Chapter Forty-One
Contains spoilersOverview
Martha confronted Al after he returned late, smelling of wine and appearing shaken. Al revealed he had lied for years about his parents, admitted he is estranged from his still-living mother, and explained that neighbors reported her wandering due to likely dementia, forcing him to assume responsibility and costs. Martha privately noted inconsistencies—his inactive car tracker, lack of contact, and drinking—but withheld probing given the news. They agreed he would check on his mother after Christmas, and Al asked only for comfort and a glass of wine.
Summary
Al arrived home around eight in the evening, smelling of wine and looking dazed. When Martha pressed him, Al became tearful and said he had received a call from neighbors of his mother. This shocked Martha, who believed Al’s mother was dead.
Al confessed he had lied when they met, claiming his mother was dead and his father alive, when in fact the opposite had been true. He explained that he is estranged from his mother because she blamed him for the death of his abusive father, a GP who had harmed Al in childhood. His mother disinherited him, left assets to cousins’ children, and locked him out of the family home when he was twenty-one. He has not seen her for over thirty years.
Al reported that his now eighty-five-year-old mother had been found wandering in a neighbor’s garden in her nightdress after her door shut behind her. The neighbors contacted Al, though he lives 120 miles away. He said she appears to have dementia, is unpleasant, and has no one else to help. He anticipated frequent trips and immediate expenses for her care.
Martha asked why his mother’s wealth could not fund her care. Al said his mother has assets, but he lacks power of attorney and, with an impending dementia diagnosis, securing authority will be difficult; in the short term, he must cover costs himself. Martha outwardly sympathized but inwardly questioned the smell of wine, his failure to call or message, his omission to tell Milly at the shop he was leaving, and, most troubling, the day-long inactivity of the tracker on his car, which she knew would require physical destruction to disable.
Studying Al, Martha saw only fatigue, worry, and affection, with no hint that he knew she had been tracking him. She chose not to challenge him further, given the timing and gravity of his news. They discussed Christmas: a neighbor would host his mother on Christmas Day, and Al planned to go up on Boxing Day if needed.
Al even suggested putting a tracker on his mother to monitor her wandering. The remark chilled Martha, but Al’s demeanor stayed gentle. Martha offered to help and asked not to be shut out. Al embraced her, praised her, and asked for a cuddle on the sofa and possibly a glass of wine. Martha refrained from asking about the wine he had already had.
Who Appears
- Martha
partner to Al; confronts him, notes suspicious details (inactive car tracker, wine, lack of contact), but chooses to support him.
- Al (Alistair)
Martha’s husband; reveals long-standing lies about his parents, describes estrangement and his mother’s likely dementia, anticipates taking responsibility and costs, proposes visiting after Christmas.
- Al’s mother
new; eighty-five, estranged from Al, reportedly unpleasant, likely has dementia, was found wandering; holds assets but no power of attorney in place.
- Al’s father
discussed; deceased GP who abused Al; his death led to family rupture and disinheritance.
- Neighbor(s) of Al’s mother
new; reported her wandering, plan to host her on Christmas Day, offer interim oversight.
- Milly
mentioned; colleague at the shop whom Al did not inform before leaving.