A horrible shock

Awake and up at seven, somewhat hungover. The doorbell was somehow shorting, and there was a smell of burnt plastic permeating the house. Brian miaowing plaintively from the Dining room, how he got there a mystery. Luckily he had not fouled the room. Seagulls were ransacking a bag of rubbish outside the back of the house and had had already distributed a bins worth of waste across the garden. Blearily tidied the kitchen and garden, and took breakfast up for Lorraine and then had a hobbits second snooze and we began planning to go to Eastbourne to see Nick and Robin perform in a concert.

Then the landline rang, and Mum told me that Mason had died. He had fallen over in the kitchen when she had popped out for some shopping. I felt distinctly shocked. Lorraine helped me pack and drove us up to Edgware. Spoke to Toby and mum several times in the car as the paramedics, and the police came. Neighbours such as Ben, and  Maheena and her husband, and when we arrived Wynford and his wife were there. Shortly after we arrived the undertakers appeared, and politely and discreetly removed Mason's body.  Mum had a final look. Experience has taught me that I don't need this. Both Mum and I think of the body as an empty vessel. 

We sat with Mum by the fire and she had several glasses of wine to help her cope with the shock. She is doing okay and able to function and talk about it and explain. And after a while I was exactly the same -- both having gone into a numbed coping mode. Lorraine and I decided that I would stay up with Mum for the coming few days. Lorraine left and drove back to Seaford, as there was nowhere for her to stay and Calliope needed her thyroid medicine. Went to bed after I heard she had got back safely. 

I made a nest on the sofa. Feeling a numbed, anxious unreality. It clearly hasn't sunk in with Mum yet either. A strange juxtaposition of cheery emails about yesterday's party and Mason's death.