The Villa of Dreams

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The Villa of Dreams Page 28

by Lucy Coleman


  So many things could have gone wrong and yet here we are, all expectations have been exceeded. But it’s never enough. Now it looks like we’re going to do it again and every year I suspect it will be bigger and better. Why am I not feeling inspired by that thought?

  I hear a cough behind me and I do a half-turn, to apologise for hogging the handrail, which is essential when you are wearing heels.

  ‘Sorry,’ I continue on down, but the man increases his pace to walk alongside me.

  ‘It’s Seren Maddison, isn’t it? A fellow Brit, I hear,’ he says, pointedly.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Congratulations. I was at the Cristo Rei last night. What an amazing evening. I don’t know if you work exclusively for the gallery but, uh…’ His hand disappears into his pocket and he withdraws a wallet, extracting a business card and handing it to me. ‘I’d love to talk sometime. My name is Jeff. No strings attached, but maybe we could chat over dinner whenever you’re free. Just give me a call.’ He extends his hand and we shake, briefly.

  ‘I’ll bear that in mind.’

  The moment we hit that last step I turn to him, smile politely to excuse myself and then hurry away in the opposite direction, only to see Reid striding towards me. I’m a little disconcerted, as he must have turned straight around to take the lift back down in order to waylay me. He greets me as anyone watching would expect, a brief kiss on each cheek, but he can see I’m uncomfortable.

  ‘We haven’t had a chance to talk and I’m sorry about that. I didn’t want to intrude today as I know how special it is for you to spend time with your visitors. But I can’t—’

  ‘Reid, I’m just going to smile as I’m sure there are lots of people looking in our direction. I hope you’re pleased with the way everything has turned out. I know I am.’

  His eyes seem to bore into mine, as if he can’t believe what he’s hearing. ‘Pleased? It’s been a phenomenal success and you can see that for yourself. I don’t think anyone expected how quickly this would take off, but it has. If Jeff is trying to snare you for his company, then there will be others, but you can trust Filipe. He’s a man with principles and he isn’t easily swayed. Don’t get sucked into the hype people like Jeff will be bombarding you with.’

  Does he think I’m that easily persuaded that this will go to my head and I’d leave the gallery?

  ‘I will bear that in mind, thank you.’

  ‘Why are you being so cold to me? Don’t you know that it’s agony for me being here and towing the line, when all I want to do is grab your hand and head for the door?’

  ‘We both know that isn’t possible, Reid.’

  Before he has a chance to answer, I spot Tomas striding towards us with Beatriz in tow. They’re engaged in conversation as they walk, and as I glance at Reid, I see a fleeting look of desperation in his eyes.

  ‘We’ve been looking for you both. The speeches are about to begin,’ Tomas calls out.

  ‘We must talk, Seren, and soon,’ Reid whispers, leaning in to me. Instinctively, he begins to reach out his right hand to touch my arm, then realises what he’s doing and withdraws it quickly. Half-turning to face Beatriz as she closes in, I shuffle backwards, away from Reid as it’s obvious she intends to step into the space between us. I don’t let her see that I’m annoyed, instead I smile pleasantly at Tomas.

  ‘Perhaps you can help Tomas look for Marisa, Seren. She finds business talk a little boring,’ Beatriz remarks, without even looking at me. Her eyes are firmly on Reid.

  I muster the biggest smile I can as I look up at Tomas, and as we walk away, he grins at me.

  ‘Beatriz and Marisa don’t get on,’ he informs me, his voice low. ‘Life is about to get very interesting.’

  I have no idea at all what he means. ‘My mother always says that life would be boring if we were all the same.’

  He grimaces. ‘Personally, I’d prefer a little less drama, but I know my place.’

  ‘Me too,’ I murmur, not realising it was loud enough for him to hear, until he starts laughing.

  I glance behind me briefly and see that Beatriz has already dragged Reid away. As they head towards the podium on the other side of the hall, she appears to be talking at him, rather than to him. He looks totally disinterested, like a lost soul.

  This isn’t quite the ending I’d imagined for this journey Reid and I have taken together. I thought that maybe tonight we’d be stealing glances over the heads of other people, happy to think that the pressure would be off. Instead, this marks a parting of the ways.

  23

  The End Simply Heralds a Bright New Beginning

  Mum and Judi look up in awe at the rear of the villa, admiring the angular architecture and it’s clear this wasn’t at all what they were expecting. Their reaction mirrors my own, the day Reid first brought me here. I unlock the gate and then lead them around the side of the property and out onto the patio at the front. They stand beside me, rendered speechless as they gaze out over the ocean.

  But my eyes are elsewhere. I, too, am unable to speak because I’m in total shock as I stare at the kestrel, my kestrel. He sits off to one side, mounted on a stone plinth set in front of the courtyard wall, the bougainvillea cascading down behind him. It’s a perfect setting, but I can’t believe Reid gave him away to a friend. A favour for a favour? I wonder angrily.

  ‘I don’t think I have ever seen anything as spectacular as this, Seren,’ Judi remarks, turning to look at me. ‘What’s wrong?’

  The smile on Mum’s face is instantly wiped off, as they both hurry over to me.

  ‘The kestrel. It’s… my sculpture.’

  ‘Oh, how wonderful! You sold a piece?’ Judi asks excitedly, as she links arms with Mum and they head over to look at it close up.

  ‘Darling, this is amazing. Truly amazing!’ Mum blurts out, a hand flying up to her face in delight.

  ‘No. Not exactly a sale.’

  They look at each other, puzzled, but how do I explain what this means? I can’t, so I grit my teeth, raise a smile and tilt my head in the direction of the front door.

  ‘The entrance is around here. You wait until you see inside. The master bedroom is upstairs and there are two guest bedrooms on the ground-floor. Come on, let’s crack open a bottle of wine.’

  My heart is in tatters. That little bird might be made of cold metal, but every tiny little piece of him was made with love. Did Reid think he was doing me a favour; hoping the guests of his rich friend would see it here and be inspired to think about commissioning a piece? Setting aside the emotional aspect, this creation was art for art’s sake, not art for money. No one would be prepared to pay what it cost in time to make it and that was the whole point. Which Reid totally missed and that’s what breaks my heart.

  As I show Mum and Judi around, I’m on autopilot and do my best to hide just how upset I’m feeling. It wouldn’t be fair to spoil their visit when it’s the only thing helping to keep me going. My whole world is collapsing inwards and each breath I take is laboured, as my emotions threaten to take over.

  ‘Your father and I have been lucky enough to stay in some wonderful villas around the world, but I can honestly say that this is amongst the most special, Seren. The attention to detail is phenomenal. Every view has been carefully positioned, every angle has a purpose. Contemporary properties sometimes feel slightly clinical to me. I know clean lines and shiny surfaces are popular, but you know me. I’m used to a sprawling farmhouse and I love a little history to a property. But this isn’t space created just for the sake of making it luxurious, if you know what I mean. It was designed to be a home.’

  I laugh, hoping she doesn’t pick up on the jaded tone of my voice. ‘It’s just an investment property, Mum, like the other villas on this clifftop. They don’t even rent it out, so it stands empty most of the year.’

  ‘Oh,’ Judi walks over to join Mum and me as we look out of the patio doors in the kitchen. ‘That’s a shame. But luckily for us, you know the owner.’

  I
shake my head. ‘No. I know a friend of the owner.’

  ‘Well, you are mixing in the right circles, girl. I wasn’t expecting your life here to be so glamorous. I mean, from an exhibition centre in Wales where the most exciting thing to happen was the annual wedding fair, to this… mixing with the rich and famous.’

  ‘You have rather been underselling your achievements, Seren,’ Mum joins in and I note the worried look that is now dominating her expression. She knows something is very wrong.

  ‘Okay, I can see how it looks, but, seriously, the work I’m doing over here is no different than it was for an exhibition selling bathrooms and kitchens. You’ve only witnessed the glitzy, over-the-top bit, as it was a special celebration. The partying is now behind us. The gallery attracts all sorts of visitors and most can’t afford to buy even the least expensive pieces, but that doesn’t stop them enjoying the exhibitions. This here, is just an example of what the privileged few enjoy.’

  Mum and Judi exchange an awkward glance.

  ‘Right, um… shall we bring in our bags and get settled before we open the wine?’ Judi asks, diplomatically.

  ‘Yes, let’s do that,’ Mum replies, holding her hand out for the keys. ‘We’ll leave you to get yourself sorted,’ she adds.

  Handing over the fob, they make a quick exit and seconds later I watch them strolling past the patio doors in front of me. They are so deep in conversation they don’t even realise I’m watching them. This isn’t the best start, but I’m determined not to slide any further into that bubble of self-pity and the ‘why me?’ syndrome.

  I race upstairs, taking them two at a time and head straight into the en suite, next to the master bedroom. Once inside, I perch on the edge of the stone, egg-shaped bath and make the call.

  ‘Seren, I wasn’t expecting to hear from you today. Are you at the beach?’

  ‘Yes, Reid. We’re here at the villa.’

  ‘Is everything okay?’

  ‘Mum and Judi love it, and I wanted to say thank you.’ It’s harder than I thought it would be to sound blasé and detached. My anger is so close to the surface that I have to choke it down. Ironically, Reid sounds happy this morning. And if that’s the case, then I’m fine with it.

  ‘Thank me for what? It’s yours to use as you want for the summer.’

  ‘When we leave, I’ll pop the keys back through the door. Both sets. I’ll leave the car parked up in the garage.’

  ‘What’s going on?’ His words explode down the line, making me wince.

  ‘I know you meant well, Reid. But it was wrong of me to go along with it all. I’m sorry if you can’t understand the why, or the fact that loving someone doesn’t mean everything will work itself out.’

  ‘But I deserve to be given a chance, Seren. You can’t walk away as if you don’t care because I know that you do. I thought I explained that there was a lot to sort out and I’m doing just that. Some of the decisions are mine alone, but others aren’t, and that requires negotiation. I’m doing everything for you.’

  Now he’s gone too far. Sorting out a cosy and quiet, family life with Beatriz is nothing to do with me.

  ‘No, Reid. Don’t try to make me feel guilty. Your life is where it is because of the decisions you made, and the ones you chose not to make in the past. I haven’t asked you to do anything for me.’

  The silence between us is deafening.

  ‘Did you really just say that?’ he bellows down the line. ‘I’m simply trying to prove how much I love you by putting my life in order.’

  And what, encouraging your friends to support an unknown sculptor because it’s all about who you know? Does Reid think that if I become successful, I will be eternally grateful to him? Will he expect me to hover in the background while Beatriz is the woman on his arm at every cocktail party and event, supporting him? Then, whenever he can slink away, we grab those elicit moments together that make it all worthwhile. Well, that’s not who I am and I’m shocked that it reflects his true nature, unfazed by the thought of living a fake life.

  ‘This has all been a huge mistake, Reid, and I’m done with it.’

  I press end call, my hands shaking. It takes me a while to compose myself and after splashing a little icy-cold water onto my face, I stare back at myself in the mirror.

  ‘It would only hurt more, further down the line,’ I say out loud. It’s time to face facts and get over it. From the beginning, he was treating me more like a mistress, than a partner. Why didn’t I see that?

  Walking out onto the patio, Mum and Judi look up and I give them the warmest smile I can muster.

  ‘Where’s the wine?’

  ‘Oh… we were waiting for you to join us. I’ll sort that out now.’ Judi jumps up, diplomatically heading back inside as Mum pats the seat next to her.

  ‘What’s going on, my darling? I can see that it’s tearing you apart and you are barely holding it together.’

  I slump down into the seat.

  ‘Everything and nothing, Mum.’ Where do I begin?

  ‘Don’t be cross, but Judi said there was a man you were seeing? I don’t know any more than that, but whatever has happened has had a devastating effect.’

  ‘Yes, there is… was, someone. We fell into a relationship, even though it was obvious from the start that it wasn’t going to work. I couldn’t sleep last night, and I found an article online written by a relationship expert. Did you know that women tend to go for a similar type of man as their father, even if they’ve had a bad father/daughter relationship?’

  She raises her eyebrows in surprise. ‘This man is like your father?’ She sounds appalled.

  ‘No. The differences between them are huge. He has a good heart. He’s kind and generous, even though he is successful. And affluent. He works hard and… it’s difficult to explain. I thought he was searching for a woman who would be by his side for the rest of his life. His ex-wife helped build his success, but the love isn’t there. That doesn’t stop him needing her more than me, but for all the wrong reasons.’

  ‘He’s in love with you and you’re in love with him?’

  ‘I thought so, but now I have my doubts whether any of it was real.’

  Mum’s eyes search my face, looking for clues. ‘And what did this expert have to say?’

  ‘That our gut instinct is to look for the traits we admire, then live in the hope that we can fix the man we choose to spend our lives with to make the relationship work. We are each in love with a person who doesn’t exist because we want different things. But it’s not just that. I’ll never settle for anything less than total commitment; I’d rather end up alone than feeling betrayed.’

  Mum reaches over to rest her hand on mine. ‘Oh, my dear girl. You deserve a man who understands what it is to truly love someone. I couldn’t bear for you to settle as I did, and end up miserable. I can see how painful this is, but I’m proud of the strong young woman you have become. It took me a long time to grab my freedom and it’s liberating. You inspired that, my darling.’

  I heave a weary sigh as Mum withdraws her hand.

  ‘We all kid ourselves at times, don’t we? But let’s enjoy our two nights here. I guess I only saw what I wanted to see, but now it’s time to face the truth. The villa is rented for the summer, but the car was a present for my birthday. I wasn’t happy accepting it in the first place, but when you think you’re in love with someone you don’t listen to your head. I just rang him and said I’ll be leaving the car here when we head back to Lisbon, I’ll arrange for a rental car to be delivered and then it’s over.’

  ‘Seren, you poor thing. I can imagine how horrified you were when he gave you a car and how puzzled he must have been at your reaction to his gesture.’

  ‘I felt he was trying to buy my love, Mum. I didn’t want to believe he was like that. And that’s what really hurts. He made a fool of me, of my feelings for him.’

  ‘I can understand that, darling. Did it hit you suddenly, today, now that the pressure has lifted and you have time
to relax?’

  ‘No. It was the kestrel.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘It was my gift to Reid, but he just gave it to his investor friend to display it here. No doubt thinking people would see it and that it would generate some business for me.’ My tone is bitter.

  ‘Ah, now I understand. But the artist? Seren, did you not stop for one moment to consider what you were walking into? It represents everything you hated about your old life. Unless your own plans have changed? If that’s the case, there’s no need to be afraid of that if it’s for the right reasons.’

  We hear a noise of glasses tinkling together and turn to see Judi standing there with a tray in her hands. I have no idea what she heard, but I dash across to take it from her because she looks as if she might be about to drop it.

  ‘R… Reid Henderson?’ she stammers. ‘Oh, Seren, what were you thinking?’

  After a large glass of wine, everything seems a little less raw and Judi, being the staunch friend that she is, injects a little of her humour to lift our spirits. My pride is dented, but I will survive and it’s time to draw a line under it all. This isn’t the first big disappointment in my life, although I suspect that it is one that will take a while to get over and it’s clear they can both see that.

  ‘Well, leave me to tidy up these things,’ Mum says. ‘Afterwards I think I’ll lie on the bed and have nap. What are you two going to do?’

  ‘The pool is beckoning me,’ Judi replies, tilting her head in my direction.

  ‘Do you mind if I take a walk to clear my head? When I get back, I’ll shower, change and wow you both with my culinary skills by preparing you an authentic Portuguese meal for this evening. I will return a new me, I promise.’

  ‘Don’t worry, lovely. We all make mistakes. It’s how we bounce back that’s important. Look at your mum, she’s like a new woman.’

  ‘I am, aren’t I?’ The little smile on Mum’s face continues to grow. ‘There’s hope for us all,’ she declares.

  As I step down onto the sandy beach, I press the sun hat further down onto my head and bend to slip off my shoes. Instead of walking along the seashore, I turn to my right and the welcoming shade of the rocky cliffs towering above me. I’m wearing my favourite summery boho dress from Etsy which cost less than the price of a steak dinner. But I love it. It’s a pale, turquoise blue maxi dress with a vintage floral fabric. The fitted, empire-line bodice has a paisley design and, below that, tiny white flowers run down to the hem, with pale green leaves and a touch of bright orange. This is the real me. And anyone who doesn’t appreciate that, doesn’t know who I am.

 

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