Gilly continued.
"That afternoon, when Karl and Dolly were away, a team of lawyers, social workers and police arrived at their house, along with Harold's doctor. There were even a couple of photographers recording video of the whole proceedings. There was a big convoy of cars parked outside. There was a large van too. It was a mobile office.
The social worker knocked on the door. Clare answered it, and directed them to Harold's room. She was expecting them. Harold had had a long talk with her. She understood the situation and The lawyers and doctors trooped into the room.
The doctor went in first. Harold greeted him with a smile and tried to get up.
"Harold, that's ok. Just lie down please. I will do a quick check on you," the doctor waved him down,"We have a some folks from social services, the police and a couple of lawyers. They will speak to you in just a bit."
The doctor did a quick check of Harold's vital signs. He was weak but lucid, clear in speech and thought. The lead social worker asked him a few questions and inquired if he was OK talking to the lawyers sent by Billy. Harold clearly stated his assent. The lawyer asked if Harold would be willing to accept him as his own lawyer? Harold nodded his acceptance. Then suddenly he smiled and said loud and clear,"Yes, I accept you as my lawyer. I want you to represent me. Thank Billy for me, please."
They clarified a few more details clearly and loudly with many officially looking on and everything being recorded.
The lawyers and social workers all conferred on a plan together. Someone pulled out a walkie-talkie, spoke briefly into it and said."The ambulance is on its way. Harold, let's help you pack."
A couple of people came forward. Harold pointed to two large bags and boxes.
"There are a few more boxes in the garage. Clare can show you," he said. Clare was in the hallway outside the now crowded room.
The social workers spoke to Clare who guided them to Harold's belongings. Someone from the mobile van outside came in and handed a few copies of neatly stapled sheaves of legal documents. One social worker handed a few to Clare, set near the front door.
Shortly, a private ambulance pulled up outside. A small team came out of it. Soon, with speed and efficiency, Harold was wheeled away in a stretcher into the ambulance. His belongings were placed in another car. He gave Clare a hug and kiss. She waved to him, smiling, but with tears streaming down her cheeks. Harold's eyes moistened too. He said,"Hope to see you soon, dear. Come visit me."
The entire proceedings had taken about half an hour. Clare shut the door behind them. The legal and police team left a fat envelope at the door outside. The convoy moved out.
Clare then went inside and called Dolly at work over the telephone. Dolly who received the call was surprised.
"Is everything OK at home? Are you ill or something?" asked Dolly, worried.
"No, I am fine, the house is OK, but Harold is gone.." Clare started to explain, but Dolly cut her off.
"Look, if that old man decides to go out and create drama when he is ill, I cannot come and babysit him. Don't bother me with such. He will come back the way he went. Don't disturb me at work for silly things," Dolly was cross.
"But... He went with these people who came and..." Clare tried to tell her.
"Oh, for heavens' sake girl! Let me work in peace. If you are OK and the house did not catch fire or flood, don't bother me now!!" Dolly hung up the phone.
Clare tried to call Karl next. He was away at lunch outside with his friends. A receptionist at the office asked to take down a message. She asked if Clare was OK, or ill or if was there an emergency at home. When Clare said that was not the case, she made a note and said Karl would get back to her when he returned to work. Karl came back after an hour, saw the note and asked if Clare had called again. Since she had not he assumed it was something that was not important. He decided to wait checking up and see for himself as he planned to leave work a little early that day.
It must have been a great surprise when Karl and Dolly got home that evening. Karl was first. He was startled to see the documents left behind. Karl called the phone numbers listed on the documents and spoke to various people who explained everything to him. Legally, Harold was capable of making a decision to move out and no one could stop him. Everything had been done in a proper legal fashion, supervised by appropriate authorities. Harold was now in a fancy nursing home. Dolly too was surprised when she returned shortly. She was about pile on to Clare about disturbing her at work for nothing at all, when she saw Karl with papers in his hand. She knew something was the matter. Upon hearing the news about, she too was not too upset.
Clare dreaded the interrogation. She had discussed this with Harold and decided to be quiet about her feelings for Billy or collusion with Harold. Luckily, Karl and Dolly did not suspect her of any deep involvement. They were stunned, but in some sense relieved to be free of any responsibility towards Harold from then on. They however threw words around loudly,"Ungrateful! wretch!", "Good riddance", "that old coot." In some ways they seemed thankful that Billy had spared them possibly the responsibility and unpleasant last stages of caring for Harold.
Clare noted however that more than the surprise of Harold leaving, the news about Billy's wealth seemed to have stunned the two. The could not seem to get over the fact that the 'sneaky little bast***d' had kept the news hidden from them. They were clever enough to figure that he must be quite wealthy to be able to afford what he had done, but still had no idea to Billy's real worth. Clare too did not know, but she knew Billy was no longer the scared, timid young man he seemed to be. She guessed he was wealthier than Karl and Dolly, perhaps as much at the Johnsons who lived at the corner. They were known in the neighbourhood for having paid off their mortgage fully many years ago and living the good life from the earnings of their three children - two tradesmen and a nurse! They were the envy of the families in the area.
Late that evening, they received a phone call from Billy. Dolly answered the phone.
"Who is it? What do you want?" she asked in her usual brusque tone. At first she did not recognise Billy's "Hello!". Then as she realized in shock the gall he apparently had calling them that same day, she wanted to really tell him off. But strangely, upon hearing his confident but polite voice identifying himself and asking if she and Karl could make time to meet him in a little while, Dolly's demeanour and tone changed. She could not get herself to sound angry at a young man who was much wealthier than her. She was surprised at herself, how her response sounded.
"Of course. Come on by. We are here and would like to talk to you Billy."
Karl's jaw tightened upon hearing Billy's name. He too was surprised to hear that Billy wanted to come over and chat with them.
"He has some chutzpah, that rascal, ready to walk into the lion's den! Yes, I would like to see him," he growled.
"Look, Karl. Be careful how you talk and what you say. He is not alone now. He apparently has a lot of powerful people with him. I don't know how he is suddenly rolling in the money now. Could be with the mob or something. Just calm down and don't show your anger or anything, until we find out more about him. Remember, he has saved us a heap of expenses and trouble by taking away that old coot," Dolly looked Karl in the eyes, waving her finger at him and told him firmly to behave. Karl seemed to quickly fold, apparently from habit."
Copyright (c) Kannan Narayanamurthy 2016
All rights reserved
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