Gemini Rain (27 page)

Quietly opening the front door he sneaked out only to be confronted with Lauren and Jean-Pierre, both knew what he was doing because of the guilty look on his face.

Jean-Pierre smiled,
‘
would
you like your
jacket, son?’
delighted he caught David.

Not responding
immediately
, David just stared at them deciding his best option was to use his familiar excuse, ‘I needed some air.’

Jean-Pierre laughed, ‘Again!’

Lauren tut-tutted and looked away smiling. Feeling embarrassed at being caught, David took her up wrong again storming away towards the woods.

Jean-Pierre’s eyes followed David as he said to Lauren, ‘I think you better get after him before he disappears.’

‘Don’t worry,’ she responded as she casually walked after David, ‘I know exactly where he’s off to.’

‘David, stop going so quickly I’m in high heels!’ Lauren joked.

D
avid swung around angrily
‘why are you following me?’

Lauren bumped into him not realising he stopped as she was struggling over the rough terrain. ‘I want my present, Jean-Pierre said you forgot to give it to me,’ she giggled.

David just stared at her, ‘What!’

‘I can’t believe we were born on the same day,’ she thought the sympathetic approach might work on him better than it did on Jean-Pierre, ‘I mean, you could’ve told me now I don’t have a present for you,’ looking at the ground then up to him sideways. Smiling Lauren knew it was working and apologised for her earlier snub, ‘can I make up for it now?’ she asked softly caressing his arm, moving closer.

David gave a big wide smile with his temper now easing, ‘And how do you propose to do that?’

‘Watch,’ Lauren reached up on her tiptoes immediately beginning to kiss him. It was a long lingering kiss; no mistakes perfect in every way. David felt her soft lips touch his not believing this was finally happening, just when he gave up all hope of ever having a loving relationship with her, she comes along and does this.

He wrapped his arms around her small waist lifting her up, she responded by embracing tighter, her hand gently stroking the nape of his neck. A light misty rain was still falling, they both felt their hair and clothes dampening, but it was of no concern to them. Neither wanted to finish but regretfully did.

He smiled to her mischievously licking his lips, ‘You taste of brandy,’ he said referring to the c
ognac she was sipping all night.

Lauren wasn’t letting him away with that remark, ‘You taste of wine!’

Both thought of the same drink and chorused ‘Pineau!’ laughing.

David put his head onto her shoulder swinging her around, ‘Ahh, je t’aime Lauren Connolly I love you!’ he shouted.

Heading back to the house, they were arm in arm and noticed Jean-Pierre still waiting outside. ‘I thought it was best if I waited for you. We can then all enter together and no suspicions will be raised,’ knowing the answer by the joy in their faces he smiled, ‘Happy now?’

The night too quickly drew into morning, Lauren was exhausted as she went to get more wine in the kitchen, Veronique came out and they nearly collided into each other.

‘He’s in there,’ Veronique said excitedly as she nodded back to the kitchen. Lauren was surprised and Veronique knew what Lauren was thinking, ‘The Corvasieur Grapevine,’ she whispered, ‘Go on, I’ll keep guard for you and I’ll knock once if someone approaches.’

Although at first, Veronique didn’t think it was a good idea about David and Lauren being together, now like Gabrielle she was cautiously beginning to change her mind, she wished Lauren good luck pushing her into the kitchen. In the other room, Pat started playing the Jimi Hendrix song ‘Fly Little Wing’ on his guitar with Siobhan singing the words. David didn’t know Lauren was there continuing to prepare some drinks, she sneaked up behind him sliding her arms around his waist, ‘This is my favo
u
rite song, would you like a dance mister?’

Turning he immediately kissed her then they danced slowly to the song. Lauren lay her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat, David lay his head on hers, closing his eyes. ‘This is perfect, just perfect,’ he beamed. Not feeling this content and happy for so long, like the song they both felt they were riding with the wind.

It was 4am when Lauren’s cell phone
started to ring, the party was over and all had retired to bed. She couldn’t sleep answering it quickly so as not to wake the others.

‘I knew you’d still be awake!’ it was David, he
knew she always kept her phone by her bedside, ‘l
isten, can you meet me tomorrow morning at our rock, I’ve got to see you.’

Not hesitating she asked what time.

‘How about 9am?’ he laughed, Lauren groaned. ‘Okay, 9.30 and remember I love you,’ he hung up with Lauren collapsing into a deep sleep confident that
Emma
and Keith would wake her up on time.

Chapter 26

Lying on the thick blanket David felt the summer morning sun refresh his skin gently easing away any tiredness he felt. Looking at his watch he remarked aloud that Lauren was late.

‘Oh no I’m not,’ as she plonked herself down starting to tickle him, the situation soon reversed with Lauren surrendering. David stopped, looking at her he softly brushed away some loose hair from her face; silent they could read each other’s thoughts and kissed.

Lauren pulled away, ‘Where’s my present?’

David smiled raising one of his eyebrows, ‘In my pocket,’ he said lightly.  Looking up at his jacket lying on the rock she stretched out, ‘I presume you mean in your jacket
pocket
.’

He laughed sitting up, ‘b
ut of course,
Mon
Amie
,’ taking out a small velvet box he opened it up but held it up higher than Lauren so she couldn’t see.

‘Let me see!’ she protested.

‘Ah, Ah, Ah!’ he sang, knowing if she tried to battle for it she’d lose again.

‘David it’s my present, let me see,’ she pouted.

David said she was being childish so she huffed even more. He showed the contents of the box; it was a beautiful gold c
hain with one single pearl centred,
Lauren gasped with delight holding the pearl aloft.

‘It’s Pearl Alexandrite, our birthstone,’ whispering into her ear as he placed it around her neck he lightly kissed her ear.

‘
This guy’s a real charmer
,’
Lauren conceded.

‘I have another present for you but not until next week, when is everybody leaving to go back to Ireland?’

‘Oh you’re enjoying their company that much!’ she joked, ‘on Saturday morning.’

‘No, I didn’t mean it that way,’ he laughed, ‘it’s just that Claude and Helene are staying at my apartment in Paris next week and I have a small bit of business to attend to also because I’m retiring, so will you join us?’ He didn’t look at her as he said it wondering if she missed the
retiring
bit.

‘You’re what?’ Lauren was uncertain if she heard him right, ‘what did you say?’

David repeated but this time left out the piece she wanted to hear again.

‘No, not that of course I’d love to go but did you say you wer
e retiring, Christ you’re only forty
David!’

David explained his line of thinking, how he missed everybody, the life here, he was tired of travelling and acting, maybe it was time to start anew, ‘I’ve no passion for it anymore. The Colombian film
if it goes ahead
is going to be my last,’ he added he had made the decision and nothing would change his mind.

‘You’ll get bored,’ Lauren said solemnly.

David half expected her reaction knowing how to the point and hone
st she was. He sighed adding, ‘b
ut you could help me and I could work on the farm with Papa and Joel, it’s not what I’m used to but I help out when I’m here anyhow,’ he scratched his head, waiting for a response.

‘All I can say David is think about it. I’d love you to be here, I’d never worry about you
wandering
everywhere but I don’t know,’ she let out a sigh. ‘Maybe you could change like I did, but this is what I wanted, are you sure it’s what you want? Think strongly before you make the final decision.’  Lauren was worried, when did he make such a resolve? Last night, last week, deciding her best option was not to mention the subject again to see if he truly meant it or was it just another one of his fads, a hasty decision. Knowing it wasn’t what he wanted to hear Lauren took his hand holding it up to her cheek tenderly assuring him, ‘No matter what you do, I’ll be there beside you either physically or just in your thoughts.’

David relaxed, they kissed intensely lying back on the blanket, he wanted to make love to her but she made him agree last night to take things slowly, ‘time has no meaning,’ she tried to persuade him. Movement and feelings became more rapid, David held her tightly with one hand letting the other run wildly all over her body, wanting to discover every part of her wanting to know what pleased her. Lauren responded he knew she felt the same, putting his hand under her light T-shirt touching her soft skin, warm and inviting he craved for more. She smelled of lavender, it was like she always belonged here. His hand caressed her breast then slowly moved around to her back in an attempt to open her bra, kissing the side of her neck.

‘David,’ she spoke softly but he didn’t respond, ‘eh mister,’ she nudged him, innocently he looked up one eyebrow raised, she laughed affectionately calling him a pup.

‘I checked that in a dictionary, I’m not an arrogant man!’ he objected.

‘No, but you’re a cheeky charmer and in Dublin that’s what peop
le sometimes mean when we call
boy
s or me
n a pup, checked it up did you,’ putt
ing her hand to her forehead, ‘c
rikey you were thinking of me while you were enjoying yourself in Italy,’ she eyed him so he would understand her meaning.

‘I wasn’t with that actress,’ he laughed, ‘it’s called publicity.’

Quickly Lauren changed her tone,
‘s
eriously David, we can’t make love not yet anyhow,’ she hesitated, ‘and I don’t know if you’ll agree to what I’m going to ask you,’ looking at him she wondered if he was going to give a typical male reaction, ‘I can’t use the pill, will you use a condom?’

‘No problem but why can’t you use the pill?’ he asked casually.

Lauren couldn’t believe her ears, a man who doesn’t object and a French man too! ‘I suffer from high blood pressure, my doctor said both didn’t mix very well and I smoke and I don’t like other types of contraception,’ she cringed as she said it knowing what was coming next.

David sat up rubbing his hand over his face in disbelief. Turning to her she could read his
face like a book Lauren sighed
‘
lecture time
’, she said
.

‘You smoke, you jog, you lose your temper very easily,
especially
with me,’ he decided to add, ‘and you suffer from high blood pressure, Lauren what are you trying to do kill yourself?’ he reprimanded.

‘You jog and lose your temper just as easily as I do!’ Lauren protested looking away unable to face him, she expected him to finish off his last sentence with ‘like your husband’ but thankfully he didn’t.

‘I don’t have the
medical
problem,’ softly he pulled her closer, gra
tefully she accepted the hug, ‘y
ou’re giving up smoking and I’ll help you in every way I can. But the first step is for you to agree, yes?’ being calm but authoritative at the same time.

‘It’s hard, you know,’ Lauren remembered the last time she tried to give up the cancer-sticks, the depression and the feeling of being the only person in the world who didn’t smoke, utter desolation was how she described it. She sighed again, ‘Yes,’ with David hugging her supportively.

‘Now come on, this blanket is getting damp,’ he helped her up, ‘and I promised your nephew I’d show him my collection of motorbikes, but first Maman said she would collect your bread for you so we must go there. Are you ready for the reception?’ he grinned cheekily.

The week passed quicker than they expected, they met at what now became
their
Rock and Lauren admitted to breaking her promise to him twice. On the Saturday, Lauren drove everybody to the Airport with Pat carefully following in the mini-bus; he was still unused to driving on what he considered was the wrong side of the road. As they checked in Lauren said her good-byes with a f
ew tears shed, fee
ling silly knowing they would meet up again next week they laughed and cried at their stupidity. Approaching the boarding gate, Lauren felt a tug of guilt because of her secret rendezvous with David. As everybody went through she gave
Emma
and Keith big hugs and kisses galore.