“I don’t know Alex,” he mumbles “It’s your house.”
I look at him sternly, “No, it’s yours as well.”
He wanders to the kitchen and comes back with a small box and a card in a white envelope. The box is about four inches square and not very deep.
I open the card first. It’s evident from the picture of a huge fat strawberry that it’s one of those personalised cards that you can have made. The wording on the front is so James.
Blossom, my Fiancée
If I had to choose between strawberries and you.
I’d choose……
As I open the card I expect to see the word strawberries, but I find
YOU - covered in strawberries, chocolate and cream
“James,” I half gasp and half laugh. “I can’t put this out, what will people think?”
“Well don’t put it out then,” he smiles “but I mean every word of it!”
“Let me look.” Anna reaches for the card in my hand.
“No, it’s rude!” I pull it back and put the card back into the envelope, flushing wildly, God that stuff between my legs, I’m dripping wet and all I’m doing is opening cards. I’ll have to change my knickers before we go and collect Ramiro from the airport.
I pick up the little box and open the wrapping paper. Inside I find a Tiffany box, I look at James before I’ve even opened the box. “You shouldn’t have.”
“You’re worth it Alex, more than worth it.”
Inside I find a beautiful white gold bangle half of which is studded with diamonds. It sparkles so brightly it’s beautiful.
I open the clasp to put it on, “Wait, let me help.” He walks towards me, opens the bangle and clips it around my wrist.
“It’s lovely James, really beautiful.” I kiss him softly, “You really shouldn’t have.” I whisper. I stand admiring the photograph of my parents and my bangle when the doorbell rings.
“Wait here.” James orders as he goes to the front door returning a minute or two later with a large old fashioned basket full of pastries and jams in a red and white check cloth. Breakfast delivered!
Chapter 30
James and I leave home in the Jaguar, Anna has stayed and will meet Ramiro later, she’ll see Franco when he arrives back at ours.
We pull into the car park at London City airport in time to meet Ramiro and Franco. The plan being that we will go straight to Gia and Roberto’s home to drop Ramiro off before returning to ours with Franco. A family meal has been arranged this evening at the request of my birth father, he has yet to meet Anna. James has organised this at Reid’s, one of the smaller private function rooms has been booked out for us.
James holds my arm as we walk to the arrivals hall. “Shit!” I mutter as we walk into the terminal building.
“What’s wrong?”
“I meant to change my knickers, I have no idea what you used this morning but I’m still, well... ” He smiles at me, knowingly, winking, that bloody grin!
“You know don’t you?” I snap at him, “You bastard! What did you use on me, I can’t walk without feeling like I’m going to come over and over again. It’s not funny James, it’s bloody embarrassing, I’m seeing my father in a few minutes and I’m highly aroused, what will he think? James, it’s not funny!” I launch into a tirade at him, he just laughs, doubled over laughing.
I stare at him, “It’s not funny James, really it’s not! What was it?”
He pulls me close and whispers, “It was an orgasm balm.” He laughs again, loudly.
“Well how much did you bloody use? And how long does it last because I’ll tell you this much longer and I’m going to drag you or the nearest available bloke into the nearest loo and shag you, or them, you understand me?”
“Me, that’s fine with me!” He smiles, “The nearest available bloke? Well, not if they value their life!” He frowns.
I turn my back on him and huff, crossing my arms across my chest “Not funny!” I hiss wiggling my hips again, trying my damndest to get comfortable.
We’re not waiting too long as Ramiro appears. My birth father, looking very dapper in his black trousers and white shirt. He’s wearing a tie, as he was the first time I met him and a check jacket, very, very smart. He still looks older than Roberto clearly the signs of hard work, maybe during the time that he disappeared after Maggie announced she was pregnant. I still don’t know how long he vanished for.
He see’s us straight away and walks towards me and James, his arms outstretched. Slightly behind him I guess is Franco. Exactly as James had described, the guy is huge, not fat just big. He must be in his sixties, possibly one of the youngest of the cousins, dark haired and very good looking. “Alexandra!” He booms as he leans forward and kisses each of my cheeks, “It’s wonderful to eventually meet you. You must be my second cousin?”
“Yes, I suppose I am.” He really is very nice, also wearing dark trousers but with a black polo neck sweater, he has a black jacket draped over his arm. Both of the men are trailing small suitcases behind them.
Ramiro jabbers away to Franco.
“Ramiro says you look lovely Alexandra, a beautiful birthday girl.” He laughs.
“Thank you.” I hold Ramiro’s hand, my father’s hand and kiss him gently. He moves his palm to my cheek and leaves it here for a while.
“Maggie.” He says, his Italian accent very strong.
He talks quickly again to Franco.
“He says you look so much like Maggie.” I smile at Ramiro whose eyes are full of tears. I pull him close and hug him closely. I’ve never met this man until recently, never even knew he existed but even though I’ve only met him a few times when I went over to Italy I feel something, something unique that surely must only be there between a parent and child. He pulls me close and holds tightly. I have no idea what says as he speaks so softly, his lips brushing my hair but I think I can guess.
I pull away, I too having tears run down my cheeks, Ramiro wipes them away with his thumb.
“La mia bella ragazza.” He says quietly.
I look at Franco for translation, “He says my beautiful girl.”
James stands on the periphery of the family reunion, “Good to see you again James.” Franco extends a hand to him.
James takes Franco’s hand, they shake and the ceremonial arm and back slapping ensues, “Likewise Franco. It’s been a while? I think my dad was still with us when we last met?”
“Ah, yes Lucca Aconi, one of the best your father, one of the very best.” Franco looks slightly sad as they discuss James’ father.
We walk across the car park to the Jaguar. James carries Ramiro’s suitcase despite the protests from the older man.
I sit in the back of the car with my father whilst Franco sits beside James, “Nice car James.” The younger man says as we pull out of the airport car park and head off into the London traffic.
James tells Franco about the Audi, explains that it’s home now and a little of what Lewis did and has done. Ramiro must pick up on the word Lewis and babbles away, his tone harsh, bordering on nasty. Franco talks back to him, I guess telling him a little of what James has just disclosed.
“Il bastardo, il fottuto bastardo!” Ramiro spits as he holds onto my hand tightly. Now I think I know what that means!
After negotiating the traffic we soon pull up to Gia and Roberto’s home. We all troop in and after some renewed introductions and a tea and some lovely home cooked biscuits, courtesy of Gia, we head off back to my home with Franco.
Every time I stand next to this huge man I realise just how big he is. I thought Roger and Thomas were like action man, this bloke is like action man crossed with Rambo! No, if I were in a scrap I’d want this guy on my side, definitely.
We pull up outside our home and leave the car. It’s late afternoon and we’re supposed to be at the hotel for seven. Time for a cup of tea and a shower just to freshen up, thank God whatever he used this morning has now worn off, I had visions of jumping on every bloke
that walked past, just to try to satisfy the intense feeling.
Anna see’s us arrive and opens the door before we knock. She’s frowning, looking very concerned. She looks sick. “Mum, James,” she says “there’s someone here, to see you.” She’s very quiet.
“Who, I whisper?”
“It’s dad, says he’s come to say sorry,” she cringes “I tried to persuade him to go, but he wouldn’t,” she wrings her hands, “he won’t go.” She whispers.
“Oh, shit, and look who’s with us!” I glance back at the mega man, Franco. Anna looks down the steps at the massive bloke striding in behind us, taking two at a time, he must be near seven foot tall and huge with it. If Lewis were to kick off in here I can imagine one punch from Franco and he’s out cold - for a week!
“Where is he?” James asks quietly.
“Living room.” Anna nods towards the living room door.
James looks to Franco, “Let me deal with this. Franco mate, can you give me a second, someone we need to eject.”
Franco smiles broadly, crunching his knuckles as he strides down the hall. “Of course.” He follows James into the living room, grinning. Oh Lord!
Anna and I stand in the hall way between the kitchen and the living room in earshot of what’s being said.
“Lewis,” I hear James say, “I’m James. I’d like to say it’s good to meet you, but unfortunately, well it’s not good, is it?”
There’s silence and I hear Lewis speak, “I just came to apologise. What I did, what I’ve done is wrong, very wrong. I know I’m off to clink for a while. I’ll plead guilty so they’ll be no trial. I’ve been a bastard, I know that. I’ve lost Alex, I’ve lost Muriel, Anna, Josh and Lola, they’ve all gone, all of them, even my business partner’s kicking me out. I’ve seen someone, a shrink, I know I’m fucked up in the head, something about a psychological problem but there’s no excuse for what I did to Alex, or Muriel, I deserve everything I get, every fucking thing!”
There’s silence.
“You need to leave.” I hear Franco say, his deep voice resonates through to the kitchen, “Now. Please, leave now!”
I hear movement and I drag Anna to the kitchen door enough so that he can’t see us and peek through the crack, I watch as the broken man limps up the hall way and to the front door.
“Don’t ever come here again.” James says as he opens the door, “you come here again and I’ll arrange to have more than your fucking legs broken, you understand me? You ever come within a stones throw of me or my girls again and I’ll break your fucking head! Are we clear?”
I see Lewis look up at James and higher at Franco, he nods, “Please, just tell her I’m sorry.”
I see red, a red mist descends at that point. I push Anna aside and storm out of the kitchen and into the hall, “Tell her I’m sorry!” I mimic.
“Tell me yourself you bastard!” I yell as I power my way along the hall. “You’re not a man! A man doesn’t beat women! A man doesn’t keep his woman as a slave! This is a proper man, a real man.” I point to James, my fury raging, escalating. “James has shown me more love and affection in a couple of months than you’ve shown in bloody twenty odd years, you’re an excuse for a man, nothing more than a bloody excuse.” I snarl at him, jabbing my fingers into his chest hard, he just stands there open mouthed as I continue with my verbal bashing.
“Well I tell you this Lewis Fucking Drake, I shall be in court, whether you plead guilty or not and I shall show the court my back, I shall tell them what you did, all of it and then, when you’re in prison I shall write to someone, anyone in there and tell them what you did, with pictures! Then I hope that the real men in there show you what it’s like to have a hot iron held on your flesh, yes - I bet you always wondered what it felt like?” I’m in his face, I can smell him, that disgusting excuse for a man and I feel so strong, ready to take him on. “And then maybe, just maybe, if you’re very lucky you’ll get to find out. And talk about being fucked up in the head! You’ve got nothing on me Lewis ‘cause I’m well and truly fucked up in the head – courtesy of you, you bastard! Now, get the hell of out my house and if you ever come near me or my family again I will arrange to have you sorted out, do your understand me?” I face right up to him, my tone nasty, snarling. “My father is just waiting for an excuse to deal with you, you do know that, don’t you?” The simmering rage within me comes to the surface again, I yell at him, my arms flapping as James and Benito just watch, shocked I think at my outburst. It feels so good having Lewis cowering in front of me, him subservient to me, so bloody good. My heart’s racing the adrenalin coursing through my veins.
“Your dad died Alex, when you were at university.” He says calmly, looking totally confused, I could swear there’s a degree of sympathy on his face, compassion for the woman he thinks has completely and utterly lost the plot, until I put him right of course.
“No, Lewis. My adopted father died, my real dad is alive and kicking, and over here. Tell him Franco!” I look at the big man.
“She’s right you moron. Her dad is very much alive, he’s my cousin.” Franco’s deep voice rumbles as he looks down on the now meek Lewis.
Lewis looks up at the man mountain, I swear he nearly pee’s his pants.
“You we... were adopted?” He stammers.
“Yes, didn’t your little spy, Muriel, tell you that bit? Got her really well trained haven’t you. Where do think all this came from?” I waft my arms around, indicating towards the house.
“Maggie, my Aunt Maggie, was my birth mother, that’s why I inherited the lot.”
He swallows hard, “I’d better go.”
“You had. And if you ever darken my doorstep again, so help me Lewis!” I yell.
Franco and James all but shove him out of the house. Inside I’m still boiling, so very, very angry, really angry, ready to thrash out at the nearest person angry! I try so hard to contain the rage that burns inside me, anger that’s probably been festering for years.
James walks towards me and pulls me into a hug, he holds me tightly and so very close to him. I breathe heavily “I’m so bloody cross James.”
“I know, but hopefully he’s got the message now. I genuinely think you’ve seen the last of him, I really, really do.” He stays with his arms wrapped around me, just holding me as my rage subsides. Despite being so wound up I feel really good.
“I need a drink James. Anything – just get me a drink!”
Anna appears with a large vodka and cranberry which soothes me slightly. Once I’m unwound, albeit a little, I try to resume my role as the convivial host. I make a pot of tea, and coffee for James and Franco, I take it through to the living room and find Anna and Franco engaged in discussion about university, what she’s planning to study, Franco seems really interested and tells her about Benito, what he was like when he was a boy, how he served in the British Army, he doesn’t give too much away but he’s clearly very proud of his son and what he’s achieved.
Chapter 31
After showering and changing into one of my new dresses Archie arrives to take us to Reid’s. I ask about Gia and Roberto, James tells me that they’ve arranged a taxi to collect them.
We all pile into the S Class, “Evening Mrs. Drake.” Archie tips his cap as he holds the doors open for us “Miss Drake.”
James, Anna and I sit across the back seat whilst Franco sits in the front. All four of us look incredibly well turned out, James and Franco look like twins in their black suits and white open neck shirts, it’s sort of like a uniform, Anna looks stunning in a royal blue silk strapless dress and I’ve opted for the understated Alexander Wang with the keyhole neck. It’s easy to wear, comfortable.
We pull up outside of the hotel and Archie opens the doors, I let him without complaining tonight, but only because we’ve company. The doorman opens the door for us and we walk past Sam, he nods as we walk past.
James asks us to wait while he checks on something and leaves me with Anna and Franco for a couple of minute
s. “Come on.” He calls after he’s done whatever he needs to.
We walk over to the small function room that we’ve taken over for the evening, Anna, James and Franco behind me. I open the door and walk into a huge welcoming round of “Happy Birthday.”
There’s Gia, Roberto, Benito, Katie and her mum and dad all standing there singing happy birthday to me. I’ve never experienced anything like it, it’s quite overwhelming, I was already an emotional smoothie before I got here, now I’m a quivering heap.
I puff out my cheeks and exhale loudly. Tears fill my eyes as I break down again, how many times is this today?
“Who arranged this?” I look at James. “I knew we were meeting for a family meal, I didn’t expect this!”
“Your Father.” He looks at Ramiro who’s standing there, also tearful.
Ramiro walks towards me and holds my hand. Looking directly at me he says, in very broken English, “I’m never letting you go again Alex.”
That does it, I crumble holding him tightly. He guides me to a chair, and sits next to me he holds my hand, he looks at me and doesn’t have to speak, I know what he’s thinking.
After a few moments one of the waiting staff comes in with a tray of champagne flutes, he passes the tray around, each of my guests taking a glass, once everyone has a glass of fizz Benito bangs on a table “May I have your attention please.” He announces.
The room falls silent, everyone listening to what he has to say.
“I have some words that Ramiro has asked me to read.” Everyone stands or sits still, quietly as Benito unfolds his sheet of paper. He stands, composes himself checks around and begins.
“Forty three years ago today Alexandra made her entrance into the world, a world that until recently I was not part of, although she is most definitely my daughter. My father, in his wisdom would not permit me to marry Alexandra’s mother and hence we did not know each other as she grew up, Alexandra was raised by Maggie’s sister and her husband. I have never stopped loving Maggie and never will. I always loved Alexandra, even though I did not know her. Now we have met I am so proud of what she has become. She has overcome some times that would have seen most of us off, yet she stayed strong – I think she gets that from our family.” There are little chuckles from around the room.
Loving Alex (The Alexandra Drake Series) Page 26
