Finally both of them could grieve together. They hugged and cried. They talked about what happened and about Bill. It had always been the three of them and now it was just two of they realised their loss and the pain was unbearable for both of them.
Maggie could finally tell someone everything that had happened. Bill on the computer getting more into his games. Like ships in the night they had got drawn into their own worlds. Andy sat and listened as Maggie told him about her trip to the shop and how she must have brought the virus into the flat.
'I killed him,' she said 'It's all my fault. Mother of god help me.'
'It's not your fault Mam maybe it came in with the online groceries or in one of Bills packages. What about the helmet?'
Maggie shuddered at her last memory of Bill. She wanted to get that image out of her mind. She sat their inconsolable and told Andy about how they found him. The screen with the words Game Over and the dead soldier with blood pouring out of his chest. Bill slumped over the computer with the helmet on his head looking like something from another planet.
Andy gasped in horror.
'Oh Mam! It's okay, he's at peace now and he was doing something he loved. Listen Mam, I think the virus must have been in the helmet. I bet it was made in China. Why don't you have Covid, why Dad? It was that bloody Chinese helmet. Everybody is saying the virus came from China.'
'Well I don't have it yet.' Maggie said darkly 'But how can you know if you have it or not. You have to have a test first then you know if you have it. They're bringing a test tomorrow. Oh Andy why Bill? How am I going to live without him? she sobbed.
'It's Ok Mam I'm here now.' said Andy.
Maggie looked at her son and felt comfort for the first time since Bill died.
That evening they sat and talked and cried. Andy had picked up a framed photo of Bill from the side board. It was taken on holiday in Blackpool and he was smiling broadly wearing his shell suit that he always wore on holidays and outings. It was bright blue with white panels and was just so Bill. He had loved that shell suit even tho Andy had always teased him about it. Momentarily Andy regretted teasing him about it and mentioned it to Maggie.
'Now don't be thinking like that,' said Maggie 'Your Dad loved a bit of banter and He knew you were only teasing him.'
Both of them looked at it together with tears streaming down their face. Andy moved the photo and put it pride of place next to the clock on the mantelpiece so both of them could see it from the cheap brown IKEA sofa that had seen better days.
As time went on both of them realised they hadn't eaten so Andy went into the kitchen to see what he could rustle up for them. He'd noticed the poor state of the flat and the fact his Mam was practically chain smoking in the living room and still wearing her nighty. But it didn't matter everything had changed.
He went in the kitchen and opened one of the cuboards and was surprised to see some bags of Cheetos and Monster Munch along with a stash of Haribo sweets, and in the fridge he came across some bottles of Green Goblin energy drink. Thats odd he thought to himself. He put some Cheetos in a bowl and made some cheese sandwiches and brought them out to the living room. His mother laughed telling Andy how Bill had gotten into his snacks and how the Cheetos would make his face orange . They both laughed at the image of Bill with an orange face. And that bloody Green Goblin! thought Andy, I don't know how he could drink that crap.
Andy couldn't get his mind around his Dad playing these computer games let alone eating bags of Monster Munch and Cheetos and it did make him chuckle however strange it all was.
His mobile rang, it was Jan, and he reassured her that they were alrightand Maggie was fine. I'll call you in the morning and we can have a chat and go thru everything but don't worry we're okay. Jan was worried about the two of them but knew that they needed time together and kept the chat brief.
That night, unable to face his old bedroom, Andy decided to sleep on the sofa. Maggie had fussed around and got some pillows and an old duvet from the airing cupboard. The old sofa pulled out quite nicely into a bed. They had got it for the grandchildren to sleep on when they the whole family would come up to London and spend the weekend with Maggie & Bill. Bill loved taking them to Regents Park to feed the ducks and especially to the Zoo. Such happy memories.
In the morning he would give the room a clean and sort it all out but for tonight he was happy to sleep on the sofa. He had briefly looked in to his old bedroom and noticed a sickly sweet odour and seeing the ugly green stain splashed across the carpet he had wondered what it was.
'What's that smell in the bedroom?' he had asked Maggie but she said she didn't smell anything. Probably because of her chain smoking she had lost the sense of smell. Later he put two and two together when he saw the lurid Green Goblin in the fridge but at first well he just didn't know what the hell it was. So he put the stain and the smell down to the energy drink. It had been quite harrowing to look into his old bedroom and the image that Maggie had described of Bill had flashed into his mind. He had closed the door unable to enter the room.
The next morning Andy woke up and his first thought was Dad's dead. He felt like just going back to sleep where he didn't have to think about it but once awake the reality kicked in. He got up and started to clean the flat opening the balcony door and letting some air in. He made himself a coffee and sat on an old white metal garden chair on the balcony and thought of all the things that needed to be done. T
They needed to order some food and more importantly the funeral arrangements needed to to be taken care of. Jan had spoken with the funeral home and they had sent her all the information for a Zoom funeral. With Maggie self-isolating Andy would also need to follow the same protocol so the only option was a Zoom funeral.
How the fuck is that going to work Andy had thought to himself. He made a mental note to ask Jan and start to get things organised. Now that Bill was no longer in charge he needed to step up to the mark and sort things out for his Mam.
Andy went back in the kitchen and made Maggie a coffee in her Super Gran mug and knocked gently on the door. Maggie was already sitting upright wide awake.
'Did you sleep alright Mam?' he asked.
'I did thanks. I got a few hours but I've been awake since about four.'
'You should get a nap later and try and keep your strength up. You stay in bed for awhile I'm going to order some food and speak with Jan and the kids.' said Andy.
Maggie was already out of bed and heading to the kitchen where she popped two pieces of white bread in the toaster. You're right I'm better to keep busy.
They both sat at the kitchen table eating the toast and drinking their coffee in silence. When they had finished Andy brought up the subject of the funeral.
A 'Zoom' funeral ..Maggie couldn't get her mind around it.
'Listen Mam I'll organise it all don't worry.' Andy reassured her. 'But can we have hymns and readings?' she asked?
'Yes just like a normal funeral except it's virtual.' Andy replied.
Mother of God thought Maggie what's going on in the world and why does everything have to be virtual? Seems like Bill had a virtual death and now a virtual funeral!
Nothing seemed real anymore.