Never Too Late (36 page)

“That would be lovely – we’ll certainly do that.”

“I must admit I have an ulterior motive,” Joanne admitted, “I need some advice about some very poorly plants.”

“I won’t hold that against you.”

Goodbyes were said all round and, as is often the case at parties, once the first group had left the others soon followed. Iain went to rest on his day bed for a while. It had been a lot of effort and very tiring so soon in his recovery process. James and Keela helped Maggie with clearing up from the barbecue and the dishwasher was soon on its third cycle of the day. Schez had left quite early, apparently, and Chloe was nowhere to be found.

*

The following Friday lunchtime James and Adam sat at a corner table in the pub just down the road from their office. It hadn’t been worth going to their favourite spot by the river as the rain had returned earlier in the week. The dull grey blanket that hung over London had wiped the smiles from most people’s faces, but Adam was particularly gloomy.

“How’s things with you and Keela?” he asked, forcing himself to try and get a normal conversation going.

“Pretty good,” James told him. “As you can probably guess, it’s great spending so much time naked together – she has the most fabulous body – but it’s getting bloody hard not to go for the follow through, if you know what I mean. She’s definitely making progress. She’d never have let me touch her like that before. Her first appointment since the residential care was this morning so it will be interesting finding out what Amelia said.” Without missing a beat he added, “And the moon’s a balloon and your hair has turned to snakes.” No reaction at all.

He touched Adam’s arm, making him jump. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve been saying.”

“Sorry, I, er…” Adam raised his hands helplessly.

James slowly replaced his pint on the table. “So, are you going to tell me what’s been eating you all week?”

“Schez,” Adam said glumly.

“Well, I’d kind of guessed that. What’s going on with you two? A week ago I couldn’t get the grin off your face, no matter how many insults I threw at you. You were joined at the hip to Schez and resented having to separate long enough to come into work. Now I can’t get two words together from you, let alone a flicker of a smile.”

Adam sighed heavily and stared into his lager. “I haven’t spoken to Schez since the barbecue.”

James paused, incredulous, with crisps half way to his mouth. “What on earth would you two argue about that badly?”

“Hey, an argument would be easy to cope with; at least I’d know what was going on. It’s the absolute silence I can’t handle as I don’t know why she won’t speak to me.”

“Did she not give any clues Saturday night when you left our place?”

“I don’t even know where she was Saturday night. She just slipped away from the barbecue at some stage. I thought she was playing with the kids, but when I went to join her they hadn’t seen her. Dad recalled her making some excuse about too much heat and alcohol but he was so pie-eyed he couldn’t remember when exactly, or any other details. She didn’t say goodbye to anyone, didn’t go back to my parents’, didn’t go back to her own flat, didn’t go to her Dad’s, wouldn’t answer her phone. I was going frantic by Sunday night but she turned up for work Monday. Whatever she said to Liz I’m now persona non grata with both of them.”

James had a vivid recollection of the look of shock on Schez’s face after she’d been talking with Chloe. Just what had his scheming, self-centred little sister been up to now? There had been a growing number of occasions during the past few months when he could actively dislike her despite loving her so much. He had a nasty feeling that she was at the bottom of this misunderstanding between Adam and Schez. He excused himself to Adam to go to the gents.

“Sorry, mate, bad timing - we’ll get back to this in a sec.”

He dialled Chloe’s number and was surprised when it went to voicemail. She always answered the phone straight away to him unless she was in a meeting, and she certainly wouldn’t have any meetings arranged for Friday lunchtime. Was she trying to avoid him? Was she feeling guilty about whatever it was she had said? She’d avoided him at the barbecue too, come to think of it, and had disappeared very early on Sunday. His suspicions growing to an almost certainty, he returned to Adam and told him what he knew.

“Chloe?” Adam was at a total loss. “What could Chloe possibly say that would cause this?”

“I’ve no idea, Adam, but I do know her prima donna act has lately been developing into a nasty, mean, selfish streak and she is not above lying and manipulating people to ensure life pans out exactly as she wants it.”

“But why would she want to screw things between me and Schez?”

“What man ever knows how the female mind works? I’m sure they’re a separate species at times. Maybe she’s just plain jealous of how happy you were, and all the fuss being made of you with your recent engagement. You know Chloe – always got to be the first and have the best, always got to be in the limelight. All I know for sure is that both women have been very elusive since that little chat of theirs, so the likelihood of a coincidence is low, I’d say.”

They both mulled this over for a while, then James moved Adam’s pint away from him.

“You shouldn’t drink and drive. Off you go.”

“What?”

“Never mind work this afternoon, you need to get on the road. You don’t know where Schez is staying at the moment but you do know she’ll be at the kennels right now. So off you go – force her to talk and get this sorted out once and for all.”

Adam’s eyes lit up and he slapped James’ arm. “You’re absolutely right. There’s no way I can go through a weekend without seeing her. One way or another I have to get her to talk to me.”

He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

On his way to Holmsford Adam reassessed his strategy. He wanted Schez’s full attention, no interruptions from trying to settle the dogs for the night. Also he didn’t fancy facing a hostile reception from both Liz and Schez. Schez should be leaving the kennels at 5:30 so Adam timed his arrival for 5:15, just to be sure, and stayed at the entrance to catch her on her way out.

An hour later he was still waiting. She definitely hadn’t come out, so he decided he would go in, beard the lionesses in their den.

He walked down the long driveway and found the kennels locked up, as expected. He went round to Liz’s house. There was no sign of anyone and no answer to his knock at the front door, so he went round to the rear garden. Liz and Schez were sat at a picnic bench with a mug of tea each. Schez froze when she saw him. Liz got up and stood between him and Schez.

“What do you want?” she asked crisply. “Schez doesn’t want to talk to you, and I won’t let you upset her any more, so you’d better leave right now.”

“Would you condemn a man without even presenting the charges?” he asked. “I don’t even know what crime I’m supposed to have committed.”

He tried to catch Schez’s eye but she resolutely kept her eyes on her hands cupped round her mug. “Schez, please,” he begged her. “I love you, I always will, please tell me what’s troubling you. Whatever it is we can work it out if you’ll only talk to me!”

Schez jumped up and ran into the bungalow without looking at him, sobbing as she ran in. Adam made to follow her but Liz stopped him.

“Sit,” she commanded. “We need to talk first, I think. Schez is like a daughter to me and I won’t see her upset, not by you, not by anyone.”

They sat opposite each other and she regarded him steadily, reading the expressions as they flitted across his face.

“However,” she said eventually, “I’m beginning to think we may have wronged you. Answer me just one question, and don’t try to lie to me – I’ll see it in your eyes. Have you ever proposed marriage to Chloe McTavish?”

“Chloe? No! She’d never let me near her.”

“So she was your first choice?”

“I thought I was in love with her for a long time, but when I met Schez I knew I hadn’t been. The only person I have ever asked to marry me is Schez. The only person I ever want to marry is Schez. Just what can I say or do to convince you?”

Liz watched him closely. Her collie, Rosie, went to Adam and laid her head on his lap for a fuss. “Yes,” she said eventually. “I believe you. Rosie’s never wrong about people. It’s Schez you need to convince though.”

“Please tell me - just what has Chloe been saying?” Adam begged.

“Basically that she can snap her fingers and you’ll come running back, just as you always have, leaving Schez on her own and heartbroken again. Is Chloe right? Has that ever happened? Will it ever happen?”

“No! Most emphatically no, not now, not ever. Please, you have to believe me – Schez is my soul mate. I can’t bear the thought of life without her.”

Liz nodded her head slowly. “It seems you’re both about to find out the first skill needed in making a marriage work – communication.”

“So I can see her?” Adam half rose from the bench seat.

“Stay there - I’ll see her first.”

Liz went into the house and left Adam fidgeting, longing to hold Schez and convince her of his feelings. Chloe would certainly get a piece of his mind when he saw her next.

~~~~~~~~~~~

August

James had insisted on accompanying Keela to her appointment. He felt he was to blame and wanted to be the one to face Amelia, to tell her what they’d done. He was worried he’d put Keela’s therapy back, but he was only human for goodness’ sake! A male human at that, and Keela was so darned beautiful… He reached across and took her hand. They looked at each other, both of them a bag of nerves.

Amelia opened her door and they jumped to their feet.

“Hello, how nice to see both of you again. Please come on through.”

They followed her into her consulting room and sat on the edge of their chairs.

“So how are you both?”

James took Keela’s hand again. “We’re fine, thanks, Amelia. And you?”

“I’m good. Some successes, some setbacks, same old same old in some respects, but an interesting week overall.” She regarded them steadily for a while. “Would you like some tea or coffee?”

“No, no thanks,” they both said.

“I get the impression there’s something you want to tell me and you’re not going to relax until you’ve said it. So come on – out with it. How have you been getting on with your private time together?”

They both blushed. “I have a confession to make,” James managed to say.

Amelia nodded and waited.

“It’s been going really well, hasn’t it Keela?”

“Absolutely,” she agreed.

“We’ve been getting naked together as often as we can, for as long as we can, and, er… doing what you said. But, er, I… I, er… I couldn’t help myself. I’m sorry, but we went the whole way a couple of nights ago.”

Amelia’s lips twitched despite herself. “And did you both enjoy it?”

“Yes.”

“Well I don’t really see what the problem is. That’s excellent news.”

“But – you forbade it! I’ve been worried sick I’d put Keela’s progress back.”

She couldn’t hold it back any longer and laughed, a rich, delighted sound as her eyes sparkled. “I am absolutely thrilled with your progress. I told you no penetrative sex to take the pressure off you. I wanted to give you time to discover how wonderful it can be just to be together. It gave you time to learn to be comfortable with each other’s bodies, to appreciate each other’s bodies. After that it’s natural to start associating true emotional love and the connection with its physical expression.”

“So it’s OK?”

“It’s very much OK, if you agree with that Keela?”

She smiled shyly. “Oh yes! It was a life-changing experience, absolutely wonderful.”

“Excellent! So now you can look forward to conceiving your family in a truly loving and harmonious milieu.”

Amelia picked up Keela’s file, giving them both time to absorb what she’d said. “So,” she said eventually, “have you any questions?”

“Am I… cured? Do I need any more sessions with you?” Keela wanted to know.

“Certainly I don’t foresee you having any further difficulties with the problem you first presented with. However, that was a symptom of what happened in your childhood, Keela, and we still haven’t tackled all of the issues pursuant to that. Whether you want to do so or not is down to you to decide. I’m willing to help you if you want to pursue it. For instance, how long is it since you’ve had any contact with your mother and siblings? Do you want to resume contact? You may even decide you want to face your father with the horror of what he did to you.”

Expressions of hope, of longing, and fear, all flitted across Keela’s face.

“There’s no rush, Keela, no pressure to make a decision. Take as long as you need – you’ll know when the time is right, if ever. Until then just enjoy your marriage and your plans for your future together. I’ll still be here if and when you decide what you want to do. Now go and enjoy some private time, yes?”

James and Keela left the consulting rooms in a euphoric state of disbelief. Life seemed very good to them, but James recurrently heard one of Amelia’s phrases – ‘your plans for your future together’. He felt that now, perhaps, was the right time to discuss their future. Perhaps now was the right time to make a totally fresh start.

*

Iain was once again working on the new house design when Maggie went to the village hall to help at the children’s summer club. His therapist had agreed with him that it was an excellent way to get the brain functions working in harmony again, provided he didn’t overdo it. She was due to take him on site next week, but today she could enjoy some time with the children. She parked up and got the boxes of paper and poster paints out of the boot for the finger painting session she had planned. She gave Deefor a bag to carry in for her, filled with cardboard squares for paint mixing and rags for hand wiping.

In the hall the children were unusually attentive, gathered in a circle around Hilda, who was sat on a chair reading to them from a book.