Lessons in Love

by Victoria Sinclair

  Veronica and Steven were gradually coming around to the idea of her marrying Nicholas. Once they’d seen the house, they were more than happy to be leaving their old home, and Nicholas treated them fairly and honestly, so they harboured no resentment against him.

  The master bedroom almost blew Emily away. It was at least twice the size of her current bedroom, had a huge en suite bathroom with a two person spa bath, and a double sized shower with two shower heads. The thought of sharing it with Nicholas sent shivers down her spine, and she thought regretfully of the times they’d spent making love. Regretfully, she mused, because the last time, before the problems with Mark’s business had come to the fore, and before she’d ever realised she was pregnant, had been such a long time ago. Since then, Nicholas had remained the perfect gentleman. He was considerate, caring, warm and friendly…but that was all. Gone was the passion he’d once displayed towards her, and that hurt most of all. She still shivered in his presence, still felt the warmth of her desire for him invade her senses whenever he was around. But as far as he was concerned…there was nothing. Perhaps after their wedding things would change. But then again…She forced her mind from the depressing thoughts, determined to keep on an even keel emotionally. Nicholas was doing more for her than many other men would have done, and she had to remember that and be grateful for it.

  Hmph! Grateful? In the twenty-first century? How pathetic was she? She felt somehow like a dog being thrown table scraps, its tongue hanging out and tail wagging madly. For an instant a small smile passed over her lips, but it was a smile tinged with sorrow and regret.

  Emily shook her head, getting the uncharitable thought out of her head. Nicholas was just doing what he believed to be right, and she really couldn’t fault him for that. But she’d never be his little doormat. Never. Even if he made millions while she struggled through university, one day she’d prove herself to be his equal.

  An interior designer had been hired to help assist in their choices, and she turned up shortly with swatches of fabric, and thousands of pictures of decorating ideas. Emily couldn’t help but think of the cost involved, but Nicholas didn’t even seem to notice.

  ‘What do you think of that lounge suite, Emily?’ he asked, and she gaped, seeing the five figure sum required for its purchase.

  ‘It’s…well…’

  ‘You don’t like it?’

  ‘It’s beautiful. But the price!’ she exclaimed. Nicholas laughed.

  ‘Don’t worry about the price. I want this place to be perfect for you, Emily. Perfect.’ His tone was so warm, and so sincere that Emily almost melted.

  ‘Then, yes. It’s lovely. But is it comfortable?’ she asked the designer, all practicality. There was no point in spending such an exorbitant sum on furniture that was barely useable.

  ‘I can assure you it’s a dream. As comfortable as anything you’ve ever been on, and perhaps even more so. If you’d like to try it for yourself, you can always pop into the showroom.’

  ‘I’ll take your word for it.’ The rest of the day passed quickly and enjoyably, and by the end of it everyone was satisfied. Even Steven and Veronica were getting new bedroom furniture, to replace the old and rather ordinary furniture they currently put up with.

  But it saddened Emily to think that so few of the relics of her past would be coming to their new home with them, and back in her old house that evening, she looked over everything nostalgically. Her mother had never been well off, especially after her father had left, and the furniture was worn and shabby. But the memories contained within it were what saddened Emily the most. She could still see her mother doing embroidery in her easy chair, chatting happily to Emily and her other two while she worked. But her mother had been dead for six years now, and what was more important than old furniture was the legacy she’d left in their hearts, and that would never be forgotten.

  Before leaving the old house, she’d organise for the Salvation Army to pick most of it up. It wasn’t worth much, but she was sure there were needy families who’d appreciate it.

  She had suggested putting the house up for sale, but Nicholas had sensibly vetoed the idea, telling her what an ideal investment property it was.

  It would be sad to know that someone else was occupying the home she had lived in all her life, but somehow comforting to think that it would remain in the family.

  It took just two weeks for the new furniture to arrive, and to celebrate the completion of their home, Nicholas had invited his parents down.

  The day that Emily had been dreading finally arrived. She left Steven and Veronica in Evelyn’s capable hands and drove to Nicholas’s house almost in a state of panic. She’d left with plenty of time to spare, praying that at the very least she’d arrive first. For the occasion, she’d bought a new dress despite Nicholas’s protests that it was unnecessary. He’d assured her that his parents would love her if she wore a hessian sack, but she was certain that would not be the case.

  The dress, she’d reflected ruefully, was a size bigger than she normally wore, and seemed a little tight around the tummy, even though she wasn’t far advanced in her pregnancy at all. She suspected that she’d been eating a little too much out of nerves and was actually putting on weight, something which had never happened to her before.

  When she arrived at Nicholas’s house she was a nervous wreck, only partially reassured by the fact that his parents weren’t there yet.

  ‘You look gorgeous,’ he said, and she smiled gratefully at him, hoping futilely that he’d do more than just admire her from afar. But it wasn’t to be. ‘Sit down, I’ll get you a drink.’

  Emily tried to relax, sinking down onto the recently purchased lounge suite. It really was beautiful, and smelled enticingly of new leather. ‘At least it’s comfortable,’ she muttered to herself, trying to force her mind away from the inevitable confrontation.

  Nicholas smiled at her as he seated himself across from her, placing their glasses down on the coffee table between them. Emily raised her eyebrows at the drink.

  ‘It’s to help you unwind,’ he said with a grin. ‘Just a small sample of some sweet wine I picked up just for you.’ Emily took a sip, relaxing almost immediately as a pleasant warmth spread through her.

  ‘I really shouldn’t be drinking this,’ she reminded him. He shrugged a shoulder.

  ‘One tiny drink won’t hurt, and it’s very low in alcohol.’ Emily wasn’t entirely sure and decided to pace herself.

  They chatted for awhile and Emily had almost started to calm down, when the distinct sound of a car pulling into the driveway could be heard, and Emily’s heart flew back into her mouth.

  ‘Relax!’ Nicholas said, grinning at her. He looked as if he was enjoying himself, and Emily resisted the urge to slap the expression off his face.

  ‘I’m trying,’ she insisted, her heart thumping fit to burst, and her hands sweating with nervous anticipation. Nicholas gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before walking over to the front door. She could picture them now: Mrs Cavanaugh, tall and regal in bearing, wearing a designer outfit by Chanel or someone else of that ilk, her hair perfectly coiffed, and makeup professionally done. Mr Cavanaugh Senior would be tall and distinguished like his son, with an imperious bearing which would leave Emily feeling less significant than a mouse.

  The doorbell rang, and Emily braced herself as best as she could, walking forward to join Nicholas at the door. He turned the handle and Emily prepared herself for the worst, but was left staring at the pair dumbfounded when they entered the room.

  ‘Mum. Dad. I’m honoured to present to you my fiancée, Emily Peterson.’ Emily stepped forward, and was immediately thrust against a pillowed bosom which smelled suspiciously of lavender.

  ‘It’s wonderful to meet you, love. Nicky’s told us so much about you.’ And with a big kiss on the cheek, Mrs Cavanaugh pulled back. Emily was left staring at a short, dumpy farmwife, with a bright smile and merry blue eyes. Nicholas’s father, standing quietly behind his wife, was as tall
as his wife was short, and although clearly the more reserved of the pair, greeted Emily just as warmly. As his wife, he was nothing like Emily had imagined.

  ‘They’re not what you expected are they?’ Nicholas whispered with a naughty grin. Emily laughed, shaking her head.

  ‘It’s so good to meet you at last,’ she said fervently, and every word was true. From the instant they’d entered the room, Emily had felt at ease.

  ‘See, that wasn’t so bad at all was it?’ Nicholas said as he and Emily went into the kitchen to prepare drinks for their guests.

  ‘Nicholas!’ she exclaimed, and slapped him teasingly on the arm. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about them? You must have known what I’d think.’

  ‘I do remember telling you I grew up in the country, remember?’ he teased her. She smiled at him, fully relaxed now. ‘I didn’t want to tell you every detail of my background,’ he explained. ‘I wanted you to find out for yourself. It seems to me that you’ve always considered me to be above you somehow, because I’m successful and wealthy, but my roots are no more affluent than your own. I’ve got where I am today by sheer hard work and determination. My parents are good people, but even they’ve never completely understood what drives me. Neither have I, for that matter. But I always knew they’d love you. From the instant I met you, I thought to myself, “now that’s a girl I could take home to Mum and Dad!” and it’s true. They always worried I’d marry some haughty socialite and be miserable for the rest of my days.’ Emily laughed.

  ‘That’s exactly how I pictured your mother! Can you imagine how frightened I was, knowing full and well that socialite I am not?’ Nicholas laughed again.

  ‘Go in there and sit down. They’ll want to know everything about you. I’ll finish up here.’

  ‘They do know about the baby don’t they?’ she asked cautiously. She knew her own mother, God bless her soul, would be turning in her grave if she knew what had happened.

  ‘Yes, they know. And don’t worry; they haven’t judged you for it. They grew up in the country, remember? Among good, honest country folk. My older sister was born only five months after their wedding day!’ Emily laughed in relief, and joined her future in-laws in the living room.

  The rest of the evening was just as pleasant, and Emily was almost sad to leave. She realised she looked forward to seeing her future in-laws again, and was glad she’d finally met them. It would be nice to belong to a loving family again.

  Now as long as Nicholas liked her friends as much as Emily liked his parents, everything would be perfect, she reflected.

  The next Saturday evening Emily arranged a double date for her and Nicholas and Sonya and Andrew. She was anxious for her best friends to meet her fiancé, and even more anxious for them all to like each other.

  Fortunately, the dinner had an auspicious beginning as Nicholas saw a kindred spirit in Andrew, a fellow businessman, and was warm and friendly to Sonya, who also seemed to take to him.

  ‘Where do you work?’ Nicholas asked Andrew, sounding genuinely interested.

  ‘At Raymond Brothers.’

  ‘Ahh,’ Nicholas said, nodding. ‘I know the firm well. I attended university with Peter Raymond. He’s a good bloke, I like him a lot.’ Andrew smiled and nodded, glad they had a mutual acquaintance, and their conversation flowed naturally from there, while all Sonya could talk about were preparations for Emily’s upcoming wedding.

  The evening ended on a pleasant note for all involved, and Emily could almost imagine that her wedding was something real, that she and Nicholas shared a loving relationship, and that it was not merely a wedding of practicality for the both of them.

  The next weeks passed in a flurry of activity. Not only did Emily have a wedding to prepare for, but she also had exams to study for, and more than ever now, she wanted to do well.

  Her impending marriage to Nicholas made her feel increasingly distant from her fellow students, however, and she dreaded his classes. But time marched inexorably forward, until she realised there were only a few more of those business economics classes left.

  Mark had been more than surprised to hear of Emily’s forthcoming marriage, and even more surprised about the baby. She hadn’t gone into details with him, but she could only imagine what he must have thought! But, as always, Mark was her strongest supporter, and Lisa was there to stand by her side and give her all the help she needed.

  With Sonya’s assistance, the wedding preparations took place. They’d found a lovely guest house just twenty minutes out of Ballarat which catered for weddings, with a beautiful, rustic hall where the ceremony could take place, and delightful formal gardens outside for the pictures.

  ‘Now, Emily,’ Sonya announced one morning over the phone, ‘you’ve arranged the wedding location, the reception, done the invitations – but you don’t have a dress!’ Emily sighed.

  ‘Honestly, I’ve been a bit worried that if I pick the dress too early, it’ll be…ah…a little too tight before the big day.’ Sonya laughed merrily.

  ‘Oh Emily, you won’t be that far advanced in your pregnancy, and if you mention the situation to whoever outfits you, I’m sure she’ll understand.’ Emily was aghast.

  ‘I couldn’t do that, Sonya!’ she exclaimed.

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Well, how would it look?’ Sonya sighed.

  ‘Emily, thousands and thousands of women throughout the ages have become married while pregnant. In our parents’ generation, they kept it all hush hush, but according to my mother it wasn’t all that uncommon for a child to be born less than nine months after its parents’ marriage.’

  ‘Maybe. But, you know…’ her voice trailed off. She’d been brought up to always do the right thing, make the right choices. She knew how horrified her mother would have been to know that her eldest daughter – sensible Emily – was getting married because she’d fallen pregnant out of wedlock. Perhaps it was old fashioned for a twenty-four year old woman living in the twenty-first century to feel this way, but she did.

  She and Sonya arranged a Saturday morning shopping spree to buy their dresses. Sonya was to be her matron of honour, while Veronica would be her bridesmaid, and so that Steven wasn’t left out, Nicholas had appointed him as junior groomsman, and while he complained about having to dress in a suit and tie, Emily knew he was secretly pleased to be included.

  ‘How many shops are you planning on searching?’ Veronica moaned in complaint as they left the third bridal shop they’d browsed through. Sonya raised her eyebrows.

  ‘Aren’t you having fun, Verri? I thought you were excited.’

  ‘I was. At the first shop. There have been heaps of beautiful dresses! I loved the burgundy bridesmaid dress we saw at that last shop. Haven’t you liked anything Emily?’ Emily laughed, and put her arm around her younger sister’s shoulders.

  ‘We’re just getting an idea of what’s available. At least, that’s what Sonya’s told me we have to do.’ She laughed at her friend, and Sonya stuck her tongue out.

  ‘I only want to find the best wedding gown for my dearest friend, and this is the thanks I get?’ She pouted. Emily laughed.

  ‘If we can’t find anything better in the next shop, we’ll go back to the last one. I quite liked a couple of the dresses there, although the prices were a little daunting.’

  ‘Rubbish! That’s why you’re marrying a rich man. You can pay for the dress on your Visa and after you’re married, he can pay it off.’ Emily laughed and shook her head.

  They reached the fourth, and hopefully final, bridal wear shop, and Emily was immediately entranced by one of the dresses displayed in the window.

  ‘What do you think of that?’ she asked, immediately picturing what it would look like on her.

  ‘I love it,’ said Sonya, and Veronica nodded vigorously.

  ‘Now go and try it on for goodness’ sake! My feet are killing me.’ The two older women laughed and entered the store.

  The dress looked even more amazing on than Emily had imagined. Sony
a and Veronica agreed whole-heartedly that it was by far and away the best she’d tried on, and Emily knew she had to have it.

  ‘Oh!’ gasped Veronica. ‘You look like a princess, Emily!’

  ‘You do look beautiful,’ Sonya agreed. ‘Not only is the dress stunning on you, but it’s high waisted, allowing for…hm…expansion.’ Emily looked at herself critically in the mirror. Sonya was right. Even if she expanded slightly in her mid-region, the dress would fit, and would undoubtedly disguise what she wanted hidden. She smiled in satisfaction.

  ‘How are you going?’ asked the shop assistant, admiring Emily as she did so. ‘It looks lovely on you. You’re the perfect model for it, with all that long wavy hair flowing down your back. Tell me you’ll wear your hair down for the ceremony!’ Emily laughed.

  ‘I hadn’t honestly thought about it. But you’re right, I think.’

  ‘That reminds me!’ Sonya said, hitting her hand against her forehead in mock frustration. ‘We haven’t even been to see a hairdresser yet! And we’ll need someone to do your makeup.’ Emily sighed, shaking her head at her friend.

  ‘First things first, let’s get something for you and Verri.’

  ‘Great!’ Veronica agreed vehemently. ‘Then we can go home!’ she said with a huge sigh, to the laughter of the other three women.

  ‘What did you have in mind for your attendants?’ the shop assistant queried.

  ‘I’ll leave it to them to decide,’ she said generously. Most of the dresses Veronica liked Emily approved of, and Sonya was one of the best dressed women Emily knew.

  An hour later they left the store satisfied. Veronica had found a dark blue dress she liked even better than the one she’d seen in the previous shop, and Sonya had chosen a different-styled dress in the same colour, so they would complement each other, but wear their own individual styles. Emily sighed at the cost, but Sonya had put paid to her apprehensions and dragged her out of the store.