Life Is A Foreign Language (39 page)

Scanning the room she saw Sophie in deep conversation with Craig and steered them in her direction.

“Sorry for interrupting. Sophie, I’d like you to meet Lillian, my daughter, and Danny, my son.” She glanced at her children. “I’ve often mentioned Sophie, my dear friend who’s always been there when I’ve needed a hand to hold.”

“Happy to meet you, Lillian, Danny. Now I have faces to put to the names your mother keeps talking about.” Nodding at Nina. “Do you know what she has up her sleeve? We’re all dying a slow death from curiosity?”

Danny’s smile was impish. “Nice to meet you, too. We’re here for a couple of days, so I hope we’ll have a chance to get to know each other.”

Brian returned; he was too far away, but when Nina caught his eye she clasped her hands in the air above her head to signal “thank you,” It would have to do for now. Again she scanned the room.

She pointed. “Over there, by the table. Follow me.” She made her way through the cluster of people. “Chris, Peter, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Lillian, and my son, Danny.” She linked arms with Lillian and Danny. “Meet Chris and Peter, Michael’s younger sons.” Having made the introductions she watched as they shook hands, smiling, talking, at ease as if they’d know each other for a long time.
Michael should be with me right now when our children meet.
Sighing, she kept blinking against the tears.

Only minutes later the doorbell rang again; Nina’s special guest had arrived. She went to the porch to wish him welcome, to do some quiet plotting. Taking his arm, she led him inside among the crowd of people. He took the glass of champagne she handed him.

Nina clapped her hands for attention. “Everybody. Friends.” The din quieted, and all eyes focused on her. When the room was still she continued. “This gentleman,” she bowed towards him, “has joined us tonight on my request. I’m both honored and moved he’s accepted my invitation. He has an important announcement to make. Dear friends, Danny, Lillian, please meet my publisher, Mr. Helmann.” She took a few steps back and left the floor to him. Next to her Lillian’s intake of breath was perceptible, so was Danny’s, “Oh Mami.”

“Mrs. Brochard—Nina—has chosen to proceed in a rather unusual manner, befitting of a special woman. We have worked closely together on her first two non-fiction books and now on her novel. I’m more than pleased to have discovered a good novelist, and I’m happy to announce that Nicholson Publishing House, whom I represent, will publish Nina’s novel. Target date is next May.” Turning to her he raised his glass. “Congratulations, Nina.”

The din broke out, everyone talking at the same time, jostling, elbowing their way to Nina. Champagne corks popped, people shouted “Congratulations!” Arms hugged her. She felt intoxicated from the heat, the noise, the excitement. Danny handed her a glass of champagne. She refused with a shake of her head—she’d never drink champagne again. When planning this party she had long contemplated serving it. But, all things considered, the champagne wasn’t responsible for Michael’s death.

The evening progressed. They had a ball!

It was late when the party broke up, and the last guests left. Oren offered to drive Mr. Helmann to his hotel. At one point during the evening with nobody watching, Nina sneaked away to prepare the guestrooms for Danny and Lillian; it also gave her some breathing space.

When all the guest had left and they were alone, just the three of them, Nina, Lillian and Danny spent a few minutes on the lanai. Lillian disappeared inside, returning minutes later wearing a bathing suit. She dived into the pool and came up sputtering and snorting, then hurried out of there as fast as she could.

“God, the water’s freezing, Mami. Don’t you have heating?”

Nina laughed at the comic figure Lillian made, shivering in the chilly November night. “Sure, I have solar panels, but it’s been overcast and rainy most of the day.”

Danny tried to suppress a yawn. “I like Michael’s family. They’re very nice people, and you fit right in.”

“They’ve been like family to me since he passed away. I think we’ve helped each other through the worst pain.”

Danny kept blinking, hardly able to keep his eyes open.

Nina put her hand on his arm. “You must be beat after the long flight. Go get some sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.”

He stood and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m proud of you. You’re quite a woman. Nite, Mami,” and he went inside.

Lillian, wrapped in a large beach towel, came to stand next to Nina’s chair. “Do you mind if I follow Danny’s example. The flight was endless, I’m exhausted. My body clock says about eight in the morning, and I haven’t been to bed in more than twenty-four hours.”

“I know, chérie. Go to bed. Sleep as long as you want. Sweet dreams.” Before Lillian could turn to go, Nina stood and kissed her cheek. “I can’t thank you enough for coming. It means a lot to me.”

After Lillian left, Nina was alone on the lanai. She turned off the lights, blew out the candles and stretched out on one of the lounge chairs under a throw, her head resting against the “Winnie the Pooh” cushion that had been in Michael’s bedroom. The nearby tall trees stood motionless in the windless night. The moon was full, the night very quiet.

Nina closed her eyes and said a prayer of thanks. Then, as she did almost every evening, she talked to Michael.

“Isn’t it great, darling? All of it! Who would have thought I could write a novel worth publishing? Can you imagine? Both Lillian and Danny thought it important enough that they came over to help me celebrate.” She dried her eyes with a corner of the throw.

“I owe you so much. If I hadn’t met you I would never have suffered, but then I wouldn’t have lived. When I missed you so much I thought I would die, Oren told me to make a gratitude list, just like Mama used to tell me. I did, not that I really need one. I know by heart the innumerable things in my life for which I’m thankful.” She kept her eyes closed in concentration, the better to see his face. “Your sons and their families are wonderful to me. I’m fortunate to have two families now. Work at the clinic is rewarding. I know freedom and I’m at peace. The anxiety has left me. Most of my insecurity and the loneliness have slipped away.” She thought for a moment. “When I first arrived here, I used to think that happiness is to feel no pain. Not so any more; happiness means to hurt and suffer without breaking, to come out the other end of the tunnel intact. Blessings beyond my wildest dreams have come true. I had to lose my old life in order to find this new one.

“I miss you terribly, Michael.”

With trembling fingers she brushed away tears, always close to bursting forth. “It’s six months since you left. It doesn’t seem that long—at the same time it seems much longer. What wouldn’t I give to have you with me, to share these wonderful things with you?” She sighed. “But I’m learning to live without you—I have no choice.”

Just when she thought she would never smile again life gave her the promise of a new beginning.

The End

About the Author
 

Rayne E. Golay
was born in Helsinki, Finland. After graduating from college, she studied psychology.

From early childhood, Rayne read; the American classics, the French, the Russian, modern American literature, poetry. She wants to tell her readers that no matter how bad a situation may seem, there is a way out; the prerequisite is daring to take risks, the courage to change.

Her second novel is in its final stages of editing, and she is hard at work on her third book.

Rayne lives partly in Geneva, Switzerland and Cape Coral, Florida.