by Jane Brunton

Created on: May 19, 2008

Lavender blue

"Yes, she just plugged it in to try it out. No. Not a thing wrong with it. We just have no need for it," Mr. Robins paused, listening to the response on the other end of the line.
"Thank you very much! I appreciate your understanding. Let me repeat this so we both understandyou'll send a truck to pick it up on Tuesday afternoon. That's 12 Ravenscroft Lane, apartment 1. I'll be over there cleaning out the place. Wonderful, thanks again," said Mr. Robins replacing the phone precisely into its cradle.

He leaned back in his office chair with his hands behind his head and smiled a smile of satisfaction. "Ha!" he said, "I'll be rid of that huge freezer. It was only used once and it works perfectly well. I'm not cheating anyone."
"What's that dear?" said Judith, his wife, pausing at the office door with a load of laundry.
"Oh, just thinking out loud. By the way they're going to pick up the freezer and give us a full refund!" said John with an even broader smile.
"Oh, John, do you think that's right?" asked Judith mildly.
"Of course it's right," John scowled. "Mother hardly used it and none of the rest of the family needs it. Why not return it? " he said practically.
"Of course, you always know best John," she said, avoiding confrontation as always.
She set up the ironing board in front of the TV. The smooth motion of the iron, the heat and steam began to relax her. She looked up from time to time at the droning TV but her thoughts were far away.
It was just last Friday they'd buried John's mother. She'd been old and frail for quite some time. Still, none of them had expected her to go so suddenly. Mrs. Robins senior, Elizabeth, had been a private person, preferring the company of her old dog and what was left of her family. All her friends had gone on ahead of her.
Respecting her wishes they'd not announced her death in the Obituaries column of the local paper and held instead a private graveside memorial service. "There's no one left who'd be interested now that Dad and all my friends are gone," she often said. Mrs. Robins passed quietly into oblivion remembered only by a few family members.
John was executor of the will. Being a practical man he had no time for weakness and whining. Busying himself with the details of settling the small estate gave him great comfort.
His mother was an organized woman who'd anticipated what documents would be required after she was gone. Even so there were lots of phone calls.
John spent many hours of being put

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