by Karen Aldous
‘What time is Michael coming?’ Lizzie asked.
‘He should be here in about an hour actually.’ Caroline looked up from the table and at her watch.
‘I bet you’re looking forward to the show?’ said Lizzie, pouring boiling water onto her coffee.
‘Yes, it’ll be nice to get out and up to London for a few hours.’
Lizzie gave her a wry smile. ‘What are you wearing?’
‘I have a midnight blue dress with a matching jacket. Does my hair look ok?’ her mother fussed, stroking her hair down.
‘Your hair looks fabulous. Michael will love it,’ Lizzie assured her.
Feeling rather restless, Lizzie couldn’t help now feel redundant. Not only was she eager to get away from Cal; get out of temptation’s reach, but she felt her mother needed some space with Michael. Her mother’s hospital appointment wasn’t until Tuesday. That was the day she would get results. Once they knew whether her operation had been successful in clearing her body of the cancer cells, she could decide.
Lizzie looked over at her mother with Thierry. They were now happily occupied together planting stickers on scenes in his sticker book. Her mother constantly urged her to supply books and materials to keep Thierry amused and he obviously appreciated them. How grateful she was that she had been forced back to Kent to be with her mother. Her son now had a gran and, gran was besotted! It was as if she’d unleashed her maternal instinct. If it wasn’t for Cal, she would never have reunited with her.
Her mother looked up. ‘Would you like to take over here? I’m going for a nice bath. Tanya will be here to do my nails in half an hour.’
‘Yes, of course. Actually, I think this little lad would benefit from some fresh air. I’ll get his shoes and take him to the park. Anyway, you go and have a nice bath.’
As they took the back door out, Thierry caught sight of Cal pruning leaves nearby on the vines. ‘Cal, it’s Cal!’ Thierry ran straight up to him with his arms open, waiting to be caught. Cal quickly threw down his secateurs and swept him into his arms.
‘Hello T, I’ve missed you too! What have you been up to?’ Their heads knocked affectionately together.
Lizzie followed and broke in before her son could speak. ‘He’s been helping Mummy do the shopping. Grandma has been to the hairdressers. She and Michael are off to London to see… a show, can’t remember the one,’ Lizzie said, staring at the ground.
‘So,’
‘So,’ Lizzie echoed twisting blowing hair out of her face. ‘It’s best we just don’t try to…’
‘It’s madness.’
‘I know, but don’t stop coming in to see Mum.’ She shifted her weight and watched Thierry as he played with Cal’s cheeks. She wanted to laugh but her heart wasn’t that light. ‘I don’t know if we did the right thing. I’ve...I shouldn’t have led you to believe…’
‘Lizzie. It’s ok,’ he squeezed her arm, ‘You don’t need to explain, you are right. I appreciate you have to consider Thierry and sort things out with… his father. I won’t hold you to anything. But, I still want you and little man here. Let’s just hope it all comes good.’
Lizzie cleared her throat with the intention of warning Cal off completely. She should let him know her other concerns but she held back, until she’d thought things through. ‘Absolutely. I’ve been thinking and doing a bit of research. I will speak to him about supervised visits – until they get to know one another at least, maybe once a week. I don’t think I can deny him.’
‘Find out what your options are first and don’t be bullied by him. Why don’t you speak to Charles? It’s his expertise. Or you can speak….’
‘No Cal, no,’ she cut in. ‘He’s a lawyer, I don’t think threatening Anton with a lawyer would work at all. I need to speak with him and work something out with him amicably.
‘I’m not suggesting you threaten Anton with lawyers. Just to get help Lizzie, I mean, you need someone to guide you.’
‘Oh I see. I’m not capable of…’ her voice rose and Cal raised his eyebrows in response.
‘You are more than capable,’ he calmed her, ‘it just hurts me to see you trying to do this on your own…if this man is, like you say, manipulative and controlling then forearmed is forewarned.’
‘Well I’ll think about it.’ Lizzie conceded, trying to control all the frustrations within her too.
‘Ok.’ He nodded with the hope that some progress was being made. He then gave a big smile at Thierry. ‘Have you finished rearranging my face?’ Thierry grinned mischievously back at him and they locked foreheads in a gesture of affection. Cal then had a suggestion. ‘The village fete is on this afternoon at the Meadow Hall and gardens, Thierry will love it, there will be rides and games and a bouncy castle. I’m doing an hour’s stint on the Charity raffle. Why don’t you come along?’
‘Bouncy castle, Mummy. Can I go on bouncy castle?’ Thierry bounced in Cal’s arms.
‘There’ll be a tractor ride too, I believe, and a Piggy Pen so you can see the pigs,’ Cal told him.
‘No point in going to the park then,’ Lizzie said, letting out a sigh. Trying to distance herself from Cal was not that simple!
Chapter 27
Feeling defeated, Lizzie returned to the house, again without Thierry. He loved being with Cal and she was too weak to deny him. However, what she saw, she was sure, was another reason her mother had changed. Michael adored Caroline and it was apparent by the love in his eyes as they cuddled up together on the sofa. Perhaps her mother needed to feel she was loved. She was clearly besotted too. She had never seen her mother as tactile with anyone as she was with Michael. Evidently both had found happiness again. Lizzie turned to sneak back out.
‘Lizzie darling, is Cal ok?’ asked her mother, sitting back slightly.
‘Hello, Michael. How are you? Lizzie asked, entering the living room.
‘Very well. And you?’ Michael asked, jumping up from the sofa and kissing her on the cheek.’
‘Yes, fine and yes, Cal’s fine. Thierry is with him now,’ she replied, sloping into the armchair.’
‘They get along so well don’t they sweetheart? Quite endearing,’ Caroline said.
‘Must have been a nightmare for Cal not to be around his own son,’ Lizzie added.
‘Yes, he told me about his son and that beastly girl trying to trick everyone. How dreadful for him. I believe he speaks to him on the computer or something.’
‘Oh, probably Skype,’ Michael nodded as his eyes fixed on the coffee table. ‘I use it sometimes with the children. In fact, I first met my grandchild on Skype. Much better to see and speak to them in person though,’ he said, looking up and smiling.
‘We’ll have to set an account up for you Mum so you and Thierry can chat when I go home,’ Lizzie said but her mother was miles away. Thinking this awkward moment a good time to exit Lizzie gave her apology. ‘Well I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve promised Thierry I’d take him along to the village fete this afternoon, there’s lots for the children there apparently, so I’m meeting Cal very shortly.’
‘Yes. Oh how lovely. Well, we will see you later then, we’ll be going out very soon.’
‘I’m going to take Thierry out for a pizza later so we’ll be back around eight or nine. Have a lovely evening both of you.’ Lizzie smiled but her heart was sinking.
‘Have fun,’ Michael said as Lizzie climbed the stairs to her room. She tidied herself for the fete.
***
The strain on Lizzie and Cal that afternoon was evident and whilst they were as polite and accommodating as possible for Thierry’s benefit, there was tension in the air. They took turns in helping Thierry with games on stalls, winning a football and a hairy spider. Whilst Cal did his charity hour, Lizzie took her son to enjoy the pigs and the bouncy castle. Afterwards, they drove to Bluewater, the local shopping centre, which gave them a huge choice of restaurants to eat at. Predictably, Thierry chose a mini pizza at Zizzi’s whilst both adults opted for Italian pasta dishes. Cal a
lso ordered Lizzie a glass of Prosecco in the hope it would break the tension a little. It worked, slightly. Lizzie found herself becoming more relaxed and less anxious. They began to enjoy the evening like a normal little family out on a Saturday evening and it was gone nine o’clock and getting dark as they left. Cal drove them home and Thierry soon went off to sleep in his car seat. He was exhausted with all the fresh air and warm pizza. Like Lizzie, Cal was quiet to begin with and in deep thought. Then he looked at his passenger.
‘I’m off to France next week. I’ve a business meeting back in Provence. I thought I might drive down on Wednesday or Thursday so if you need anything taken home or brought back, let me know.’
‘That’s really kind. Thank you.’ She genuinely appreciated his thoughtfulness.
‘Also, if there is anything you want me to enquire about whilst I’m there, just ask.’
Lizzie closed her eyes, knowing he was referring to his friend Charles and her muscles tensed in fear of what she may be talked into by him. Yes, the time was getting nearer.
‘Cal, please, don’t get involved. I’m going to work something out with him when I get back. You understand? I have made that clear to you.’
‘Yes you did but,’ Cal softened his tone, ‘I care about you and I think we have something special. All I ask is you get advice Lizzie.’
It was official. He also thought they had something special together. She knew she wanted him and hoped he did feel the same, of course she did but, the risk was far too high to keep up any contact right now. Maybe, once she had established a workable solution with Thierry’s father, then they could possibly pick up where they’d left off, if she could disperse her other doubts. Cal’s attachment to her son had gone pretty deep already. She needed to think this through. She wondered if Cal was seeking to fill an emotional void that his own son had left. How was she to trust his motives towards her, or them? When he said they had something special, did he mean with her or Thierry? Men rarely wanted women who had another man’s child. The more she thought about it, the more doubts crept into her mind.
‘How do I know that you don’t just want me for…’ she shot a wide-eyed suspicious glance across at him ‘other reasons?’
‘That I’m sure has crossed your mind and I can’t blame you for that. In fact, I thought you may have made accusations before now,’ he said. ‘Thinking I would want you for your land and my interest in it.’
Lizzie wished she’d been more specific. It was not the reason she had jumped to but was interesting none the less. ‘It did cross my mind quite early on. I thought that was probably why you put so much time and effort into finding me and re-acquainting my mother and me.’ She felt herself blush at her admittance.
‘I’d think you odd or dumb if you didn’t have your suspicions,’ he said.
‘What are your options anyway? What if Mum doesn’t renew the lease on Cote Acres?’
Cal gave a sideways glance and twisted his mouth. ‘I went into this with my eyes open. I admit, I’d lose a lot.’
‘Definitely, that seems like a lot to me too.’
‘That’s business though isn’t it? It’s life in fact. Everything we do is a gamble. Nothing is a hundred per cent guaranteed. Your mother and grandfather were kind enough to offer and I was very keen enough to experiment. I’ve proved to myself I can and that’s what I set out to do. I had looked at many options for land. I didn’t really want to throw all my eggs in one basket and, of course, the right land is difficult to find in England. Your Cote Acres was, and is, an ideal size. Yes, I’ve spent a lot of money but I could have spent much more buying probably more than I needed of unsuitable land or land with a property, a farm, which was not what I wanted. What I needed was something like this. Now the challenge is to make it even better.’
Lizzie realised they had both avoided the issue of her concern and wondered if he even realised himself that he had a huge hole in his life left by Jack.
Chapter 28
Cal returned with Lizzie to her mother’s and took the now heavily sleeping Thierry up to his room. Lizzie followed and carefully changed him into his pyjamas trying not to wake him. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Cal stood by the front door ready to go. How she wanted to run into those arms and feel his lips again pressing onto hers. She wanted him to stay but dug her nails into her palms to resist opening her mouth.
‘I’ll probably see you tomorrow then,’ he said hesitating, his eyes melting her with yearning
‘Yes.’
‘Just a goodnight kiss?’ he said, reaching out his arms.
Lizzie almost ran into them, her legs willing her but amazingly, she fought the compulsion
‘No. I daren’t Cal. It will just make it more and more difficult,’ she stated, still resisting her instinct.
‘You’re right but I’m struggling to keep my hands off you.’
‘Yes me too but…’
‘Ok, I’m off.’ And he kissed his hand and blew her a kiss. ‘Bonne nuit mon cherie.’ They both laughed.
Then Lizzie smiled as she opened the door and brushed her lips with her palm and blew a kiss back. He’s so sweet.
Needing distraction, Lizzie poured herself a glass of wine and pulled out her laptop. The house was eerily quiet without her mother there. She went straight to her emails and opened one of the two from Sophie.
‘Ah, excellent,’ she said, opening the attachment. It was a copy of the draft contract for the lease on Rue Antibes. She read through it, all in French, and it seemed ok from what she could make out. She read Sophie’s accompanying notes. ‘Right.’ Queries had been ironed out by Charles. ‘Excellent.’ Comments regarding repairs and refurbishment. ‘Mmm Good.’ She opened the other email. ‘Pooh! Not so good. Bloody Anton pestering again.’ She looked at the clock. An hour ahead in France would make it ten fifteen. ‘Oh, Saturday night.’ She sighed, knowing Anton was unlikely to be available anyway.
She searched the internet for more information concerning visitation for fathers. She read some of the forums and found some interesting comments from people going through something similar. One mother wrote that even though her ex had given her massive grief when he found out (when she was pregnant), he soon lost interest once the child was born and they had shared custody. He stopped turning up to collect the child. Poor child, thought Lizzie, hoping Anton wouldn’t be so thoughtless but secretly hoping he would lose interest – like now! Her mind wandered again to Cal.
Cal was too close for comfort. She just couldn’t trust herself to resist him and that had to stop. She knew she was almost beginning to depend on him. She felt so safe and so cosseted with him around her that she wondered if she would now have the spine to go home and face Anton alone. She would feel she could make more of a judgement after Tuesday, after her mother had seen her consultant.
She wondered too, if it might be possible to take her mother to Cannes. It could do her mother good after what she had been through. She then thought about her business and how she was unlikely to be able to give the time to her mother in Cannes. Ok, here she was lucky to have such a wonderful crew looking after it, and Sophie. Going back though, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself getting back into the swing of things. And a pang of guilt shot through her. She had neglected the salon these last few weeks. Yes, she was ringing them and discussing day-to-day aspects but the new salon really did need her attention and so did Sophie. It wasn’t fair, her friend moving down to a new town, thrown in the deep end with the business, overseeing the staff, and dealing with the new premises.
Sophie must be drained. And, it suddenly dawned on Lizzie, it was now just four weeks before Sophie began her part-time work at the university, and the launch of the new salon, so she realistically needed to get back.
She also needed to find out whether her mother would need treatment and, if she did, she could be here for a good few months. This was all going to take some juggling. She took herself up to bed with another glass of wine. She’d heard her mother and Mi
chael come home and go to bed but by the time she finally got off to sleep, it wasn’t long before Thierry was waking her up.
‘Mummy, milk,’ he repeated, tapping on her arm until she finally opened her eyes.
***
Apart from not having her friend with her, Sophie had never been happier. She was getting to know the salon and all the girls who worked there, whether staff or the self-employed beauticians. The salon had a terrific ambience and friendliness which made it so welcoming each day and quite relaxing for a work place. She loved Lizzie’s apartment and its location, right in the hub of the busy community. Ok it didn’t look much from the outside but the interior was bright, spacious and simply furnished with marble flooring which never cooled because the south facing doors to the terrace ran the whole length of the apartment. As a bonus, Marie-Claire was around to clean: life was good!
So was Charles. She was falling deeper under his spell with every passing day and they spent more and more time together, when they weren’t working that is. He’d even taken her on his yacht and they’d sailed round to Portofino in Italy and had a beautiful lunch. His enthusiasm for his yacht and sailing was infectious as he’d shown her how to tie on the fenders and how and when to drop anchor. They’d even anchored in a bay for a swim and he’d made up a refreshing jug of Pimms. It had been a glorious day and she looked forward to more. Last night however, he seemed a bit quiet and tetchy which was unusual, but she figured everyone was entitled to off days.
One of the things she’d struggled with was Anton. He’d been to the salon several times – buzzing the outside security system until she came and accusing her of not telling Lizzie to call him. She knew Lizzie had tried but he was obviously getting frustrated not having control of the situation. There was little she could do. She’d also found it difficult to piece together ideas for the new salon. Although she knew what she needed from the clinic side, she wasn’t altogether clear about how Lizzie would want the new salon layout to work. Not without more thorough discussion. So, she made some plans the best she could and sent them over to Lizzie and suggested they make some time for a Skype call to discuss it in more detail. She had just sent an email to Lizzie when Charles rang.
