Everyone Was Deceiving My Brother, Yet It Was Vera Who Felt Betrayed…

Everyone deceived my brother, but somehow it was always me, Alice, who felt cheated

The shrill ring of the telephone shattered the stillness of the night.

Love, theres a fireour house, its burning. Through my mothers sobs, I could hear the snap and crackle of flames, distant shouting, panic.

Sleep vanished at once.

Mums house was about ten miles outside York, an old family homelarge but hardly modern. The city was ever-expanding, swallowing villages, and her little hamlet was slowly becoming a suburb. I started counting back, thinking how old that house really was how old it *had* been.

My great-grandfather had built it, then Grandad had added a summer floor above, and later it was updated, making the upper rooms warm enough to live in all year round.

Over time, the house stretched out along the lane, a conservatory tacked onto one side. From the outside, it looked solid enough, but looks were deceiving. In the winter, it was freezing and damp in the summer.

The place was rotting, crumbling away in silence. We all knew it. Really, it should have been pulled down, but Mum was stubbornit had to be renovated. She was the boss now, Dad was long gone, and the decision rested with her.

Weve only got enough for repairs, not a new-build.

Mum, why do you need such a big place? You could afford a smaller, cosier home now; there are even two-storey designs for far less. Youd have more space for your precious roses, I tried to persuade her.

You dont get it, Alice, my brother Richard always chimed in, Its our ancestral home, an inheritance, a manor evenwhatever you call it, we cant let it go. A thorough renovation and itll be as good as new.

Richard was always on Mums side, and Mum was always on his. My suggestions were a cause for bickering, even though I genuinely believed I was offering the best way forward for everyone.

Id come to accept this. Every time one of Richards grand ideas failedegged on by MumI just shrugged. Let them choose their own path.

If its to be a renovation, so be it, I would say.

But we need a bit of help from you, only if we fall short, Mum would add. I’ve got some money leftI sold that flat in Leeds your aunt left us. Whats the point of keeping it so far away?

You sold the Leeds flat? For the sake of all this? You couldve bought two new houses with that.

It was only half mine, dear; my share barely covered anything. The other half went to her son.

And you made him sell? You turfed your nephew out?

Dont be dramatiche bought my share. I took less than I wanted, but they couldnt pay more.

Mum! You dont need all that. You could have just

Just given it away? Ive got my own family.

Maybe youre right. I wont argue. Renovate if you must. If you dont need me, Ill be off.

A month passed before the phone rang in the middle of the night. The house was engulfed in flames. My husband, Michael, and I arrived to find only blackened ruins. Nothing left to rescue.

Alice, I think your mum could stay in one of our flats. The one-bedroom on Shakespeare Avenue is free again.

Ive considered it, but the flat is yours.

Alice, all the properties are ours. Your mum needs help. Yes, well lose the rental from one, but weve still got two othersand live in the third ourselves.

But this ones yours in particular.

Thats just paperwork. Everythings shared. Let your mum have it. Its furnished and has everything she needs. Well help her buy whatever else shes missing.

We moved Mum in and bought whatever she needed. One day, I dropped by for a visit, unannounced, with groceries. The television was onit was a set I knew well, the very one wed given Mum for her birthday. That wasnt supposed to have survived. The flat smelled of fresh coffee.

Mum, you said everything burned. Isnt that the telly we got you for your birthday? And is that coffee from your old machine?

What do you thinkI stole it? We moved everything out before the renovations. You were only told it all burned for the insurance. Whats wrong with that? The furnitures at Richards.

Hes got a new flat, but hasnt bought wardrobes or sofas. Your stuff was here, so they used it. Ive moved the last of my things from his place. He doesnt want my old sheets.

Richard bought a flat? How, with what?

I dont know. He bought it, thats all I know, I never asked.

I realised then Mum was hiding something from me. Shed never say, but the truth always has a way of surfacing. Id long accepted that Mum did everything for Richard.

Hed always been unlucky, everything went wrong for him, everyone tricked him. Yet, I always felt it was me being deceived. Something underhanded was going on this time too.

What about the ruins? Its a good plot, youve still got some money, and the insurance

Whats the use? Its all gone. Ill sell the landIve got a roof over my head now. Lucky to have a wealthy daughter, arent I? Its poor Richard whos unlucky, always in debt

Dont you want to buy yourself a flat now?

What for? Will you kick your own mother out then?

This is Michael’s flat.

You wont be any the poorer!

Maybe we should just rebuild the house. Everyone else in the village is living in new show homes.

No, my minds made up. Ill sell the land. The house always passed down to the men in the family, but Richard doesnt want ithe wants a city life, not the countryside.

I wont try to stop you.

Michael, Mum wants to sell the plot.

Well, thats her decision. Personally, Id rather build there if the chance came around again. Its a lovely spot, always liked it. Your dad used to love sitting beneath that old lime tree.

I was sad when it died. It felt like a signmaybe we should think about building there ourselves?

Id happily live in the countryside, love, especially since we used to dream about having our own house. The children would love it; theyd come back for visits even when theyre grown.

Youre a daydreamer.

Why not? Your mum could always move in with us later.

Well be the builders, but the lands still hers. If were going to do it, we need to buy the plot ourselves. Otherwise, we might regret it. Best to keep it legal, so she cant challenge it later. Dont forget, Ive got an unlucky brother.

Ill sort the land. Shell put it up for sale soon anyway. Maybe just ask upfront if shell sell it to us?

No, she wont sell directlyshell make it complicated.

Then well buy it, straight and simple

And why didnt you just ask me in the first place?

Mum, you need the money. Now youll be able to get yourself a proper flat. A good one.

She just grunted and let it lie. But she didnt rush to buy anything for herself.

Michael and I built our house, using every last bit of savings and taking out a mortgage. We handled the payments easily enough, with our salaries and the rent from the other flats.

Moving in made life easier still; we let out the third flat, the one wed been living in. Mum never bought her own placeshe handed her money to Richard, but he couldnt manage his mortgage anyway.

In the end, Mum never got her insurance payout. The fire was suspicious; nothing really burned, just the shell. The place had been emptied first, and set alight later. Nothing turned out as expected.

Mum would come visit.

Its lovely and spacious here. Richards place is crampedhis kids need their own rooms and hes only got two.

I did say they should get something bigger. And I always said you should have let us build sooner. Youd have been comfortable before the fire.

You did offer. Now Im offeringyou two should move back to York. You can have your flat back, Ill take over this house, and maybe Richard will live with me. The house belongs down the male line, after all, so he should have it in the end.

Are you serious? We built this house, and you think itll pass to Richard next? If the old place hadnt burned down hed have sold it off.

That would be his choice. Thats our tradition, its always been that way.

Tradition? The house is only eighty years oldwhat centuries are you talking about?

No point arguing. So, when do we swap?

Swap our house for our old flat? Is that what you mean, Mum? We only just changed your addressnothing more. We didnt even have to do that.

We know full well youre not buying a place for yourselfthe moneys all gone to Richard again. Any inheritance here will be different; Richard wont get this house.

Youve already got plenty, he never gets lucky!

Not lucky? The money from the Leeds flat sale went to him, hed have had the insurance too if it had come through. Everything from Dadgone to him: savings, even the car. He always loses out? While Im the rich one? Michael and I earned every penny of this! We did the work!

He cant help being too trusting. He keeps getting tricked!

Its always me left out in the cold, thats the truth. This house, this landits ours, legally bought and paid for. Richard wont ever live here, but youre welcome to visit.

One day, my cousin David came to stayhed travelled down from London.

I had to see your impoverished little family for myself! Auntie told me everyone was strapped for cash, yet look at this place!

Mum told you that? Of course

I had to take out a loan to manage, only just paid it back. Oh, by the way, AliceIve brought some earrings for you. Mum wanted me to hand them over personally.

And the rest? Auntie always said, even at the funeral, that my mum had promised her the family gold. I managed to hide a few things back then, but she searched everywhere.

I never really believed her at the time, but Ive brought the rest now. And these earringsMum said you must have them yourself. Think of it as a gift from Auntie.

Good job you hid them. Otherwise, itd all have gone to Richard. Nothing is ever enough for him. We work, and Mum just hands him everything!

Dont give them back. Theyre yoursyou can sell them if you need to. Mum was lying, I swear.

Really? Will you tell me the whole story?

I will, promise

Mum doesnt come round much nowadaysher legs give her trouble. Richards always busy, being duped by someone or other again. Michael and I have found our peace, the kids are happy, and David visits often. Life goes onand, in the end, each of us forges our own happiness the best way we know how.