by Nanette Fox
Dave said he remembered their dad Marco and Lucy going to the UK, it was supposedly something to do with Izzy’s trust fund, but he was vague on the time, Izzy might have been 26, or 27 by then. Jules said she had thought a lot about it and remembered there was a time when Izzy had come back from the UK on a stretcher and then been admitted to hospital, she remembered she was told Izzy had a fractured pelvis and it had been an accident skiing or something. She was in Italy and she remembered Marco being very vague with the details because she could have gone to Izzy’s side, before she was flown back, but Marco had ensured she’d remained in Italy.
After talking over things, they both decided that they hadn’t really ‘not noticed’. There had always been times to know about Isaac and his violence, but there had been reasons why they never really knew. All three of them Dave, Jules and Bec had been busy with their lives, and if they got close someone or Izzy had fudged the truth. Dave commented that Jules should know that he’d only slept with Izzy a handful of times since Isaac died, but they’d fooled around a lot. Iz was a bit funny about her body. Jules said, “Dave I think maybe that is best in the past now.”
They were on to about the fourth or fifth possibly even their sixth round of drinks and started talking about Tim. They came to the decision there was not much they could do to get Tim and Izzy together. It would happen probably, but Tim needed to break up with Vicky once and for all, and Izzy needed to find some strength. They talked about worrying about Tim’s bouts of depression and decided that they’d watch him, but it seemed that he was aware he needed to keep on top of his emotions and seek help. They decided their ‘little bro’ was one smart guy now.
Dave then spoke to Jules about how he got the impression that she was having second thoughts about the marriage thing. Jules told him how it wasn’t about Antonio, but she was getting nervous about the moving to Italy thing. She also said she’d been worrying about how you know it’s the right person. She said to Dave they only had to look at Izzy and her marriage mistake. Dave told Jules he’d always been worried about. “How do you know if it’s the right person?” Dave said, “Look at us Jules, I am 34, your 32 and we’ve hardly ever come close to settling down.”
They finished their evening by deciding a taxi home was required. “Glad we had this talk,” said Jules.
“Yeah Jules, me too,” said Dave. “Home to Mum’s I think,” said Dave and Jules agreed.
Chapter 23
A Gift Gone Wrong
Tim was relaxed and happy. He’d had the best time in Bali. He and Paul had gone diving and parasailing. He’d chewed over everything with his ‘old bro’. He’d done some serious bonding over many beers with Simon. He’d even got a small tattoo. Not something he’d ever thought about doing. Life was good. He bounded through the doors of the gallery and gathering up Julia and Rebecca, invited them to his desk. He had presents for them both. He actually had three presents, but he’d see how things went. He’d seen the lemon Fiat Pop where the Mercedes used to park and whistled. Not what he thought she would have chosen.
Julia and Rebecca were delighted with their sarongs. He said he was looking forward to seeing them wearing them and winked. Julia said deadpan, “I am your sister, but I am sure you can drool over Bec here…” Isabella came up to see what all the laughter was about. Tim was shocked at how thin she was, admired how she was dressed but didn’t particularly like the style, thinking she was too put, too perfect.
She said without any emotion whatsoever, “Welcome back, I believe you have been on holiday.”
“Hello Isabella, yes I enjoyed my break away. Bit of a boy’s own adventure, really.” He kept his eyes on her evenly, trying to judge what she was thinking. There was almost nothing registering on her face.
He said probably more firmly than he intended and with some derision, “Do you want your present now?” Her face contorted with horror, and she turned to flee. He didn’t waste a minute stepping from behind his desk to grab and hold her tight. She started sobbing uncontrollably. Julia and Rebecca stood in shock, still uncertain what they should do. Tim picked Izzy up and carried her into her office where he tucked her gently onto one of the sofas. He went to the wardrobe cupboard and pulled out the throw that was stored there wrapping it softly around her. He stood looking down at her for a few minutes and calmly walked back to his desk.
Julia and Rebecca just looked at him; he looked back at them and said, “Maybe one of you should make your friend a cup of tea, now if you don’t mind, I have got work to do.”
He opened his laptop, took out his mobile, some files, pens and papers, generally busied himself ignoring their somewhat surprised looks. Julia queried, “Tim?”
He looked up into his sister’s face, “Please just go, I’ve got work to do.”
Rebecca said, “Yes Julia let’s get back to work and motioned for her friend to come away.”
As they moved away, Julia turned to see her brother put his hands up to his face and say softly, “Shit, shit, holy bloody shit.” His pleasure in the morning had gone. He got up from his desk and bolted out the door mumbling something about needing a coffee. Rebecca saw Tim walk over to the bike and put his helmet on, sitting straddling it for a good ten minutes before he roared away.
She looked at Izzy huddled on the sofa crying and now Julia standing over her. Rebecca said, “Julia, come here.”
“What just happened?”
Julia looked at Rebecca with sadness and said, “I think it was a misunderstanding, a big misunderstanding.” Rebecca frowned.
Julia said, “Come into the tearoom.” Once they were both out of earshot of Izzy, Julia said, “He didn’t mean to say it about the present the way it sounded, I think it reminded her of something bad, and he didn’t want to hear what she thought he said or meant. He’ll be back later when he thinks she might have pulled herself together.”
“They’re not going be able to work together here, if this sort of thing is going to happen every day,” Julia added.
Tim found his way to his mother’s studio at the back of their home. He’d hardly ever been in the room but loved the light and the creativity it embodied. His father’s garage and workshop he knew well, but this was his mother’s domain. Ruth looked up to see her youngest son looking troubled and tossing his motor-bike helmet from hand to hand like a basketball. “What is it Tim?”
“Mum all I wanted to do was give her a gift from Bali, a sarong, the same as Julia and Bec, but I didn’t say it right, and the way I put my words was really bad for her I think, and she started sobbing. Mum I don’t want ever to hurt her, and I think I just did.”
Ruth said, “I gather we are talking about Isabella.” Tim nodded. Ruth sighed. “Tim, I haven’t got the perfect answer for you.”
“It happened; you just have to try to smooth it over.”
“Tim if you want to be with Izzy, firstly you have to break completely with Victoria and then just try to do your best always.”
“Unfortunately, my darling son, Izzy comes with a complicated lot of baggage.”
“Therefore, you have to be clear you can manage it, cope with it.”
“I know that, and it is sort of why I started back with Vic, it’s not complicated, it’s easy, I don’t have to work at the relationship.”
“Is that what you really want Tim?”
“No, I don’t think so Mum.”
“Mum just one thing why is it you’ve changed your view about Izzy, why is it okay for me to be with her; yet if Dave and Izzy were to get together, you’d be angry?”
“Dave has been on again, off again with Isabella for years. Not Izzy but Isabella. He is infatuated by how beautiful she is.” She paused. “But son she is soft, and gentle and very artistic, and he hasn’t got a clue when it comes to a relationship with someone so, I don’t mean this in a bad way, so needy.”
“Mum, that’s a bit harsh.”
“No Tim, it’s not being harsh.”
“David needs someone who is black and white
and will tell him how it is.”
“Izzy wouldn’t know how to do that.”
“She needs a very caring person and someone who is prepared to be there for the long haul.”
“I don’t know that you are exactly right either Tim because you have your own worries.”
“I used to be so angry about Izzy marrying Isaac and leaving David.”
“At first, it was about David, then it was about how if she had listened to me, to your dad, to Lucy, Michael, she could have prevented herself so much pain.” Ruth stood looking at Tim, “I am nervous for you,” she said.
“You know Tim that I keep that file of cards where I have written quotes down, things I find important or inspirational…I think I have one for you…” she went to the shelving taking down a small wooden box full of cards…she handed him a pale blue one…
Sometimes we need someone to simply be there…Not to fix anything or do anything in particular, but just to let us feel we are supported and cared about.
“Tim do you want to go upstairs and have coffee and a muffin before you go back to work?”
“Thanks Mum, it’d be brill.” The intonation of ‘brill’ was so his father. She looked up at him.
Smiling, she said, “Well let’s go and sit down upstairs, we’ll do that, and then you and I can get back to what should be a beautiful Monday, hmm…”
He looked down at his mother’s colourful painting clothes and said, “You’re such a hippy!”
Ruth laughed, “Shush you, upstairs young man…”
Tim went back to the gallery from his mother’s, feeling more positive. He had a number of plans and designs he had to tackle for new clients, and he wanted to get on with them. He walked back into the gallery and nodding at Rebecca, muttered something about how he needed the coffee, and walked back to his desk. The gallery was humming with visitors so everyone was busy and occupied. He didn’t look particularly for Izzy; he thought it was best to let it go. He tucked the sarong package in his second drawer and got to work.
He was interrupted briefly by Bec, introducing him to the new Customer Service staff member, Monique, a Fine Arts student. She would be working casually over the busy pre-Christmas and the summer tourist season. She was quite young, about 22, thought Tim, and pretty, a petite blonde girl. Wait until my old bro Dave sees her, thought Tim. He was further amused when Monique said to Bec, “My mum said a really good-looking architect works here,” as they walked away. He was flattered. He thought of himself as just Tim, nothing special and these days found it unnerving when girls seemed to gravitate towards him when he was out and about, as they had in Perth, and then again in Bali. He’d been with Vic for so long he wasn’t really sure about the whole ‘chatting up girls’ thing; he wasn’t like his gregarious brother.
Tim was busy all day with his ideas for a client’s home, a referral from the gallery, someone who had been in the gallery and noticing the carpentry around the place wanted to know where he could get that sort of bespoke work. The man, and then his wife, Russell and Margaret, were impressed with the designs for the exterior and the floorplan Tim had proposed, but most of all, they wanted the quality of finish he could offer. Tim told them he wasn’t a carpenter by trade, it was his hobby and interest. Russell was adamant that he’d want Tim to do more than just the floorplans, he was so impressed. They were a nice couple he would enjoy working for them to create their dream home. What he liked is that they were both in partnership with what they wanted; it was a mutual dream home.
He suddenly realized it was 6:30 pm, and he was late for his date with Vicky. Ever prepared, he needed to change into the casual shirt he had brought to the office. He glanced about thinking the girls had gone. He had unbuttoned his shirt and untucked it from his trousers when he realized Izzy was watching him. She came up to him, brown eyes met sapphire blue, her hand went to his chest, he let it rest there for a minute and then holding the thin fingers in his left hand removed her touch. “I was changing for a date with Vicky.” He thought she flinched a little, he was still holding her hand as he lent along the side of the desk and pulled the drawer open. Reaching in, he took the Bali gift and handing it to her he explained it was simply a gift, like he’d given the others, a sarong, and he wanted her to have it, with no agenda. She released her hand from his and simply said “thank you” and smiled.
“Tim what is that?” She had noticed the small new tattoo on his side as the shirt flapped away from his body. It was a Ying and Yang design, but it said Izzy Tim, the words inter-locked. She touched near it with her finger. She frowned. “Tim.”
“Yeah, a moment of madness,” he said.
“What did your Vicky say?”
“She hasn’t seen it as yet; I am in for an argument.”
“You’ll probably have to get it removed by laser.”
“Actually Izzy, I don’t think I will, have it removed I mean, if that is okay by you,” he said softly.
Clutching the sarong gift to her chest, she looked at him and said, “Well I guess if you’re okay with it, if Vicky is okay, then it’s your decision, thanks for the sarong,” she turned and walked away.
*
They were sitting by the pool in the moonlight. Vicky was sitting cross-legged on the opposite lounge. Her hair, damp from swimming, was a deep russet brown in the fading light. Her face shaded, but he could still see her shining eyes, and happy smile. Her pale eyes, the little button nose, her lips always a lovely pale rose. He moved to her body. Her simple black bikini contrasted against the paleness of her red-head’s freckled skin. Her body gently curved: her breasts neatly plump and round, her arms and legs well-toned, her flat tummy, and her taut little behind; a body he knew so well. She was talking animatedly about something that had happened in her office that day. Tim wasn’t really listening to her as he drank his beer and lounged on the opposite chair. He couldn’t ever describe her as calm and still, she was bubbly and always moving. He motioned for her to join him on his lounger squishing over, sliding down a little so they could snuggle together.
She was giggling and happily positioning herself when her jangly charm bracelet rubbed against the new tattoo. He grimaced, and she looked down to see what had happened, spotting the tattoo. He had been surprised she hadn’t noticed it when they were swimming. But she wasn’t an observant person. “Oh, Tim I didn’t think you’d ever get one.”
“Tim,” she said, alarmed, “what does that say?”
"What does that say? She repeated getting up and beginning to raise her voice.
Tim got up off his lounger to face her. “It says Izzy Tim in a Ying Yang design.”
“Why does it, Tim?” she said coldly.
“You will just have to get that removed,” she stated.
“Nope, not going to,” he stared down at her, spoiling for an argument.
“How can we ever get married and you have somebody else’s name tattooed on you.” She was riling Tim up.
“Who said anything about marriage?”
“Well we will eventually won’t we Tim?”
Breaking her gaze and looking away, he said, “I am not sure.”
She summonsed up all the strength she could muster and pushed him into the pool. “Tim, that’s it, you go and be all loving, billing and cooing with that older bitch,” she said hands on hips standing at the edge of the pool. “I hope you’re happy, she’s damaged goods.”
Tim was out of the pool steaming with anger. “You’re the bitch, how can you say that?”
Vicky replied, “I know enough.”
“You, you know nothing.” He said pointing at her with his finger.
“Yes, I do, I have been around this family for eight years. I know all about David, I know all about Isaac.”
“How can you want someone who has been married and is older than you?”
“How can you?” She turned and stormed off into the house. Tim looked after her. He wasn’t going to chase her. He turned and leapt back into the pool to swim some laps hoping to c
alm himself down.
Ruth had been watching the fight from the family room windows. She had initially settled down into the chairs to watch the sunset with a glass of wine and the latest novel she’d been reading. She watched Vicky storm off back into the house, and she turned to see her come inside. “Ruth, he wants to be with Isabella, not me.”
“I know Vicky love, I know, I am sorry.” Vicky didn’t look particularly tearful, just annoyed she wasn’t getting her way.
“You know that Isabella is pure poison, both of your sons have chased after her. She makes their life hell from what I see. She has been dragging David through an on, off romance for years, now she has wheedled her way into Tim’s life. Ruth, how can you stand it?”
Ruth replied calmly, “Do you really think you and Tim would have lasted much longer?”
Vicky examined the floor for a bit. “I don’t want to have to find someone else, we could get by.”
Ruth said, “So you want to settle for someone who really doesn’t love you, doesn’t love you, deep down into their soul.”
“It would be okay, he is good-looking, he has a good job, and we know each other really well; it has been like eight years.” Ruth could see she wasn’t going to win the argument and hoped that Vicky would reflect and realize it would be best if she and Tim went their separate ways.
Ruth offered, “Do you need a lift home?”
Vicky spat, “So you’re kicking me out too.”
“Yes, I am, Vicky it is time for you to go home.”
“Well I’ll ring my daddy to pick me up. I certainly wouldn’t want to put you out and I don’t want to have anything to do with Tim.” She stormed off to get her things and ring her father. Ruth reflected Tom Michaels would get quite an ear-bashing on the ride home. She thought of him, Tom such a nice man, he’d been recently divorced; Madge, or was her name Margaret, had left him for greener pastures.
