by Nanette Fox
“We all thought as much.”
“Who’s all?” queried Isabella.
“Julia, Tim, Paul and myself.” Rebecca asked, “Do you want me to tell Tim? He has a client in the office at the moment.”
Isabella replied, a little nervously, noted Rebecca. “I might ring him later, or maybe he’ll ring me.”
Isabella was up and showered, pouring a glass of juice she couldn’t remember buying, she slumped down to the kitchen floor looking around at all the whiteness, with the hint of stainless steel. She got up and wandered upstairs and into the walk-in robe. One end was hers’ the other had been Isaac’s. She sat on the floor and looked up at the suits, shirts and ties, then down at the rows of perfect shoes. She looked at her watch and hopped up, grabbing her handbag and keys, she went quickly to the garage and was out on the road before minutes had passed.
Using Bluetooth, she rang the office, “Bec, is Tim there?”
“Does he have the client with him still?”
“No all gone. He is sitting drawing plans.”
“Why Isabella, and by the way you haven’t called me Bec in years?”
“I am becoming Izzy,” was the astounding reply. She continued, “Isabella has to go and all the trappings of Isabella life, except the gallery of course.”
Rebecca was on full alert, “Are you okay?”
The Izzy in her replied, “Yeah Bec, I am perfect, happy and perfect. I think I’ve fallen in love again after all this time and I need to fix things.”
“I rang your Mum and she’s going to meet me at my house later. I need her help.” Thank goodness Julia was in the office. Rebecca ran into Isabella’s office and reported the strange conversation.
Julia looked up and said, “She must be coming to see Tim.”
Sure enough, 30 minutes later, Isabella swung in the door with a paper bag in her hand. She was clad in jeans, and a large floppy denim-blue coloured cardigan was tossed over her favourite grey Cambridge t-shirt. More importantly, she had flip-flops on her feet. Her hair and been brushed, but none of the usual careful make-up. Julia and Rebecca just stared, uncertain what to say as she rushed up to where Tim was sitting.
“I bought you a pie and sauce, I thought you might be hungry,” as she handed him the bag.
“Thanks Izzy, no sorry, I meant Isabella.” He was so taken aback by her appearance and her anxious look that was all for him.
“Tim, will you draw me a house, she touched the board where some plans sat.”
Julia and Rebecca had come up a little closer as Tim was looking frightened and worried, not so much for himself but for her. Isabella turned to her friends. Tim was not sure what to do about the ‘pie with sauce’ getting up to put it on the edge of his desk before he returned to the stool in front of his drawing board. Isabella was clearly worked up. “I have to get rid of Isaac; I want Tim to draw me a house.”
Julia stepped up and gave her a cuddle, “Do you mean design?”
Isabella nodded. “I want everyone to call me Izzy now.”
“Okay, you did have a lot to drink last night, didn’t you?” said Julia.
Izzy looked at them and said, “The golf clothes.”
Julia and Rebecca looked at each and finally understood. Julia said to Tim who was looking totally confused, “David in the golf clothes made Isabella aware she has never disposed of Isaac’s things.” The penny dropped with Tim too about the house. He put his arm out to Isabella and dragged her in to stand beside his work stool. He acknowledged the others and said, “I’ve got this.” They walked away to stand and watch from beside Rebecca’s desk. They watched him snake his arm across Isabella’s back and hold her close with his hand in the back pocket of her jeans. Rebecca was giggling, “So professional.”
“It certainly isn’t Isabella today.”
Julia looked at Rebecca, “Let’s get back to our work, Tim’s got it.”
Tim brushed the hair behind Izzy’s ear with his free hand. “Thank you for the pie, how did you know I like one as a treat sometimes?”
“I won’t eat it now, later, I’ll heat it up, okay.”
“Now tell me about this house for you, what do you want it to look like?”
Isabella replied somewhat illogically, “I want a puppy.” That translated to Tim as a friendly, warm house, not an architectural showpiece.
“Well, Izzy, I will see what I can do.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
After a few minutes, she raised her head, and leaned over to look directly into his face. “Thank you,” she said softly.
He asked her, “Is there anything else I can do?”
“No, not today,” as she pulled out of his embrace. “I have to go and get rid of Isaac.” And she was gone, as quickly as she had come.
Julia heard her go and was beside her brother very quickly. “You okay?”
Tim smiled and said, “That little whirlwind gives me great hope.” Julia looked confused. She was even more mystified when he said, “Izzy wants me to draw a house, she wants a puppy.”
Julia exclaimed, “What the?”
Tim went on to say, “Apparently she has gone home now ‘to rid herself of Isaac’.” Julia told him about all Isaac’s belongings still in the wardrobes and cupboards. Tim told Julia about how he had been inside the large home talking to Isabella about how it was Isaac’s, there was nothing of Izzy. Tim explained how Izzy had told him she wanted to have a pet as she never really had one of her own. Brother and sister smiled at each other. “Izzy,” they said together, sighing.
“Julia, are you heaps busy?” asked Tim. “Or is Rebecca?”
"Maybe someone should go and help her ‘get rid of Isaac’.
Julia replied, “I think Rebecca said, Isabella asked Lucy, to help her, maybe last night during the party.”
“No matter, Lucy will be helping.” Julia went on to tell Tim that Lucy was always there, as a mother figure, for Isabella. And Marco, their dad, had been the very protective father figure, even in a sense, befriending Isaac, so he could keep watch.
“Yes, Dad was actually quite involved with Isaac it would seem,” said Tim.
“Tim, Izzy was at Dad’s funeral but not the wake. She blended with the crowd from his office. She was sitting with Elizabeth Grant, Gramps saw her. Gramps was asking after Isabella, when I drove up with Antonio last weekend.”We all assumed she didn’t come, Gramps said she was really upset, not knowing how to approach us, as she felt she wasn’t ‘real’ family. Apparently, she flew from the UK and went back again just a few days after."
“Does Mum know that?”
“Nope, and I am not going to tell her.”
“Mum is so bloody difficult at times,” retorted Tim.
“Yep,” said Julia, “but we love her.”
“That we do,” replied Tim.
Later that afternoon, Tim stretched out in his office chair, reclining back, legs out in front, his feet propped on his desk. He was well aware he should be doing something more productive. Izzy and her fleeting visit had completely disturbed his day. His thoughts turned to his beloved gramps and gran. They were wonderful people; he needed to see them; that would go some ways to soothing his troubled mind. He leaned over to pick up his schedule from the desk, and his eyes travelled to the brown paper bag. Yep, ‘a pie and sauce’ would go down well too just now. Rebecca was heading for the tea-room for a coffee, as they met, he signalled to the brown paper bag and said, “Why?” She explained it had come up in conversation last night, Brad defended his honour in response to something David had said."
Tim gave a wry smile and said, “Good old Brad.” Once in the tea-room Rebecca watched him unpack the brown paper bag. The sauce sachet was ‘gift-wrapped’ a ribbon tying a folded piece of paper to it. Tim looked up quickly to see if Rebecca was watching, Rebecca quickly looked away, then when he was reading the note, she furtively looked across. It was a letter hand-written on what Rebecca recognized as Isabella’s personal stationery. The contents didn’t give him a lot of
pleasure as he sighed, ran his hand down his face, and glanced at the ceiling. A nerve twitched in his cheek. He folded it and slipped it in his pocket. Again, looking across to see if Rebecca was watching him; he continued fiddling with the pie making it ready for the microwave.
Back at his desk, he dragged the note from his pocket and re-read it several times. What he didn’t understand was why she couldn’t tell him face to face. It helped him understand why she was so skittish when David was around. It laid out a couple of things he would have to come to terms with if he was going to go forward with this relationship. He decided he would have to think on the contents. It also made him realize that the time was approaching when he would have to share something very important. Something that was very precious to him, the secrecy around which was a constant stress. It confirmed his resolution to go and spend some time with his grandparents. He folded the note carefully and tucked it into his work satchel.
Gathering his things, he popped his head into Izzy’s office space to talk to Julia. “You know how we were talking about Gramps earlier; I have decided I am going for a few days to the farm.”
“Any projects I have got at the moment I can just as easily do up there.” He was looking a bit grim and stressed. And tired, just simply tired.
Julia looked at him, worried again about how he was coping. “Are you going there now?”
“You look exhausted.” She was relieved to hear him say he was going home to sleep, and he’d ride up in the morning, early, “Gran Rosa always does a great breakfast.”
“Give my love to Gramps and Gran.”
He smiled, she noted it was only half a smile, it didn’t reach his eyes.
She called out to Rebecca to come in for a minute. “Tim’s popping up to see our grandparents at the farm. Can we work it out staffing wise for the end of the week? I am going away too, taking Antonio to Sydney and on to Ayers Rock.”
Rebecca turned to Tim, “It’s not a problem, you go, you need to, besides which Izzy should be back to normal by then.” Julia and Tim raised their eyebrows and spoke together, “Izzy, not Isabella, they questioned jointly?”
Rebecca replied, “Earlier today, she told me on the phone, and I quote,”I am becoming Izzy."
They all looked at each and in chorus said, “God, it’s been a long day.”
*
Gramps Martinelli trundled out to see his grandson when he heard the bike roar up. Tim was reminded of how much his dad had looked like his grandfather. Gramps was stooped but still quite tall. At eighty-two, he was still a power force to be reckoned with, he was a wiry old guy. They greeted each other, a long and full of feeling hug that warmed Tim. Gramps looked at him, “So how is my favourite grandson?”
“Not so good, Pa,” Tim knew his gramps would notice his lack of enthusiasm for life.
“You know Tim, we will get some of Gran Rosa’s cooking into you, and you’ll begin to feel right again.”
Tim smiled at the older man. “Thank you.” They went inside arm in arm.
“Rosa, look who’s arrived.” Tim walked quickly into his gran’s embrace speaking the familiar Italian, “Nonna, come stai.” She looked up at her youngest grandson and twittered with alarm.
“We need to feed you up Timmy boy.”
Over one of the heartiest breakfasts Tim had eaten in a while, he talked about everything and anything with his beloved grandparents. He was happy to be with them both; they were delighted he’d come to stay for a few days. His gramps asked him, “So how’s Isabella?”
Tim looked puzzled, “Don’t you mean Vicky?”
His gramps looked at him directly, “No son, I definitely meant Isabella.” Tim felt cagey. He wasn’t sure what Gramps knew.
“Okay, I think.”
“Why, Gramps?”
“Tim,” Gramps said, “I have a glorious grand-daughter who keeps me well-informed.”
“So, Tim, how is she?” asked his gran.
Tim laughed, “It’s early days yet, but it could be something with Izzy.”
“It’s Isabella,” both Gramps and Gran said in unison.
Tim answered them, “To me, she is Izzy.” The smile and the gentle tone of his voice told them all they needed to know for now.
Gramps then said, “Tim I think there is something else you and I need to talk about.”
“It didn’t come from Julia alone, your mother phoned me. You’ve taken your time to come and talk to me. I know you are working very hard to get yourself started. You need some down time Tim. How about we go down to the river for some fishing?” Tim nodded.
Gran Rosa interrupted the two men, “Can I show Timmy what I need help with?”
Tim stood up and putting his arms around his gran and looking down at her said, “What is it Gran?”
She replied, “I want to take the rose wallpaper down, come and I will show you.” Following Rosa into her lounge full of the old-fashioned upholstered furniture, Tim was very pleased to hear she wanted to have the wallpaper, an overdone floral design, taken down and her lounge room repainted, it had assaulted his senses for years. Rosa had always had a gallery of family photos on one wall. They had been taken down and were sitting in a box. On top the most precious one, Gramps, Marco, Tim and the little boy. A second large photo of his parents, grandparents, David and Julia was lying underneath it. A photo of Marco and Tea and there was equally a photo of Tea and her husband Adam with Danny and Sarah, his cousins. All the photos had been reframed in matching frames. As Tim peeked through the box, he found photos from his childhood, photos of David and Julia, and even Isabella. There was a wedding photo of his parents and that of his gramps and gran on their wedding day. There were photos of Tea’s important events. There was another wedding photo that bothered him, Isabella and Isaac, but he conceded it was his grandmother’s choice. “Gran I would love to do this for you.”
“Can I go fishing with Gramps for a few hours first?”
“Of course, Timmy boy, then I’ll make you a big lunch, and we can do it after.”
“That ’be brill,” he said which brought a tear to her eye; he was so much like her precious Marco had been.
Chapter 16
Grief and the Disposal of Clothes
Isabella and Lucy had a full and productive afternoon. They started with all the drawers and cupboards in the study, shredding any papers and letters Isabella didn’t need. They packaged photos and a few other personal items to mail to Isaac’s sister who lived on the Gold Coast. There really wasn’t anything Isabella wanted to keep other than two photos she found from the early days of their romance. Moving around the living room where there were his unopened subscription magazines and other newspapers and things he had kept, they sorted things for charity and others into a recycle pile. They went through the music and DVD collection keeping only the things Izzy wanted, the rest were to go to charity. Moving upstairs to Isaac’s dressing room and the walk-in robe, Isabella sorted through his clothes. She was reduced to tears when she found the sweater, she had bought him, during their honeymoon. Isabella was so thankful for Lucy’s support with all this.
Coming to an end with everything sorted, bagged and ready to be disposed of or taken to charity, Isabella asked Lucy if she would like a glass of wine. They sat and talked for a bit then Lucy suggested they go out and get a bite to eat. Lucy wanted Isabella to talk through all her feelings about Isaac. There was also the matter of the ashes. Isabella had been unwell in hospital at the time of his accident. Isaac’s ashes remained to be attended to. Isabella seemed to be still working through her grief and it was stopping her from moving forward. Lucy was curious if Isabella was interested in a new relationship, if she felt ready, at all, to find someone new. Lucy started with, “Isabella, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you seeing anyone?”
Isabella was careful in her response, “I haven’t really been, no, but I do go out with David from time to time.”
Lucy was horrified, “I hope that isn’t on a ‘friends with benefits bas
is’ Izzy?” It stopped Isabella a little to hear Lucy speak like that particularly as she was a mother figure. Isabella blushed; Lucy had her answer.
Isabella defended herself, “I know him, and he is harmless, it’s not as if he is going to stay around. David is a player.” She added, “Although his lady friend from last night was a surprise, Veronica, I think he might be in trouble.”
Lucy laughed, “Yes, I think you might be right.”
Lucy took Isabella’s hands across the table, “What about Tim?”
Isabella looked directly into the older woman’s eyes, “Now that’s where it gets complicated, I think I am falling in love with him.”
“Aren’t you risking hurting Tim or David very badly when they find out about each other?”
“They’re brothers so you could potentially cause a family rift.”
“I think they know about each other, my birthday was a disaster, all spite and insults thrown at each other. David seems to have wandered away without too much trouble, although you wouldn’t think it from the fight last night.”
“Don’t flatter yourself Isabella that was about so much more than you,” stated Lucy. She continued, “From what Ruth tells me, they have been spoiling for a fight ever since their father died.”
Looking across at the younger woman, Lucy spoke again, “Isabella, just be kind to Tim, that’s all I ask. He is a very caring person. If he falls in love with you, or has perhaps fallen in love with you, it will be for the long-term. You will need to tell him fully about Isaac and life with Isaac.” They looked at each other. “Sweetheart your relationship with Isaac was quite toxic in the end, and it will affect you for a long time. It has made you less trusting and very nervous about being with a partner.”
Lucy smiled warmly, however Isabella looked back, her eyes brimming with tears. “Lucy can I come home tonight; I don’t want to be in that house alone?” pleaded Isabella.
“Oh yes, my darling, of course, we’ll pop back and get a few things, you can stay at our house as long as you like.”
Isabella declared, “I am not going to bring my car, that’s the next step, to sell it and get something I want.”