Kiki turned her attention back to the passing countryside as Aaron steered them over the little crossroads and down the hill towards Butterfly Cove. The sea glittered in the distance, a shimmering carpet of blue edged with the last traces of pink from the rising sun. She caught her breath, knowing it would be one of the last times she would enjoy the spectacular vista. Blaming the burn at the back of her eyes on a lack of sleep, she pointed out the small triangle of a sailboat bobbing on the bright-blue water to Matty and they spent the rest of the short journey imagining where the boat might be travelling to.
Aaron parked the car out of the way next to the garages and they all piled out. ‘At least the marquees survived.’ The relief in his voice was palpable and she met his eyes over the roof of the car. He flicked his gaze to Luke, who stared out across the gardens, then back to her. ‘We’ll head for the barns and make a start with the furniture.’
Kiki nodded. ‘I’ll take the children in and get them sorted out. Madeline and Richard should be here shortly.’ Madeline had offered to supervise the little ones and keep them occupied while she put together the table decorations. It had been suggested Nee could help her and she’d agreed readily enough. It would keep her and Luke out of each other’s way at least. When she entered the kitchen, her younger sister was the only person present. The dark circles beneath her eyes and her scruffy hair told Kiki enough about how Nee’s night had been that she didn’t need to ask.
‘Hey…’ Nee offered a weary smile. Spotting the children, she crouched down and forced a brighter expression. ‘Hey, kiddos. Are you ready to help me make some pretty things for tomorrow?’
Shoving her worry down, Kiki urged the children closer to their aunt. They’d seen her the previous day, but that had been the first time in a couple of years. ‘That sounds like fun, doesn’t it, Charlie?’
Her daughter clapped her hands. ‘Can I do painting?’
Nee reached out to brush her cheek. ‘You can do whatever you want, Chicken. What about you, Matty? What would you like to do?’
‘Madeline wants me to polish things. She said it’s a very reasonable job, and she only trusts me to do it.’
A glimmer of mischief glinted in her sister’s eye at Matty’s verbal mix-up, the first sign of anything other than pain, and it gave Kiki hope. Nee nodded at Matty. ‘Polishing is a very reasonable job indeed, something only a big boy like you can do for sure.’
Matty’s chest puffed up with pride. ‘I’m seven now. I just had my birthday.’
‘Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry I missed it. I’ll have to get you a present. What do big boys like?’
Kiki ran her hand over her son’s head. ‘Matty’s a stargazer these days, aren’t you?’ She caught Nee’s gaze, deciding now might be a good time to raise another issue which had preyed on her mind in the early hours. ‘Aaron gave him a telescope, and Dad sent him a book about the Greek myths connected to the constellations.’
Nee started. ‘Dad?’
Kiki nodded. ‘Things have moved on while you were away.’
Her sister pushed to her feet, glaring at her. ‘Just like that, all is forgiven?’
Ignoring Nee’s outburst, Kiki sent the children into the living room to watch cartoons whilst they waited for Madeline. She leaned back against the closed internal door and tried to check her anger. ‘Look, Nee, I get that things are bad for you right now, but I won’t have you raising your voice in front of the children.’
‘I’m sorry, but…’
She held up her hand. ‘Let me finish. Neil is fighting me for custody so I have to move back. Things are nowhere near resolved with Dad, but he’s trying and I need him on my side more than I need to hang on to old hurts. We’re going to stay with him while I try to get everything sorted out. He’s on his own now, with Mum in the care home.’ Vivian not being there was the only reason Kiki had considered moving back home. Needs must when the devil drives was her new motto. If the summer had taught her anything, it was she had more strength than she’d ever realised. There wasn’t much she wouldn’t face down these days when it came to protecting the future she wanted for her children. And for herself, too.
Adopting a more conciliatory tone, she closed the distance between them and put her hands on Nee’s arms. ‘Mia wants him at the wedding, and that’s good enough for me. You’ve got about six hours for it to be good enough for you.’
Nee shook her head. ‘I can’t forgive him; I won’t forgive him. How can you even bear to set foot in that house again?’
Kiki drew her close. Nee had always been the one who’d raged against their father for not doing enough to get help for Vivian. She’d been too young to remember George as anything other than a remote figure, more interested in work than dealing with the problems at home. He’d been in denial. Adult Kiki could see that, could look back and remember the harsh insults Vivian had thrown at him as often as she threw glasses and china. It didn’t excuse his behaviour, but hadn’t she exposed her own children to an equally destructive and insecure household?
She stroked Nee’s hair. ‘No one is asking you to forgive him, Nee. As for the rest, I’ll do what I have to until the divorce is settled. I’m not asking for your blessing. I don’t need anyone’s permission to do what I think is right for my family. When it comes to Dad, just try and be civil. Or steer clear of him, if you can’t manage that.’
Nee’s bitter laughter tore at her. ‘At this rate, you’ll have to put me at a table on my own.’ She leaned into Kiki’s hug for a long moment then drew back. ‘I’m the fly in the ointment here. I shouldn’t have turned up unannounced.’
Kiki cupped her face. ‘You’re here, that’s all we care about. You travelled all this way for our sister’s wedding. We understand how important New York is to your future.’
‘My future, right,’ Nee said dully. She leaned back and Kiki let her hands drop, though the bleak look on Nee’s face made her want to snatch her back and hold her tight. She knew that hopeless look, had seen it in her own reflection too many times.
‘Nee…’
‘Hello, darlings!’ Madeline swept through the back door like a force of nature. She took in the bleak scene with one swift glance and clapped her hands together. ‘Right, you two. No moping! There’s too much to do and Mia needs all the smiles we can give her.’ After putting down the bags she was holding, she slung her arm around Nee’s waist and gave her a quick squeeze. ‘I’m parched. Be a darling and put the kettle on. I’ll get things set up in the dining room while you make the tea. White, no sugar for me!’
Nee sagged back against the sink as she watched Madeline grab her bags and leave the kitchen. ‘Is she always so bossy?’
Kiki laughed. ‘Oh no. Most of the time she’s much worse.’ The thought of watching her stubborn little sister butt heads with the implacable, spirited Madeline was almost tempting enough for her to stay and watch. She took in her sister’s wan complexion, the prominent bones of her too-thin frame, visible through the thin material of her shirt, and swallowed a sigh. There was more to this than a bit of jetlag and the shock of seeing Luke again. Nee looked exhausted, worn away to almost nothing. A dose of Madeline might be just what the doctor ordered.
***
A horn toot-tooted from the driveway and Kiki pressed her hands into the small of her back as she straightened up from placing the final touches on the top table. She wasn’t sure what Mia’s agenda was for that evening, but she hoped it involved hot baths and early nights for everyone. A quick glance at her watch told her they’d made decent time, and as she surveyed the interior of the largest marquee, a frisson of excitement shivered through her. With the tables and chairs all dressed in sweeping cream coverings and crisp, apricot-shaded linens, it looked beautiful.
The long table was set for sixteen and would serve the attendees of the wedding—the family, Aaron and Luke, Madeline and Richard, Pat and Bill, and Maggie. Over the course of planning their ceremony, Mia and Daniel had grown close to Alison
, their celebrant, and she’d been invited to join them for the meal, together with her wife, Sue. They’d originally planned to split the group across three tables, but neither she nor Mia had come up with a solution which would keep certain people away from each other without making one of the older two couples sit apart. The single, long run of seating made it easier to spread Luke, Nee and their dad out amongst the group, and hopefully help keep the peace.
Smaller, round tables had been set out on either side of a square, parquet dance floor, and a small table near the entrance would hold Luke’s iPod and docking station, which he’d brought with him. He’d elected himself DJ for the night as part of his gift and had spent weeks putting together playlists for the event. Everyone had been required to send him a list of their favourite songs, even her dad. Kiki couldn’t wait to find out what he had in store for them all.
‘Oh, my dear, it looks lovely.’ Pat paused on the outside of the marquee, her hands clasped together and her face wreathed in smiles.
Kiki rounded the table and held out her hand. ‘Hello, Pat. It’s so good to see you. Come in and have a proper look.’
The older woman’s eyes lit up. ‘Do you think it’ll be all right?’
‘Yes, of course.’ They met in the middle of the dance floor and Kiki sank gratefully into the warm hug from Mia’s former mother-in-law.
‘You’re looking well, darling. This sea air seems to be doing you the world of good,’ Pat said, as Kiki led her up to the top table. ‘Oh, look at this, it’s adorable!’ She plucked one of the place cards from the table with a delighted laugh. Nee and Charlie had made them together, and the elegant, curling script of each person’s name was surrounded by lopsided flowers and glittery butterflies. Kiki loved the playfulness of them and they provided a sweet contrast to the formal tableware.
Each knife, fork and spoon shone with mirror-brightness and had been placed with absolute precision by Matty. He’d refused to let her help, beyond telling him which order things went in, and he’d even worn a pair of gloves so there would be no smudges on the handles. They’d both worked so hard on the jobs Madeline had given them, wanting to make things just right for their Aunty Mia. A pang of regret struck; leaving Butterfly Cove would be a terrible wrench for them, but she hadn’t come up with a better solution.
Her expression must have betrayed some of her inner turmoil, because Pat reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair back from her cheek. ‘Has it been awful? Your dad told us about Neil being difficult over custody.’
She welcomed the touch, marvelling at how lucky she was to have so many people to lean on in her life. They’d always been there, she’d just been too afraid to ask before. ‘It’s had its moments, but I don’t regret leaving, not for one moment.’
Pat leaned over to kiss her forehead. ‘I know you don’t want to come back, but Bill and I will be glad to have you and the children nearby again. We’ll help you and your dad in any way we can.’ She shook her head. ‘He’s having a terrible time of it with Vivian. I know you’ve got enough on your plate, but I think you should prepare yourself for the worst.’
‘Dad said her condition had deteriorated. It seems like a terrible thing to say, but it’ll be a relief. I can’t bear to think of her so lost and confused.’ Even on her worst days, Vivien had been perfectly turned out and made up. She would hate the loss of that perfect veneer more than anything, so perhaps her lack of awareness was a blessing, even as it cursed the rest of them. Kiki would bear the scars of her mother’s manipulation for the rest of her life, but they would no longer define her.
‘Ah, lovey, I didn’t mean to upset you. Let’s put all that away for now and enjoy the weekend. Where’s your sister? I haven’t seen her yet.’
Kiki linked arms with Pat and they strolled towards the house. ‘Which one?’
The older woman stopped, eyes rounding as her mouth dropped open. ‘Nee’s here?’
She nodded. ‘Yes, and, oh my goodness, she’s brought some drama with her. I’ll let Madeline tell you about that, though.’ The two women had become firm friends over the past six months. ‘As for Mia, we sent her for a lie-down about an hour ago. I saw Daniel sneaking off after her, so I doubt there’s much resting going on, though.’
‘Ah, young love.’ Pat clutched her hand to her breast with a dramatic sigh, sending them both into a fit of giggles. ‘And what about you? I know Madeline had hopes for a certain gorgeous blond and you...’
Kiki shook her head. ‘Don’t go there.’ She’d mostly come to terms with her disappointment over things with Aaron, but she couldn’t suppress the sharp edge in her tone. If the timing had been different, or if there wasn’t so much at stake, then maybe it would have worked out between them. ‘It’s… awkward.’
Pat hugged her arm as they reached the back door. ‘There’s plenty of time for things to come right.’ Something in her tone made Kiki pause and look at her. A glint of determination shone in Pat’s eye.
‘Oh God, no,’ she groaned. ‘One meddling old bag in my life is more than enough.’
Madeline arrived on the threshold in time to catch her comment. ‘We prefer fairy godmothers, remember?’ The three of them laughed and exchanged hugs of greeting.
Bedlam was the word that came to mind as she entered the kitchen. There were people, bags and boxes everywhere and at least four different conversations going on. A slightly rumpled-looking Mia and Daniel were chatting to her dad. Bill and Richard had magicked a bottle of red wine from somewhere and were toasting each other. Luke swung a screeching, laughing Charlie upside down by one foot while Aaron knelt next to him, an intent look on his face as he nodded at whatever Matty was telling him. The only notable absence from the noisy group was Nee.
Her heart did a funny squirm in her chest; watching Aaron lavish all his attention on her son undid all her good intentions. Fate was a bitch and Neil was a bastard for tearing them all apart just as things were starting to come together. Kiki sighed. Blaming others for things would only make her feel better in the short term. Her circumstances were of her own creation and she had to face down the past before trying to create a better future. Growing up really sucked sometimes.
Leaving Madeline and Pat to whatever plots they were stirring up, Kiki slipped across the room to stand next to her dad. She didn’t interrupt his conversation with Daniel about his journey down, just took his hand in hers and gave it a quick squeeze. His fingers lay limply in hers for a moment before closing tight. It might have been twenty years or more since he’d last held her hand, but the hard callous on the side of his middle finger from years of clasping a pen felt exactly the same as when he’d gathered them close to cross the road. She’d forgotten until just then that he used to take her and Mia to school, always making sure they used the Green Cross Code.
Daniel and Mia excused themselves to say hello to Pat. She got a proper look at George when he turned towards her and the strained lines on his face told their own tale. ‘How are you, Dad?’
‘A bit tired, but glad to be here. He seems like a good fit for her.’ He nodded towards where Daniel stood behind Mia, his arms around her shoulders, and Kiki smiled.
‘He certainly is. I didn’t think I’d ever see her glow like that again after Jamie.’
George squeezed her hand. ‘And how about you? Are you coping all right with everything?’
Kiki sighed. ‘Just about. Trying not to think about Sunday too much.’ She hesitated. ‘Sorry, that sounds ungrateful to you, but I’m not looking forward to uprooting the kids now they’re happy and settled.’
‘Not at all. Why would you want to leave all this and move back in with me if you didn’t have to? Too many unhappy memories.’
He was right, but how much worse for him to be stuck in that place on his own with the ghosts of the past. ‘Well, we’ll have to try and make some new ones, some happier ones this time.’
‘You’re a good girl. Too good by half. Look, I was going to wait until later, but ca
n you spare me a few minutes to talk?’
She glanced over at Aaron and found him watching them. The concern in his brown eyes helped and hurt in equal measure. If only her circumstances were different; if only he’d been willing to take a chance on them; if only she could stop thinking about if onlys. She looked at the children and then towards the door behind her and he nodded. ‘We can find a quiet spot through here,’ she said to her dad before leading him into the relative quiet of the rest of the house.
After peeking around the door to Mia’s little sitting room to check Nee wasn’t hiding in there, Kiki walked in and took a seat on the large L-shaped sofa. George closed the door behind him and settled himself at the other end. He brushed some non-existent fluff from the neatly pressed leg of his dark trousers, then folded his hands nervously.
Kiki found herself nibbling her lower lip between her teeth and scolded herself silently. She’d almost broken the habit, but she couldn’t help picking up on the worry coming from her father. Perhaps it had been too much to expect him to take them all in. George saying he wanted to do right by them all and facing up to the reality of what it would entail were two different things. She took a deep breath. Better to know now if he’d changed his mind so she could try and make other arrangements. Maybe Pat and Bill would help out for a few days until she could find a hotel.
‘Look, if there’s a problem with us coming to stay, I’ll understand. You’ve got used to your routine and the prospect of a couple of noisy children under your feet can’t be appealing.’
Her dad’s head reared up, the shock in his eyes giving way to a pained smile. ‘I wouldn’t blame you for thinking I’m about to let you down, dear, not after everything. The thought of having you and the children live with me has been something of a lifeline these past couple of weeks, but I realised it would probably benefit me more than any of you.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I… umm… I went to speak to Neil.’
‘Dad, you didn’t have to do that.’ She couldn’t help the tinge of frustration in her tone. She knew George meant well, but his interference would likely do more harm than good. Neil’s reputation at work meant everything to him and he would no doubt blame Kiki for falling out of George’s good graces.
Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove Page 20
