by Inia Jardine
‘You know me Vee, only coffee no tea. Do you have?’
‘For you, always. Come, I have some news. I hope you won’t be too upset.’
‘Oh no Violett. Not bad news.’
‘Lilia, I didn’t want to worry you before but as you have known for some time, Nan is not healthy and she cannot get good medical insurance here as we are not UK citizens. As you also know our beloved German shepherd Lady Isis died last week and we have decided to go back to a Retreat Care Home in South Africa. We are packing up and leaving as soon as she is able to fly.’
‘That is the saddest thing I have heard in a long time, you two are my only South African link here! What is going to happen to your farm?’
‘We are very lucky, the local firm Vatjer, Leibenstein and Forsten have made us an offer for our land. It is not such a good offer but we have accepted it. We have to leave soon; we don’t have time to put it on the market. They must have heard that Violett was ill and came to see us yesterday. We signed the documents, they had it ready and drawn up. They were very nice.’
‘Oh no Violett, not them. They are the last people I want for neighbours! I wish you told us first, Jonah would have bought your land. Can’t you still cancel the transaction?’
‘It is too late Lilia my dear. The cash was paid into our account this morning. It’s a done deal. I’m sorry.’
‘Sorry Vee. I know that you have done what you had to but please let me explain. I never told you what happened to us with those people. They sort of tried to work us out of the deal when we bought the land from Sir James, they wanted it for themselves.
He didn’t want to sell to them. He ended up getting very sick and was forced to sell, they only missed out because of Jonah being so insistent. Now Nan got sicker and you subsequently sold to them. Is that coincidence? Could they be involved in her illness in some way?’
‘Lilia my dear, you are mistaken. Nan has had weak lungs all her life. It has nothing to do with selling the land. Sorry if we have now caused you to worry. Maybe they will just leave Naledi to lie here as an investment, that is what the nice attorney said.’
‘It just bugs me Vee, your land borders on the river too and if they do harvesting in the forest or other development they will pollute downstream where we are. But I must not think that way. We will just have to keep an eye on them. I must go, sorry, I must tell Jonah. Wish Nan well for me, Kiki and I will pop by whenever you want to help you pack. And please, if anything happens to overturn the current sale, Jonah will buy your land immediately.’
‘Thanks Lilia, we will miss you guys too, you have been real friends. You must come and see us in South Africa when you come and visit your old country sometime OK?’
Violett and I are both very emotional and we hug each other goodbye.
Back home I phone Jonah.
‘Jonah you will not believe what I am going to tell you. Violett has sold to V, L & F and they are leaving soon because Nan is so ill!’
‘How terrible about Nan and the deal’ Jonah replies. ‘Is it a done deal?’
‘Exactly what I asked, but unfortunately yes. It’s through. Irreversible.’
‘We will have to fence our whole property now and I didn’t want to’ Jonah is usually easy-going but now he is red-hot angry.
‘As a matter of fact I wanted to suggest that. I will not feel safe having them so close.’
‘Get us some quotes Lilia. Let’s have it done as soon as possible. We will leave some sort of wildlife corridor through to another adjoining property but this one is now off limits. Those guys are in it for the money, they might hunt and trap and bugger up the river if I gauged them accurately.’
‘OK my darling, see you soon. I worry. Be safe.’ Why I add that I don’t know. All of a sudden I have become a bit fearful of the future. It looked so rosy up to now.
12
Xanadu Arumvale
We have been so happy since we got married a few months ago. Every single day has been bliss, even our arguments. We always manage to sort things out as they go wrong. Communication is the key, and humour. The make-up sex is astonishing and I sometimes wonder if we only fight in order to make up again. While Jonah prepares to leave for work one misty morning I have a vivid premonition.
‘I don’t want you to go Jonah’ I say and hold him tightly.
‘Don’t become clingy Lilia, it doesn’t suit you’ he jokes.
‘No Jonah I am serious. I have this bad feeling.’
‘Maybe it's gas?' he jokes. 'Say what, I meet you for lunch in town then you can check on me’ he laughingly offers.
‘No, I am just stupid and I don’t want to be away from you. I’m superstitious and clingy and ...bye my love and have a wonderful day. Drive extra safely.’ I feel silly and push him out the door. ‘He will be fine’ I add softly to myself as he gets onto his bike.
He calls me later in the day and I promise to make him his favourite dinner, mock seafood paella. The house smells like the sea as I got fresh ingredients including nori and kombu seaweed, and it transports me back to Jamaica. He will be so happy. I especially stayed away from the University when I went shopping this morning as I did not want to be a possessive or clingy wife.
I bath in fragrant bath salts and dress in my mauve crushed velvet negligee. My biggest extravagance while planning our wedding, was buying lots of lotions, potions and pretty ‘intimate’ things for us. Jonah loves the feel of the velvet when it is cold...he loves it when I rub it against his skin. I set out some candles and incense to be lit later and scatter lots of pillows around the fireplace for us to lie on. The fire is already lit and I will keep it going strong to heat up the room.
As it starts to get dark I set the table and light the candles. He is going to be so surprised. The phone rings and I answer thinking that it might be Jonah saying that he is going to be late and I prepare to argue just a little. ‘Mrs Hibbert?’ a male voice states.
‘Yes?’
‘We are entertaining your husband in his office but you can expect him back shortly. We have an urgent business proposition which we would like him to share with you. Please support it positively if you want him to be healthy. Have a good evening.’
Before I can reply, the caller puts down the phone. I go cold all over. What is this all about?
As Jonah’s bike comes down the cobbled drive a long ten minutes later I rush out to meet him, almost hyperventilating from nervous tension. ‘Jonah, what is going on?’
He takes off his helmet and I notice a small gash above his eye.
‘The bastard hit me, he actually knocked me out. I am bigger than him but he surprised me and when I wanted to fight back his ‘assistants’ held me down. They almost dislocated my shoulder. That stupid Carl Tomlinson is now working for Leibenstein the dumb f*k, he is a degenerate asshole. He enjoyed this tremendously! When I get hold of him he will be sorry...’
‘Call the police Jonah, this is not on! It is assault or grievous bodily harm or something. What is his problem? What is this proposal or whatever he wants?’ Anger is taking over the fear in my body. Who the hell hits a Professor in his office in a civilized town anyway?
Why? What did Jonah do to deserve this? As an afterthought I add ‘Marcia doesn’t have anything to do with this does she, did you return her advances in any way?’
Marcia Vatjer is the town vamp, wife of Vatjer, and I have seen her come on to Jonah at dinners where we unfortunately had to mingle with the likes of them. Bella also intensely dislikes her, but her husband is part owner of the company Bella works for so she needs to be seen as being sociable and friendly with her.
‘Lilia, I am going to pretend that I didn’t hear that.’ Jonah is suddenly furious with me too. 'Me, flirt back with that tart? Never. I have much better taste in women.'
‘You cannot blame me my love, with your somewhat promiscuous history I thought you might have said something to or about her. She is very pretty and young - If you like that kind of thing’ I add not so silently to myself.
As the words leave my mouth I am instantly sorry. I trust Jonah implicitly.
‘I’m sorry Jonah I didn’t mean it that way. I am only looking for an answer. Please tell me what happened. But come, let me clean that cut - the bastard may have given you tetanus with his filthy hands. Everyone knows that he is a disreputable businessman. How he and his dubious friends have gotten away with their shady dealings for so long, I don’t know.’
‘I’m fine, we have bigger problems than this little cut’ he said as he pointed to his face. He grimaces as he remembers that his shoulder has been hurt too.
‘I forgive you for whatever you thought because I believe that you are upset. But imagine how I felt when they stormed into my office. Those bastards want to buy our land and when I said that we are not interested he started threatening me. Well, you know how I feel about people behaving like assholes and I wanted to push them out of my office and get home.
He told me that he would hurt you if I went to the police or didn’t cooperate. So he made me repeated offers for our land and I just said no. He eventually told me that he would leave as he saw I was getting really mad but added that he would give us some time to think and then get in touch again. Wonder what he is up to.’
‘I have made a special dinner for you, I guess that’s all spoilt now. But that is minor. I hate that man.’ I feel like crying again. Things were going so well for once in my life and now this. ‘I don’t want to sell the land Jonah, we have the right to be here and be happy. If he does or says something to us again we must take legal advice.’
‘It’s not that bad Lilia, come Kiki, let’s go in. We will go for a long walk in the morning as it's weekend Baby! The boss wants to have dinner with his sexy chef now’ and he rubs Kiki’s head with the one hand, takes my hand with the other. We dine on the slightly less than perfect meal in silence.
‘Thanks my darling this was lovely’ Jonah sighs and rubs his tummy.
‘It would have been better if that bloody Vatjer and Leibenstein didn’t ruin it. Why are they allowed to do this to us Jonah?’
‘I think we need to get away for a while and let them calm down. Bella can come and live in our house and look after the cats and Kiki. She can even take them to her place, Howie can visit to protect her or have sleepovers. You and I can go and tour a little, go to Jamaica, go to South Africa or wherever you would like to go.’
‘What about your job Professor Hibbert?’
‘I will take a sabbatical for a month or so due to personal reasons.’
‘If you really mean it Jonah I am delighted. Bella only works three days a week and she will look after the cats and Kiki very well as always. I also need a break from all these guests and we can hire someone to help her with them.’
A few days later after tearful goodbyes to my cats and Kiki we board the plane destination, France.
‘I just want to see the Versailles gardens on the way to Avignon Jonah, that’s all. I want to walk through there slowly and take everything in. Forget about the ugliness in the world. Just absorb beauty. The Louvre would have been a plus but I have no interest in battling thousands of tourists just to see sculptures of a few hopelessly under endowed men.
Then we go on to see Sir and Lady James.’
‘Fine by me. Then we can go and relax at their villa for a few days and on to Jamaica for two lovely peaceful weeks.’
‘I’m so excited! It will be good for us to get away a bit. We have achieved a lot during the past year and a half.’
‘Me too Mrs Hibbert, I cannot wait to show you off to all my old colleagues and friends back home.’
‘They won’t believe that you married this old bag when you had a choice of the juiciest foreigners around.’
‘I love my old bag; you know I got quite attached to you over the past year. New bags are overrated.’
I smack his shoulder playfully and as he flinches I am suddenly brought back to reality. He was hurt by thugs and that is why we are going away, not because we have nothing to do. I hate them with a passion.
‘Sorry Big J, I will make it up to you in gay Paree’ and I mean that. 'You can just lie back and think of England....you don’t even have to go with to Versailles. You can just take it easy.’
Paris
On arrival at the Le Petit Parisienne B&B Jonah stumbles through the door and straight away sprawls down on the perfectly made bed. I freak out immediately as I am convinced that he is in pain.
‘Jonah! What’s wrong! I knew I should have called a doctor to have a look at you. I will go and get a few numbers quickly...’ and as I turn around he grabs me from behind.
‘No, no, no Mrs Hibbert. No doctors. Only nurses who cater to the patient’s every whim.’
‘Jonah, you asshole. You gave me such a fright.’
‘Well, now I am lying back and thinking of England. Do your thing, nurse...’
I am a very willing and dare I say very able nurse, and subsequently within minutes I have a previously tired patient standing at attention. I administer to its every need, even bathe it and rub lotion into it, and then the patient experiences a rapid release from its throbbing discomfort. To my surprise and astonishment, the patient turns on me administers his own special medicine to me.
‘What happened to lying back and thinking of England kind injured Sir?’
‘Luscious nurse Lilia. That is who you are. Lie back for me.'
A wonderful five minutes later I am thinking of heaven, not England. Will this man ever cease to amaze me?
I reach the seventh step of heaven and cry out loudly. Too late I remember that we are in a public accommodation establishment. Not on a farm with wide open spaces like what we are used to...we will surely get a few stares tomorrow morning at breakfast.
The gardens at Versailles are astonishing. To see all the places where Marie Antoinette & Josephine walked in its real life glory and not as pictures in books, blows my mind. We spend hours slowly walking from part of the garden to another, each water feature more awe-inspiring than the other.
'Jonah, I love this classical feeling, order and neatness in the exact pruning and arty-farty structural fountains in well laid out areas. I love all the water but in my soul I long for natural un-pruned wildness and unspoilt wilderness, our waterfall and crazy groupings of plants. What do you like best?'
'I love the huge ancient trees, the shade, the fountains as well and mostly the fountain in the Grove of Apollo. It is a wonder of nature and humankind which combines the exceptionally fine art and the hard natural rock of the earth. The water and grotto effect for me is simply stunning.'
'Oh, the Ballroom or Bosquet Salle de Bal for me! It is magnificent and simple, to think that it has survived from the 1680's! Those shells and rocks remind me of the fossils in our crater. It says here on the fact sheet that those shells come from the Mediterranean area, I guess we could have the same as we are almost in the geological /geographical area? Maybe we can also build a miniature of this waterfall at our entrance to Xanadu Jonah, what do you think? And I love the idea of a small labyrinth. I have so many ideas it is driving me crazy. I think I need coffee.'
‘Your brain never stops, does it?’
‘Inspiration…’
It is off to the closest restaurant and we absolutely love the way they can turn some pastry and coffee into a meal fit for a king. The only problem I have with Paris is that the women here make me feel totally out of sync with the world of fashion. I have never been a slave of the latest fashion trends but kept to my tried and trusted old favourites. Over here I feel like a frump, it looks like I should get a new wardrobe! Jonah would most probably appreciate an up to date wife instead of this old gypsy gardener with loose fitting rags...but he has never complained.
As we walk into our B&B to get ready for our evening meal and rest before the next stopover on our journey, we receive an urgent message from the concierge. 'A lady called Bella phoned in tears and said you must come home!'
'Oh no Jonah', I exclaim as I sag aga
inst Jonah. My whole body has gone cold. 'Something must have happened to my cats or Kiki! Please phone immediately! I can't bear to.'
A frantic and tearful Bella answers our home phone. 'Jonah, something terrible is going on. Someone broke into the house while I was at work, and your things have all been broken and scattered around, furniture slashed, curtains torn up and papers scattered all over. It is utter chaos in your house. The cats were outside hiding under the shrubs but I found them all. They are scared and traumatised but look fine health-wise, no signs of injuries but I can't find Kiki! Howie and I have been calling her and walking all over but there is no sign of her. Howie took your bike Jonah and he is riding around your land to try and find her. I know that your holiday has just started but I don't know how to deal with this. I am afraid to stay here. Please come home!'
