It was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours, but Cat had felt a little restless; anxious even. It was events like this she had thought she would try to avoid. She'd rather not bump into anyone she knew from the past and despite the heat, she wore one of the crocheted bolero cardigans she had bought, and frequently glanced over her shoulder. But Kyra had been keen to come and Cat wouldn't do anything to spoil Kyra's enjoyment.
Since arriving just over a week ago, Cat and Kyra often cooked meals for the three of them, and Mary actually thanked them every time they did, but today they decided to eat out. The three of them went to Bella Vista, one of a couple of restaurants on Coast Road, and just a short stroll from the village market. Cat had been once before – with Kyle, on his eighteenth birthday. It had been Cat's treat and the restaurant was fairly new, back then. Like most things in Merriment Bay, it seemed, it had hardly changed at all.
Sections of the floor were painted to look like canals, and other sections, to look like the cobbled streets of Venice, on which the tables were positioned. The walls were painted with beautiful, pastel Palazzos crammed beneath a radiant sun in an impossibly blue sky. The waiting staff were dressed as Gondoliers: the women in dark blue skirts or trousers and red and white striped tops; the men in black trousers and blue and white striped tops, all with straw hats trimmed with white ribbon on which the Bella Vista logo was written in red.
'Hello, lovelies,' a waitress said, beaming at them as she approached their table, her accent definitely not Italian. 'This must be Catherine and Kyra. Lovely to see you, ladies. You won't remember me, Catherine, but I'm Annie, a friend of Mary's and I babysat you once or twice when you were young.' Her eyes flickered over Cat's face and her smile faltered, but she continued. 'I moved away when I met my second husband. But that one only lasted a few years too, so I came back. Just like you. It seems we all come back to Merriment Bay, way one or another. I was so sorry to hear about that awful accident, but your scars are hardly noticeable in this light, and you're still a pretty woman. Now what can I get you? I can tell you everything's good here.'
Cat was going to respond but she caught the look in Mary's eye and forced herself to ignore the comments.
'Hello, Annie,' Mary returned the greeting, although hers was less exuberant. 'Catherine and Kyra are only here for a visit. Because of Viola, of course. Kyra's off to university in Edinburgh soon, and Catherine's now an artist and has work to get back to. Her art is, of course, in great demand.'
'Aah. That's a shame. Oh, not about you and uni, Kyra.' Annie nudged Kyra with her elbow and giggled like a fifty-year-old child. 'Or about your art, Catherine. What am I like, eh? I meant it's a shame you won't both be staying. Mary could do with some company in that big old house. I keep telling her what she needs is a man. But they're in short supply in Merriment Bay. Well the good ones are. Oooh! But speaking of good ones.' She glanced around and leant forward, hardly taking a breath. 'Amias Wells is back on the market. Not that he was ever off it, despite what Gladys and young Lorna may have hoped. Oh Catherine, love. Let me mop that water up for you. Easy to knock these glasses over. I do it myself all the time.' She giggled again as Cat met Kyra's questioning look.
'I'm sorry,' Cat said, heat burning her neck and cheeks as Annie grabbed several linen napkins from a nearby shelf. 'I'm all fingers and thumbs today. I think it's this heat. It's exhausting.' It wasn't the heat. It was the thought of Amias being on the market that had made Cat spill her water.
'Tell me about it, love.' Annie mopped up the water with the napkins and tossed them on to a passing waiter's tray, beaming at him and winking. 'It's like an inferno in that kitchen. But that might have something to do with Luigi, the chef. He could make my pot boil any time he wants, if you catch my meaning. I've half a mind to make him husband number three.'
'You were saying something about Amias Wells,' Kyra coaxed, ignoring the look Cat shot her.
'Was I? Oh yes. Do you know him? Now don't you go getting ideas in that direction young lady. He's far too old for you. And sadly, he's a little too young for me. Although I'd be more than happy to make an exception if I thought there was the slightest chance he'd throw me one of his smiles.'
'Really, Annie!' Mary didn't sound pleased. 'Amias Wells?' She tutted loudly as she shook her head in obvious disapproval.
Annie laughed. 'Now don't you get all high and mighty with me, Mary Devon. Don't forget I know about you and ...'
'Annie!' Mary glowered at her friend before snapping at Kyra. 'Do we really want to talk about Amias Wells?'
'Yes,' Kyra said, smiling warmly. 'He was a friend of Dad's.'
Cat caught Mary's eye and wondered what Annie had been about to say but Annie continued.
'Well. Amias and Lorna – that's Lorna Carlton, Kyra love. She was his girlfriend until the other night. At least she thought she was. They were sitting at that table next but one and he tells her it's over. So what does Lorna do? She gets up, throws a glass of wine in his face and marches out of here with her head in the air. I saw it with my own eyes. Between us, the poor love's heartbroken. She really thought she had a chance with him. Silly girl.'
'What did Amias do?' Kyra asked, wide eyed and interested. 'Was he embarrassed?'
'Bless you, love,' Annie said, shaking her head and grinning. 'Amias embarrassed? Not on your life. He wiped his face and shirt and ordered chicken arrabbiata. And another glass of wine.'
'Doesn't he treat women well?'
There was a note of disappointment in Kyra's tone as she glanced at Cat, who tried to concentrate on the menu and pretend she wasn't listening.
'Treat women well?' Annie looked thoughtful. 'I suppose that depends what they expect from him. He's never cheated on anyone, from what I've heard. And he's upfront about his feelings. Or perhaps his lack of feelings. Amias likes to date and have fun but he's got his future mapped out and so far he's not found anyone he wants to include in that. But he does care deeply about people. Even Mary will agree with me on that. He's not the sort of man to hurt anyone, or anything, on purpose. Man, woman, or beast. Most women who've dated him, sing his praises. The only time there's ever a problem is when one of them tries to change him. Like Lorna. When Amias says he'll call you, he definitely will. He wouldn't say it otherwise. But you shouldn't sit by the phone and wait. It might be a while until he does. Although from what I've heard, he's worth the wait, if you catch my meaning.'
'May we order, now?' Mary asked, clearly trying once again to get away from the subject of Amias Wells.
Cat was equally keen for the conversation to end. 'Yes. I'm starving.'
'I'm looking forward to meeting him,' Kyra said. 'And I'll have chicken arrabbiata, please, Annie.'
Chapter Thirteen
There was no change in Granny Viola's condition when they visited her that afternoon, but the doctors remained hopeful.
'The signs are good,' one junior doctor said, clearly exhausted after another long shift. 'To be honest, there's not much we can do other than monitor her and continue to treat her and check the broken bones are healing as they should. Just do what you're doing and stay upbeat. But also be prepared for things taking a turn for the worse. It's really just a waiting game.'
Cat wanted to say it wasn't a game. This was her gran he was talking about. But she knew he didn't mean anything by his comment. Sometimes being a doctor in the ICU must seem like a constant, uphill battle.
On her first visit with Kyra, over a week ago, she had asked what they should do and had been told, 'Tell her who you are when you arrive each day. Speak as you would normally. Tell her about your day. But be aware that she may hear every word you say, so try not to say she looks worse or anything like that within her earshot. Show her your love and support, just as you are doing. Reading to her, playing her favourite music through earbuds, holding her hand, gently brushing her hair, or even stroking her skin can be a huge comfort. Even wearing her favourite perfume might help to stimulate her senses. Coma patients all experience it in a differ
ent way. Some people say they can remember things happening around them, and feeling comfort from familiar voices. Others remember nothing. Comas usually only last a few weeks and if she's going to come through it, things should gradually start to progress towards a waking state. She'll remain in ICU for a week or so and then moved into HDU if there's no change after that, but she'll still be in Critical Care.'
Cat asked again on this visit, whether there was anything else they should do.
'No. Just continue doing what you have been doing,' the doctor said. 'We're going to be moving her to HDU this week as her condition is stable and her bones are healing well. If she remains the same and shows no change at all, she may later be moved to a ward, or a private room if one's required, and given supportive treatment until she does recover, or other options are thought appropriate.'
Cat understood what “other options” meant, as did Mary, but it wasn't something either of them wanted to consider at this stage. They would behave as if Granny Viola would be returning home. Although if the house was sold, perhaps not to the home she'd known for her entire life. The house Viola had been born in.
'I've made a decision about the house, I think,' Mary said that evening during supper.
'Oh?' Cat's heart thumped against her chest. 'Are you still going to sell?'
'Eventually, yes. I don't think there's really much choice. If the worst does happen, which I'm sure it won't, I don't want to be rumbling around in this house all alone and trying to get up and down all these stairs every day. I could have stairlifts put in and such, if it came to it, but I don't see the point. But if Mother does come home, I could get a live-in nurse here. Although I could do that wherever we moved to. Anyway. I think what I've decided is to find a builder to do some work. The roof needs some tiles replacing. The façade could definitely do with a lick of paint and the sash windows are on their last legs and need some love and attention. Living right in front of the sea is a sheer delight, but the salt air plays havoc with houses. Especially old houses such as this. I'll tell the agents though that we're open to offers in the meantime. That way, if anyone comes along and offers a good price, we can stop the work and take it, but if they don't, we'll get it looking its best and have a proper marketing campaign. I think Londoners would happily pay a lot of money for this house, don't you?'
'I'm sure they would,' Cat replied, pleased that there was at least no immediate rush to say goodbye to Devon Villa.
'Do you really want to sell, Gran?' Kyra asked. 'It's huge, I know and I've heard you say that it costs a fortune to heat in winter, especially with the bitter winds rushing straight at it from the sea, but it's such a gorgeous house. The light in every room is incredible. Both Mum and I have thoroughly enjoyed painting and drawing the vistas from these windows over the last week or so. I can imagine myself here in the winter, all wrapped up and sitting by the fire as the wind howls outside and rattles the sash windows and the sea crashes on to the shingle shore. And Christmas would be magical in this house, I'm sure.'
Neither Cat nor Mary replied right away. Cat had to swallow something that had seemingly got stuck in her throat and Mary coughed a couple of times and swiped at her eyes as if she were feeling rather emotional.
'Well,' Mary said eventually, 'we won't find a buyer right away, I don't suppose. And Christmas isn't far off, is it? But aren't you going to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks to take your place at university? And Catherine, I'm sure, is keen to get back to her wonderful life in Bonniemount, aren't you?' She looked at Cat and gave a sad little smile, as if the thought of that upset her.
'I'm in no immediate rush to get back,' Cat said, ignoring the veiled sarcasm about her wonderful life. 'Having brought a great deal of my art supplies with me, I can work from here. I can have some blank canvases delivered and then ship my work to the gallery by courier. Carrie knows where I am and how to get hold of me.'
Mary opened her mouth, no doubt about to say something like, 'I'm glad you tell some people where you are and how to get hold of you.' But instead she closed it again and smiled.
'About uni,' Kyra said, fiddling with her wine glass. 'I've been wondering whether to apply for a deferred entry. To start next year instead. I always said I might, didn't I, Mum?'
Cat nodded pensively. 'You did. But I thought you'd decided to go travelling after you graduated.'
Kyra shrugged. 'I had. Sort of. But I don't know. It's a five-year programme and that's a really long time. I know we've only been here for ten full days, but already my art is taking a new direction. It feels like it's given me a fresh perspective. I'm sort of wondering – although this depends on what you decide to do, Mum – but ... if you do decide to stay here for a while, I'd like to stay too. If that's OK with you, Gran? Just for a few months. Then I'll go travelling in the New Year. I want to go to Italy, particularly. And the south of France. The light there is sensational apparently. And anywhere else that interests me. I'll take a place on next year's course. If they'll still have me. I'm sure, if I call the uni tomorrow, explain my great-gran's in a coma, and that I feel I need more time, they'll understand and give me some leeway. Unis are really hot on student's health and wellbeing, both physical and mental, these days.' She smiled at Cat and Mary.
'It sounds to me as if you've been giving this some thought, sweetheart.'
Cat smiled at her daughter, torn between wanting her to stick to her original plans, and delighted that Kyra might want to stay in Merriment Bay for a while and follow a slightly different but not unrelated path.
'I have. In fact, I've been thinking of very little else since that first morning we went swimming in the sea, Mum.'
'Don't be taken in by the serenity and beauty of this place in summer, sweetheart. And I agree with what you said about it being wonderful to see the sea at its wildest, but this house can get like an ice box in the middle of winter and even a roaring fire won't take the chill out of your bones. You could go to uni and come home here for the holidays. That's an option, isn't it? But, of course, as I've always said, it's your life and I will never stop you doing anything you want to do. Provided you really do want to do it. Mum? What have you got to say on the subject? It is your house, after all. Well, yours and Granny Viola's. But as you've got power of attorney, you can speak for her.'
Cat grinned and tried to make Mary realise she mustn't make a big deal out of this. Would Mary start on one of her tirades about youngsters throwing their lives away on a foolish whim?
It took a second or two for Mary to answer and she was giving Cat a very odd look, but she was smiling.
'You called this house “home”, Catherine.'
Cat looked from her to Kyra and back again.
'Er. Well, it is. But so is Bonniemount. And I will need to go back there at some stage.'
Mary breathed in a long breath and the smile grew as she turned her gaze to Kyra.
'I can think of nothing better than to have you stay here, Kyra. And as for your plans, well, they're yours and you must pursue whatever course you feel is right for you. As Catherine said, it is your life after all. Granny Viola and I once made the mistake of making your mother choose between what we thought she should do and want she wanted to do. No. Not once. We made that mistake twice. And it brought us nothing but unhappiness and regret. So I say this on behalf of myself and Granny Viola. Do whatever it is you want to do, and we'll support you in any way we can, whether or not we agree with your choice or your decision.'
And for the second time since she'd arrived in Merriment Bay, Cat burst into tears.
Chapter Fourteen
The decision made, Cat and Kyra called the university the following day and reorganised Kyra's future.
Cat was still reeling from her mother's admission that they had made mistakes regarding her and what she had wanted, and although Mary hadn't actually apologised in so many words, she'd come as close to doing so as she was ever likely to. It must've taken a lot for her to say those words. And what she'd said to Kyra astonished Cat eve
n more.
After that night, life at Devon Villa fell into a rather pleasant routine and Cat and Mary seemed to be getting on together with hardly a hint of their former resentment, bitterness and pain.
Cat and Kyra, and often Mary too, continued to swim each day, as the heatwave scorched its way through the first two weeks of September. Granny Viola's condition hadn't changed at all though and she was moved into a private room, one of only a few left in the hospital. They visited her every day and other than that, Cat and Kyra spent most of their free time painting, drawing, shopping, swimming or walking.
Not once did Cat venture down to the bay and if ever she saw a tall man with dark hair and broad shoulders coming her way, she would hastily hang her head and dart into a shop or dive for cover wherever she could. She wanted to avoid Amias Wells for as long as was humanly possible.
And it seemed to her that he was probably doing the same because this was Merriment Bay, after all and there was no doubt in her mind that he would've known of her return by the day after she and Kyra arrived, at the very latest. They had been here for one month now, and they hadn't seen or heard from him.
The one thing that did disappoint her was that he hadn't made even the slightest effort to see Kyra. Kyle was his best friend and Cat was certain that Amias had really loved him. More like a brother than just a friend. Added to that the fact that he had, at some stage, apparently gone out of his way to track them down, and it all seemed very odd, that now that Kyra was here, less than two miles from his business and his new home, he hadn't even dropped a card through the letterbox to say hello.
But perhaps he'd forgotten about Kyle and Kyra. He would no doubt have forgotten Cat. He'd never liked her and he'd only made a valiant effort to be nice to her once she and Kyle had started dating. But she'd seen the hard stares he'd given her once or twice and she knew that if he had had his way, she and Kyle would definitely not have been dating.
A Reunion Page 7