by Lucy Coleman
Consensus of opinion around the breakfast table is that the party was a huge success and Cressida seems content. Cary is rather withdrawn this morning, but the kids are in high spirits and no one really notices except me.
He excuses himself from the table and disappears, I assume to have some quiet time alone to think about what’s happened. He doesn’t seem to look for me to follow him. Sally immediately engages me in conversation, so it would be awkward to excuse myself to go check he’s okay. To my slight dismay, when everyone eventually decides it’s time to move, little Chloe clamours for my attention and insists I accompany them on their walk down to the beach.
‘Please come.’ Chloe’s little upturned face is pouty. ‘Please.’
‘Of course, but I have to keep an eye on the time. I’m going to take Uncle Cary to visit my mummy and daddy later this morning.’
She considers that for a moment. ‘Can I be a bridesmaid when you get married?’
I gaze at her expectant face, stunned for a moment and totally lost for words as an awkward silence settles around me. I look up to see both Sally and Cressida waiting to hear my response with amused interest.
‘Ah, what little girl doesn’t love a big, frothy dress? Maybe Uncle Cary and I could buy you a princess dress from the Disney shop for Easter. It’s fun dressing up, isn’t it?’
Focus deflected, rather cleverly I think, but then Daisy chimes in.
‘It’s rude to ask for things, Chloe. Mummy, she’s being naughty, isn’t she?’
Sally puts her hand on Chloe’s shoulder to steer her out into the hallway and turns her head to reply to Daisy over her shoulder.
‘We don’t ask for things, girls, and you both know that. Chloe, what’s all this about?’
Cressida answers Sally’s question.
‘It’s my fault, Sally. Chloe came up to the office and was looking at my photos. I was telling Chloe all about your wedding day and how wonderful the marquee looked in the garden. Seeing everyone all dressed up she thought it was rather magical.’
All eyes turn in my direction and I’m so glad Cary isn’t here. ‘Sounds lovely,’ I reply to the unspoken question and with a fleeting smile I head off upstairs.
I go in search of Cary. He isn’t in his room and I walk over to the window on the landing to see if he’s outside. Scanning around, I can’t see him and then, suddenly, I notice a solitary figure walking down the lane and just about to turn the bend to disappear out of sight. It might be him but where’s he going? Then I realise he’s on his way to see Robert and I panic.
Grabbing my things, I rush downstairs.
‘Guys, head out when you’re ready and I’ll catch up with you in a bit. I won’t be long.’
I don’t give anyone a chance to ask where I’m going, as I set off at speed. Pulling on my knitted bobble hat it isn’t long before I’m pulling it off again and undoing the zipper on my jacket. As I round that first bend I catch sight of Cary and call out to him. He turns, surprised to see me and slows his pace until I catch up.
‘Is this a good idea?’ I level the words at him, knowing it’s none of my business and he could say as much.
‘I don’t know. But it’s a conversation I need to have. You can either come with me or head back.’
Grr. Why does Cary have to be so… correct? A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing and I think it would be better not to wade in but to wait and see what happens.
He begins walking again and I have to trot to keep up with him.
‘Wouldn’t it be safer not to address this head-on? At least now you know the truth you can feel more relaxed around Robert. That might be a better way of handling it. A gradual acceptance.’
He shakes his head, unwilling now to slow his pace and delay any longer. I run on ahead and then turn to stop in front of him, my hands on my hips. He comes to an abrupt halt.
‘Leesa, this is a wrong I have to put right. End of story.’
And with that he steps around me. I reluctantly follow a pace or two behind him. The farm is in sight now and one of the tractors is blocking the entrance. There appears to be a problem because there are three guys next to it, one of whom is lying on the floor with only his legs clearly visible. Robert immediately looks up, says something to the man next to him and walks over to shake Cary’s hand.
‘It’s a fine morning. Getting some air after all the excitement of last night’s party?’ He grins at us both and then leans in to give me a brief hug.
We’re out of earshot of the two men working on the tractor and Cary launches straight in.
‘Robert, this is awkward because I owe you a huge apology. I’ve always been grateful to you for being there for Grandma, but I had jumped to an embarrassing conclusion. In doing so I wronged you and I should have known better than that. You are a good man who has always been very supportive towards me and that makes my assumption even more ludicrous in hindsight. You are always straight with me and fair in your dealings. I just simply didn’t have the courage to ask the question to allay my fears. I thought perhaps your feelings for my grandma had been too strong to resist, but now I know the truth I’m horrified by the injustice that was done to you. Armed with that knowledge your support is an even greater tribute to your strength of character in putting your own hurt second to hers.’
Robert bows his head for a second, before looking back at Cary again with sadness written all over his face.
‘Your heart was telling you what your head couldn’t understand. The truth is that I came to love Cressida over the years, too much to hurt her or my lovely wife, Eve, by admitting how I felt. I knew from the start that I wasn’t the one for Cressida. So, I did what I could because she’s special, Cary. Like a lioness protecting her cubs, she can be fearsome at times but there’s always good reason and she doesn’t have a selfish bone in her body. That’s why she won’t give up pushing you until she feels her job is done and you can see your way forward more clearly. Finally, she feels you’re heading in the right direction and that means a lot to her at this point in her life.’
Cary’s face isn’t giving anything away, even when Robert glances in my direction before returning his gaze to Cary.
‘It takes a lot of inner strength to be there for someone and not ask for anything in return. I won’t refer to this again, but I have one question I need to ask. This… thing with Grandma wanting to hand over her legacy now is worrying. Do you know what’s really going on?’
When Cary faltered my heart skipped a beat. Even though he’s a very straight-talking kind of person he can’t bring himself to ask Robert outright if she has a life-threatening illness.
Robert looks concerned, but I don’t think he knows anything judging by his reaction.
‘I have no idea at all, Cary. Wish I did. All I do know is that Cressida likes things to be done in the right way and she feels this immense responsibility for the whole family. She worries as much about what might happen after she’s gone, as she does about what’s happening now in your lives.
‘I keep telling her that she raised you both well and that’s all that matters. You’ll make your own decisions going forward based on what you think is right at the time. She has to trust that fate will take you where you’re supposed to go. I wish she could just relax and enjoy each day for what it brings. Once you hit eighty I believe you need to look at every day as a bonus.’
Cary glances my way and I give him a sympathetic smile. I know how bitterly disappointed he is that even Robert doesn’t have the answer he seeks.
He turns back to offer his hand once more.
‘I appreciate your honesty, Robert. Sorry to have interrupted you. Problems with the tractor?’
Robert half-turns to look at the two men who are now crouched down, one holding a spanner and tightening something.
‘Nothing three heads can’t solve. On a day like this it’s easy to shirk off life’s little annoyances. I might head out for a walk myself in a bit. You off to the beach?’
Cary�
��s still embroiled in his disappointment and I answer for him.
‘Yes. Laurence, Sally and the kids are already heading down there and we’re off to catch up with them.’
‘Well, if I don’t see you before you both head for home, travel safely.’
With a wave, I steer Cary back out into the lane and down towards the viaduct and beyond. Maybe Cressida isn’t the only one who has to remember that some things are what they are and one of life’s greatest challenges is acceptance.
18
Back to Work with a Vengeance
Another day, another dollar – or pound, in my case. It’s the first day back at work and it’s all change. I feel like I’ve been away from my desk for months.
What makes it even worse is that we were supposed to start work on those amendments today but Jeff texted to ask if we could pick it up tomorrow instead. Every time we communicate now it’s a brief call, or by text. I already feel that I’m a part of his past and it hurts.
I head into the kitchen for an injection of caffeine. Popping the kettle on to boil I look around for my bag and begin searching through it until I find the little white card.
With coffee in one hand, and the card in the other, I head back upstairs.
‘Is that George? This is Leesa Oliver. We sat next to each other on the plane from Sydney.’
‘Ah, hello Leesa. Of course, I remember! Happy New Year to you. Did your festivities go well?’
‘It was great, thank you. I hope you don’t mind me phoning you, but we talked briefly about your grandson and a possible career change. I don’t have a permanent vacancy at the moment for someone at his level. But I am in need of a little temporary help between now and the eighteenth of February. It’s short notice, though, and even if he has the know-how, he might not have the time to take it on. Even so, I’d still like to have a chat with him to find out a little more about his work.’
It’s a long shot, but I need a simple demo put together to showcase the company’s most recent work. Annoyingly it’s something I could do myself but I just don’t have the time. With a lot of new clients booked in for pitch meetings, I need something up-to-date to show them and I need it produced quickly.
‘Tim would jump at the chance, I can tell you that without hesitation. He’s desperate for any experience he can get to add to his CV. I’ll text him your number as he’s at work at the moment but as soon as he’s free you can expect a call. If you give him a shot he won’t let you down. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my grandson. He’s hard-working and passionate about his hobby. He’s spent every penny he’s earnt on getting everything he needs to pursue it professionally. It’s just a case of waiting for that break to prove he’s more than a casual YouTuber. Thank you, Leesa. Guess it’s little Hayden we have to thank for putting us together.’
He ends the call on a chuckle. Less than five minutes later I get a text message.
Thanks for getting in touch. I’ll ring you the moment I leave work. Tim Richardson
A little smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. None of my usual go-to people are likely to be able to take on a rush job, as most will have their own post-holiday backlogs to cope with. I’ve checked Tim out on YouTube and I must admit I’m impressed. But there’s an element of risk taking on someone who doesn’t have a track record in the business. This could be a good way of testing him because if only half of the meetings I have this month result in some new business, then there could just be a job offer on the table.
It’s time to settle down and start working on some video concept boards so I’m geared up to pitch and get those contracts signed and sealed.
*
After a tiring day I’m in need of a stiff drink, but on investigation I find that there’s nothing at all in the house. I’m cold and dejected so it’s hot chocolate with marshmallows and hello to a big, satisfying sugar spike. I’m stretched out on the sofa with my shoes kicked off and blissfully sipping gingerly from my steaming mug, when the phone rings. Reluctantly putting down my hand-warmer, I answer and a rather deep voice with a distinctly warm vibe echoes down the line.
‘Is that Leesa?’
‘Yes, speaking.’
‘I’m Tim, George’s grandson.’
‘Oh, hi Tim, thank you so much for getting back to me. I run a company called Dynamic Videography and we are an agency who make promotional videos for a wide range of products and services. I’m looking for some additional help on a project-by-project basis. George told me you post a lot of videos to YouTube and you’re keen to get some hands-on experience to add to your CV?’
‘Absolutely! It’s not easy to get people to take you seriously unless you have a solid platform to prove your skills. That’s why I set up my YouTube account. Mostly it’s stuff I’ve put together and submitted as coursework for the Diploma in Creative Media Production I’m studying. But there’s some fun, experimental stuff on there, too. I can send you the link if you want to take a look.’
I’m a little surprised, as George didn’t mention that Tim was taking a formal qualification. And he doesn’t sound quite as young as I’d expected, but then George is in his eighties at a guess and Tim is clearly not a teenager, that’s for sure. His voice has a wonderful gravelly quality to it and I can’t help thinking he would be the perfect candidate for a voiceover.
‘I will admit to being ahead of you there. I’ve already checked you out and I like what I see. I was wondering if we could meet up for a chat? I have no idea where you’re based.’
‘Swindon. Where are you?’
‘Nailsworth, near Stroud. What if we meet up at a halfway point as soon as possible? George mentioned you work in finance.’
Suddenly his voice loses a little of that lighthearted quality.
‘Yes, I’m a manager of a debt recovery section. It pays the bills, but I need to do something that fires me up. It would have to be an evening meet-up. Is that okay?’
I grab my mug of hot chocolate with my free hand and take a quick slurp. An ‘mmm…’ slips out. ‘Oh, sorry about that. Um, how quickly could we get together?’
He pauses for a second or two. ‘Did you have something urgent in mind?’
I think it’s best to be honest as I’ve run out of options.
‘Well, it’s not a huge job in itself, but it’s important and I needed it done yesterday.’
‘Great. How about tomorrow night?’
I can’t say I feel relief as such until I know more about him, but I feel a little glimmer of hope.
‘Text me where and what time and I’ll be there. Thanks, Tim. I’m looking forward to meeting you in person.’
Even before I finish speaking my phone starts bleeping and as I switch calls, Beth’s high-pitched, excitable voice assaults my hearing.
‘Well, go you!’
I have to stifle a sigh. I’m really not in the mood for a convoluted chat with my baby sister.
‘What have I done now?’
‘D’oh! Cary Anderson! Mum and Dad are clearly impressed. If he wasn’t simply trying to get on their good side, then he sounds like a dream.’
I know the meal with Mum and Dad went well and Cary was both charming and attentive; so much so that on several occasions I almost burst out laughing. He was acting, of course, but only we knew that. Mum and Dad were enthralled. I know it’s ridiculous given the real situation. But I felt good on seeing their reaction. Proud, actually, as he did a great job. I’m sick of being the one they worry about all the time. It was never like that before Nathan came into my life and I don’t ever intend subjecting them to that again.
‘He’s a charming man, what can I say?’
‘Yeees! And he’s Cressida Anderson’s grandson. Why on earth am I having to hear this backstory from Mum and Dad? You never tell me anything, Leesa.’
I try not to groan. All Beth usually talks about is the wedding, so this is a bit of a surprise diversion for her.
‘And he is coming, isn’t he? I mean, he’s put the third of A
ugust in his diary? Do you think it would be too cheeky to invite Cressida?’
OMG – it’s official, she is the sister from hell!
‘No, it would not be appropriate to invite Cressida Anderson as I hardly know her.’
I hope my tone is clipped enough to convey the message that I’m not even going to consider that as a serious question.
‘But you will bring Cary as your plus one, won’t you? I mean, you won’t do anything silly like break up with him between now and the wedding, will you? He sounds like the first decent date you’ve had in a long time. Some of the others have been a bit… weird.’
Now she’s pressing my buttons.
‘Weird? I recall at least two blind dates you insisted on fixing me up on and bizarre came to mind. Since when did you consider that a sports fanatic, or a Star Trek lookalike who attended every convention around the world, were likely to have anything in common with me?’
Sadly, it’s a true statement and yes, I did suffer through a date with each of them. The only upside is that I learnt a little about rugby, which sounded terrifyingly violent and I did go home and watch the first ten minutes of a Star Trek film. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it and vowed when I had time I’d sit and watch the whole film. But that was several months ago now, so I guess I didn’t catch the bug.
‘Which is why I’m appealing to you not to mess this up. I want my maid of honour to have a suitable escort to act as one of the ushers. I’m ringing to suggest that the four of us get together, so we can discuss what role Cary can play on the day.’
Typical! Cary is supposed to be my love interest and all Beth can think about is his potential role in her wedding. Bridezilla extraordinaire, or what?
‘He’s very busy, Beth. He’s a chief executive of a large company and I seriously doubt he’ll have time to do any more than attend on the day. Anyway, it’s still a long way off and anything could happen.’
There’s a squeak down the line. ‘No! Mum says he’s very photogenic and I want the photos to be magazine-worthy. I’ll text you a couple of different dates and you arrange something. I mean, this is important, Leesa. My big sister has found a man worthy of her, at last, and Will and I want to meet him. Promise me you won’t throw one of your wobbles and break up with him on a whim.’