by Ruth Hay
Vilma set out fresh lime drinks and settled down beside him on the deck. She wondered how to start without appearing rude.
“Well, tell me a bit about the two of you?”
“I am happy to do that. I saw you were surprised when we arrived. We are an unusual pair, more like brother and sister than cousins, I suppose. Our family came to Canada from the British Virgin Islands via Colombia and Venezuela. I lost my mother long ago and Amanda’s mother took me in right away. I owe everything to her. That’s why we are so grateful for your offer of accommodation. There are only we three left now so this time is precious to us. Amanda’s father was a very smart man with multi language skills that earned him a place in a university. He worked hard until the day he died and left us with enough money to live in a co-housing unit. We both work as web designers with clients across the world but we have a distaste for hotels and such bland accommodations. We had a big family group once upon a time. Some emigrated to other countries along the way. We need to be together and with others around. It’s what we are used to. It’s where we feel most comfortable, so co-housing meets our needs perfectly.
I hope we can make use of this time together. You have chosen a magnificent spot in which to relax. It will be good to get to know you better, Vilma Smith.”
He raised his glass in a salute. Vilma had listened to his brief biographical explanation but her attention was split between his words and his appearance. He was probably the most handsome man she had ever seen, outside of a movie theatre. His shock of shining black hair fell over a high forehead where thick and expressive eyebrows shaded his dark eyes. He had the fan-shaped eyelashes girls always crave and his skin was even-coloured and gleaming with health. She put his age at about thirty-five although it was hard to tell. She could not avoid the conclusion that he and Amanda looked so much more at home in this tropical paradise than did she and Andy with their pale northern complexions.
Amanda soon arrived wearing a pair of flowered shorts with an overskirt that suited her similar gorgeous skin and hair to perfection. She had a swimsuit underneath. She was burbling over with praise of their accommodations and of how she was looking forward to this holiday in the sun.
“Manitoba has been good to us but we are basically sun-bunnies, if you don’t mind the description, Vilma. We always plan a holiday from winter, but we have never been to a secluded spot like this one.
You have chosen well. Braden and me want to ask you if we can pay for meals for all four of us? The payment you asked for this private villa was not nearly enough. This place is really special! Right, Braden?”
“We will discuss that later when Andy arrives. He’s on the beach. Would you like to swim now, Amanda? You too, Braden?”
“Absolutely! I can’t wait. Braden brought snorkeling gear. He loves the water.”
They went off together down the wooden track and ran like children straight into the waves, hand in hand.
Vilma saw Andy watching as he strode along the beach toward their villa with a tray of fruit snacks in his hands. As most of the resort’s residents were older people it was unusual to see such youthful high spirits in the late afternoon when it was customary for naps to be enjoyed before the evening meal service.
Vilma realized she had a lot to share with Andy and, also, that this week was not likely to be quite what she had expected.
As the days went by, Vilma grew more and more pleased with their companions. They were eager to see as much of the island as possible and since Andy agreed with this plan, they were off in taxis to explore for a part of each day. Their lunch was often eaten on a raised patio with an ocean view, featuring a selection of fresh fish caught that morning. Bernard and Amanda were excellent companions with tales of their past lives and present Canadian holiday adventures that enlivened every conversation.
They visited Dunn’s Falls and went out on glass-bottomed boats to see the colourful tropical fish darting in the clear sea waters. They rode on horses into the Blue Mountains and brought back coffee and spices. One evening they chartered a sailing ship and had supper while sailing along the shore past hotels and resorts that seemed crassly modern compared to their own secluded, low-key residence at Pirate Cove.
Andy and Braden immediately bonded over discussions related to his business and the new website. It was not long before Braden gave him several good ideas for promoting his skills and attracting clients.
The two men huddled together after walks along the beach while Amanda and Vilma talked freely about love and life and the future.
Vilma gave her a review of the whole Harmony House project, emphasizing the important roles of Hilary and Mavis.
“Really, it has grown and changed organically as time went on but there were always unexpected developments along the way.”
“I can understand that. Our present location is where we have lived for five years now. We have a two-bedroom apartment with kitchen facilities. It’s in a good location on the edges of Winnipeg and we like the quiet around us. We each have a work station in our bedroom and share the common living room.
The others in the building are mostly younger folks but everyone keeps to themselves which suits us. There are times when special meals or events are shared and buses take us to local shopping when required. With the long winters we find it’s cozy to stay indoors and get on with work but in summer we are out as much as possible with kayaking, running and sports of all kinds.”
Vilma thought it was a good life for the cousins and she hoped they would fit in nicely at Harmony.
“I can’t promise you two bedrooms, Amanda. Our suites are singles with ensuite washrooms, but the rooms are spacious and we have lots of outdoor and indoor spaces for your use. Of course, our winters are shorter than in Manitoba so you and Braden could take advantage of the outdoors more often than you are used to. London has many facilities for a mid-sized town, including a ski hill, and we are two hours by train or road from Toronto and close to two of the Great Lakes. It’s even less than that time, to get to the tech hub of Waterloo.”
“We researched the entire area before coming here, Vilma. It’s a super location for us. We are really excited about the possibilities, but mainly that London has so much to offer in medical terms with several major hospitals. Mama is fortunate to be accepted for a new cancer treatment there. ”
Vilma thought there was one other person at Harmony House who would find these two very stimulating. Honor Pace might want to share her work area with them.
By the end of the week, Vilma realized that she had been somewhat distracted by the cousins and their life story. The precious private time with Andy had been cut short.
He was not complaining. He had enjoyed the company of Braden and Amanda, company that often extended into the midnight hours as they watched the stars wheel around the sky and talked in the glow of golden lights outlining the pathways. Below, on the darkened beach, the waves were crested with luminosity.
The scene was magical and conversation often died away as they sat in comfort on the deck.
Amanda and Braden were up early, nonetheless. They invited Andy to try snorkeling while Vilma took a more leisurely approach to the day and admired the ambition of the trio with a large mug of coffee in hand.
When the final day arrived, the mutual decision was to stay on the beach and relish their final hours in the glorious sunshine. They would travel together to the airport early the next morning and separate to different departure areas for their flights home.
Amanda assured Vilma they would stay in touch about her mother’s move to London in the hopes it would coordinate with the work Andy had described on the farm and house.
“I can now say with confidence that you two would be welcomed at Harmony House. It’s been great spending this time with you both. I hope it all works out for you and your mother, Mandy.”
* * *
Suddenly finding herself alone and so close to Andy again in the plane, simply underlined her feeling of sacrificing her hol
iday hours in favour of the cousins and their concerns.
When she asked Andy how he felt about the holiday he replied that it was one of the best times of his life.
“They are a great couple and you looked after them very well, Vilma. I realize it was at the expense of our private time but in the long view, it will work out to our advantage if you can replace the gap you leave at Harmony House with such a friendly pair.”
With that, he turned on the media viewer on the back of the seat in front and became immersed in the kind of trivial viewing that he never had the chance to do at the building site of the farm. She saw him relax physically and mentally and knew how taxing on him the winter weeks had been.
She could only hope that he was now feeling refreshed and energized enough to move the building project ahead at top speed.
Chapter 10
Andy brushed snow off his truck and drove out to the farm as soon as he took Vilma’s luggage up to her room. He stopped for a minute to greet the dogs then blew Vilma a kiss as he ran downstairs to retrieve his winter coat.
Vilma went down to the lower level to find Honor and enquire how Faith had managed with the dogs in her absence.
“Hey there! Welcome home! The house has not been the same without you, Vilma. Sit down. I’ll make you coffee and you can tell me all about your holiday.”
Honor explained why the house seemed so quiet.
“No wonder you couldn’t find anyone upstairs. Hilary is in town with her ‘oldies’ and Mavis is at the Ridley home helping Louise set up a nursery for the children they are soon to be fostering.
Eve left a few days ago with her artist friend, Kylie, for a two-week vacation in Santa Fe.
I think Jannice is at work. She has erratic hours these days. Seniors are dropping like flies with influenza and pneumonia this winter. I thank God we are all healthy here at Harmony.
Oh, and Faith is at school, of course.”
Vilma felt a passing pang of self-pity that all had gone on without her so smoothly during her absence.
Apparently, she had not been missed, other than by her dogs, and possibly Faith, who had taken over the responsibility for their care.
She shivered and Honor quickly took a wool shawl from her chair and placed it around Vilma’s shoulders.
“You will feel the cold for a few days until you get adjusted. Can I warm up your coffee?”
Vilma snuggled into the shawl and took the cup between her hands for warmth as she spoke.
“So, tell me about Faith and the dogs. They are sleeping in my room now after a happy romp with me in which I got covered in dog hair. From what I saw they are in fine fettle.”
“I kept a close eye on them from here, Vilma. After what happened to you in the woods I was worried at first, but Faith is so good with Astrid and Oscar. They obey her commands due in part to the trick of having interesting treats in her jacket pocket! Andy also gave her a dog whistle…. one of those with supersonic sound that they can hear from anywhere? She used it once to my knowledge. That was when the dogs got too close to the frozen stream. The rest of the time, everything was good. She took them out first thing this morning before school.”
“This is such good news, Honor. I am relieved and so grateful to Faith. It was quite a responsibility for a young girl to take on. I must say I am surprised.”
Honor laughed right out loud.
“No more surprised than I am! If you had asked me a year ago if Faith could be left in charge of a pair of dogs I would have fainted from shock. She’s an entirely different girl now. She’s so mature and thoughtful. Much of that is due to everyone here at Harmony House, but her school experiences have helped enormously. Who would have thought her awful childhood could lead to such a deep desire to help other kids?”
“You have played a big part in Faith’s success, Honor. Finding acceptance with a previously unknown relative gave her stability. Don’t underestimate your influence.”
“Thanks for saying that but I was a mess at the beginning. I floundered until Hilary and Mavis took charge.”
“Those days are far behind us, Honor. We are all proud of Faith, and of you.”
Honor blushed at this praise.
“Oh, I almost forgot! The response to Faith’s recent ‘Lost Father’ letter has been astronomical. She’s been asked to do more of the same to help teenagers. There are advertisers who are willing to sponsor her vlog time on a regular basis. Honestly, Vilma, there’s no chance of her getting into any kind of trouble these days. She’s too darn busy!”
Vilma was cheered by Honor’s good news and decided to take the dogs out for a good long run in the Southwest baseball park that was often empty this time of year. She donned her long boots, lined gloves and warm hat. It was hard to get her coat on for the first time, but once attired in protection head to toe, she knew the tropical holiday was over and real life must now be resumed.
Cold weather or no cold weather.
* * *
Despite her good intentions, Vilma found the outdoor weather to be insufferable. She cut the dog exercise short and made for the nearby Tim Hortons where she grabbed a hot coffee and a fruit explosion muffin, which she would carefully share with the dogs in tiny pieces.
Astrid and Oscar did not seem to be at all upset by this choice. They had run like mad things around and around the open space in the park making tracks in the deep snow that they continued to follow faithfully until they could run faster than ever on the packed surface. They returned to their mistress with huge grins that seemed to say, ‘That was lovely, but now can we get back in the car?’
The daylight was fast disappearing when she left the Tim Horton parking lot and she headed home feeling more than a little tired and depressed.
Fortunately, Hilary and Mavis met her at the door to Harmony House with such a warm welcome that her spirits rose and she soon went to the kitchen with them to discover a lasagna with all the fixings waiting for her. Honor was slicing fresh bread and arranging portions of chocolate cream cake on plates for dessert.
When their first hunger was satisfied, conversation turned to the holiday in Jamaica. Mavis had enjoyed a week there the year before and she was eager to hear about the cousins.
“Did they fit in well with you and Andy at Pirate Cove?”
Vilma was uncertain how her news would be received, but she began to talk while crossing her fingers under the table for luck.
“Well, the cousins were a marvellous couple to share a holiday with. They are younger and more energetic but very personable and easy to get along with. They come from South America originally, and have travelled and lived in several countries on their way to Canada.”
She paused and hesitated before continuing. She was deciding whether or not to make a joke of the next revelation but went ahead with her first impulse.
“There was one big surprise, however.”
Everyone at the table stopped chewing and looked up. There was something unusual in Vilma’s voice that drew their attention.
“You see, it turns out I made a mistake about them. I thought Braden was short for Bernadette or Bernice. The name was actually Braden, and he is a man.”
Honor choked back a laugh. Vilma’s face was a study.
Mavis thought the two couples must have found it easier to get along with matched pairs.
Hilary immediately saw the problem and put her fork down on her plate with a clatter.
“Well that was a surprise for you! Did you invite them to take over your room here Vilma, despite the introduction of another male into our community?”
“I did nothing definite about that, Hilary. Amanda’s mother has not yet moved from Winnipeg to the hospital in London. A decision will need to be made as soon as that happens, but I can assure you these two people would fit in here beautifully. They are used to co-housing requirements and work from home, much like you do Honor. I will show you all my photos from the trip and you will see what an attractive pair they are.”
“I
am sure something could be arranged for them. It’s a temporary situation. We could manage for three months or so.”
Mavis, ever the peacemaker, was attempting to smooth the waters but she noticed Vilma still looked doubtful.
“Thank you, Mavis. The truth is I am not at all sure what the next few months will bring. The situation at Andy’s farm site is not certain. There may not be a suitable place for me for some time. There are other priorities in play.”
As the words left her mouth, Vilma realized she was, for the first time, expressing doubts she had kept carefully concealed from herself.
It was a shock to everyone around the table. In Vilma’s life everything seemed to progress exactly as she desired. This amount of doubt about her future was alarming to hear.
Mavis broke the silence.
“My dear, I am sure we can accommodate this lovely couple one way or another. Don’t be too concerned about it for now. We are very good at problem solving as we have proved many times before.
I think you will feel different after a good night’s sleep. You are probably jet lagged. I have a bottle of brandy in a cupboard here for medicinal purposes. You shall have a drop in your coffee right now and Honor can ask Faith to take the dogs out for their last run of the day.”
Vilma did not argue. She was feeling very tired and disoriented. She accepted the brandy and allowed Mavis and Hilary to clear the supper dishes without objection.
A good night’s sleep might bring a better attitude in the morning. Perhaps her depression was due to the huge contrast between the colourful tropics and this black and white world of Canadian winter.
The next morning brought news that threw Vilma’s concerns into the background.
Eve was coming home earlier than expected from Santa Fe.
Hilary received the call and went immediately to see Mavis.
“It was from Eve’s friend, Kylie. She said they were having a wonderful holiday in the sun and returned for a second time to the famous museum to inspect the paintings when Eve complained of feeling faint.
