Free The Kellys of Kelvingrove by Margaret Thomson Davis Page B

his car.
    ‘I won’t be long,’ Mae called after him.
    Inside number two, Doris was trembling and almost in tears.
    ‘Oh Mae, I forgot to lock the door. Do you think I’m going the same way as my mother? Is it genetic, do you think?’
    ‘Of course not. You’re under a terrible strain, Doris. I don’t know how you manage as well as you do.’
    ‘I’ll get the police to you,’ Mrs McIvor said.
    ‘Oh God,’ Doris groaned, rubbing a hand through her hair and making it even frizzier and messier. ‘She’s found something else to keep repeating at me.’
    ‘I’ll get the police to you.’
    ‘Doris, something will have to be done,’ Mae said firmly. ‘You definitely can’t go on like this. It’s enough to drive anyone crazy. Forgive me for saying this, Doris, but even I feel like punching her in the mouth to make her shut up. And I only see her occasionally.’
    ‘She wasn’t always like this. She was such a good mother to me and Alec. I must never forget that.’
    ‘But you’ve got to face it, Doris. She’s not that woman any more. It’s sad, I know, but for her own good as well as yours, something will have to be done.’
    ‘More and more, I feel like being violent to her myself.’ Doris began to moan and weep and Mae put a comforting arm around her. ‘I’m so ashamed, Mae, but what can I do?’
    ‘You’ll have to do the best thing for your mother and that means getting her into a good nursing home now.’
    Mrs McIvor was wandering in and out of the room. ‘I’ll get the police to you.’
    ‘I suppose you’re right. But I’ve wanted so much to look after her with the patience and love she always gave me. I felt I owed it to her.’
    ‘It’s too much for you, Doris. Far too much. You know it is. The very best thing for your mother now is to get her into a good nursing home. You can visit her every day. And she’d be happy there. She’d have company and be well looked after. She’d be much happier, I’m sure. And you’d be happier too.’
    ‘But what’ll Alec say?’
    ‘Oh, for pity’s sake, Doris. Give me his address. I’ll write to him and tell him the desperate urgency of the situation. I’ll tell him that if he doesn’t respond and do something, I’ll get the police – something desperate like that. I’ll think of some kind of threat.’
    ‘You’ve done so much for me already, Mae. Would you really write and tell him the truth about how Mum is?’
    ‘Of course.’
    Doris wiped at her eyes. ‘All right. I’ll wait until he gets your letter.’
    ‘I’ll write the letter tonight and post it tomorrow. But Doris, are you sure you’ll be all right until you hear from him?’
    ‘I’ll get the police to you.’
    ‘Yes, all right, Mum.’ Doris spoke to her mother through gritted teeth and made Mae all the more worried about leaving her.
    ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right, Doris? Look, I’ll wait until you give your mother her medication. Give her an extra dose to make her sleep.’
    Doris nodded and went to fetch the necessary tablets. At least her mother dutifully swallowed them over. Mae waited until the old woman was nodding off to sleep and then she helped Doris tuck her safely into bed.
    ‘Thank you so much.’ Doris’s voice trembled as she saw Mae to the door. Mae gave her an affectionate hug.
    ‘Everything’s going to be all right soon. Just cling to that thought.’
    Once back in her own house, she wished she had such a thought to cling to. She was sure Doris’s life was bound to get better. Her own life was sinking into the abyss of hell.
    She was desperately trying to gather five pound notes but was she going to have enough before the robbers broke in?

21
    Mahmood had not minded in the slightest when his young son Mirza asked if he could bring Sandra Arlington-Jones in for tea. Indeed, he had been delighted.
    ‘Welcome. Welcome,’ he’d told Mirza and then Sandra. His wife Rasheeda had made a nice cup of tea for their young guest and also produced