Fred slammed the front door angrily and kicked it in frustration. As he swore silently, he heard his daughter's retreating footsteps halt.

"Dad, Dad let me come in, please." Annie's soft voice pleaded."Come on Dad, you know  we arranged the visit for today. It won't be so bad. It's only a visit. You don't have to stay there. Please Dad, I promise I'll bring you right back."

"No! Bugger off!" He growled through the closed door. "You're not putting me in no home to die!" He put the chain on the door and turned the lock. As he started shuffling back down the hall, he heard her tapping on the door.

"Dad I promise; come on love, open the door. We'll only be gone a couple of hours. We'll have lunch on the way back. What about a Pub lunch? That'll be nice won't it; we haven't had lunch for ages. Come on, Dad." Fred sighed, turned and went to the door, and leaned against it. He heard her breathing through the timber.

"You're not giving up are you, you bitch! You'll just bloody keep on! Just like your mother, you are!"

"That's right, Dad. Just like me Mum! I don't know why I spend so much time on you, Dad, I really don't. No matter what, when you call me, I drop everything and come running. I do Dad, I always do. What do I get when I come? Nothing but you pulling my strings all the bleedin' time! For two pins, Dad, I'd leave you to it! But I promised you when Mum died that I would always look after you, and I have. You can't deny that.
Are you coming or what?" She was annoyed with herself; he always got to her, the old bugger.

 For years he had been manipulating her since her mother died; every way he could think of. It had affected her marriage to Ken in tiny, subtle ways. Annie realised long ago that she had kept putting her Dad before Ken, but was powerless to change the pattern of her days. Ken was as trapped as she was. Ken was always kind and gentle with her about the way she tended to her father's needs; but she had seen over the years, the light dim in Ken's eyes; the heat of passionate, urgent loving so necessary to her, shrink; secondary to the needs of her father.

"If Dad could only look at the residential home, he might actually like it; might even want to move in. Maybe then she and Ken could salvage some of their marriage."

She thought morosely "No, he wouldn't do that, he didn't do much for Mum when she was alive. I s'pose I'll have to talk to Ken again about Dad coming to us. Ken won't like it much; but what has to be, must be."

She saw the door of Dad's home open and he stood there. Hat and coat on, walking stick on his arm.

"Come on then girl, time's wasting!" He said jauntily, "Get your act together."

"Dad! You'll be the death of me, yet!" Annie gasped "Get in the car before you change your mind." They went down the front path. Her Dad opened the gate and stood aside to let her pass first..

"Ooh, Dad, just the gentleman, you are!" She laughed, bobbing a mock curtsey.

"Enough of your lip, girl." He grinned. Ken got out of the car and opened the rear door. "Morning, Fred" he said with a small, tight smile.

"Morning, Ken." Fred mumbled as he got into the rear seat of the small car. " When you getting a bigger car, then?"

"When you leave me a million in your will, Fred." Ken replied, with a big grin this time. He glanced in the rear mirror at Fred, who winked back at him. Annie nudged Ken when she got into the passenger seat,"Don't tease him, you'll just make it worse!" She whispered. Ken just grinned at her. She never was able to understand that her Dad and he enjoyed a little sparring from time to time.

"She's a loving, kind woman but she don't have much of a sense of humour." Ken thought.

They drove in silence, each wrapped within their own thoughts.

Annie's thoughts were centred around how Dad was going to take the retirement home. She wanted him to like it; but would they care for him like she cared for him? Ken, concentrating on his driving, thought about Annie; what would she do with her days if she didn't have her Dad to run after?

Fred looked out of the window, summing up his life in his mind. He had been looked after all his life; by his mother, then his wife and now his only child, Annie. He liked it this way; why does it have to change? The Home won't be any good, he knew that. Living alone was getting more difficult now and he did need looking after; but Annie could do that. He would move in with her and Ken. Ken won't mind.
Ken's a good sort; never complains, easy to deal with.

Yes, he, Fred could be very comfortable at Annie and Ken's. Be easier for her, she wouldn't have to travel to his house every day to 'do' for him.

That's a good solution; I'll move in with them. I'll even give them some of my pension, yes, I'll do that. Contented, he settled back into the seat to enjoy the trip.

They went slowly up the drive to the Retirement Home. Fred was surprised how well set out it was, plenty of lawn and big trees. The reception area was part of a large, stone house surrounded by garden beds filled with a huge array of bright, flowering annuals. The entrance to the building was wide and sunny and level; Fred noticed with pleasant surprise, no steps and nothing to obstruct him and his stick. Very nice, he thought, very nice.

The girl at the desk smiled at them "You'll be Mr Williams, then."she said in her pleasant welsh voice " Right on time! I'll get Mrs Joyce for you, please sit down." She indicated the comfortable chairs placed against a near wall. Annie, Ken and Fred sat down, not speaking. Annie, nervous, sat on the edge of her chair glancing around her. Ken quietly slipped his hand over hers and gave gentle squeeze. She turned and gave him a small smile.
 
"Ah! Mr Williams and Mr and Mrs Edwards, welcome. Did you have a good trip? What a lovely day it is! Come, come with me into the office; only for a minute though, we'll have to be out and about you know, showing everything to you!" The voice, bundled with chuckles astounded the three. So much sound from a tiny bird like woman with bright, darting eyes! They were quickly directed into her office, and seated again. Fred was given some leaflets about the Retirement Home and was told to put them away as the tour would be much better. Hadn't they better come along with her now as there was so much to see. Presently, they would be able to have a cup of tea with some of the residents.
 
Mrs Joyce took them to the residential wing and showed them two large rooms, pleasantly furnished. One looked out on gardens at the rear of the house; the other looked out onto a small lake with ducks and geese grouped on the surrounding lawns. There were benches dotted around, some in the sun and others dispersed among shady Beech and spreading Oaks. The lawns were green and smooth, scenting of gentle chamomile. The house was permeated with that subtle aroma. Scents that filtered into Fred's memories, evoking scenes from childhood; bare feet running, scrabbling among chamomile lawns in Cornwall; whispering of childhood summers so joyous and so long past.

"One of these two rooms would be yours, Mr Williams. I will not ask you now; you need to have time to think." Mrs Joyce said kindly. "We'll go outside now and see the workshops."

"Workshops?" Fred said, a little startled "What kind?"

"Come and have a look. Mr and Mrs Edwards would you like to come with us, or would you prefer to wander around? Feel free to talk to anyone you wish; or just go and enjoy our ducks and geese, they're very spoilt you know!" Mrs Joyce laughed.

Ken said quietly, " I think we'll like that, Mrs Joyce, the ducks. You'll be alright, Fred, won't you?" Fred nodded. Ken took his wife's arm, gently turning her to him.

"Come on love, he's a big boy now." He whispered in her ear. Before she could protest, she was steered quickly down to the lake. Fred turned to Mrs Joyce and smiled a little wanly.

"You don't want to look at the workshops, do you?" Mrs Joyce said kindly. "Would you like to have another look at the two rooms?" Fred looked at Mrs Joyce, turned his head

"Nah, we'll go on, taking the tour." he turned, sharply away from Mrs Joyce, his terse reply masking his vulnerability.

"Come on then, Mr Williams let's proceed!" Mrs Joyce replied sprightly. She trotted down a path, pretty with leafy shrubs, toward some low lying buildings, not far from the place that Fred's Annie had left him.

Fred followed Mrs Joyce; his thoughts in confused circles. This  was supposed to be easy; they would come and view The Home, and then they would go back, calling into his favourite Pub for a lunch. He liked a lunch at the Pub. He could have nice bit of steak, Ken would be paying after all. The anticipated steak staled in his imaginary mouth. It  was soured and tainted by his unbidden thoughts. He brushed away the feelings and put his mind to following the silly little woman in front of him.

They followed the wide, winding path to a big shed set amongst more large trees. There were benches and tables and a barbecue, wood fired, Fred noted that with a tinge of approval; remembrances of Autumn feasts long ago, assaulting him. Happier times. Fred shrugged off the memories; they were uncomfortable, an irritant; sand between the toes.

Mrs Joyce led him into the shed, a shed humming with the sound of wood lathes.

 Fred shut his eyes, the sound in his ears was long forgotten music; he could taste the fine sawdust on his tongue; it tasted well. Unwilling to open his eyes, he shuffled his stick to keep the music playing. The satisfying hum of lathe spoke to him of bees busy working for the hive. Another piquant touch of past. The men in the shed waved at them, Mrs Joyce gave a gentle wave back. Fred ignored the men, who grinned and turned back to their work.

"I'll go back now," he rasped, his throat closing with  unexpected emotion "to the house I mean."

"Come with me then." Mrs Joyce responded, gentle voice low. "We will talk there."

They walked back up the path in silence, Mrs Joyce nodding occasionally to residents as they passed. Fred, lost in thought, stumbled slightly and jogged Mrs Joyce. He mumbled an apology and paid more attention to the pathway.

Inside the house,  Fred stopped. He looked around, uncertain of the way to the room he wanted to go to.

"This way, Mr. Williams," she said, taking his arm gently. He pulled his arm away.

"Nah, the one that looks onto the lake, not the other 'un." He grunted.
"That is where I was taking you, Mr. Williams" She said.
"Sorry." Fred murmured, embarrassed at his rudeness to this kind lady.
Mrs Joyce escorted him back to the room.
"Can I sit in here alone for a while Mrs Joyce?" He asked her, a touch kinder in his speech.

"I'm sorry, but I can't leave you alone; it is a matter of safety as you are a visitor here and not a resident." She apologised. Fred nodded. He stumbled over to a large, comfortable chair by the windows overlooking the lake. His legs felt weak and he was trembling inside. He didn't know what was happening to him. "Am I dying?" He thought. His hand went the pulse at his wrist, fast, but regular. Mrs Joyce pulled a chair close and sat beside him. She put hand on his arm, "Mr. Williams, you have had a few shocks today, and I think, if you look carefully out of the window toward the lake, I expect you are going to get another." Fred looked out down to the lake. His Annie and her husband Ken were tightly wrapped in each others arms; Ken was kissing his wife eagerly.. Annie was kissing Ken just as passionately.

All Fred's world crumbled, dust at his feet. All the pain, hardness and misery he nurtured for many years fell away like old rags. He turned toward Mrs Joyce,

"Can I stay?" His sour, lined  face crumpled, as tears coursed down his cheeks; not rivulets, but torrents. His body shook with the release. Mrs Joyce took him in her arms, amazingly strong for such a slight woman, and he sobbed.

"Mr Williams, you need to stop now and wipe your face, your daughter is coming back up this way." She handed him tissues quickly. "I'll go and stall them for a few minutes" She started to go out of the French windows, but turned back. "Of course you may stay, this is your room now." Then she was gone, down to Annie and Ken.

Fred hardly knew he was alone, he wiped his face roughly, disliking the paper tissues; a handkerchief man he was and always would be, he thought. "Enough of that grumping, Fred. Today's a new day, perk up!" He chided himself.

Annie and Ken came through the opening into the room as Fred quickly crumpled the tissues in his hands. Annie rushed to her Dad.

"Dad, whatever's the matter, are you sick?" Annie fussed, anxiously touching and checking her father. Fred smiled at Ken and winked. "Get away girl, you're smothering me!" Fred grinned. He got up from the chair, put his arms around Annie and Ken, "I'm staying here." he said simply. "This is my home now. Ain't it Mrs Joyce!"

"Yes, yes it is, Fred; when we complete a few formalities." She smiled. "If you like Fred, you can stay for the day, have tea with us and then we'll take you back to your home . . ."

"Can't I stay?" Fred blurted out, feeling lost. His frame sagged and he sat down in the chair again.

"Of course you can stay, but you have to go home and get things; and, most importantly, say goodbye to the house and the memories it holds. Don't you, Fred?'

"You're right, Mrs Joyce, I'll be glad to do that; yes, I really think I would. Here, you're calling me 'Fred'!" He laughed.

"That's right, you belong here now with us. By the way you can call me 'Joyce'."

And she laughed, with relief and with joy.

Annie started to say something to her Dad, but Ken whispered in her ear and she nodded.

"What, if I may ask, Fred made you change your mind?" Ken asked.

"Well," Fred grinned, " I saw you and Annie down by the Lake, you were just like new lovers, smooching all over each other. You two were just like Annie's Mum and me when we found out we were expecting our Annie."

"Oh, Dad! You're not staying here because we're having a baby, are you?" Annie cried.

"No, love; well, not entirely. I really want to stay. This is a good place." He kissed Annie, He kissed Joyce and he kissed Ken. "Be off now, enjoy your happiness."

Joyce, quickly completing the 'formalities' of paperwork, and a multitude of tiny tasks, took Fred back to where he wanted to be; the Shed. Farewells and tears, hugs and kisses, saw Annie and Ken off into their future.

New beginnings.