Now or Never

by Ruth Hay

  Theresa slid out of bed and grabbed her warm robe. She could feel the chill as soon as her feet touched her cool slippers but there was no going back to sleep now. She was way too angry at her selfish young sister and she needed to check on the kids.

  A quick look reassured her that all was quiet in the next bedroom but Theresa knew she was past the point of being able to snuggle into her husband’s warm back and drift into sleep again. She tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen where she made a cup of chamomile tea in the hopes that it would calm her clenched stomach.

  It’s always the same with that girl, she thought. No concern for other people. She just does whatever she wants whenever it occurs to her. Did she even ask after her niece and nephew or apologize for waking us up in the middle of the night? Not a chance! She is totally focused on her own wants and needs and she has always been indulged by Mom and Dad. Look at this business right now. There she is off with Mom in the middle of the school term, on a free holiday in Italy with trips and treats galore and not one word of gratitude to her parents.

  Would she stop to think that I am stuck here with work and kids and winter to cope with?

  Oh, no, not Princess Lucy! She gets to swan off whether she deserves it or not. I thought the plan was that Mom and I would take the kids to Italy to meet their great-grandparents before they died. It would be wonderful to see the town where il nonno and la nonna were brought up. They have pictures of the area in their Toronto home and I always wanted to see it for myself.

  But I am not the priority, that’s obvious! Whatever Lucy wants, Lucy gets. There wasn’t even any discussion about this trip beforehand. One minute I hear Dad’s off to the frozen north for work and the next minute Lucy and Mom are flying to Italy for two weeks. Did anyone ask to see how I felt about it? Not damn likely! Out of sight out of mind for poor Theresa. Just keep soldiering on, Theresa. Your life is perfect, Theresa. Aren’t you the lucky one! Huh!

  When her thoughts reached this frantic pitch, Theresa could feel the bitterness burning her throat.

  A few deep breaths and a sip of tea calmed her down. She was grateful that none of these thoughts had been spoken aloud or written out. She knew how damaging it would be for her husband and her parents to feel the anger she held against her sister. Nonetheless, it felt good to express some of her jealousy, even in silence. What she had thought wasn’t all true of course. She was just reacting to the shock of being woken in the middle of the night by a thoughtless young sister.

  Jealousy only hurt the one who held on to it, or so she had read in women’s magazine articles, found mostly in the doctor’s office. Theresa knew she was hurting herself with these angry feelings. Upstairs, asleep, were the reasons why her life was so much better than Lucy’s. Family and love were the real rewards she had earned. Lucy had a long way to go to find a settled life and not a few personality disadvantages to overcome first.

  Theresa knew deep down who was the really lucky sister; the one who had found her life already. In the daylight hours she would appreciate its benefits again.

  She rinsed her cup, and climbed back upstairs. The sky had lightened. It would soon be time to start a new day, but first she would stroke the heads of her beautiful children and count her blessings.

  Maria and Lucy arrived back at the villa late in the evening, happy but tired from the day’s shopping adventures. Angela met them at the door with the news that a phone call had come for Maria and the caller had asked her to get in touch as soon as possible.

  Maria’s thoughts turned immediately to worrying about Theresa and the children, then to Paul.

  What dire accidents might have happened to her husband in the far north?

  While Lucy dragged herself upstairs with their parcels, Maria looked at the note Angela had copied down and recognized Anna’s home number. She dialed quickly, relieved and guilty that she did not have a family emergency to deal with but also curious about Anna’s urgent request.

  * * *

  “Hello, Anna. I just found out about your call. We’ve been out most of the day.”

  “Oh, I didn’t mean to alarm you, Maria. Everything’s fine at home. I talked to Theresa yesterday. She says the children are growing like weeds.”

  “Thanks for checking in with her, Anna. I’ve been so focused on Lucy lately that I have neglected my other daughter.”

  “I’m sure your time with Lucy will be productive, Maria. It’s Susan and Jake I am calling about.”

  “I thought they were doing well. What’s happened? I have been meaning to get in touch with Susan and now I am sorry I didn’t do it sooner.”

  “Well, I’m afraid there have been some problems with Jake’s health. He’s recovering now but Susan has been advised not to fly back to Canada until he is in better shape.”

  “Oh, heavens, Anna! I had no idea. What can I do to help? Do you want me to go there and check out the situation?”

  “Actually, I have a better idea but it needs a big favour from you and your family.”

  “I think I can speak for my family here, Anna. We’ll do anything we can to help.”

  “I was hoping you would say that, Maria. I know it’s presumptuous of me but I was wondering if Susan and Jake could take a train from Ferrera and spend a few days with you at the villa, just until they both feel stronger. It’s been quite an ordeal for both of them at the clinic and I know Susan would really appreciate your support.”

  “Of course, Anna! That’s a brilliant idea! A few days here with sunshine and good food, away from the hospital atmosphere, and they will both feel like new. I’ll make all the arrangements and call Susan first thing tomorrow.”

  “Wonderful! Jake has had a complete checkup so you needn’t worry about further complications for the immediate future.”

  “We’ll take good care of them, Anna. Thank you for thinking of this. I’ll keep in touch.

  Bye for now.”

  “Goodnight Maria. Tell Lucy I am expecting great things from her.”

  * * *

  With this enigmatic message ringing in her ears, Maria put down her cell phone and leaned back in the chair to consider what she had just let herself in for. Her plans with Lucy would have to take a back seat until the situation with Susan and Jake could be resolved. There might be one day free before they arrived but there was a lot to be done beforehand. It might be necessary to call on Maurizio, or another of the young cousins, to chaperone Lucy for a couple of days. Maria felt a pang of regret. She had just begun to make headway with her Lucy project and now she would be unable to fully capitalize on that.

  Still, surely Lucy would understand? She knew how close the Samba friends were and Susan had been Lucy’s baby sitter when she was younger. Lucy used to talk about the dogs all the time and begged her parents for “a big cuddly dog to ride on” when she was small.

  Maria reluctantly put thoughts of Lucy aside and concentrated on arrangements to accommodate her friends. Jake would need a bedroom on the ground floor. Fortunately, the big rambling old villa had plenty of space. There was an unused bedroom with a small bathroom nearby that could be cleaned and made cozy for the couple. Maria began to think of how to remove the bathroom door for wheelchair access.

  The kitchen and outdoor area were on the same level. Jake could wheel himself outside easily and enjoy the view from the hilltop. The fresh air would revitalize his spirits and there was another advantage the villa offered, if Angela was willing to help out.

  With her head full of new plans, Maria ran up the stairs to find a tray with tea and scones on the bed. Angela was such a dear person, she thought with a smile.

  Lucy could be heard splashing and singing in the bath, so her grateful mother did not have to deliver the news of the unexpected visitors immediately. By the time Lucy emerged from the bathroom, her mother was fast asleep under the covers.

  Susan and Jake arrived at the villa two days later. Lucy had been dispatched to visit San Gimignano with Maurizio and two teen friends who had also loved the New Mo
on movie, so Lucy was ecstatic to go with them wearing her new, sparkling sneakers and with her hair waved as a tribute to the style of Kristen Stewart, the actress who played Bella.

  One glance at Susan’s face told Maria everything she needed to know about the time her friends had spent in the clinic. There was an underlying tension there, and frown lines Maria had not noticed before. The normal Susan, capable, secure and confident had been supplanted by a frazzled, older woman whose clothes were crumpled and sweat-stained.

  In contrast, Jake seemed quite relaxed. He was able to walk up the stone steps into the villa with a little assistance, and pushed his wheelchair before him into the bedroom, asking if he could take a nap right away as the journey had been tiring.

  Susan saw Maria’s inquiring look and as soon as the door had been closed behind her husband, she pulled Maria aside and started to talk.

  “Don’t be deceived by that, Maria, he’s not as fit as he looks. It’s partly the medication he’s on and he’s reacting to the reduced stress since leaving the clinic but it can’t last long. I can see already that the symptoms are returning. Fatigue is only the first of them. His muscles are weaker, despite the good show he just put on for you, and I am pretty sure his eyesight is failing. He’s masking the inevitable depression. I can’t tell you what a relief it was to get your call and know we were safe with friends for a while.”

  Maria put her arms around Susan and felt her body trembling with emotion. This was not the Susan she had always known. She decided it was time for her to take over the mother-hen role that had been Susan’s métier ever since she had known the Samba group.

  “Now, my dear! Upstairs with you! You shall have a scented bath in my deep tub and I will unpack, air out, and wash your clothes while you relax. There will be a tray of sandwiches and a large glass of wine, (for medicinal purposes of course), waiting for you after the bath, and if you decide to sleep, just curl up in the bed. You won’t be disturbed. This is a very quiet villa during the afternoons.”

  Maria escorted Susan up to her bedroom as she spoke, so there was no possible dissent from her plans. Susan was far from arguing. It sounded like an ideal way to spend an hour or two and, the truth was, she badly needed this kind of care. She allowed herself to be propelled into the bathroom while Maria continued to talk reassuringly and ran a hot bath whose fragrant steam made Susan’s very bones melt with delight.

  “Don’t say one word more, Susan!” was Maria’s parting warning. “I’ll see you later and we can catch up then.”

  Maria ran back downstairs to prepare Susan’s tray and to find Angela. The second part of her plan for Susan and Jake was about to be finalized. Maria had discovered that her cousin Angela was a qualified massage therapist who had a dedicated therapy room in the villa where she worked with a variety of clients and offered a wide range of healing techniques. Angela had assured Maria that a new meditation program she had been researching online had a number of proven benefits that could help Jake specifically. She reported to Maria that a recent study of 150 people with mild to moderate MS had demonstrated that massage, combined with a type of mindful meditation, had reduced symptoms of depression in 30% of the study’s patients.

  Angela was eager to try this technique with Jake, and Maria was sure Susan would approve.

  By the time, Lucy arrived back at the villa, a dusky evening was following a glorious sunset.

  Maria had spent an hour or two in the afternoon phoning showrooms and talking to her contacts in Milan to set up visits where she could select purchases from the summer and fall lines for the store in Canada. It had been comforting to resume her accustomed role as a professional businesswoman with an eye to fashion trends. Lately, all her attention had been devoted to Lucy’s needs and now Susan and Jake required her help. She was surrounded with developments she had not expected on this trip but it felt good to be needed in the often-neglected role of mother and friend.

  Lucy started to relate the events of her trip to San Gimignano before her mother could caution her to keep her voice down as their visitors were still resting nearby. She drew Lucy out to the terrace where the last of the light still tinted the clouds but Lucy hardly noticed so intent was she on impressing her mother with the wonders of the medieval town.

  “Did you know there are eighteen really tall bell towers there? I don’t remember them from the movie but they loom over everything like huge chimneys. Maurizio said they were warning towers to tell the people long ago when warring groups were advancing to the top of their hill.

  We walked through all the twisty little streets and saw places where Alice and Bella drove the car then had to leave it when the road narrowed. We found the piazza with the fountain where all the actors gathered for the festival in the movie to celebrate the time they cast out the vampires. The DVD said they made hundreds of red cloaks for the actors and the townspeople to wear and, you won’t believe it, Mom, I actually bought one in a tiny shop I found on a side street when I got lost for a minute.”

  Lucy dragged a bright-red cotton, hooded cape out of her purse and put it on, dancing around the terrace with sheer joy at the effect this prize would have when she got home to Canada.

  Maria laughed to see her usually morose daughter so excited. Her feelings were contagious.

  “Lucy, that’s a wonderful souvenir but I have to ask you to quiet down a bit. We have visitors for a few days and one of them, your Uncle Jake, is not too well.”

  Lucy stopped her twirling and looked at her mother in surprise. “Is Auntie Susan here too?

  When can I see her? The dogs can’t be here I suppose. Wait! Does this mean we can’t go to Verona now?”

  The excitement drained out of Lucy’s face at the prospect of a change of plans. Her mouth twisted into an ugly scowl and Maria felt a rising tide of annoyance as she watched the transformation. Lucy is not a child she said to herself. She should be able to put her own pleasure aside for the benefit of two people she loves.

  For the first time since they had arrived in Italy, Maria forgot that her main purpose was to reconcile with Lucy. She would not have objected to Lucy’s attitude toward her own mother, she was used to that, but when dear friends were affected she could not hold back her feelings of disappointment.

  “Lucy!” she hissed, in a low tone, “I am shocked at your selfishness. You know how difficult it is for Susan and Jake. Can you deny them a little of our time when they have come here to recover from health problems?”

  Lucy’s eyebrows shot up when she heard her mother’s tone of voice. She had almost forgotten how she sounded when a lecture was underway. She wanted to yell her response and justify her own point of view, but something in her mother’s eyes turned the anger away. She plopped herself down on one of the mismatched wooden chairs and took a very deep breath before saying, “All right, I’m sorry, Mom. You have been so good to me on this holiday and I guess we both owe Auntie Susan some big favours.”

  Maria almost toppled backwards off her chair at this unusual turn of events. Who was this mature young woman who had suddenly appeared? Perhaps a day off on her own had done Lucy some good. Whatever the reason, it was wonderful to have Lucy on her side for once.

  The two dark heads met together across the table and as night fell, they plotted out their strategy to look after Susan and Jake and to accomplish the objectives they had come to Italy to

  fulfil.

  Lucy didn’t realize it yet, but her mother was mentally checking her own first objective off the list as partly on the way to being accomplished.

  Chapter Nine

  The change in Susan was obvious after a day or two in the serene atmosphere of the villa.

  She did not want to move from the terrace where she sat contemplating the incredible view down the slope full of olive trees and vines. The harvesting of grapes was now in full swing and every day brought local workers to gently detach the heavy plumes of rich red grapes and place them in wooden barrels in an old-fashioned, country way that spoke volu
mes about tradition and respect for the wine that would be produced in due time.

  Susan watched their progress down the slope of the hill and thought about nothing. The rhythm of the work with breaks for lunch and coffee were sufficient to punctuate her days and she wanted nothing else.

  Jake was being cared for by Angela and he seemed to respond well to her magical mix of body massage and meditation. Susan could hear the soothing music that indicated a therapy session was underway. The lovely sounds of waves or bird song seemed appropriate background for the relaxation therapy she was also experiencing.

  Each day she could feel release from her muscles of the tension she was unaware she had been storing. She could only imagine the relief that Jake was gaining from the intensive work Angela was doing. Angela had announced that she wished to devote all her time to Jake for an initial period, as an experiment, to observe if the new program had the beneficial effects that seemed to be indicated by the study she had read about.

  Susan could not comment on the medical results. She knew only that Jake slept deeply every night and woke happier every morning. She asked for no more than that for now.

  Maria was content to leave her friend to the solace that sun and peace could supply. A family meal was planned for the weekend and Maria was busy helping the aunties to prepare the banquet of foods that were required. This involved copious large pots and pans being scoured and a bountiful supply of dishes and serving platters being retrieved from various parts of the kitchen and elsewhere in the villa, to the accompaniment of much chatter and laughter and debate about which person would be in charge of which signature dish.

  Maria’s role was restricted to chopping tomatoes and vegetables which arrived at the villa each morning from an ancient, battered car whose back seat was clearly used for produce rather than people. Maria unloaded these treasures for the aunties and marveled at the sheer beauty of the red and green peppers and bunches of spinach, parsley and celery that were kept cool until needed.