The Resort
Page 20
We have nothing – I have nothing. I understood that part at least. From the sounds of it, the house will be repossessed, leaving me homeless, and yet that doesn’t frighten me as much as I thought it would. I was going to take that path anyway and so after a while I say quietly, “Thank you, you’ve been very kind. Would it be ok if I went to my room? I’m so sorry for the trouble, I just need to think about this.”
Ben nods. “Take all the time you need. You know, Evelyn…”
I look into his concerned eyes and he says sadly, “I am so sorry you got caught up in this. I can’t pretend everything will be ok because we both know that your husband gambled away everything you had. What I can promise is that I will deal with it all on your behalf. Don’t worry about a thing, just worry about grieving and leave the rest to me. I’ll make sure you’re ok.”
“Thank you.” I don’t know what else to say because I do need him. I need someone to help me through the endless red tape this is sure to wrap me in, and from the look of him, Ben is capable of making a hard situation easier. I know he feels guilty; that it’s his fault, but I don’t blame him. How can I, he was a victim just as much as me? No, I blame nobody but the man who has left a crazy mess behind him and I’m shocked to feel nothing but relief that he’s out of my life for good.
Ben assured me I can stay as long as I need to, and as soon as I’m ready to leave, he will arrange the details. That’s good to know because I can hide out here until the shock has passed. What it means for my future is no different than what I had planned, anyway.
It felt strange packing up Charles’s clothes and possessions. A little surreal really, and I kept nothing at all. I handed them to the porter, who collected them because I asked Ben to just get rid of the lot. There’s no reason for them now.
I spent the next few days in my room, seeing only the waiter who brought my meals. It was a special time because I can’t remember the last time it was just me. Charles has been in my life for many years now and far from missing that, I’m loving every second. Does that make me a monster? I expect it does, but it takes a monster to shape one, at least that’s what I like to believe.
Three days later and there’s a tentative knock on the door. I know it’s not the waiter because he left not long ago. I open the door and see Kim standing there, looking so worried I smile reassuringly. “Have you heard?”
“I’m so sorry, Evelyn.”
Opening the door wider, I beckon her inside.
“Yes, it was quite a shock. It seems to be the week for those.”
We head out to the balcony and I pour her a glass of the fruit cocktail I have grown accustomed to, and she looks at me with compassion. “Ben told us what happened, I hope you don’t mind. I think he’s worried about you.”
“He’s been so kind.”
“Yes, to all of us.”
I feel a little curious and she must sense that because she says sadly, “A lot can happen in a week. Life can alter on the tick of a clock and I doubt any of us will be the same again.”
“What happened after?”
She looks out over the ocean like we did that fateful night and sighs. “Jack left, the next morning actually. I was sleeping in another room and never saw him go. It was fine though, I ended things the night before and now I just need to go home and clear up after the storm.”
“And Chloe, what happened to her?”
“She’s still here. She’s happy though. John has told her they will be married as soon as he can arrange it, and I think that was all she wanted, really. It’s funny how things work out. She had the family, but not the husband. We had the husband and one of us wanted the family and one of us didn’t want either. Then there’s Ben, who wanted closure, to put his past behind him and move on. It was all pre-arranged. A crossroads to carry on a journey by leaving the baggage behind.”
“What about Ben?”
“He’s been so good about everything, which is ironic when he was the one who brought it all to a head. This whole week has been some kind of revenge trip for him. Closure for a past that affected him deeper than he realised.”
“Emma’s a lucky girl to have found a man like that.”
“She didn’t.” Kim looks a little edgy as she shakes her head.
“Ben told me what happened with Emma. She was another part of his past that he needed to move on from. She hurt him deeply and she never even knew it. His plan was to see if she felt differently when she saw what he had become. If she’d changed and became less grasping and conniving. It appears she was still the same and was seduced more with what he could give her, than what she could give him. She left on the same plane as Jack.”
“How do you know all this?”
I’m not sure if it’s my imagination or not, but she blushes a little.
“Because he has kept me company most evenings. Maybe he feels guilty I’m on my own, but he’s sat with me at dinner and we have talked over drinks at the bar. Not just me though.” She’s a little hasty to add, “Chloe and John too. We wanted to ask you to join us, but he told us you asked for space. I’m sorry, Evelyn, I couldn’t bear to think of you here all alone and so I told him I was coming to see you regardless of your wishes. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No.” I smile. “I don’t. It’s good to see you and maybe you have room at your table for me tonight.”
“Of course, we need to stick together, we all do because we share a bond now, the night our lives changed forever.”
She looks concerned. “What about you, Ben told me Charles lost everything, will you be ok?”
“I thought the same. From the sounds of it, he risked everything we owned and some things we didn’t. He left a string of debts and there was nothing remaining apart from one thing he obviously forgot about.”
“What was that?”
“His life insurance. Coupled with the travel insurance he also took out; I’ll have enough to buy a small house and start again. It’s nowhere near as grand as what I had, but it will be everything to me. I’ll find a job, anything to pay the bills and who knows, maybe I’ll even be ok.”
Kim nods and I know she understands. After all, we are both in exactly the same position and I know I’ve found a good friend in her.
Kim stays for the rest of the afternoon. We talk, laugh and cry and do it surrounded by luxury in the most beautiful paradise. Kim’s right, our lives did change forever that night, for the better as it turns out. Life has a habit of doing that, the rough before the smooth, the good with the bad. It’s how you deal with things that count and I learned a valuable lesson here and it changed me forever.
Epilogue
Five years later
Ben
Where has that time gone? As I lean on the balcony and look out across the resort, I do so with a sense of pride. My dream became my reality and all because I never gave up. To be successful, you need to be ruthless, to be happy you need to be humble and kind. Material wealth doesn’t matter if you have nothing behind it. The love of a good woman, a family to bring you joy and a thirst for living life to the full, whether it be surrounded by riches, or struggling to afford those little luxuries that make everything worthwhile.
The sound of children’s laughter brings a smile to my face. Despite my initial plans, I grudgingly allowed children into the resort. It’s still a luxury spa, but there are activities to keep the children amused while the parents indulge in luxury.
“Penny for them.”
A familiar hand slips around my waist and I dip my head and inhale the sweet scent of the woman I have loved for five years already. She sighs and turns to face the view and whispers, “It all looks amazing.”
“It does.”
“So, this is the calm before the storm. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
Pulling her around to face me, I wrap my arms around her and hold her close, dropping a kiss onto her half-open lips. I will never grow tired of kissing this woman. Never stop loving her and showing her how much she means
to me. Love has replaced revenge and laughter replaced the tears. My life is complete because I was so lucky to fall in love with the most amazing woman in the world.
“I love you.”
She smiles up at me and I press her hand to my lips and smile. “I love you more.”
We share a secret smile and as she leans against me, I relish every second she is in my arms.
“Daddy, daddy, I want to go swimming.”
Laughing, we break apart and I lean down and scoop my daughter into my arms, tossing her high in the air until she squeals with laughter. My wife looks at us through misty eyes and I love seeing her rounded belly, swollen with a brother for Esme.
She laughs as she catches my eye. “She’s all yours, I need to rest before Chloe and John get here.”
“What about Evelyn and Greg?”
“They arrive tomorrow.”
My daughter wriggles in my arms and I laugh. “Come on little one, let’s leave your mother in peace.”
As I walk away, I hear a voice say, “Don’t be long.”
Esme pouts, “Mummy, you can come too if you like.”
“It’s fine darling, mummy needs to take care of Louis, he’s a little restless today.”
“Will you be ok; we can stay if you like?” I feel a little concerned, but she just shakes her head and smiles.
“It’s fine, go and have fun, I know where you are and anyway, we still have two months to go; if I can survive that long.”
She rolls her eyes and I love the happiness that shines from them. Yes, Kim was born to be a mother. She was born to be my wife, and I was born to take care of my family and god help anyone who gets in the way of that.
The End
Before you go
Thank you for reading The Resort.
If you have enjoyed the story, I would be so grateful if you could post a review on Amazon. It really helps other readers when deciding what to read and means everything to the Author who wrote it.
Connect with me on Facebook
Check out my website
Thank you
I feel very fortunate that my stories continue to delight my readers. The Girl on Gander Green Lane reached the number 1 spot in Australia in the entire Kindle Store. The Husband Thief and The Woman who Destroyed Christmas reached the top 100 in Canada, the UK and Australia.
I couldn’t do it without your support and I thank every one of you who has supported me.
For those of you who don’t know, I also write under another name. S J Crabb.
You will find my books at sjcrabb.com where they all live side by side.
As an Independent Author I take huge pride in my business and if anything, it shows what one individual can achieve if they work hard enough.
I will continue to write stories that I hope you will enjoy, so make sure to follow me on Amazon, or sign up to my Newsletter, or like my Facebook page, so you are informed of any new releases.
With lots of love and thanks.
Sharon xx (M J Hardy)
Ps: M J Hardy is a mash up of my grandmother’s names. Mary Jane Crockett & Vera Hardy. I miss you both so much & wish you knew this chapter in my life.
Read on for more books by M J Hardy
The Girl on Gander Green Lane
The Husband Thief
Living the Dream
The Woman who Destroyed Christmas
The Grey Woman
Behind the Pretty Pink Door
The Resort
Join my Newsletter
Follow me on Facebook