“Mary, quick! I just saw your daughter-in-law at the shop. She was buying rat poison. Two packets! Said she had mice, but I know there arent any at yours!” Marys legs nearly gave way. So that was her plangetting the house sorted for herself.
“Barney, old boy,” Mary sighed, stepping into the yard with a bowl of porridge. “Just you and me left in this whole wide world.” The dog lifted his head, licked her hand gratefully, and dug into his food. Mary Elizabeth was sixty-five but looked youngerstrong, straight-backed, with neatly tied silver hair. Only her eyes betrayed the grief she carried, a deep sorrow frozen in them.
Six months ago, James had died in a motorbike crash. Hed bought the “iron horse” for his fortietha lifelong dream, hed said. Mary had tried to talk him out of it, but what mother could refuse her son? A month later, the hospital called. Hed lost control on a bend.
After the funeral, Natalie took little Andrew and moved in with her parents in the city. At first, she rang, letting him talk to his grandma, but the calls grew fewer. Mary pressed for visitsshe had every right to see her grandsonbut Natalie made excuses: Andrew was ill, she was busy. Then she changed her number. Mary went to the address, but neighbors said Natalies family had sold up and moved awayno one knew where.
“Oi, Mary!” a voice called over the fence. “Still alive?” It was Peter Wilson, their sprightly seventy-year-old widowed neighbor. He and her late husband had been close, and after he passed, Peter kept an eye on Mary.
“Alive and kicking, Peter. Where else would I be?” Mary smiled. “Come in for a cuppa.”
“Tea can waitoff to town for the chemist and groceries. Need anything?”
“No, Im all right.”
“Sure? Youve been holed up like an owl. Not good, love. Life goes on.”
After Peter left, Mary wandered back inside. Photos lined the hallwayher whole life laid bare. There she was, young and glowing on her wedding day. James taking his first steps. Then grown-up James with Natalie and baby Andrew. All smiling, happy.
She sighed and headed to the kitchen. The day dragged. The telly droned, but she couldnt focus. She tried knitting, but her hands wouldnt cooperate. In the end, she went to bed early, hoping sleep would bring forgetfulness.
“Mum! Mum!”
Marys eyes flew open. James stood thereyoung, grinning, wearing that checkered shirt shed bought him for his birthday.
“Jamie!” she choked out. “My boy!”
“Dont cry, Mum. I came to warn you. Be careful. Evils close, right beside you. Keep safe.”
“What? What evil? Jamie!” But he was already fading into the dawn mist. Mary woke in tears. Outside, cockerels crowed. The dream felt reallike hed truly visited.
She washed her face in cold water and stepped outside. The morning air was crisp. Mist rose over the river in the distance, so beautiful it made her heart ache.
“Granny Mary! Granny Mary!” A nine-year-old girlLucy, her late friends granddaughterraced to the gate. Lucys parents had died in a car crash two years back, and she lived at the local childrens home. Mary visited often, bringing treats and helping with homework.
“Lucy, love! Why so early?”
“Were off potato-picking at Farmer Browns. Just came to say goodbyeback in a week.”
“Wait.” Mary dashed inside and returned with a bag. “Herecabbage pasties, apples from the garden, and some sweets. Share with the others.”
“Thank you!” Lucy hugged her tight. “Love you!”
“Love you too, poppet. Take care.”
As Lucy left, Mary watched her go. How often shed thought of taking the girl in! But a pensioner living alone? No chancethey wanted stable families, proper incomes, medical checks. What family did she have left?
The day passed in choresweeding, feeding the chickens, cooking. By evening, she was knackered and turned in early. Then the dream came again.
This time, James stood by the gate, waving frantically.
“Dont let her in!” he yelled. “Mum, dont! Danger!”
Mary woke to hammering at the door. Half ten at nightwhod visit so late?
“Whos there?” she called, not opening up.
“Mary, its meNatalie. Let me in, please!”
Natalie? Mary opened the door. Her daughter-in-law stood theredisheveled, clutching a big bag, clothes rumpled.
“Sorry its late. Im in troublemy house burned down. Barely got out.”
“Good Lord! Andrewwhere is he?”
“With my parents. Theyve taken him to the seaside. Mary, can I stay? Just till I sort things out.”
Mary studied her. Natalie had never been warm, and after James died, shed avoided her. Now here she was, midnight on the doorstep.
*”Dont let her in!”* Jamess warning echoed.
But how could she turn away someone in needfamily, no matter how strained?
“Come in,” Mary sighed. “Jamess rooms free.”
At first, Natalie kept to herselfhelped with chores, cooked, even went shopping. Mary began to think shed misjudged her. Maybe grief had changed her?
“Your place is lovely, Mary,” Natalie said over supper. “So peaceful. The citys chaosthis is bliss.”
“Plenty of room. Stay as long as you need.”
But a week later, Natalie changed. She stopped helping, lazed about on the sofa glued to her phone, demanded special meals.
“Mary, could we move the telly to my room? Its a faff coming to the lounge.”
“Take the one from my bedroomI dont watch it.”
“Have you checked the house deeds? Best be sure everythings in order. I could helpI used to work at a solicitors.”
Mary stiffened. Why would Natalie care about deeds?
“No need, thanks. Alls fine.”
Natalie scowled and left. That night, James came again.
“Mum, shes up to no good. Be careful. Dont eat or drink what she makes. Stay safe.”
“Jamie, what do I do? Throw her out? Shes Andrews mum!”
“Andrews safe. Youre not. Remember that.”
Next morning, Mary woke heavy-headed. Natalie was already in the kitchen.
“Morning! Made porridge and coffee. Sit down.”
“Thanks, later. Chickens first.”
Outside, Mary pondered. Was Natalie really scheming? Then Peter appeared by the fence.
“Alright, love? Youve gone quiet.”
“Just thinking.”
“Heard your daughter-in-laws back. Hows that?”
“Staying for now. Says her place burned down.”
Peter frowned. “Odd. I was in town, ran into Nick Redfordworks at that firm Natalie was at. Says she got sacked six months back for stealing.”
“No fire either. She was shacked up with some bloke who chucked her out. Thats why shes here.”
Mary went cold. The dreams had been warnings.
“Cheers, Peter. Needed to hear that.”
“Watch your back, love. No telling what shes after.”
The next days, Mary stayed alertcooked her own meals, kept an eye on Natalie, who grew bolder. She rearranged the house, invited friends over.
“Mary, this place is huge. Why not rent rooms? Extra income.”
“Dont need money. Need peace.”
“Peace this, peace that! Live a little! You could even remarryPeters single. Widower and widow, perfect match.”
Mary said nothing but notedNatalie wanted her gone. But how?
The answer came unexpectedly. Peter rushed over one morning.
“Mary, quick! Saw Natalie at the shopbuying rat poison. Two boxes! Says youve got mice. But you havent!”
Marys knees buckled. So that was itget rid of her and take the house.
“What do I do, Peter?”
“Play dumb but stay sharp. If anythings off, come straight to me.”
That evening, Natalie was oddly sweet.
“Mary, I baked apple pieyour favourite. And herbal tea.”
“Ta, love. Set it out, Ill be there.”
Upstairs, Mary texted Peter: *Its started. Be ready.*
In the kitchen, Natalie poured teatwo mugs. The pie sat sliced on a plate.
“Eat upitll go cold.”
Mary sat but didnt drink.
“You know, Natalie, James came
