Gemini Rain (7 page)

‘Don’t
count your chickens until they’re
hatched,’ as his partne
r would say even though they did
think the same
earlier
. Quietly laughing at some of the silly old phrases they came out with, always trying to be philosophical always trying to have a double meaning, he knew of another person like that and now Paul was carrying her picture in a police investigation file.

Thinking back to when he first met Lauren he smiled remembering the shock and objections of his conservative, religious parents when he informed them he was dating Gerard Maguire’s daughter.
Paul knew the objection was more to do with Lauren’s parents, their business tactics and Gerard’s
renowned
binges in the local pub. 
But even though he and Lauren were only seventeen, she knew when to act mature in the right company. And he knew his
parents were reserved but admitted
ly impressed when he brought her to their party’s annual political conference dinner, she looked so elegant out of her school uniform thoroughly enjoying exchanging viewpoints with his father on his fav
ourite subject of Irish poets. 
When they were alone her joy of life, her free soul a
nd almost childlike teasing helped him through
some very difficult
stages in his late teens and early twenties
even when
he
became practically reclusive during
the final years of
hi
s law studies
.

‘
Then there was that first time,
’
he sighed leaning on one of the tall roman column pillars at the top of the winding stairs that led to some of the offices. Paul was unaware of the curious stares from passers-by as he recollected that special
feeling;
it still caused butterflies to bounce around inside him.

It was their eighteenth birthday, being born on the same day was a co-incidence they loved to boast and joke about.

‘I’m the eldest, I make the decisions,’ Lauren would try to pull rank on him.

‘Only by a few hours,’ was Paul’s usual response but she always won and got her way.  The amount of chick flicks he saw would drive any young guy mentally unstable!

But instead of the usual big eighteenth party business, Lauren wanted to spend that special birthday
alone with him. It was only
as she lay asleep in his arms did he realise what he was missing and that it was exactly what Lauren planned as her own birthday present to herself. His face flushed with embarrassment as he remembered admitting to her his feelings, of how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her but at the time he didn’t blush, he felt so at ease with her - it felt so right. 
‘
How we say so much at that vulnerable time, how we’re so confident that we can keep the promises we make, it’s only with maturity do we realise the
sometime
impossibility of
it all,
’
he regretfully thought. 
Coming back to present day his eyes darted from side to side now realising the curious looks he was get
ting, clearing his throat he check
ed himself and continued walking towards his office.

He often wondered why they drifted apart but with his law
and political
studies and Lauren wanting to travel ‘to see the world!’ she would exclaim, another one of her many plans in life he chuckled; they became more friends than lovers. Then of course Peter Connolly stepped onto the scene and after six months of an extremely quick courtship Lauren turned twenty
-seven
and she married Peter,
‘
was that another one of her plans
’
he wondered, but then there was that time… Paul checked himself.
‘
No! Forget about that!
’

Financially
and through canvassing
Lauren helped him throughout his political career
never asking for anything in return, not even some connections in government for her family business
and very often
she
was there when he just needed to talk to someone, she’s a special, loyal friend so what was he going to do now?

As he entered his small junior ministerial office, he looked around noticing his secretary
’s
desk was already cleared with several over-packed boxes
sitting neatly on her desk
and on the floor
, three thick black letters
‘
DOJ
’
were wrote on the sides of each box
along with his name
.
Mairead
was down on her knees behind his desk, packing his files into
yet
another box. There were
more collapsed
cartons on the floor ready to be fixed up and packed.  She didn’t notice him coming in so he sat on the desk leaning over towards her.

‘I didn’t realise we had so much in this little office
.
’
As soon as it dawned on her he was there, she embarrassingly
looked up to him, he laughed, ‘t
he announcement won’t be until tonight and we can’t move into the Justice Department’s office until tomorrow you know.’ On seeing the questioning look on her face he proudly confirmed, ‘yep, the top slot!’

Chapter 5

Octo
ber
2011
Paris -
David Corvasieur closely watched his legal team as they spoke to the Judge hoping they knew what they were doing,
‘
they sound as if they know what they’re doing,
’
he reassured himself. Solemnly turning to the man sitting up on the podium to see if he could read the judge’s reaction and get more encouragement, he sighed noting how the face studiously taking notes was expressio
nless, an expert in his field the judge
gave nothing away.
‘
It’s probably the one and only profession in France where we don’t overly express ourselves
,’
David felt his body grow languish resigning to that thought.

It was looking bad, extremely bad, David’s soon to be ex-wife employed one of the best
and
one the most expensive solicitors in France,
‘
I’ll probably get the bill for that too,
’
he ruefully thought. David curiously watched the man as he carried out his work thoroughly, the research was acute, definitely
cut the jugular and leave it to flow
business. Three
alleged
affairs in nearly ten years of marriage with
the one
true
affair
still
on-going
, h
ow could he have been so stupid
now everything could be lost. 

At the moment, everything to David was full access to his two children. As with French law, all other matters were settled the day they got married - the
regime matrimonial
, he and Francoise had unusually chosen the
regime de la separation des biens
where each partner retained their own past and future assets, for Francoise it was mainly on the advice of her family to protect her inheritance. And even though he was advised not to David decided Francoise didn’t deserve this, offering some of the property and money he gained from his successful acting career and investments. He didn’t care anymore if his accountant was suffering from stress Francoise needed some financial back-up if she is going to start a new life without him, especially now her father had squandered the inheritance
on bad investments
before he kicked the bucket.

But the stickler now was full-visiting rights to Pierre and Chantal – to lose this no way he couldn’t accept it
, he wouldn’t bloody allow it. 
Okay so he understood now the reasons why his marriage fell apart.  At first he was stubborn to the reasoning from his father and friends, could she not just accept the fact he was famous, this was the lifestyle that gave her the comforts she was accustomed to. A reality check made him rethink that, she was never one for airs and graces, all the frivolous presents, the expensive jewellery and pe
rfumes – she would never bat an
eyelid, her feet were firmly on the ground, perhaps it was her family background, perhaps it just simply his beautiful wife.
‘
Francoise, you were a true and honest friend I’ll miss you so much,
’
he thought.

Throughout the court proceedings the realisation dawned on him but he put on a brave face, his brothers Joel and Claude seemed surprisingly proud of him. In France it was acceptable by some even making a married man’s standing more reputable the more mistresses he had. He could see them snigger and joke as each
alleged
lover’s name was read out and the history and photographs were given in as evidence of his
‘
shocking behaviour and disrespect towards his wife and children
’
as Francoise’s solicitor so insistently stated throughout the proceedings. But are my brothers laughing at me or my prowess, he attempted a smile in their direction needing to put up a front while inside his stomach was truly churning to sour cheese.

He felt he was going to vomit, maybe he should’ve accepted Francoise’s offer of a weekend with the children every month,
merde
sometimes with this career
that would be more often than when we were together as a supposedly happily married couple.

But he had his pride and what would his family think if he didn’t put up a fight, but then again they probably would understand. 
‘
Mon Dieu
, David what are you doing even the kids want to be with Francoise! You’re a stranger to them an occasional visitor who they name Papa.  And with your work, how the hell could you take care of them properly.
’
David rubbed his forehead harshly, once again, he knew he’d gone that one step too far, taking a stand then with hindsight knowing that he’d let his pride and emotions take over
his
better judgement.

Finally his
representative finished his speech
there was an awkward silence in the courtroom with just the rustling of papers disturbing the tense hush. David inquisitively looked across to Francoise,
‘
does she feel as uncertain as I do?
’
But just like the previous day she stared straight ahead only responding to her solicitor and the Judge, never looking in his direction.

David noticed she was wearing a classic
Dior
black suit, I’ve never seen those clothes before either, her long black hair shined as it streamed silently down her small back
to her waistline
. Her make-up was soft just enough to highlight her full lips and chestnut eyes, always describing her eyes that way they were too beautiful to him to be called just dark brown. She looked wonderful he admitted just like she always did, a woman who always cared and expressed herself to the best of her ability, she’s a natural she never has to try,
‘
Christ David look at what you’re losing, what you’ve lost.
’

Checking his watch the Judge noted with surprise it was close to his two hour lunch break so hastily ended the proceedings by stating that he wished to re-read the report on the children’s preferences, his judgement would be delivered that afternoon. The assembled rose with relief sweeping through the courtroom, except that is for David.

‘Well that went better than expected,’ Jacques, David’s solicitor tried to sound enthusiastic.

‘Did it? I don’t know,’ David was doubtful knowing Jac
ques was trying to make the events of the morning
sound better than it actually was, ‘honestly do you think I’ll even get limited access?’ he was trying to prepare himself for the worst.

‘Of course you’ll get something out of this!’ Jacques sounded overly optimistic, David thought he should remind his friend he was a solicitor and not to give up the day job just yet.

‘Listen, I told you in the beginning it was going to be a battle for the children and the Judge has accepted the fact that you’ve agreed to the terms of your marital contract, even adding the extras makes it look good. But why did you continue the affair with Ja
c
queline Orliac and so bloody publicly?’ Jacques stated that last part with vehemence and in a whisper.

David cringed feeling that elevator effect on his stomach as soon as her name was mentioned.  It was a publicity stunt set up by his agent but the advice from Jacques over one of their usual dinner meetings, (Jacques loved meeting his famous clients in restaurants), was not to go to the Premiere with her but what could David do? He needed the publicity and so did she; the film offers were slowing down and anyhow he and Francoise were legally s
eparated at the time.  That same
week
after the Premiere
, David handed a contract for an Italian film into Jacques office,
ensuring it was done personally
to prove
to
his solicitor friend that all was not lost when it came to publicity stunts.