that this really shook me but then, after a cup of tea and a kind smile, she told me of the way she thought we could get round this. With luck we could sort things out. Firstly, continuing the baby shower club would be a great way to cover up our meetings. If we included the other women such as Vesta, Ruby, Flora, Muffy and Samantha it could be a pleasant way of spending a few evenings. It would arouse no suspicion and provide the perfect cover for passing and receiving information.
My next step was to contact Mayor Thomas to see about taking out life insurance for both Rock and myself. I introduced the topic to Rock one night in bed, a time when I knew he wouldn't really be listening to anything other than his own desires and a time that he would agree to almost anything. When Thomas came over to discuss the matter with both of us I was especially careful to make it appear that the idea was all Rock's and, with Thomas's approval ringing in his ears, he soon believed that it was. I was also careful to insure both us for the same amounts so as not to arouse suspicion.
The following Thursday I set out for the Baby Shower Club with the documents secreted in my rucksack. Rock demanded I take Joel with me, as he had to go out too. He didn't say where but I could guess and I hoped that Romana had Lumina covered. I set off to Chris's with Joel on my hip. I didn't take my horse, Willow, as I felt quite sick. This wasn't the first time either but I put it down to all the stress I was under. It must have been more noticeable than I thought as several of the women commented on it and, at Ruby's insistence, I agreed to go see Dr Hardy. The others made a real fuss of Joel and their solicitude was balm to a bruised heart. Flora and I were the last to leave the meeting. We both left with a brand new digital camera courtesy of Romana, as had Murray, and I with a second document in my rucksack. I was home well before Rock who didn't appear until after all the chores were done and Joel safely in bed. I tried not to be angry at his self-satisfied manner but it wasn't easy, as I still felt so ill. Rock was surprisingly tender, smoothing my hair and gently sponging my face after I'd been sick. He was pleased when I told him about the doctor's appointment, he'd been worried how grumpy and unlike myself I'd been just lately. No, it wasn't going to be easy at all.
I didn't make the appointment the following day, I felt a lot better and there was something else that needed to be done that was much more urgent. Over lunch I produced the document that I'd collected from Chris. I told Rock that the insurance company had insisted on both of us having a will and that they sent several examples for us to look at. I'd told him I knew he hated that sort of thing so I'd looked them over and produced a joint will that I hoped he'd approve of but I wanted him to look it over to make sure I'd done it right. There were three sheets, the first two basically said that if Rock died I got everything and if I died he got the lot. If both of us died everything went to Joel and any subsequent children of the marriage with Tim and Ruby as guardians if they were underage. Rock read through pages one and two and page three was for signatures, the witnesses and ours. I waited for him to finish reading and then asked who he'd like to witness the will. I didn't suggest anyone but waited for him. Rock sat watching me and then smiled and suggested Takakura and Wally, Chris's husband. \I had to agree even though I was uneasy about involving Wally but it turned out better than I could have wished. When it came to it Takakura signed without reading beyond the first few lines and when we reached Wally's house it was Chris who answered the door. She was working from home that day and explained that Wally was away in the city but she'd be glad to witness the will instead. Rock agreed and seemed please by how much attention she paid to the wording, praising him for his taking care of his family this way. It was all I could do not to laugh when she suggested that she drop the will off in town the following day to save us having to post it. Only Chris and I knew that what Rock and I had signed was not the whole will. When Rock had read the will the pages had not been numbered but now, when Chris out the will in the envelope, they were. Now there were four pages not three. The extra page contained the clause the if either Rock or myself were to leave the other for more than three years the one who left would forfeit all rights to the farm and the farms money and there would be an automatic divorce. The one who left would also forfeit all custody of any children from that marriage. These were the clauses that Rock had not seen. Now the scene was set. All we needed was enough photographic evidence of Rock and Lumina; I already had a large cheque in Rock's name from Romana. It was so near; soon I'd be free of him forever.