Finding Izzy

by Nanette Fox

  Paul said, “Do you think she is maybe just tired and unwell and so is just simply overwrought particularly if you argued for ages last night.”

  “Also, when I was carrying her through to the guest- bedroom she is very thin, like super thin. She is quite a tall girl and she was a light as a feather.”

  “I asked Becky, she said she has been so upset, barely eating and hardly sleeping for about a week.”

  “Yeah she has got really thin, I thought that yesterday,” said Tim. “She got really dirty helping Mum in the garden and then when I turned up, she tried to clean herself up and changed into these gym clothes because it was all she had in her bag, she looked sexy as but she is very skinny.” Paul had a bit of a chuckle.

  “Paul, I want to ask Izzy to marry me but I can’t until I sort all this mess out. I’d like just a couple of months maybe where nothing gets in our way. It has been one drama after another since we decided we liked each other, fell in love really. It has been like a constant series of speed humps.” He kicked out at the grass. “You know I have just been awarded this amazing Architecture award, this prize and if I take it, it is a trip to Europe to a conference and some other things and I was thinking about asking her to go with me.” Tim was looking so frustrated and angry. “I want to go, and I want to take Izzy with me.”

  Paul said, “Hang on Tim, so would the trip come before the marriage or after, just checking details here.”

  “Well neither will happen if I can’t get her to talk to me and enjoy just being together for a while!”

  You know Paddle Pop said to me that I have got to stop drawing perfect plans of how I think life should be. Stopping making perfect logical lists and allow for people to make mistakes, allow for other people’s emotions and above all listen to what my heart is telling me."

  “So, if I make a list and number seven turns up before number four, I have to adapt and change, not go off and get all disturbed about it.”

  “Good advice I reckon.” Paul looked at him, “So Paddle Pop, sorry Lainey, is like some ‘Little Buddha’ guru?”

  “No mate, she has several degrees, she has a Doctorate. She is one smart cookie.” Paul just looked at him. "She is a good friend and rides a bike like a crazy person, mostly to relax. She looks like a real ratbag, pretends to be a rebel but she is not in the slightest.

  “Well I guess she is a little bit ratbag, a little bit rebel,” he added ruefully.

  “Paul, about Izzy, what do I do?”

  Paul looked at him and said, “Don’t procrastinate and shuffle it around in your mind for days because when you are ready, Izzy could very well have hopped on a plane out of here.”

  “So, she is sleeping now right?”

  “I’ll text Bec and find out; my ever-practical fiancée sewed a pocket into that dress so she could have her phone with her.” His phone rang almost immediately.

  “Becky is Izzy still sleeping?”

  “No, she is awake I just brought her in a sandwich,” said Bec on the other end of the phone.

  “It makes me laugh, we are supposed to be the guests of honour and I am at the bottom of the garden with Tim, and you’re with Izzy in the guest-room. Do any of those people partying inside have any idea why they are here?”

  Bec laughed on the other end of the phone and said, “What can I say, Mum loves a party, but we might have to mingle a bit later, and I believe there’ll be a cake and speeches.”

  “Okies well if Izzy wants to come with you, Tim and I are right down the bottom of the garden. Love you.”

  Paul looked at Tim, “Will I get us a couple of beers?” Tim nodded and watched his mate do a stealthy run up to where there was a tub of drinks on the balcony.

  After a little, Bec and Izzy appeared arm in arm from around the side of the house. They got to where the men were standing and Bec immediately gave Paul a hug and stayed with him with her arm around his waist. Izzy stood with her arms folded around herself away from Tim but at least looking at him. He stood hands on his hips looking at her with a sort of twisted expression about his mouth, like he wanted to say something but was stopping himself. Paul repeated his previous comments about the party happening without the main guests and said he was happy just being the four of them in the garden under the trees.

  Bec asked Tim about his friend and was told she’d gone off to a music gig. Paul said, “I found out all about Paddle Pop, most interesting person.”

  “I thought she looked horrible,” said Izzy.

  Tim sticking up for his friend said, “Might look a bit way out, a bit different, but she is good value.”

  “She is Director of a youth charity. She’s been a friend for a long time.” Tim stopping himself said, “Why are we talking about Paddle Pop?”

  “Izzy come here,” and held out his arms. Rebecca and Paul collectively held their breath and let them out when Izzy moved into Tim’s embrace. He held her so very tightly it looked like he would never let her go. Her head buried into his chest; he was stroking her hair.

  Paul said to Bec, “I think we might leave these two and brave going back inside. You haven’t introduced me to your cousins from Ballarat or your Aunt Meredith.”

  “Hey Paul, can you take my beer, it’s almost finished.” Tim held out the bottle but continued to look down at Izzy.

  “Izzy, are you okay?” whispered Tim.

  “No, I am frightened, disillusioned, and worried about my future. I am thinking of going back to the UK, I can move into one of my cottages somewhere. I can get my own puppy and maybe a horse again.”

  “Wouldn’t that be a bit lonely for you?” asked Tim. “No Rebecca, no Julia.” It had been on the tip of his tongue to say ‘no me’ but she was talking to him and he didn’t want to push his luck.

  “I don’t belong, I am not real family or anything to anybody,” her soft reply, unnerved him.

  “Izzy, I love you with all my heart, I don’t want you to go anywhere.” She was shaking her head about to say something when he took her beautiful face in his hands and kissed her. As their lips parted, he looked down at her and smiled, a gentle smile that conveyed the love he was feeling.

  He stroked her cheek. “Izzy can I ask you something, and this is sort of crazy and all out of synch because of all the drama that has got us to this point right now…in fact I would understand if you don’t agree…Will you marry me, not right now but say in a few months, maybe six months?”

  Izzy stepped back out of his embrace and holding her hand to her mouth, her eyes a little teary said, “Tim, are you sure?”

  “Yes, I am sure, and I will even get down on one knee and ask again.”

  She smiled, daring him, “You wouldn’t.” He reached out and twisted a lock of her hair for a minute or so around his fingers before gently releasing it.

  He stepped back. With a big goofy grin on his face and love making his eyes sparkle, getting down on one knee said, “Isabella, Izzy Stewart will you marry me?”

  She laughed, a happy little tingly laugh, clasping her hands together in front of her said, “Yes. I love you Tim Martinelli.” He got up and she fluttered into his arms, they kissed each other, and parting looked into each other’s faces smiling.

  “Would you like to dance pretty lady?”

  She looked down and pointing to her feet, “I have a moon boot and a bare foot.”

  “Well just a slow dance then?” He bent down and picking a few everlasting daisies from the edge of the garden bed, poked them in her hair. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he took a photo of them both before choosing one of his favourite tracks.

  There was quite a crowd in the kitchen watching, all squished around the sink looking out the window to the bottom of the garden. The weeping willow framed the couple under its shady bows. Someone had noticed the tall dark-haired man with the slender blonde woman in his arms. “Come look at this, Tim and Izzy, it looks so beautiful and romantic.” No one could say who had noticed them first. They watched enthralled. There had been a collective
sigh as they had watched Tim Martinelli ask Isabella Stewart to marry him. Paul gave Bec a hug and kissed her on the side of her head, Lucy had tears in her eyes as did Ruth. Michael, who had come in search of Lucy, rubbed her shoulders. Julia and David who had both come into the kitchen with their partners looking for drinks and refreshments were there as well.

  Julia said softly, “Oh baby bro,” and looked up her older brother who looked down and said, ‘Way to go bro’.

  *

  About an hour later, Rebecca’s phone pinged with a message. ’We love you both, but we are not coming back into the party we are going home. Congratulations on your engagement Rebecca and Paul."

  David’s phone pinged just after, “Can I borrow your car to take Izzy home because she really isn’t well, and I’ll bring it back and get my bike. I am sure you won’t mind, go out and put the keys on the bonnet and let me know when you’ve done it.” David dutifully did what was wanted and saw his car go away from the kerb within a few minutes. Tim must have been watching from somewhere. It was back within the hour. He saw his brother come in and collect his jacket and helmet. He came over quickly and quietly handed the keys back. It’s Bec and Paul’s day will ring you later. I have got some amazing news. He was gone again so quickly that the bike was up the drive and away before anyone realized.

  Ruth was in a complete whirl. “Have they gone?”

  “Yep you do realize that they have no idea we all know,” said someone.

  Julia, who had been very quiet all day and looked very tired, said, “We will just have to pretend excitement.”

  Aunt Lucy said, “Pfft to that I am going to tell them it was the most romantic thing I have seen in a while.”

  Ruth said, “It was wasn’t it?”

  Rebecca suddenly started to cry, “I can’t believe it Julia.”

  “I have just opened Izzy’s gift, it is the book of poetry, and she has written on the card ‘Congratulations Bec and Paul, I think you have a love that will last forever’.”

  “Julia, she remembered from all those years ago.”

  “Oh my god she did too,” Julia said. “It was her dream, remember Bec, she gave you her dream.” Rebecca and Julia were hugging each other and crying like babies. Paul looked a bit nonplussed at all the tears.

  Julia stopped and wiping the tears, “You have no idea about Izzy’s gift giving so I’ll explain. She spends hours debating what is meaningful then always, always it will come wrapped in handmade wrapping. She bent over and picked up the wrapping which Bec had very carefully folded. It was covered in quotes about romance, love, life.”

  Paul said, “So she didn’t just buy that book or take it from her shelf and hastily wrap it on her way out the door.”

  “No Paul,” said Rebecca, “she will have started planning this the minute she heard we were engaged.”

  “Bec,” said Julia, “she must have thought there was no hope, but I guess that changed an hour or so ago.”

  *

  At Izzy’s Tim had carried her inside and up to her room, tucking her into bed said, “I want you to get some sleep. I am going downstairs and returning David’s car, but I will be back on my bike.”

  “I’ll be about an hour, then my Izzy I am going to crawl into bed with you and get some sleep too.”

  “Tomorrow we will have a really long talk about everything.” Izzy nodded as she started to fall asleep, she was just so tired. Some hours later she woke, drowsy still though, looked at the brown eyes watching her.

  “Did I dream what happened?”

  “Why what happened?” Tim was grinning.

  “You asked me to marry you, is that what you really want?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t what I want more than anything.”

  She reached out and placing her thin hand on his chest, snuggled into his side muttering, “It’s what I want too,” and closing her eyes drifted to sleep…

  Chapter 38

  An Awkward Monday

  Tim and Izzy went out for breakfast on the Monday morning, hand in hand to a local café, it wasn’t too far, and she had managed to hobble with the moon boot. They had a lively conversation over breakfast what to do about their transport situation. Tim wasn’t going to give up his bike as he felt it was a part of him, a part of his personality. Izzy couldn’t wait to get back to driving her little fiat. They decided they’d manage somehow for now. They could always leave her smaller car at Ruth’s and take the Land Rover. She was adamant that she was not going to set foot ever in the Porsche.

  Once back at the townhouse, Tim made a few work phone calls, and Izzy phoned into the gallery. Rebecca was there with Monique so whilst both Julia and Izzy had begged off for the day, the gallery would function as normal. Paul had gone back to Perth and it seemed Antonio’s plans had changed again. Izzy needed to have a chat with Julia. Tim had showered and was roaming around in just a pair of jeans. Izzy was clad in just a pair of tiny shorts and a baggy t-shirt.

  Izzy answered the door to her neighbour who had a tiny kitten in her arms and asked if Izzy knew who it belonged to. Izzy wasn’t sure but said she’d help the neighbour by taking it in just for the day. She returned to the kitchen with it in her arms to find Tim trying to get Basil to sit with the aid of treats. “What have you got there?” said Tim.

  “You’re being silly you can see it’s a kitten.” Izzy put it down on the table and getting down a saucer gave the little creature some milk. It promptly had a little drink and curled up going to sleep.

  “I think it belongs to the girl next door, she is at work, and I will go in with it when she is home.”

  Tim was looking very strangely at her and said, “The trifecta would be a small child.” She looked back at him puzzled.

  “Izzy, I have something to tell you.” She sat down looking warily at him. “Iz, you know Paddle Pop from the party yesterday, well she and I have a son, I support him, but he lives with Paddle Pop and her husband Stefan.” Izzy just looked at Tim in disbelief.

  “So how come I have never heard this before?” she said chewing her lip. “It isn’t something the family talks about, ‘Tim’s big mistake’.”

  “I actually think you probably have heard in passing at some point but because it didn’t impact your life and no one ever talks about him or has any involvement, it just gets swept under the carpet.”

  “So how come you brought Paddle Pop to the party yesterday, by the way, what is her proper name?”

  “Her name is Elaine, Lainey and I brought her yesterday because we needed to spend some time together to talk something out, and I needed her to tell me what to do about you and meet you.” Tim was sitting on one of the kitchen chairs with his feet up on another and in his partial nakedness was looking very sexy. Izzy smiled to herself in pleasure. She was sitting at the table too, opposite, with her chin on her hand resting on her bent arm, stroking the kitten gently with a finger of her other hand.

  “So, let’s break this down why did you need to talk to her?” I needed to talk to her because she has some worries: she was free as Stefan had our son with him at his parents."

  “I needed you to meet her because we do keep in touch obviously, and we are very close friends, just friends mind, so it means you and she will have contact.”

  “She is like Paul, very qualified to help people, so I thought she might help me with us and what we were fighting about on Saturday night, not the actual details but about trust and belief in each other.”

  “So, what is he called and how old is he?” Tim rubbed his face and turned to look at Izzy.

  “Izzy why are you so calm and peaceful this morning?”

  “You’re not anxious, not worrying, I just told you something pretty major and you’re like ‘oh well that’s nice’.”

  Izzy blew him a kiss and smiled at him. “I just feel really happy for a long time in ages.”

  “So, his name is and how old is he?”

  Tim laughed and said, “His name is Zot, and he is four and half
, nearly five.”

  Izzy laughed, “His name is what?”

  “Yeah, not my choice exactly, Zot as in dot apparently.”

  “He is Zot Martinelli and he has dark hair like mine, a heap of freckles and light brown eyes.”

  “Hang on I have a photo.” He found it and showed Izzy. She looked at the photo and smiled up at Tim, he’s a cutie.

  Hey Izzy have you got any drawing paper and some pencils. “Yes, in the study I’ll go and get them.” She returned to the kitchen to find Tim having a cuddle of the kitten.

  “What a little fluff ball? Okay Izzy I thought we might start to design our house.” He placed the kitten back on the table and sort of scrunching up one sheet of paper made a little nest bed for it. “Iz come around this side.” Righting himself up to sitting position, he started to draw something. About a dozen drawings later, the table was a mass of paper, and they were both getting quite involved in ideas for the façade when the doorbell rang. Izzy got up to answer it and found David, Julia and Ruth on the doorstep. She let them in, and they followed her through to the kitchen. Tim looked up alarmed and said, “Is it two o’clock already?”

  David looked at all the paper, the kitten and the rather undressed state of his younger brother and his girlfriend and said, “Bad time then, we can come back later.”

  Julia just looked at them both and smiled. “It is nice to see Izzy relaxed.”

  “Yep, sure is,” said Tim. Ruth went around the table and gave Basil a pat and Tim a kiss on the cheek.

  “I have the box you wanted.”

  “Thanks Mum, hey listen you guys I’ll just grab a shirt and be right back. Let’s go into the lounge.” Lucy had arrived by the time he got back downstairs.

  He was a little unnerved to find Izzy had curled up in one corner of the sofa holding her envelope and so quickly already looking anxious and upset. He started the conversation by explaining that he was Executor of Marco’s estate and that it was all pretty straightforward with Ruth having inherited the house and the three siblings to have annuities from a Trust. He explained he was to have his father’s watch, his brother the Porsche and some investments. He said his father had also left him a skeleton architectural practice, but he had closed it down finishing off anything outstanding. He reached into the box and came out with the three gifts and explained to Ruth, Julia and Isabella it was all detailed as to what they were to receive; his mother a strand of pearls, Julia a diamond bracelet and Izzy a pendant with a diamond encrusted tree of life.