“Okay, okay. When did you get so bossy?” she grumbled. Settled on the sofa and drank her tea. Nico was working on his laptop and she fell asleep to the soft tap tap noise of his fingers typing. It was after lunch when she woke or should she say the grumble of her stomach woke her. “I heard that! Time for something to eat, what do you want? I will phone up to the house kitchen”
“Despite the grumbling of my stomach I’m not that hungry, a salad would be fine for me”
Nico made the call for some soup and a couple of chicken salads. It didn’t take long but Carrie had time to set the little table with placemats and tableware. Removing her arm from the sling she tried to gain more strength and movement by setting the table. She wondered if anyone who had stayed in the beach house had even eaten there as it all was pristine. It was strange to set the table again but she dismissed the thought of the intimate dinners she had set for her and Rob during their marriage. The everyday meals they had shared when they had dissected how their day had been, what their upcoming plans were. With Nico she felt an air of complete familiarity and she poured them some water from the bottle in the fridge without asking. Remembering he asked for water when they ate out.
“Water okay for you? Or do you want a soda or something?”
“No water is fine with me”
A discreet knock on the door and their food had arrived from the house kitchen.
To her surprise she cleared both the delicious soup and salad.
“Come on back to the sofa for you, do you want the tv on or some music?”
“No TV for now, how about some music, I think my iPod is in my battered bag”
Nico handed her bag and she found the iPod which he placed on the docking station. She had picked a random playlist to listen to while Nico’s attention returned to the laptop. Occasionally he would take a call and she observed him in the close proximity. When the conversation was becoming heated, she couldn’t tell who he was talking to; he walked out onto the deck. She could see his hand animated in frustration. Oh oh.
The doors clicked softly when he returned. He sat at the small bureau trying to work in this cramped space. Carrie rose from the sofa and walked over to him. Carefully removing her arm from its supported sling she placed her arms around his shoulder.
“Hey, this isn’t good for you to work Nico, you need more space,”
She placed a soft kiss on his neck, surprising them both. He placed a hand over her ‘good’ arm. “It’s fine Carrie,” spinning round on the chair he pulled her into his arms. She tucked her head under his chin, shuffled a little to settle on his lap. At that moment, Maria Callas’s voice filled the air with Carrie’s favourite La Mamma Morta.
“I love this song, I haven’t a clue what she is singing but I love it anyway,”
“But that is what the spirit of opera is; you don’t have to know the words but to feel the music”
“I would love to see it performed at the opera one day,”
“I’m familiar with it. My Mother is a great patron of the arts. It is one of her things to do, if it involves dressing up, jewellery and people my mother is there!”
They let the song continue in the back ground. Carrie was aware that her wriggling around on Nico’s lap was causing a reaction. She could feel his growing hardness against her bottom through the smooth satin of the pyjamas. Carrie looped her arms around his neck and they began to kiss. “Aww Carrie you don’t play fair, we can’t do anything”
“Who says we can’t? I’m better”
“Doctors’ orders, no excitement.”
“For who? Me or you?”
A knock on the door interrupted their banter. “Belle” they said in unison.
“I will get the door; you can make yourself decent Mr Devanti!”
Nico left them to their chatter as Carrie suggested he might be better back at the main house to catch up on some calls.
“Carrie, this place is lovely; I’ve always stayed at the main house, I didn’t know these guest houses were here. How did you manage this?”
Carrie had made them some tea and they were seated on the sofa.
“It was my concession to staying here that I had some privacy plus I didn’t want to see Chiara after the spectacle of the dinner party or his parents if I’m truthful. Nico said they had some guest houses so here we are”
“I’m glad you look better already after just a few hours out of hospital. How are you feeling? You know you can be completely honest with me darling”
“I’m tired Belle, that’s all. A bit achy but nothing as bad as before. I’m going to call Claire later but I’m sure within minutes she will have all the details out of me. I’ve never been any good at keeping secrets from Claire”
“Yes, I think she takes that from your Mum, they should have been detectives. Oh love the pyjamas are they La Perla?”
“Yes, well spotted Belle, another gift from Nico, I know I should be wearing my own ones but I couldn’t resist.”
“I’m flying to LA in a few hours; I don’t know when I will be back darling, probably not before you go home. You are still going home?”
“Of course I am but I have a life back in Glasgow. This isn’t real Belle. Nico is amazing but he moves in a different world to me. I like him a lot Belle, maybe too much for my own good. That’s why I will be going home as soon as I can to get back to my reality,”
“Oh Carrie, I’m sure it’s more than that. But I know what you have gone through losing Rob.”
“I still miss Rob. How he made me laugh until my sides were sore. How safe and protected he made me feel. But I’ve learned to look after me. Some days I feel fine and that I am capable of anything. Then something like getting mugged sets me back, tries to take away that safety net. I know that Nico has cocooned me here to complete my recovery. I don’t feel scared now.”
“You were lucky to find a man like once with Rob that but don’t lose your chance with Nico. I’m sure he cares for you Carrie”
“Time will tell. So quickly changing the subject from my love life, when will you be back home? You know it will be one of the first questions Mum asks me”
“Looking at the projects I’m working on I think it might be Christmas before I am back for a long break. I might squeeze the odd long weekend but not much longer. If your father ever commits to retirement I will make it home for the party,”
They said their goodbyes and shared a hug. Carrie had enjoyed this time with her Aunt given her hectic schedule it was rare other than holidays in Cornwall or Christmas with the family to spend much time together.
The comfy looking chair that she had saw earlier in the bedroom caught her attention; she retreated to the room and sank into the chair, pulling a throw over herself for some warmth. When she slept her dreams returned to Rob. They were in the woods again and she could hear the lapping of the water on the Loch.
“Why here Rob? Why this place?” as she tugged at his hand. But he didn’t answer.
She looked high into the sky, the trees high creating a canopy from the bright sun.
Nico returned to the guest house. He had chatted with Belle as she prepared to leave. The security monitors alerting him that she had left Carrie. This time Beau was at his side and he held a white cardboard box.
He found Carrie asleep on the chair in the guest bedroom. He didn’t want to wake her but Beau had other ideas. The young puppy paid no heed to stopping and raced over to her, licking her hand to wake her.
“Oh” she said startled. “That’s one way to wake up I guess,”
“Hello boy, hello.” She rubbed at his ear the way he liked and soon he was lying on the floor next to her.
“How has your afternoon been?”
“Sleeping, sleeping and more sleeping. How was yours?”
“Calls, calls and more calls. Did you say your goodbyes with Belle?”
“Yes, after promising a million times to let her know if I have a relapse or anything,”
“I’ve brought something for
you; it’s in the kitchen when you are ready”
“What? Nico you didn’t have too, you’ve given me so much already”
“It’s nothing extravagant, don’t worry but you will like it”
“Now you’ve got my interest,”
In the kitchen area a small white box on the work top. Carrie opened the box and to her surprise two red velvet cupcakes.
“Oh Nico, thank you,”
“I thought you could still share a piece of cake with your sister, virtually of course”
She kissed him on the cheek. “That was very thoughtful of you; I’m going to send my sister a picture”
With a click of her phone she sent the pic
“Happy Birthday sis, this pic will need to tide you over until I am home xx”
Her phone beeped in reply.
“That cake looks scrumptious. Thank you xx”
Carrie settled back on the sofa and Nico returned to his laptop. Beau wandered from room to room familiarising himself with the layout before he found her again. He resumed his position of lying next to her.
“Is he allowed on the furniture?”
“I say yes, he says yes but my mother says no, I guess you take your pick”
She laughed and nodded at Beau. He jumped up beside her, his head quickly resting on her thigh.
“If you don’t mind I will call my sister,” Nico handed her the phone.
Carrie was determined not to cry and to remain positive on the phone not wanting her sister to pick up on her feelings. “So tell me, what did you get from Ryan?” Her brother in law loved the bones of Claire. They had been teenage sweethearts and no one had been surprised when they got married in their early twenties. “Oh I’ve been spoilt this year, I saw a necklace months ago when we were out shopping. He surprised me that he remembered I liked it but he bought it ages ago and kept it a secret from me.”
“Oh that’s so sweet Claire, yes you are spoilt”
“How you feeling? Are you well enough to be out of hospital? Where are you staying exactly?”
“I’m fine Claire, a little bit wobbly on my feet but I think that’s just from resting so much. I have a full list of dos and don’ts which Nico is making me adhere to”
“I’m sure he is!”
“Well the inn was full as I said in my text the other day but Nico kindly offered me the use of one of the beach house’s here”
Nico laughed at her version of their arrangement.
“Belle is on her way back to LA. I said goodbye to her earlier. You can let Mum and Dad know that everything is fine here and I will call them tomorrow night.”
“Okay, you can expect Mum to cross examine you tomorrow then.”
“Lucky me!”
Dinner was a repeat from lunch. Nico ordered some food from the house. This time Carrie’s appetite wasn’t that great. She ate some of the pasta but didn’t clear it with her usual gusto. Her head beginning to ache. She reluctantly took some painkillers hoping it would ease.
“I’m not leaving you Carrie, don’t worry I will sleep next door but I don’t think you should be on your own tonight”
Despite feeling awful she didn’t protest. “Ok I’m going to go to bed; I think it might help me clear this head”
“I will take Beau for his last walk, I won’t be far. If you need me call the house and they will find me” She nodded and retreated to the bed room. She didn’t hear Nico return a short while later, Beau still by his side. He had brought an overnight bag along with Beau’s water bowl and food. Carrie was sleeping soundly; he left the lamp on in the room and returned to reading emails. Emails that filled the inbox almost as quickly as he cleared them.
One from Lea. “I miss you baby, why won’t you talk to me? What have I done wrong? I can’t get you at the office or on your mobile?” Delete.
He wasn’t getting into another situation with Lea. They briefly spoke a few nights before when he told her in no uncertain terms that it was over. She had used a friend’s mobile, without their permission, to call him and he had made his position clear. They were over. Had been for months when he discovered her fondness for the white powder he found her using. She begged him to stay with her whilst she attended a discreet rehab program in England. She accompanied him to England for the Forest takeover and stayed on after the deal was closed. She was clean but she needed him and had swapped one dependency for another. He blamed himself for not seeing the signs but they hadn’t been together as much as everyone thought. Work commitments for them both ensuring they wouldn’t be in the same country for long. They saw each other a few days a month, sometimes more, sometimes less. He didn’t know she had elaborated with his family that they were getting married. It wasn’t a subject they had ever discussed. But his parents and sister thought he was behaving like a real shit by dumping her so quick for Carrie. He wouldn’t betray Lea’s confidence and tell them the truth. Let them think his head was turned by Carrie, a fact he wouldn’t deny. He admitted to Belle that Carrie had captivated him. He gave Carrie the space she needed and slept in the other bedroom. Her cries woke him. Checking his watch it was 03.14am.
Sitting upright in the bed, Carrie was screaming. “No, no, no”
“Carrie, you’re okay, it’s just a bad dream,” he held her as she sobbed. Carries breathing slowly returned to normal. Nico brought her some water and tissues for her tears.
“You want to talk about it?”
Beau had also joined him and lay on the floor next to her bed. His tail swishing silently.
“It’s a dream I have had for months after Rob’s death. I’ve only had it once since coming to the Cape. I was hoping that they had gone away.” She talked him through the simplicity of the dream. The routine of a normal working day and activities.
“I feel the force of the car as it spins round and round before it crashes to a stop. The sound of the car horn blaring and all the glass. The blood and my screams but I wasn’t even in the car when the accident happened. I was at a spa day of all things with my Mum and Sister.”
Nico lay on the bed next to her on top of the cover. He held her close in his arms and she felt safe again. “I felt guilty that I hadn’t been with him, to say goodbye or comfort him. They told me afterwards that he felt no pain and I have to believe that. For months I tried to cope, went through the motions of grief. Had some counselling, went back to work hoping that would help but it didn’t.” She was rambling but he didn’t interrupt. “I didn’t belong there anymore, I guess it was part of the grief but I was so detached from everything. Belle to the rescue and a trip to Newquay. When I was there a strange thing happened to me.” She told him about her meeting with the medium and what she said. “Let me show you something,”
She found the lighthouse book and her bag of pennies. Opened the little pouch and scattered the pennies on the bed cover. “For months I’ve found this everywhere at home and even when we were out for dinner I slipped on one in the bathroom” Finding the book marked pages she showed him the tiny butterflies.
“Do you think I am crazy? My Mum thinks it’s all a wild goose chase. This is what brought me here to the Cape. Maybe I am crazy,”
“Carrie I don’t think you are crazy, I think you are the strongest woman I know. You are brave and funny but if it’s crazy that made you come to the cape, well then it’s crazy that brought you into my life.”
“When I went to Portland Head, I took some of Rob’s ashes and scattered them there. I had thought of doing that too at Bug light but it didn’t feel right. That’s why I wouldn’t give my bag up to that guy,”
“Jeez Carrie, are you trying to give me a heart attack? That’s why you put yourself in danger?”
“Don’t be angry with me Nico, I couldn’t let him go like that to be discarded as soon as my cards and cash were gone.”
“I’m not angry Carrie, I’m angry at the lowlife who harmed you. I’m angry at myself for upsetting you and putting you in that situation in the first place. If we hadn’t argued you woul
dn’t have been there at that time.”
“Nico what I have learnt is that there are no coincidences in life and that something’s just happen. He was in a bad place, and if it wasn’t me then someone else was going to be mugged or worse. I could tell that much from his eyes.”
“He was crazed but I promise you that no one will ever harm you again.”
“Stay with me Nico, I understand if you don’t want to”
“Carrie, it will be torture not being able to make love to you the way I want to but I will settle for holding you”
She could feel his naked legs against hers as they spooned her butt rubbing against his groin. Protected only by his boxers and the material of her nightshirt.
“Hey, cut that out or there will be no sleep for either of us”
She closed her eyes, trying to sleep as she could feel is breath on her neck as he slept. The residue of the dream lingered. There was one thing she hadn’t told him.
In the last moments of the dream after she would lift Rob’s head and see his bloodied dying face, but this time it was Nico who she saw.
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
“You have had a great recovery from your injuries Carrie. I’m happy to say that you are fit to fly. We will have the paperwork written up confirming this for your travel arrangements.”
“Thank you Dr. Petersen. I feel a million times better.”
“Please do see your own physician when you get back home. You will get full use of your wrist within the next couple of weeks but if there is any change, headaches or unexpected bouts of nausea I want you to get this checked out.”
“I will thank you again”
Nico had accompanied her to the hospital for her follow up appointment. The bruising on her face had cleared to just a yellow tinge that the wonders of make-up could disguise. Her shoulder not so quick but it was still on the mend. The palms of her hand only had a few scratches most had healed. She had the occasional headache but nothing to worry about. The sea air and walks along the beach had helped her recovery. They had shared their early morning walk along with Beau to start the day. For the most Carrie had slept, ate and shared a platonic bed with Nico. There had been no more intimacy between them other than kisses. No more nightmares but Nico remained in her bed. Had her tale of butterflies, pennies and lighthouses scared him away?
BUTTERFLIES FLY AWAY Page 31