Sunflowers & Sins

Chapter 3

. . . . . .

Barnswell Holdings began as a company when Evelyn's father, Josh Barnswell had quit his job as a junior manager in a road haulage firm…

'This is not for me,' he had moaned to himself – a job he'd taken up after leaving the army where he had served in the medical profession, not as a doctor but in the many administrative roles available at the time, having started off as a male nurse in the RAMC – the Royal Army Medical Corps. He had a soft spot and admiration for those who had looked after, and continued to do so, servicemen and servicewomen, but mostly men it had to be admitted, suffering the effects and injuries of several minor conflicts taking place around the world at the time. From this he had decided that one day, he would set up his own establishment that looked after those reaching the twilight of their years - and if they were ex-forces, even better.

Josh was a good organiser; he and Mrs Barnswell, toiled together expanding he business to fit the ever-growing need. But calamity struck when she succumbed to breast cancer leaving a gaping hole in his life. For a while he was inconsolable, but the business would not run itself and into the breach stepped their daughter, Evelyn...almost straight from school. Evelyn had already spent a great deal of time at weekends as a family 'helper' at the home while schooling, assisting her parents, even if it was only to visit and keep company some of the residents.

She too, had a strong leaning toward the caring profession taking her cue and genes from her father. At the time of her mother's passing, as well as helping out in the care home, she was also part-timing in Mrs Dimpson's greengrocers-c*m-florists...the kind of learning job she had reckoned would help her one day in the future and, with some experience, to open her own little shop. This was an enterprise that had always figured in her life-map.

Evelyn loved flowers.

Mrs Dimpson, a lady in her forties or fifties - Eve couldn't really tell then, she was just 'old' to her and who would only respond to the name 'Dimps', had taken Eve under her wing when she was part-timing, grateful for the willing help after she too, had lost her husband some time back. As we see, Evelyn had always liked fauna; as a child she had spent many an hour in the large garden of her parent's house getting to grips with fuchsia, petunia and frilly-broom-begonias. Her favourites changed as she grew and in summer, especially summer, it would be the sunflowers . She loved them... 'Love them the best!' she had told her father when she was only knee-high.

Another season it would be lavender, then she would take a liking to 'Busy Lizzie' and also the lovely, beautiful 'Candy Canes'. She was in the habit of talking to them too... 'Hello Marigold – how are you?'…and, 'Aren't you big and bright today?' towards her favourites...the sunflowers; yes, they were definitely her favourites. She was thrilled when the family had taken a short holiday in Madeira to see the fabulous Spring Flower Festival…she loved the variety and wonderful colours.

In the very early days, between Evelyn, her father, and Dimps, they ensured that the Care Home was always festooned with plants; the old folk loved it. Josh also struck up a close relationship with the vicar and his wife who visited often and who, when needed, could be relied upon to say the right blessings to those of who felt they needed comfort and encouragement in their twilight years; just somebody to talk to. Josh would point them in the appropriate direction…

‘I think Mrs Staples would like…….’ Josh would say – ‘She’s in the ‘Tulip’ room…’ and off Vicar Lee would trundle, sometimes with Mrs Lee, sometimes not, while Josh shared with them all talk and gossip, mostly with Mrs Lee, over a cup of tea – they seemed to work well as a pair in providing comfort in and around the home to the residents, a closeness that did not go unnoticed by Eve who detected a certain frisson between the two.

'She's a very nice lady, isn't she?' Eve had commented while giving her father a look of 'notice'.

'Indeed, she is – very helpful – she certainly knows how to get on with our old folk,' he had replied without picking up on Eve's loaded comment. This association with the vicar and his wife also helped keep the church in colour when the sun came out – to match the brilliant rhomb of light from the stain-glassed portals and windows.

This arrangement continued through the years…

Yes, she liked her time with Dimps and was sorry to leave when she had to help her dad. But maybe one day, thought Eve. One day...my own shop.

Eve quickly learnt the ropes and soon became indispensable. Courses were attended and accreditations gained as her role grew. It was during this episode that she quickly learnt about officialdom – and those who needed 'nice talk' – those who were straight, those that needed to be taught the ‘Foxtrot Oscar’ dance – and those smarmy male types, who, on realising they might be dealing with a woman, would try it on. But dad was there…if needed.

The enterprise enjoyed success: Josh was an organiser, a good manager and a man who could talk effortlessly to all classes - who made sure that all who were employed there in an administrative or management position, spent at least a little time 'on the floor' with the staff. It was a well sought-after Care Home.

But one day Josh was no longer with us...a heart-attack had taken him away suddenly, unexpectedly. No warning.

Eve was broken. Even her first pet dog, Tilly - a Collie, knew something was wrong...she would normally sit in her allocated pen in the home's garden while waiting for the centre of her doggie universe to take her out for her lunchtime walk.

For Eve, now in her late 20s, the time spent assisting her father had ensured that she was well established and confident in being able to take on the responsibility; nevertheless, she was still very young for a care home manager. For one brief moment Eve had considered quitting – handing it over to someone else to do the managing, or some faceless organisation but as she looked around at those she looked after, decided against it.

Eve took control keeping very much to her father's formula. For nigh on fifteen years she continued - it was hard work, but she was determined to make it a success by sticking to the proper caring tenets. During this period her first love, T illy , had passed away leaving her once more bereft; what a companion she had been, always there always happy to see her, so she quickly took on another lovely pup – a splitting image of Tilly ....and calling her Cleo . Her new companion stabilised her life and sanity.

However, as the 'Holdings’ acquired more care homes, usually for the benefit of all those who had served either in the Armed Forces, police, or others of similar background, Eve realised it was too much for her and relinquished the absolute control she always had up until that time. A recommended outside group took over the general running of the Holdings, allowing Eve to look after some of the tactical elements rather than any strategic considerations. A 'Board' was appointed, a board that respected both Eve's legacy (from her father) and her sterling efforts so far in avoiding the scandals currently affecting the industry. She was determined to keep her residents as happy as possible - by employing the best staff she could find...a high staff turnover was symptomatic of an unhappy enterprise. And she had not forgotten her time with Dimps. One of the many steps Eve took was to maintain the set up and arrangement where Dimps supplied the Care Home with fresh flowers and even local vegetable produce. Everybody appreciates flowers, don't they?

It was while she was coming through a minor reorganisation that she began to look to her previous dream, never far away in her mind, which was now relegated to a Plan B - for some time in the future.

Had her parents lived longer she had always envisaged buying, or setting up, a small business dealing with plants, flowers and possibly becoming a small grocery or Florist just like Mrs Dimpson’s, but somewhere else, not too far away. Yes - she wanted to be a shopkeeper one way or another and to hell with Napoleon, to be her own boss free from 'this and that' department, free from council officialdom...and free from the myriad of mind-numbing rules and regulations that just seemed to flow continuously in her direction from 'up there somewhere' towards Barnswell Holdings - some silly factory set up just to churn out stupid regulations that made your life misery; rules formulated by people who were usually 'nine-to-fivers'...and only 5 days a week, who never got their hands dirty. Oh yes, she realised that even on her own, there would inevitably be someone 'on her back' demanding this 'n that. There always was.

Now that she was on her own with no Josh as back-up, she really began to find out who were the players in officialdom, the bad ones, and the occasional good egg. The bad ones weren't criminals – they were usually just full of self-importance or people who interpreted obscure rules from Bratislava or Outer Mongolia down to the ' n 'th degree. Then there was the commercial fraternity as mentioned before – the plumbers, the builders. Eve soon got to know them well...one even offering to take her on a weekend to Paris – if she gave him the contract he was after.

Just an offer of sex...no thank you; if she'd had more time she might have been flattered - she had met these types many times before and had learnt how to deal with them. Subconsciously schooled, perhaps by years of association with her father and how he had dealt with difficult or unwelcome officialdom - in her case unwelcome attentions - she had come to bear herself with the calm self-assurance of a woman of her responsible position. And if normally she was of an official presence that commanded some respect, she had not forgotten how to display an endearing gaiety, part of the secret that rendered her popular. As for those who persisted she simply overspread her resentment by a serene coolness...

But possessing her own shop and running her own enterprise had always been in her mind, stored at the back of her head somewhere.

Not yet though – not yet. Far too early, build up a little capital first because the job she had, she liked; she was almost like a 'player manager'...keeping a 'hand in' and not getting too remote from the daily 'goings on'. The money – well, she was 'comfortable' - as Jessie kept reminding her and she gained considerable satisfaction knowing she provided a vital service.

Cousin Jessie

On the other side of the family fence.......

Josh had a sister, Marge, who married badly...to Jed. If you could consider Josh's marriage and career a success, you could not say the same for Marge and Jed. Constant arguments were the norm as far as Josh could tell, usually about money, other women, or other men...but they did produce Jessie, although Josh, and possibly Jed too, often wondered about her paternity.

Jessie was indulged in the wrong things - and neglected in others. Josh could see this, but how do you point this out to your sister without 'rifting' the family? And there was, it seemed, always an element of envy that came from Jed's side of the family, aimed obviously at Josh and his nicely behaved daughter...whereas Jessie was often on the wrong side of the rules and wilful with it.