Isabella was sitting in the middle of her bed, still in her red nightgown, and she shrieked and threw a sheet over a pile of things on the bed. “Luciana Opheila! You don’t ever open a door without waiting for permission on Christmas Eve! Don’t you know better?”
Lucy laughed and went towards the bed. “What did you get me?” she asked and Isabella rolled her eyes and said, “None of your business young lady. Whatever I got you will now go back because you’re now on my naughty list!”
Isabella’s eyes were twinkling as she said it and Lucy laughed again and went over to sit down at the dressing table. She picked up a bottle of perfume and smelled it, sighing with pleasure and then picked up and silver brush and ran it through her hair.
“What’s wrong?” Isabella asked and Lucy sighed.
She looked at her grandmother in the mirror and then turned to face her. “Can I ask you a favor and you keep it just between you and I?”
Isabella nodded. “Of course you can.”
Lucy looked over to make sure that the bedroom door was firmly shut before asking, “Can you give me the name and number of the private detective that you hired to watch mom and me?”
Isabella frowned before asking, “Am I allowed to know what you want him for?”
Lucy shrugged. “Just to find out about someone?”
“Lucas?”
Surprised Lucy quickly shook her head. “No! Of course not. I think I know a lot about him, I mean I even met him mom. Is there something you know about him that I don’t?”
It was Isabella’s turn to shake her head. “No. I think you know more about him than anyone. Even Rodrigo thinks that. Lucas has told you things that he refuses to discuss with his best friend.”
Lucy nodded, relieved to know that her instincts about Lucas were correct.
“Then who, may I ask, do you want to find out about?”
“Jeremy.”
Isabella raised an eyebrow, “Jeremy Martin?”
Lucy got up and went over to the bed. “I don’t know his last name. I wanted to find out about the guy that mom was with before my dad.”
Isabella pushed the covers back, careful that Lucy didn’t see anything and got up. She went over to her desk in the corner of the room and opened the bottom drawer. She pulled out a packet of papers and handed them to Lucy.
Lucy looked down and saw that she was holding a file on the man that her mom had once been in love with.
She looked up, “Why do you have this?”
Isabella shrugged and looked away before replying. “Because I’m a meddling old woman who just wants the people I love to be happy.”
In a whisper Lucy asked, “Is he still married?”
Isabella looked back at her and their identical blue eyes met. They each recognized the emotion in the other’s eyes. She shook her head and Lucy grinned and said, “Tell me more.”
Two hours later she was dressed in running clothes as she left the house. She had bought them and a pair of jogging shoes the week before. She had never eaten so much or so well in her life and the longer she lived with Isabella and Rodrigo the more weight she gained. It was time to do something about it.
She ran through Green Park as she thought about the things that Isabella had told her that morning. Jeremy Martin was divorced, and still lived in the South of France. He had three children, all of them younger than Lucy, and he worked for his family’s vineyard. There was a picture included in the detectives report and Lucy had been shocked to see a handsome man with dark hair that was just turning silver at the temples.
She had expected that he would be sophisticated because he was French and because that was the kind of men that Isabella and even Lucy were attracted to, and he was handsome, but he was much more down to earth than she had expected. In the pictures he had been wearing jeans and a jacket and had been walking through the vineyard inspecting his vines.
According to the detective’s report he had been divorced for ten years and was seeing a woman who worked in the village where he lived, though the detective didn’t think it was serious.
His children came to see him once a month; they were all at university, one in Paris and two in Marseille. His divorce had gone through easily and his ex-wife had married another man within weeks. According to people in the village she had been conducting an affair for years but her husband hadn’t seemed to care.
As she ran Lucy thought about him, and what he must be like. Did he ever think of Rosaline, did he miss her? Would he want to see her?
Two hours later she was running back to her grandmother’s determined to find answers to those questions.
The house was silent but changed.
In the drawing room a massive tree was already in place and scattered across the floor underneath it was a pile of presents. Like a child she went over and peeked at the tags to see if any were for her. Some were and she smiled before going upstairs.
Rosaline’s room was empty as was Isabella’s so she went back downstairs and checked Rodrigo’s office, but he too was out. She went to the kitchen and made herself a salad and picked up the phone. Lucas answered, sounding distracted.
“Are you busy?” she asked.
He laughed, “Never for you. I told you that.”
“Can you help me with something?”
“Of course. What? Do you have an itch you need me to scratch? I can be there in five minutes.”
She laughed. “No I’m serious.”
He sounded sad as he said, “So am I.”
“Can I borrow some money?”
“What?”
She got nervous at that. Was it too soon in the relationship to talk about money? She hesitated but went for it, because it was important. “Just for a week. I got paid but my check won’t clear for a few days and I need to buy my mom a present.”
“How much do you want?”
She thought about it and said, “I don’t know. I don’t know how much tickets to France cost.”
“What?”
She decided to tell him everything, and when she was done he said, “Why not just let me have my travel agent do it? You tell me when and I’ll have them book the flight, a hotel and a rental car.”
“You don’t mind?”
He sighed. “Lucy I would do anything for you. Anything. This small thing is nothing at all. Why not ask for something hard?”
She was serious when she said, “Thank you Lucas for being my friend. I know you’re more than that, but I also feel like you’re my friend.”
He was quiet a minute and then he answered and his voice was filled with emotion, “You’re welcome. Thank you for being my friend.”
They hung up a few minutes later with Lucas promising to bring the tickets and details about the trip the next day when he and his mom came to celebrate Christmas with them.
She ate her salad and went upstairs to take a shower. By the time she was out Isabella, Rodrigo and Rosaline were home. She could hear their voices from her room so she went downstairs to see them.
She knew something was wrong the minute she walked in the room.
Rodrigo’s face was stressed and Isabella had deep lines around her mouth that hadn’t been there that morning. “What’s going on?” Lucy asked.
They turned to her and she saw the look on her mom’s face and knew what it meant. Her mom was going home.
Lucy went across the room to her and kneeled at her feet, “Mom, why?”
Rosaline shook her head and looked away. It was Rodrigo who answered for her. “Your father called. He told her if she’s not home in two days he’s coming to get her.”
Lucy shook her head in anger and turned back to her mom. She grabbed Rosaline’s hand. “Mom if you want to go home to him that’s fine. But if you don’t then why are you doing it?”
Rosaline looked down at her daughter and pulled her hand away from Lucy’s. She rubbed one hand over Lucy’s hair and smiled at her. “I made my decision long ago, thirty years to be exact. I can’t walk away from that
.”
Lucy pulled away from her mom’s hand and stood. “If you go home to him, then I don’t want to hear from you ever again.”
Rosaline jerked back as if she had been slapped and Lucy heard Rodrigo gasp. It was Isabella who said something, “Don’t you ever talk to your mother like that!” she said.
Lucy turned to look at her grandmother and she recognized that the anger on her face was reflected back at her from Isabella’s. “I’m not you Nana. I can’t sit by and watch her throw her life away!”
She turned and storm out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She grabbed her coat from the closet by the door and ran out of the house as if the hounds of hell were at her heels.
Chapter Thirty-Three
She walked the city streets for hours, as the night grew colder around her. Most of the streets were deserted; normal people were warm and cozy at home with their families. She thought about going to Lucas’ but then realized that would be cowardly. This was her problem and she had to deal with it.
The Christmas lights were still on as she walked down Bond Street and she had the odd feeling that she was the last living person in London. More than once she heard laughter and music coming from houses that she past and she felt sad that she wasn’t with her family.
She hadn’t meant to say such a thing to her mom but her temper had gotten the best of her. She just wanted Rosaline to be happy and instead she was throwing her life away on a man who didn’t deserve it.
On a small, side street in a residential neighborhood she saw an open pub and went in to get out of the cold night air. There were only a few people in the pub as she walked up to the bar and asked for a glass of wine. She was sitting, lost in contemplation when a man came up and asked if he could buy her a drink. She declined and for a minute she thought that he was going to give her a hard time but he didn’t. Instead he walked away quietly and left her to her thoughts.
After finishing her wine she used the pub’s phone to call a cab. She was in a different part of London and it was getting late; she didn’t want to take the chance of getting mugged.
In the cab she hesitated when he asked her where she was going but finally she gave Isabella’s address. When they pulled up she wasn’t prepared but not having a choice she paid the cabbie and went inside.
The tree, which had been bare when she left, was now fully decorated and the lights were still on. She stepped into the drawing room to look at it and realized that a fire was still burning in the fireplace. She was about to walk out when she heard a noise and turned around to see Rosaline, in her pajama’s, sitting on the floor by the tree, with a mug in her hand.
“What are you drinking,” she asked her mom, uncertain if Rosaline would respond but she did. “Hot chocolate. Rodrigo made it for me before he went to bed.”
Lucy smiled and Rosaline must have seen it because she said, “He said it’s what father’s do for their daughters on Christmas Eve.”
They both laughed at that and Lucy sat down on the settee. “He’s never going to get tired of saying it,” she said and Rosaline laughed.
“Mom-,” she started to say but Rosaline held up her hand to interrupt. “Don’t say it Lucy. I already know what you think of me. You think I’m a coward and you’re right.”
“I don’t think that at all! I could never think you’re a coward!”
Rosaline shook her head. “Well I do. I am. Instead of standing up for myself all these years I gave in to him. I did what he wanted to shut him up because I didn’t want to argue. I didn’t want to fight with him. But I gave in so much that it became habit.”
“Mom, I don’t think you’re a coward. I just want you to be happy.”
Rosaline shook her head, “You’re the daughter Lucy. You’re not supposed to worry about me. I’m supposed to worry about you.”
Lucy held up her hand, “But I’m fine Mom! I’m fine. I have a job I love, I have Rodrigo and Isabella and I…have Lucas.”
Rosaline took a sip of her hot chocolate before asking, “Do you love him?”
Lucy took a deep breath and said, “I do.”
Rosaline nodded and looked at the tree. The multi-colored lights lit up her face and made her look younger than her years. “Have you told him?” she asked.
Lucy shook her head and then realized her mom wasn’t looking at her so she said, “No. Not yet. I will.”
“What’s your hesitation?”
Lucy looked at the Christmas lights. “It’s so much at once. I’m trying to figure out what I want,” she hit her chest with her left hand, “What Lucy wants, and I don’t want to give that up again.”
Rosaline looked at her and their eyes met. “Will he make you give yourself up?”
Lucy thought about it and shook her head. Her words when they came were a whisper. “No. He makes me feel more like me.”
Rosaline nodded. “I don’t think you have to worry again Lucy. You’re strong and feisty and your grandmother is a good influence. She’s someone you can look up to. A role model.”
Lucy nodded. “Can you imagine saying that in front of dad?”
Rosaline smiled and shook her head. “No. He would never understand.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes and then, without looking at Lucy, Rosaline asked, “What would I do for money? I’m not good at anything. I don’t have a skill.”
It wasn’t Lucy who answered that question it was Isabella. They turned to see her standing in the door, wrapped in a red silk robe. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. The money your father left you is still sitting in the bank. It’s been growing interest for over thirty years. You can live on that while deciding what you want to do with the rest of your life.”
She came in the room and as she passed Lucy she ran her hand lightly over Lucy’s hair. “My girls, its Christmas morning and all children are supposed to be in bed asleep or Santa can’t come in.”
Lucy laughed and looked at her mom before asking, “Oh No! Don’t tell me Rodrigo has a Santa suit?”
Isabella laughed and said, “No. But he does have some red silk boxers that I’d like to see him in tonight. But that’s only if the two of you will go to bed!”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Lucy woke the next morning to the phone beside her bed ringing. Thinking that someone else would answer it she rolled over and buried her head under her pillow. Finally it stopped ringing but then started up again and with a groan she rolled over and grabbed it, “Hello?”
“Happy Christmas,” Lucas said.
Forgetting her aggravation she smiled at the phone. “Merry Christmas,” she answered.
“Sorry for calling so early but I wanted to hear your voice. I was sad when I woke up and you weren’t here with me this morning.”
He had invited her to stay the night before but she had declined. She had seen his disappointment and she felt bad but his mom was staying with him and Lucy felt it was only right to be with her mom and grandmother Christmas morning.
“I’ll see you soon. You and your mom will be here at one?”
He laughed. “If I can wait that long. I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
He cleared his throat, “And you’re sure I can’t ask you that question today?”
She shook her head. He sounded exactly like a little boy who was being denied what he wanted. “No you can’t ask that. I’m not ready for that.”
“Fine,” he said, “But don’t be surprised if someone else comes along and steals me away from you. I’m a catch you know?”
Lucy laughed. “Lucas, don’t forget that while part of me may be English the other part of me is American. If anyone tries to steal you from me I’ll have to kick her ass. Then yours.”
His voice was warm and full of laughter when he said, “So you do care?”
“Of course I care! I care very much. But I’m not ready for marriage. I just left one fiancée I’m not ready for another. But in all seriousness, I have to ask you, are you sure
you’re willing to wait? Are you prepared to wait? I would understand if you’re not, I would be crushed, but I would understand.”
That wasn’t the whole truth but she wasn’t going to tell him that if he left her she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to recover. She knew that he was it for her. He was the one that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. But he deserved the chance to walk away because she wasn’t ready for more.
They talked for a few more minutes, he told her over and over again that he would wait and then they hung up. He was going to wake his mom and open presents and Lucy was going to take a shower and check on her family.
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