Lessons in Love

by Victoria Sinclair

  ‘I’ve heard. I was coming to see how you were,’ he said, sounding almost hurt by her curt dismissal. She sighed and ran a hurried hand through her hair.

  ‘Thanks for your concern. But if you don’t mind we have to leave.’ Steven watched the exchange with more than a little interest on his face, and she glared at him.

  ‘We need to talk, Emily. You know it and so do I.’

  ‘Fine. I’ll concede that point, but first I’m going to see Veronica. If you want to meet with me, drop around later, at nine or so. By that time Steven should be in bed.’ Steven looked disgruntled by the news, but didn’t bother voicing a complaint. He knew when to push Emily, and he knew when not to.

  ‘OK. I’ll be here at nine. And I sincerely hope Veronica’s not too seriously injured.’

  ‘No, just a broken arm and bad concussion. She’ll be in hospital a few days though.’

  ‘Good…good…I’ll get out of your way, then,’ he said blandly.

  ‘What’s up with you and Nicholas Cavanaugh, then?’ Steven asked as she pulled out of the driveway.

  ‘Nothing’s up with me and Nicholas Cavanaugh,’ she lied, but then relented, she couldn’t take her feelings out on Steven. She obviously couldn’t tell him about her pregnancy, not yet, but he deserved something. ‘If you must know, he’s planning to buy out Overington Industries.’

  ‘What? Can he do that?’

  ‘He can if Mark lets him, and at the moment Mark’s having a hard time paying his bills because a company he did work for went bankrupt. I plan on giving Nicholas a piece of my mind!’

  ‘But if Mark can’t pay his bills, then doesn’t it make sense for Nicholas to buy him out?’ Emily sighed.

  ‘It’s not as simple as that, Steve. Mark’s worked really hard over the years building his business up, and now it could be snatched right out from under his nose. The only reason he can’t pay his bills is because of another company who can’t pay the money they owe us. If they could pay, we could pay our bills.’

  ‘I see,’ commented Steven, but Emily wondered how much he really did see. She actually wondered how much of the situation she could see herself. They pulled into the McDonald’s drive through and ordered their meals.

  Emily just had time to finish her Big Mac before reaching the hospital parking lot. She shoved a handful of fries inelegantly in her mouth as she climbed out the car door, and munched them as they made their way back to the children’s ward.

  When they arrived Veronica was awake, and perturbed that Emily and Steven were so late.

  ‘Sorry, Verri,’ Emily said apologetically. Steve and I needed to grab some food.’

  ‘Yeah, we had McDonald’s too,’ said Steven smugly. Veronica pulled a face, and looked as if she wanted to cry.

  ‘That’s not fair!’ she wailed. Emily sighed.

  ‘Look, Verri, I promise you that as soon as you’re out of here I’ll take you out to dinner. Tonight I didn’t have the time or the inclination to do any cooking. If I had, we wouldn’t be here now. Cheer up, and think of the holiday you’re getting from school.’

  ‘Yeah, great,’ the younger girl mumbled, and Emily smiled at her sympathetically. ‘At least Nicholas Cavanaugh came to see me,’ she said grumpily.

  ‘He did?’ Emily asked in surprise. ‘When was he here?’ Veronica shrugged.

  ‘A couple of minutes ago. Look what he gave me,’ she said, and held up a large teddy bear and a box of expensive Belgian chocolates. Emily raised her eyebrows and shook her head in disbelief. What was he trying to prove? She couldn’t believe that he’d dropped in to see Veronica after leaving her house. He must have bought the gifts from the hospital gift shop, she thought in irritation, angered by the thought that she hadn’t even picked up something for her sister.

  ‘Well, that was lovely of him,’ she said rather inadequately, knowing she couldn’t say anything against him without sounding catty. ‘I hope you write him a thank you note.’

  ‘I will,’ she said, rolling her eyes.

  Emily stared at the gifts and frowned, wondering what his motives had been. He certainly had the money to afford such expensive chocolate, so to him it was probably a much smaller gift than it seemed to Emily, but still. Was he trying to prove to her that he wasn’t the cold-hearted person she thought he was? If so, it wasn’t going to work. He’d have to do better than that. A lot better.

  They stayed until visiting hours were over. Veronica had cheered up during their stay, but seemed to deflate again when Emily got up to leave. After promising that they’d be in to see her the next day, Steven and Emily left Veronica who was muttering something under her breath.

  They arrived home with a good half hour to spare before Nicholas was due to arrive, and Emily passed the time watching TV. However, a hour later when Nicholas still hadn’t turned up, Emily began pacing the floors, muttering angrily to herself. She’d have liked to have an early night, but had to wait for his eminence to arrive instead.

  Finally, the phone’s ringing jolted her out of her mood, and she walked over to answer it. ‘If that’s Nicholas…’ she muttered to herself.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Emily? It’s Nicholas.’ Emily seethed inside.

  ‘Yes?’ she said imperiously.

  ‘I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it to your place. We’ve had a family emergency.’ The tone of his voice left no doubt that he was telling the truth.

  ‘What’s happened? Is everything all right?’ she asked anxiously, her anger momentarily forgotten.

  ‘It’s my father. He’s suffered a minor heart attack. I have to drive to Hamilton where he’s in hospital.’

  ‘Oh Nicholas! That’s terrible!’ she said. ‘I wish there was something I could do.’ Surprisingly she meant every word. She knew how painful it was to have a sick parent.

  ‘Thanks for the offer, but everything’s under control. According to his cardiologist, it was a relatively mild attack, but of course Mum’s worrying herself silly. Thanks for your concern, Emily. I really appreciate it.’

  ‘Thank you too, Nicholas, for visiting Veronica. It really cheered her up, especially as she hadn’t see me all day,’ she said regretfully. ‘I’ll let you get going. Please tell me how he’s doing, won’t you?’

  ‘I’ll do that. I’ll call you as soon as I get back. We still need to talk.’

  ‘I know. Good bye, Nicholas.’

  Emily hung up the receiver and sat down, her head spinning. She’d never been so confused in her life. She’d always been relatively in control of her feelings and emotions, but not now. Sometimes Nicholas was the caring person she’d fallen in love with, but at others he was the cold-hearted, ruthless business man she couldn’t stand. Which one was the real Nicholas Cavanaugh? And how could she have feelings for one, and not the other?

  She went to bed tired, confused and frustrated. After a fitful night’s sleep, she spent an equally difficult day at work, watching Mark as he slid further and further into depression as he prepared to give up his life’s dream for good. Was any of this worth it?

  Emily remained listless until that evening, when Sonya called and invited the three of them to her beach house in Ocean Grove. At first, Emily was reluctant. There was her study to consider…and Veronica’s arm…but gradually her best friend managed to change her mind, and she found herself agreeing.

  As she hung up the receiver, Emily suddenly realised she felt better now that she had something to look forward to. The weather had been lousy the past few weeks, and the kids had been housebound far more than they could stand. A weekend away would do them all a world of good.

  Early on Saturday morning, Emily, Veronica and Steven drove to Sonya and Andrew’s house, before following them to the beach house. An hour and a half later, they arrived, and Emily felt her spirits soar for the first time in she didn’t know how long.

  The beach house was small but comfortable. Emily had only visited the house once before, and was amazed by the transformation Sonya and Andrew had af
fected on it.

  ‘Wow, guys,’ she commented, looking around the newly refurbished living room, ‘this place looks fantastic.’ Sonya laughed, and put an arm lovingly around her husband.

  ‘We haven’t done much, really. Just gave it a good coat of paint inside and out, cleaned up the floorboards and had them repolished, and bought a few cheap pieces to liven up the rooms.’

  The furnishings were simple, but tasteful. Emily was amazed by the effect of the fresh, off-white paint on the walls, and the polishing of the floorboards. With the addition of a few colourful prints, some light cotton curtains, a few throw rugs for the floor, and a comfy-looking cane lounge suite and matching kitchen setting, the effect was impressive.

  ‘Let’s get unpacked, have a bite to eat, and hit the beach,’ Andrew suggested, grinning at Steven and Veronica.

  They unpacked quickly and ate a quick lunch. Veronica and Steven were more than helpful, volunteering not only to help prepare the food but to clean up as well.

  ‘Rug up warm,’ suggested Sonya. ‘Those sea breezes can be quite chilly.’ Emily donned her coat, and made Steven and Veronica do the same. Veronica had a good struggle trying to get her parka on over her cast, and looked ready to burst into tears, but when Paul rushed in dressed in an all-in-one snow suit and hood, looking as adorable as only a toddler could, and rushed over to Veronica, the tears were averted, and the young girl did her best to give the small boy a big hug.

  ‘Why don’t you have a baby, Emily?’ she asked innocently. ‘They’re just gorgeous!’ Emily’s stomach lurched and she forced a smile onto her face.

  ‘Let’s just take things one day at a time, hey, Verri?’ she said lightly, but underneath her tone there was a tension which didn’t escape Sonya’s notice. She looked at Emily enquiringly, but Emily ignored the look. She’d speak to Sonya later. Now was not the time.

  The beach was only a few blocks away, and the walk was pleasant. The weather was a little cool from the sea breezes, but also curiously bracing, and Emily enjoyed the walk thoroughly.

  When they reached the shore, Andrew, with Paul in a baby carrier on his back, took Steven and Veronica on a walk up to the rock pools, while Sonya and Emily enjoyed a peaceful walk by the water’s edge.

  ‘What’s really happening in your life, Emily?’ Sonya began, looking a little apprehensively at Emily as she spoke. ‘You’ve been curiously reticent for some time now, and it’s time you told someone – namely myself – what’s going on.’ Emily laughed in self-derision.

  ‘Perhaps. Oh, Sonya…If I told you, I doubt you’d believe me.’ Sonya raised a sceptical eyebrow.

  ‘Is it something to do with the delectable Nicholas Cavanaugh?’

  ‘More than something,’ Emily confessed. ‘I’ve made such a mess of things Sonya!’ And taking a deep breath she proceeded to tell Sonya about their relationship. Not all the gory details, but enough. Well and truly enough.

  ‘And Sonya, there’s something more…’

  ‘Let me guess? You’re pregnant.’ Emily gasped, and turned to her friend wide-eyed. ‘How…?’ Sonya shrugged.

  ‘I’m very perceptive. And it didn’t escape my attention the way you responded to Veronica’s innocent query about you having a baby. For an instant you looked like you’d turned to stone. At first I couldn’t imagine it…but…there you have it. You know, the ironic thing is I was prepared to give you a good talking to today, about how careers and jobs are only one part of a satisfactory life, the other part being family. I wanted to tell you to take some focus off your career goals, to maybe get a man in your life. But now…’ She shook her head in amazement. ‘Well, I guess I don’t have to. Or do I? Please tell me you’re going to do the sensible thing Emily?’

  ‘And what might that be?’ She raised an eyebrow.

  ‘He asked you to marry him! What do you think the answer is? I know you care about him. I heard the tone in which you spoke about him.’

  ‘But what about Mark?’

  ‘Emily, you can’t think about your boss before you think of you! Or your baby, for that matter. You’ve always said that a child deserves a mother and a father. Could you deprive your child of that?’

  ‘N…no. But we’d have a joint custody arrangement. Nicholas would have time with the child, and so would I.’

  ‘Hmph! If you think that constitutes a proper family! You know how angry you were when your father left! How bitter and hurt…’

  ‘I know! But how much worse would it have been if he had stayed? He clearly didn’t care enough about Mum or us to make that happen, and if he’d decided to do so out of duty and obligation only…’ Her voice trailed off as she shook her head.

  ‘But it wouldn’t be like that with you and Nicholas,’ her friend said softly. ‘You know that, Emily! For goodness’ sake, he’s a businessman! He’s teaching you business economics. Surely you know enough by now to understand why he wants to buy Mark out?’

  ‘It’s not about economics. It’s about justice! Justice for a man who did nothing wrong except put his trust in the wrong person.’

  ‘Yes and fortunes have been lost on such wrong choices. At least Mark has a way out, albeit not the one he would like. Many businesses go bankrupt and destroy the people involved.’

  ‘I know,’ Emily replied angrily. Hadn’t she gone through all this in her mind before? ‘I know,’ she said again, but softer, more thoughtfully.

  Nicholas was a good man. A caring man. She’d seen that side of him. But he hadn’t got to be Managing Director of a company like Rutherford’s without strong business sense, or strong business ethics. He’d always known exactly what he was doing. And, looked at from his perspective, wasn’t he doing Mark a favour? He could have turned his back on Overington Industries entirely and left Mark to the sharks, but he hadn’t, he’d offered them a way out.

  And as for Emily – she loved Nicholas. Maybe he didn’t love her, but he cared for her at least a little, and he’d be a wonderful father. Perhaps they could make this marriage work, if they tried hard enough, and if Emily let go of the high expectations of marriage she’d had since youth.

  ‘You’re right, Sonya. I did need to hear your side of things, and get everything out into the open with you. Thank you.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So what? I’ll tell him the good news on Monday.’

  ‘That’s exactly what I wanted to hear!’

  The rest of the day was spent in pleasant relaxation, as they returned to the beach house, and Andrew cooked a barbecue for the family, bringing the food inside to eat out of the chilly autumn air.

  They spent the evening playing board games, a pleasant diversion from the usual watching of television on a Saturday night, and Emily went to bed feeling happier than she’d been in a very long time.

  Chapter Nine

  On Monday morning Emily entered her office with a great weight in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t yet had a chance to tell Nicholas of her decision, and couldn’t tell Mark what was going on yet, but not being able to do so filled her with guilt. She felt as though she was deceiving her boss; although Sonya had been right in saying that Emily’s first duty was to herself, not Mark. But she was determined to be cheerful for Mark’s benefit.

  ‘Hi Mark,’ she said, breezing into the office as if she didn’t have a care in the world, and was surprised to see her boss looking happy for the first time in ages. ‘What’s happening? You look like the cat who’s caught the canary!’ What had changed over the weekend? Obviously something big!

  ‘Oh, I’m more than that. I’m the cat who got set loose in an aviary full of them!’ He shook his head in bemusement. ‘You won’t believe who called me first thing this morning.’ Emily’s heart swelled with a sudden hope.

  ‘Nicholas?’ she asked, her tone brightening as Mark nodded vigorously. ‘And he’s not buying out the company?’ she asked, even more hope in her voice.

  ‘You’ve got it in one, babe! He’s going to help us out by paying off our creditors with the t
wo hundred thousand dollars that we should have received from Trefold. It won’t be an easy time though, Emily. I’ll have to pay back every single cent with interest. However, the added bonus is that Nicholas is still interested in the new project I had planned, and hopefully that way will lie expansion, and we’ll be able to build to greater heights than before.’ He let out a deep breath and grinned.

  ‘How about I take you and Lisa out to lunch. Heck, and why not Nicholas too! See if you can get us a table for four at Bayani’s on short notice. The meal is on me!’ Brightened considerably by his mood, Emily grinned and walked into her office to make the phone call. But the thought of seeing Nicholas under these circumstances sent her crashing back to earth with a thud. She needed to tell him of her decision, and she needed to do it in private. She chewed a lip nervously and then called into Mark’s office.

  ‘Mark! Would you like me to give Nicholas a call as well?’

  ‘Thanks, Emily. That’ll give me a chance to get my lovely wife ready.’

  Emily grimaced slightly as she dialled Nicholas’s office.

  ‘Hello, Nicholas here,’ his familiar voice answered, and her heart thudded at the sound.

  ‘Nicholas? It’s me, Emily. How are you? And how’s your dad?’

  ‘Thanks for asking. I’m OK, considering the circumstances, and Dad’s coming along nicely. Fortunately the attack was quite minor, and although he’s still under observation he should come out of it all right. Of course, he’ll have to start taking things a bit easier from now on, and Mum’s promised to cook him healthier food in future.

  ‘I guess you’re at work? Has Mark told you the news?’

  ‘Yes, and I’m so glad, Nicholas. You’ve got no idea.’ Relief washed through her voice. It would be so much easier to do what she had to now. But Nicholas was silent on the other end of the phone, and she wondered whether she’d said the wrong thing. ‘Mark wants us to get together for lunch. To celebrate. He’d love it if you could come.’ Still no reply. ‘At Bayani’s. I’ve booked a table for one o’clock.’