A Reunion

by Emily Harvale

  'Yes. Are the visiting hours still ...' Her voice trailed off.

  'Yes.' Mary obviously realised Cat was referring to the time when she herself was in the hospital recovering from her injuries and having a caesarean to deliver Kyra one month earlier than she was due. 'From 2 until 9, except in special circumstances. She's in the ICU.'

  Cat almost choked on her cake. The Intensive Care Unit where Kyle had died.

  Chapter Seven

  The smell of coffee hit Cat's nostrils shortly after the tappity-tap on her bedroom door sent the final remnants of sleep scurrying away.

  'Good morning, Catherine. Did you sleep well?'

  Cat shuffled upright, stretched and yawned. 'Like a log, surprisingly.'

  Mary flinched and made the tiniest gasp as her gaze flickered from Cat's face to her neck and shoulder, but she appeared to quickly recover herself and she put the cup of coffee on the bedside table.

  'It's the sea air. And the long drive yesterday, no doubt. I wasn't sure whether to wake you or not, but it's 8.30 and I have to pop out.'

  'You're kidding? It's 8.30 already? I don't think I've ever slept so late. Sorry. I'll get up right now. Is Kyra awake?'

  'Stay where you are and drink your coffee. There's no rush to get up and Kyra's still fast asleep. I popped my head around her door and she's dead to the world. I only came up to tell you so that you didn't come downstairs and find me gone. I know from experience how worrying that can be.'

  Cat gave a small sigh but bit her tongue. Better to ignore remarks like that. She picked up the coffee and took a sip. Mary still ground her own by the taste of it and Cat closed her eyes for a second to enjoy the sensation of its mellow flavour.

  'I think it's going to be another hot day. Perhaps you and Kyra might like to go for a swim. The water's been so warm thanks to this heatwave. A swim might be the very thing you need this morning.'

  'Kyra might. I'll see how busy the beach is this morning.'

  'Because of the scars? Do you have any pain, or are they just cosmetic?'

  Cat nearly spilt her coffee. Mary still didn't pull her punches.

  'Yes, because of the scars and no. No pain at all. Well, not from the scars anyway.'

  'I wouldn't have expected you to care what people think. And they're not horrendous. I didn't even notice the scar on your cheek, last night, although I suppose that's because your hair hides most of it and you had your right cheek towards me. I was just surprised to see them in this bright morning light. I assumed they would've faded long ago.'

  'Time may heal most wounds, but some, it doesn't. I don't care what people think. Most of the time. But I do care when they start asking questions, as they often do. I'm not some circus sideshow. I find it's easier just to cover them up and get on with my life.'

  'Have you got on with your life?'

  Cat furrowed her brows. 'Yes. Thanks to a very special and wonderfully kind woman up in Bonniemount, Kyra and I were able to build a good life. A very good life. And Kyra's extremely bright. Just like her dad. Don't pull that face. I meant what I said about not saying anything bad about Kyle. That extends to looks, too.'

  Mary replaced the sneer with a small smile. 'You were saying Kyra's bright. I assume she's just got her A level results. Did she get the grades you wanted?'

  Cat sighed. 'She got the grades she wanted. Better than she wanted, in fact. I didn't mind what she got as long as she was happy with them.'

  'I see. Is she going to university?'

  'Yes. Edinburgh. Her place has been confirmed and she'll start in September. She's taking Fine Arts.'

  'Oh? She's keen on art, as you were?'

  'We both are. This may surprise you, Mum, but I earn my living as an artist. And several people seem to think I'm rather good. Kyra's even better.'

  'An artist? You ... you followed your dream then. Eventually. I'm glad of that, at least. And of course you're a good artist. You always were. That's one of the reasons we ...' Mary cleared her throat. 'Well. That doesn't matter now. I'm pleased you're doing something good with your life.'

  'I followed all my dreams. One didn't turn out quite as I had hoped though. I want Kyra to follow all of hers. No matter what they are or who they involve.'

  Mary turned towards the door. 'I believe that's put me firmly in my place, hasn't it? I'll leave you to it. I'll be back by lunchtime. Your old key is in the bowl on the large coat stand in the hall. Come and go as you please.' She stopped at the door and glanced back. 'But this time if you decide to leave, perhaps you'd be good enough to tell me you're going. And I need to talk with you about this house. But we can do that over dinner tonight. Unless you have plans.'

  'Nope. No plans. Other than to go and visit Granny this afternoon. Is there anything you need me to do today?'

  'Why would there be anything I need you to do? We've coped perfectly well without you for eighteen years.'

  'Mum,' Cat said as Mary closed the door. But it didn't reopen and there was no way Cat was running after her, so she yelled, 'Thanks for the coffee. Have a lovely day.'

  There was no reply, but a few seconds later the door slowly opened and Kyra poked her head around it, yawning and rubbing her eyes. Her hair was a tangled mess and she padded across the floor like a zombie in a movie.

  'Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?'

  Kyra collapsed on the bed, and Cat had to hold her coffee cup steady so as not to spill any.

  'I think I'm still asleep. Did Gran put something in that tea or those cakes last night? I feel like I've been drugged.'

  Cat laughed. 'As strange as Mum is, I don't think she'd do that. I feel the same. It's probably all the excitement of your results, your uni acceptance, your birthday celebrations, the letter and the long drive. We're both in desperate need of sleep.'

  'I'm in desperate need of coffee. May I have some of that, please?'

  Cat smiled and handed her the cup. Kyra drank two long gulps.

  'God, that's good. That's even better than ours.'

  'I know. And I suspect there's a pot of it downstairs. You stay here, I'll go and get us some more.'

  Kyra shook her head and struggled off the bed. 'I'll come downstairs. I'm starving and in equally desperate need of toast as well as coffee.'

  Cat climbed out of bed and they went downstairs.

  'Oh. You're still here.'

  Mary glanced at Cat. 'I'm just about to go. Good morning, Kyra. You look exhausted. Are you unwell?'

  'Just tired. Morning, Gran. You look nice.'

  'Oh.' Mary brushed a hand over her floral summer dress and smiled. 'Thank you. There's a pot of coffee on the go and there's bread in the breadbin. Help yourselves to anything you want. Bacon, eggs, whatever. I'll see you both later. Enjoy your first day in Merriment Bay, Kyra. I was saying to Catherine that it's a perfect morning for a swim. The beach opposite isn't as sandy as the bay and it is a little rocky in parts but it's still a lovely place to swim and it's nowhere near as crowded. The bay will be packed with tourists and locals alike even at this hour. This isn't a private road, sadly, but we don't get as many tourists or even locals here because, unless you live here, there's a restriction on parking.'

  'That's sounds good.' Kyra flopped on to a chair. 'I'd get the mugs, Mum, but I don't know where anything is.' She grinned at Cat.

  'I'm not sure I do. Can we just look around, Mum?'

  'Of course,' Mary said. 'But everything's exactly where it was when you left. Nothing much changes in Merriment Bay. Oh. I suppose that's not entirely true. That's one of the things I need to discuss with you later. But I've a feeling several things may be about to change, now that you've come home. Now that you're both home.'

  She turned to the door and marched down the hall. Cat glanced at Kyra before running after her.

  'Mum? May I ask you a question?'

  Mary's entire body stiffened but she nodded. 'Yes.'

  'How did you know where to send the letter?'

  'Oh that. Lorna Carlton told me. Just a day
or two before your gran had her accident. It was as if it was Fate.'

  'Lorna Carlton?' Cat frowned. 'Oh, I remember her.' The frown deepened. 'But how the hell did Lorna Carlton know where we were?'

  'Apparently, Amias Wells told her. He was drunk, so Lorna said, and she didn't think he'd meant to let it slip. But he did and she thought I had a right to know. Which is more than some people seemed to think.'

  Cat ignored the dig at her. She was too confused. Amias Wells told Lorna Carlton and Lorna told Mary? That made no sense at all.

  'Wait. What? Amias Wells told her? Who on earth told him?'

  'Does it matter?'

  'It does to me, yes.'

  Mary sighed and glanced at her watch before opening the front door.

  'According to Lorna, he found out for himself. He's known for years, he told her. It seems he made some sort of promise to ... his friend. That's all I know. If you feel the need to find out more, I can only suggest you ask him. He's still got that place on the beach at the bay and now also one at the reservoir. But he no longer lives in that awful place where he grew up. He's got one of the fancy new homes on the hill overlooking the bay. It seems he's done rather well for himself. Who on earth would've expected that?'

  'I did, Mum,' Cat said, after a few seconds as she tried to take in what she'd heard. But Mary had already closed the door.

  Amias Wells had known for years where she and Kyra lived and yet he hadn't so much as sent a card, or a note? But why would he? She hadn't sent anything to him. She hadn't told him where they were.

  And yet, he'd gone to all the trouble of finding out. Why would he have done that? And what was that about a promise to a friend? Kyle, obviously. But this was the first she'd heard of any promise. When Amias had visited her in hospital and given her Kyle's watch, all he'd said was that he thought she should have it because it had been her present to Kyle.

  'It's something to remember him by,' he'd said. 'Not that you'll need anything to remember him. Neither of us is ever likely to forget.' And then he'd given her the strangest look and turned and walked away.

  He'd visited her in hospital a few times after that, but he always seemed to be trying to avoid having a conversation and the last time she'd seen him, they'd almost had a row. And then the visits stopped and when she returned to Devon Villa to continue her recovery, he hadn't called round once. Not even to see Kyra. Or even sent a card or note. Nothing.

  But what had she expected? He'd never liked her. The only reason he'd been friends with her was because of Kyle. After Kyle died, it seemed Amias didn't want to be her friend anymore. And that was another reason why she had to run away. She had no one to turn to and no one to support her in her ongoing battle with her mum and gran.

  And yet at some stage during the last eighteen years, Amias Wells had gone to the trouble of finding her and Kyra. Yet he hadn't got in touch. It simply made no sense. But one thing was certain. There was no way she was ever going to ask him about it.

  In fact, while they were in Merriment Bay, she would go out of her way to try to avoid him.

  Chapter Eight

  Cat and Kyra spent the morning exploring the house before heading to Eastbourne for lunch. It was twenty miles away so it was a bit of a drive but it was where the hospital was.

  Cat was dreading going to that place. How would she feel walking through those doors? Going into that ward? The place where Kyle died in the hospital in which she had had their baby. All morning, she had thought of little else but she hadn't mentioned it to Kyra. The last thing she wanted was for her to be upset.

  Eastbourne shopping centre had changed since the last time she had visited. Some shops had gone and new ones had replaced them but just as she always had when she went to Eastbourne all those years ago, she managed to spend far more than she'd intended. Although most of it was on Kyra. But she did buy herself one or two pretty, summer dresses and crocheted lace bolero-type cardigans. Just something to give a bit of cover to her scars.

  They'd had lunch in a little restaurant that definitely hadn't been there the last time she had, and afterwards she drove the mile or so to the outskirts of town and parked in the hospital car park.

  'Do you want to go in alone at first?' Kyra asked as they walked inside.

  Cat shook her head. 'No. Unless you'd rather not go in. From memory, there's a waiting room within the Critical Care Unit and then two sections. One for ICU patients and one for HDU, or high dependency. There was coffee and tea in the waiting room, so you can wait in there if you like. I don't expect it's the most pleasant experience to see someone in a coma.'

  'No. I'm fine.' Kyra seemed hesitant. 'Mum? Is this where Dad died?'

  So there it was.

  'Yes. And where you were born.'

  'A month early.'

  'Yes.'

  Cat took Kyra's hand and rang the bell on the door to the entrance to Critical Care. A nurse came to greet them and Cat said they were relatives of Viola Devon.

  'Please follow me,' the nurse said, with a smile. 'I see you're not wearing any outdoor garments today, but if you're coming again, jackets and coats can be left in the waiting room or on the hooks at the unit doors, but please take any valuables with you. Use the hand gel here before entering, and again at the bed, and also when you leave.' She waited while they did so then handed them white plastic aprons. 'These need to be worn at the bedside and removed and placed in the bin before leaving. Please don't sit or lie on the bed. Viola is connected to a monitor that provides us with detailed information, and she has a facemask to help her breathe. You may find this distressing, but it's completely normal. At times you may hear or see flashing alarms. Don't worry. These are also normal but if you're concerned, just ask. Feel free to ask me anything. There's tea, coffee and cold drinks available in the waiting room. Do you have any questions before we go in?' She ended with a smile.

  'No,' Cat said.

  'Then please follow me.'

  'She sounds like she's learnt that by heart,' Kyra whispered, as they walked into the ICU. 'Is it awful coming back here?'

  'No. I thought it would be. But strangely enough, it's not.'

  But the sight of Granny Viola lying with her eyes closed in a bed surrounded by tubes and machines was. It was truly awful. The last time Cat had seen her she was full of life and looked so much younger than her years. Now, she looked like a frail old woman at death's door and it upset Cat far more than she had expected. So much in fact, that when she sat by Viola's bed and took her slender hand in hers, she burst into tears.

  Chapter Nine

  'I don't know what I expected, but it was certainly a far greater shock than I thought,' Cat said as she and Kyra sat at the dinner table with Mary that evening.

  Mary nodded. 'I probably should've prepared you, but frankly I didn't think about it. I was shocked too when I saw her. Just the morning of the fall, she'd been smiling and singing and making plans for the future. Which is what I need to talk with you about.'

  'Oh? Um. Look, Mum. I'm here. And I want to do anything and everything I can to help Granny, but Kyra and I will be returning to Bonniemount sometime soon. And Kyra's off to uni in September. Which reminds me, sweetheart. We must finalise things on that score, like accommodation, supplies, etc.' Cat smiled at Kyra before returning her attention to Mary. 'And I've got commissions to finish, Mum. What I'm saying is, whatever plans you and Granny had shouldn't include me and Kyra.'

  Mary stiffened. 'Well, they do. In a roundabout way, so you may as well listen. Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to stay and help look after her when she comes home from hospital. These plans were made before the fall. But obviously now she may need long-term care, so they may have to change to account for that. We'll have to wait and see, I suppose. The thing is, I've had power of attorney for her for a few years now. She'd been getting forgetful and we agreed it was for the best. So I can carry out her plans no matter what.' Mary took a sip of her wine and continued eating.

  'OK. So what are these
plans then? And why do they affect us, in a roundabout way or otherwise?'

  'We're putting Devon Villa on the market and moving somewhere smaller.'

  'What!' Cat couldn't believe her ears. Both her mum and Granny Viola had always said the only way they'd ever leave Devon Villa was in their coffins.

  'But I thought you both love this place.'

  'We do. But we're not getting any younger and this house is far too large for just the two of us. The only thing I'm trying to decide is whether to market the house as is or to spend some money doing it up a bit and then try to get a better price.'

  'So how does that affect us?' Kyra asked. 'Do you need financial help?'

  A spurt of laughter erupted from Mary. 'Good heavens, no. It affects you both because, God forbid, if the worst happens, Granny Viola made a provision for you in her will.'

  'What?' Cat and Kyra exchanged looks of surprise.

  'So it's a good thing Lorna told me where you were because at least now if things don't turn out as hoped, I won't have to employ lawyers and private detectives to track you down. It won't be huge sums of money so don't get too excited. But you'll each receive ten percent of her estate. If the worst does happen, you'll be paid from the sale proceeds once the house is sold and probate is finalised.'

  'I don't expect anything,' Cat said. 'But has she really named Kyra in the will? I'm so happy about that if that's the case.'

  'Of course she has. You may have run off and cut all ties with us but you're still a Devon and you always will be. And so is Kyra. You're provided for in my will too. Don't look so shocked. Who else am I going to leave my money to?'

  'Anyone but me, I would've thought, in all honesty.'

  Mary fixed Cat with a stare and then a sudden smile crept across her face. 'Well. That just proves how little you really know me or your granny, doesn't it? When I die, you and Kyra get the lot. Once taxes and costs are paid, of course. And that will be a tidy sum because you'll effectively be getting the other eighty per cent share of this house, plus our savings.'