Forgive and Forget

Lady Siron Roberts drove her Bentley to her reserved parking bay.

Another car stood in her place.

She couldn't believe someone had the nerve to park their rattle-trap. Piece of junk. In her parking place. Furious. With the unknown upstart who dared to take the park of Lady Siron Roberts. She skidded the car tyres on the loose gravel. Sped down the row nearly colliding with another car. She swung into an empty parking bay.

She slammed the car door. Marched down the row to where she usually parked. She was shocked to find her name had been taken from the wall. The sign had been replaced with the name of another. Her temper rose another notch. She managed to keep it under control.

“Morning. Elizabeth.” Lady Roberts forced a smile. While she spoke to a friend. A co-worker.

“Humph.” Elizabeth walked away. She had looked at her like she had turned into a bag lady who had never washed. Not a wealthy lady who had respect of her peers.

Other friends. Co-workers. Whispered to each other when Lady Roberts walked into the building. They stopped. Stared at her with revolution then quickly moved on before they were contaminated with her crime. They knew of the charges of her crime she'd be facing when she walk into the conference room. Someone had accused her of these misdemeanour.

“Morning. Helen,” she greeted one woman who came to stop near Siron. Not a smile cracked on her face. Or a greeting. “How are you this lovely morning,” came out from behind clenched teeth. She didn't want to demand why she was being treated like she had the plague.

“Madam Chairperson would like you to see her in the conference room. Straight away,” Helen emphasised, then turned to lead the way to the room.

“Is there a problem?” Siron increased her usually dainty steps to keep astride with Helen.

“I'm only the messenger. I drew the short straw.” Helen opened the door. Led the way into the room, not affording Lady Siron Roberts her proper due being a Lady.

All eyes present stared at Siron. Some unwelcome. Not a friendly face to be found. In a short span of time, she had become the enemy.

“Morning. Ladies. What has happened around here this morning. There have been some changes since, yesterday.”

“The Crown of Empress Veron has been removed from the showcase. I have notified the police about the disappearance. They want to ask you a few questions,” Madam Chairperson announced in her stern voice.

“Why me. I didn't know the crown was missing.”

“Everyone else have accounted for their movements. You were seen near the display case admiring the crown for a long time, yesterday.”

“I glanced at the crown in passing. I tried to imagine how anyone was able to keep the monstrosity on their head. I didn't take it.” Siron was mortified she had been accused of the crime she had not committed.

“It has been brought to our attention you were seen taking the crown from the building,” Madam Chairperson told Siron. “Because of this theft. You are no longer welcome in this museum. Hand over your badge.” Her wrinkled, bejewelled hand, she held it out for the badge to placed in it.

Siron smiled. She unclipped the badge. She let it slip from her fingers to the floor where she stepped on it with her shoe. Crushed it to pieced. Rubbed it into the carpet. She turned then went to storm out of the room. She opened the door to find two police officers were standing waiting for her. They took her away.

At the police station Siron had to go through the indignity of being searched. Questioned. Fingerprinted. Photographed to have her picture placed in their files. The police obtained a warrant to search her home, and car, for the stolen property, while she was held at the police station.

No matter how long the police badgered her with questions. Siron sat with a secret smile on her face. “I don't have the crown. I didn't take it.”

“But you know who did, don't you,” one of the officers finally surmised. “Why don't you tell us what you know?”

“I. Did not. See. The crown being stolen. I don't know where it is,” she persisted with a tough stand in the face of adversity.

“You can go home if you tell us what you know.”

“I hope you left my daughter's room the way you found it. She knows if any of her mess has been disturbed.” She slowly rose from her chair with much dignity she was able to muster to stroll toward the door.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“To do your job of finding the real thief.” She still held her smile in place. She quietly closed the door.

Lady Roberts was enthroned in her lounge room when her daughter arrived home bubbling over with happiness.

“Look at the beautiful necklace Danny gave me.” Jessica held the necklace away from her body for her mother to see. She didn't see the savage look in her mother's eyes before the necklace was grabbed. The delicate chain snapped from the force her mother used to remove it from around her neck.

“Ouch.” Jessica cried at the pain the pulled chain had caused before it broke. “What did you do that for. Give me back my necklace.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. She was disappointed with her mother's reaction. Jessica made a grab for the hand from which the necklace dangled.

Lady Roberts snatched back her arm. Rolled her arm over like bowling a cricket ball. She sent the offending necklace sail through the air to have it land out of sight.

“I hate, you,” cried Jessica. She unsuccessfully searched for her treasure.

“You can hate me all you like. My girl. You are to have nothing to do with Danny. I forbid you to go near him ever, again.”

“You never did like Danny. You're a snob. You don't Like Danny because his family isn't rich. I'm going to live with Danny, if he'll let me. He appreciates me. He loves me. You don't love anyone but yourself.”

“At least I'm not a criminal. Even though. I've been treated like one all day. It isn't fun being hauled down to the police station to be fingerprinted. Have a mug shot taken. Have my body searched. And treated like a leper because someone had accused me of a crime I didn't commit.”

“What are you rabbiting on about. Why were you at the police station. It's a wonder you know there are such things outside your silver cloud.”

“I was dragged into a police car. I spent hours being. Grilled. I think the word is. You want to know why.” Jessica stared at her mother like she had never seen her before. “I'll tell you. Your wonderful Danny's mother. Has accused me. Me of all people. Of stealing a valuable crown from the museum. Is that how Danny can afford to buy you such a valuable gift?”

“You have a nasty mind. Why would his mother steal the crown. She earns money by working.”

“Dealing in stolen goods. Selling them on the black market?”

“I hate you,” echoed through the house when Jessica ran from the house to go to find Danny. Jessica was unaware she was being followed. She hadn't believed the story her mother had told her. Danny's mother was a thief.

She raced all the way to the home of Danny. Te trip took longer than usual because she kept running into objects. Blinded by the tears streaming down her face.

Jessica banged on the front door. She kept banging until the door was answered by his mother. “Hello.”

“Where's Danny,” Jessica shouted, not wanting to speak to his mother.

“He's in.”

“Danny. Danny,” Jessica yelled. She pushed her way past his mother to find him.

Danny came rushing from his room to find Jessica running toward him. “What happened?” She rushed into his arms. “Where's your necklace? Did you lose it?”

“Mother took it. Threw it away.” Jessica lifter her head to look at his mother. “Maybe you should ask your mother why?”

“My mother. Why would my mother know?” He looked from Jessica to his mother. “Would one of you tell me what's going on.”

“How would I know?” The defiant look said his mother wouldn't talk.

Danny looked at Jessica for her to answer.

“I gather your mother is responsible for the police dragging my mother down to the police station”

Shock showed on his face. “What? What was the charge?”

“Theft. Some silly crown is missing from the museum.”

Danny looked at his mother with disgust. Disappointment. He shook his head. “How could you? You promised you wouldn't steal, again. So you fooled the doctors, once again. I'm ashamed to call you. Mother.”

“I didn't do it.”

“You say that every time. Promised me you'd never do it again. What else have you taken no one has missed. Yet.”

She made me do it. The snobbish. Bitch. She thinks she is better than me. I'm dog poo beneath her shoes. Now. She the dog poo. Let her suffer the indignity of having a police record.” Her temper rose with every word she spoke. She was ready to explode into action.

“I think you've said enough,” said the officer, who stepped through the open doorway. He was fol lowered by two others. “Cuff her.” She fought. Struggled. In the end she was cuffed ready to be taken away.

“Sorry about this, son. Would you have any idea where she might stash her booty?”

“You're welcome to search. I know the drill.” The officer shook his head at the defeated look on the boy's face. 'We'll go wait in the kitchen.”

The crown. And other pieces. Were found, finally. Bagged ready to be taken to the police station. Different pieces were spread throughout the house.

“We may have to return for another search if more pieces are found to be missing.”

“Take the key. I might not be here. She's had her last chance.”

“Where will you stay?”

“Don't know, yet. My first place to go will be to apologise to Lady Roberts for my mother's behaviour.”

Danny. And Jessica. Made their way to her home. They both had planned an apology to Lady Roberts. Holding hands. Jessica opened the door to her home. They walked into the lounge room to find Lady Siron Roberts enthroned on the couch with a glass in her hand sipping a drink.

“So you have chosen to return home. Are you here to stay?” She stared at Jessica.

“Lady Roberts. I've come to apologise for what my mother has done to you. She has been arrested. This wasn't her first time.”

“I'm sorry I didn't believe you, mother. I don't hate you. I was upset.”

Lady Roberts placed her drink on the coffee table. Stood. Walked out of the lounge room without saying another word. Jessica. And Danny. Stared at the retreating back. Moments later Lady Roberts returned with the vacuum cleaner. “I suppose we had better search for the necklace. Them make a room ready for Danny to sleep in.” The phone rang while Danny plugged in the socket. Jessica went to answer the phone.

“Mum. You are wanted on the phone.” Jessica put down the receiver. She went to help search for the necklace.

“Siron picked up the receiver. “Hello,” she said, thinking a reporter may have heard of her arrest.

There was a moment of silence before the caller spoke. “Siron,” spoke Helen, not wanting to make the call. “Madam Chairperson.”

“Helen,” Siron butted in before Helen had time to finish her spiral. “You can tell Madam Chairperson to take her gracious offer and shove it.”

“Mother,” said a shocked Jessica, hearing what her mother had to say.

“I'll no longer be supporting the museum with my donations. I have a more rewarding project in mind.” Lady Roberts slammed down the receiver.

After a long search the necklace was found. Together. Lady Roberts. Jessica. And Danny cleaned away the dishes then sat at the table to repair the necklace. Restore the faith in each other.