The Vineyard (18 page)

‘Oh fine I think. She is with a rep, one from Thalgo I believe? I’ll get her to call you when she’s finished.’

‘Brilliant. Did the rep bring sample products do you know or some stock?’

‘Just samples, I think.’

‘Ok. You may want to have a look at some of those, maybe have a chat with the rep. They are all natural products. I want to expand the product options and the rep, Nicole I think her name is, was in Cannes this week although the company is based in the Var, Roquebrune-sur-Argens, so not far away. It would be nice to pay a visit there. See what she says. Would you mind?’

‘Not at all. Anyway, how are you and your mum?’

‘Oh amazing. I’m just walking back to the car now. We’ve made huge progress. Macmillan have been really good helping me through it all.’

‘Fingers crossed Lizzie.’

‘Well, I have, or rather, Cal suggested a plan: to tell her now about Thierry. Not take him in the hospital but just tell her and then take him in the next day or later. Cal believes finding out she has a grandchild will give her something good to focus on.’

‘Gosh yes. Great idea. She will probably want to spend as much time as she can with him.’

‘Well. I’ll wait and see.’ Lizzie paused as she remembered something. ‘How’s the apartment, comfortable?’

‘Very, thank you. I have to confess, I haven’t been out house-hunting just yet. I was hoping you would be here for that.’

‘Take as long as you need to stay at mine, I don’t think I’ll be back for a while yet and yes, I did say I would help you find a place, so we can look around when I return.’

‘Oh nearly forgot. How are things with you and Cal? Are you getting on ok? Presumably he is living at your mother’s house?’

‘Yes he is but he has his own house not far away. I think he’s staying here just to make sure Thierry and I are ok.’

‘That’s thoughtful of him,’ Sophie said.

‘Yes. He is really nice.’

‘Oh Lizzie, you do make me laugh. Don’t tell me you’re falling for your new Daddy.’

‘Ok, he’s hot but…’ Lizzie looked about her with a stab of guilt, ‘out of bounds.’ Sophie’s laughter echoed down the telephone so loud that Lizzie whipped the receiver back from her ear. ‘It isn’t funny Sophie.’

‘Do you think they are serious?’

‘Yes I think they are. He’s gone to all this trouble and has been very caring and protective towards her.’

‘Has he been to see her?’ Sophie asked

‘No!’ Looking round again she said ‘No. She told him not to.’

‘Oh, well, I suppose a lady wants her dignity. She’s just had a mastectomy, she’s not going to feel great…’

‘Or look great, she looked so pale and washed out at first but today she had brightened up considerably,’ Lizzie said.

‘He’s quite a bit younger than her too so maybe she’s just conscious of the difference and how it might affect him.’ Sophie added.

‘True. I might feel the same if I was her,’

‘And, it would be different if they’d been married for years.’ Sophie pointed out.

‘True. I did think it a bit odd.’

‘Do you want me to come over Lizzie? I can be with you in a couple of hours if I fly from Nice.’

‘No, no. I’m fine. One way or another, I shall go back to the hospital tomorrow and try to get her home.’

‘Ring Macmillan,’ Sophie said.

Lizzie laughed. ‘Thanks Sophie, I’ll try that.’

‘Hope it all goes well. I need to go. A client is coming in reception. Speak tomorrow.’ Sophie said. ‘Hope all goes well.’
Damn
, thought Sophie, she had meant to ask her about Anton.

Chapter 16

On her return from the hospital Lizzie walked on air as she searched the house for Cal and Thierry. When she breezed into the conservatory she couldn’t hide her triumphant grin as Cal peered up from the floor. Cal brushed Thierry’s head and got up from where they’d been playing.

‘Success,’ she cheered, ‘We made up. And she’s doing fine.’

‘Lizzie, you don’t know how happy that makes me. Phew, I’ve been so worried.’ He elatedly grabbed Lizzie and hugged her.

‘I couldn’t tell her about Thierry,’ she blurted, suddenly trembling with a surge of unexpected tears.

‘Whoa, whoa, calm down,’ he said, almost dancing with her. ‘You’ve made progress. That’s brilliant. One step at a time.’

‘I can’t calm down. It was really emotional and touching. I’ve never hugged her with so much feeling and I feel pretty shaken. She told me all about her operation, and finding the lump and, and.., oh no!! I’ve just realised, I’ve left my photos there. She will find them! I am so…so stupid.’ Lizzie levered herself away from his grasp.

‘What do you mean? Tell me, what happened?’

‘I told her I’d come to try again and we both just broke down. I chucked the bag that I took down on the bed and, in my excitement, completely forgot about it. We only really chatted about how her operation went.’

‘That’s good then isn’t it? You’ve made headway. You’ve made the effort to see her and, well, actions speak louder than words Lizzie,’ Cal beamed ‘Yes. And?’ his eyes widened.

‘Well hopefully it’s broken the ice but what if she forgets or feels embarrassed next time I see her.’

‘Do you think you would forget something like that? And I’m sure she won’t look in your bag. You can tell her about Thierry next time.’

‘Thierry,’ she smiled, distracted by her son running towards her, ‘Hello darling!’ She swooped him up and he hugged her neck tightly as she kissed him.

‘Mummy look,’ Thierry chuckled, displaying tiny hands covered in slimy green dough. ‘Oh my God, what is that?’ she knelt down and plopped her son back down as quickly as she’d swept him up then brushed off her neck and hair.

He ran back to fetch a small pot to show her. ‘It’s Dragon Snot Mummy. We bought it at the shop.’

‘Did you indeed?’ She directed her eyes at Cal. His face wore an amused smile.

‘It’s kinda fun,’ said Cal, he winked over at the little boy, ‘Show Mummy what you’ve been making with it.’

‘I don’t think Mummy wants to know,’ Lizzie said. ‘I think you two should keep man stuff to yourselves if it’s that disgusting - then Mummy won’t have to clear it all up will she?’

Cal laughed and Thierry laughed with him.

‘Are you being a bad influence on my son?’ she jested.

‘Not at all. He’s got a curious mind which is delightful to fill. He is a great listener for one so small and is interested in so much. You can’t help but feel engaged with him.’ Cal brushed the boy’s head in a fatherly way. Lizzie’s heart and eyes filled with pride.

‘Cal said we can go the cricket.’

‘Did he now?’

‘That’s in the morning, tomorrow, when you get up,’ Cal corrected.

‘Tomorrow,’ Thierry confirmed.

Cal searched her face anticipating a protest then said, ‘They play on the village green on a Saturday morning.’

Lizzie remembered walking down there herself on occasions as a child with her father and grandfather. ‘Yes, maybe I’ll join you both,’ she said, clapping her hands.

Cal turned towards the fridge and his tone turned serious. ‘Anyway, presumably there are things you will want to do tomorrow and want to talk about later so I suggest you go for a nice long soak whilst I make this little guy his tea.’

‘Oh God yes.’ She jumped at the thought of her mother rummaging through the bag. ‘I can’t believe I left the photographs there. I wonder if she’ll look. I took a bag with grapes, a few gifts, card and magazines. I think I put them on the bed. It was so… and she…’ Her lips quivered, and she buried her head in her hands.

Immediately Cal rushed to her squeezing her shoulders.

‘I just though she…well,’ she sniffed and lifted her shoulders sighing. ‘Sorry, I just thought of mum and what she went through when they told her. Her shock, and she said she cried her heart out when they mentioned cancer. She told me she’d never been so scared, she couldn’t sleep. It reminded her of the awful time when I went missing. The police kept telling her that thousands of youngsters go missing and that they usually turn up. That she was lucky, at least she had a note, she said. Anyway, it’s just very sad.’

‘There’s no point on dwelling on that, Lizzie. You didn’t want to be found anyway. But, brilliant you could both sit and talk.’

Lizzie nodded and took a deep breath to avoid another outburst. ‘Oh, yes, on a brighter note, she was so…so talkative, relaxed – well after the first few minutes. It was so…gratifying. We definitely, I suppose, bonded, but it didn’t feel right, not the time to tell her that I had a child. I didn’t want her to freak out.’ She rubbed Cal’s arm, ‘Thanks.’

‘You read the situation. You did the right thing,’ he said, sliding back to the worktop.

‘I hope so. She was so different from how she was the other day.’

‘Maybe she was giving you a chance, knowing you had come home and made the effort. Why wouldn’t she? You’re her flesh and blood. Why can’t you take some credit?’

Lizzie gave a stiff glance his way. ‘Guilt, I suppose. I’m not a very good daughter am I?’

‘Stop dwelling. Move forward. There’s no point in beating yourself up. You’ve come so far in just one visit. Build on that. None of us are perfect.’

‘I can’t help feeling bad. I’ve accused her of so many things recently when I haven’t even bothered to stay in touch anyway. I’m never going to want that land now anyway, not now I’ve built my life in Cannes,’ she declared.

‘Look. You don’t know what’s going to happen, so just forget that. Did she say anything about coming home?’ Cal asked.

‘I didn’t want to push her. I will ask her again tomorrow. I’m surprised the hospital hasn’t sent her home. They usually try to. They usually want the beds.’

‘I’m sure it will all fall into place. Like her, you’ve had a shock and it is rather emotionally intense,’ Cal assured her.

‘Thank you for helping us through this,’ she said, checking on Thierry and his green snot! ‘I’m going for this bath.’

‘Here, take a glass of wine up with you.’ Cal collected her a wine goblet from the glass-fronted cabinet and filled it with red wine. ‘This will relax you. It’s rich and smooth. It will go down a treat with your warm bubbles. I’ll send Thierry up for his bath after his tea.’

Lizzie accepted it gratefully and carefully carried it up the stairs to run her bath. Meanwhile, Cal set to work. He cleaned Thierry up and got him a chair then they set to work on making a pizza base with the special pizza flour. Cal allowed Thierry to roll out the dough and to squeeze the tomato puree out on to the base and spread it on with his child’s spoon in a haphazard fashion. Cal couldn’t help but be amused by the child’s innocent attempts and showed him how to chop onions, tomatoes and fresh herbs which he was then able to organise into little dishes. Cal then handed him fresh basil which he chopped with his own, not so sharp, knife. Then Cal showed him how to use the cheese grater so he grated some Mozzarella cheese being careful not to scrape his little fingers.

Thierry listened and watched Cal with eager intensity as they dressed the pizzas with their collection of little dishes containing the ingredients. Not exactly perfect pizzas but they showed great promise. Cal then told him that it needed to go in the oven for a while and cool down afterwards which gave him time to go along upstairs with his mummy for a bath.

It had been a long time since Cal and his son had spent such quality time together and he couldn’t contain the surge that welled up his eyes. Thierry was such a lovely kid and it made him realise just what he had missed out on. Yes, he was sure parenting was seriously hard work but those little moments, capturing just snippets of treasured memories, like he had had with Jack in the past, and like he had with Thierry today, were so rewarding. Soaking up tears with his thumb, he couldn’t wait to see more of his son. It was only a matter of months now before he was sixteen and they could see more of each other.

Right now however, it was music to his ears that Caroline and Lizzie had laid the first stone in rebuilding their relationship. Once their wall was solid, Cal felt, and hoped, to take his next step. If he could just hold out just a little longer until mother and daughter were both strong enough to seal their future, then he could possibly sort out his own. Not only did it gratify him to repay Caroline but he was relishing being around Lizzie and Thierry and feeling part of a family. With any luck, Caroline would be home in a few days to make it complete.

***

Thierry enthused to his mother about the pizza-making process as she bathed him. Lizzie smiled to herself, impressed by his knowledge. Once in his pyjamas she sent him back down to Cal to savour his cooking. Cal then read him a story from one of the old books that still remained on Lizzie’s old bookcase. She then heard Thierry come up the stairs.

‘Mummy.’

‘Did you enjoy your pizza, darling.’

‘The best pizza in the whole world,’ he said, with his tongue sliding out over his lips. ‘I made it and ate it I did mummy.’

‘You did darling and I’m very proud of you.’ Lizzie squeezed him and kissed him hard before settling him into his bed. ‘I’ll come back up and turn off your light shortly,’ she told him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. ‘Goodnight darling.’

‘Night, night Mummy.’

This was amazing, he nearly always needed a countdown into his nightclothes, and a story in bed, she had never known him so compliant. Leaving him chilled and happily browsing pictures in his book, she then dried off her hair.

Feeling refreshed and so much happier, she applied a soothing moisturiser to her skin, a small dash of make-up and light perfume. She returned to the kitchen. Aromas of oils and herbs drifted through the air. Cal’s back was to her as she entered and she stood for a few moments observing. His muscular body she examined, so perfectly formed, with a bum so cute she just wanted to pinch it, caress its curves. His tousled hair just cried out for her to run her hands through. And as he turned, those lips, he had the most beautiful lips. She so wanted to rush to him. Take him. Own him. She had to stop her mind overindulging. He wasn’t up for grabs and she shouldn’t even for one minute be dreaming of possibilities. It was the grossest act of disloyalty to her mother. She flung herself back to the moment.