A Simple Mistake

by Andrea Grigg

  Outside under a verandah, there was a long table with several adults sitting around it. The barbecue smelled good and he was glad they were still eating. Despite his apprehension he was hungry.

  He craned his neck a little further and there she was, her hair clipped up, sitting next to a younger, dark-haired girl. To all appearances, Lainey seemed quite relaxed but her fingers were toying with a serviette and the food on her plate looked almost untouched. As he watched, she picked up her mobile phone, frowned at it and then put it down again.

  Nick grinned and pulled his own phone out of his pocket. He keyed in her number, let it ring twice, then disconnected. Lainey snatched hers up then scowled when it stopped. He was about to ring her again when a small, dripping wet body came crashing through the door. The child hurtled down the hallway, followed by a woman who stopped and stared.

  ‘Hello,’ he said, ‘I’m looking for Lainey but I see she’s outside.’

  ‘I’m Helen. Do I know you? You look familiar.’

  ‘No, we haven’t met.’

  ‘Well, go on out. I’ll check on Sasha. You know what kids and water are like. The minute they get in the pool they need the toilet. Excuse me.’

  He was about to move when someone else came in. ‘Nick. You’re here.’ The lady smiled and held out her hand. ‘Janet.’

  ‘Good to meet you.’ She had an easy going manner and a pretty smile, just as Lainey had described her.

  ‘She still doesn’t know. I had to pretend I’d left something behind so I could go back in and sneak her keys and leave you the note. I hope she’ll be okay about it.’

  ‘Me too.’ Nick’s agreement was heartfelt. He was pretty sure he knew how Lainey felt about him but she could get feisty when thrown off guard. ‘It’s alright. I’ve got her keys and she doesn’t have any more relatives she can run to.’

  Janet laughed and retrieved the bottle of tomato sauce she’d come in for. ‘Let’s go. Ready?’

  ‘Ready,’ he said, sounding much more confident than he felt, and followed her outside.

  * * *

  Lainey checked her phone five times in as many minutes. When it finally rang, it stopped before she could answer it. Infuriatingly, it had been Nick’s number. Perhaps there was a problem with reception out here. Why hadn’t she thought to check that?

  ‘Everyone, I’ve found another guest.’ Janet’s voice held an odd note and Lainey looked up. She went hot then cold and goosebumps zipped up her legs and down her arms which was ridiculous, given the air temperature.

  ‘Hello, Nick, nice to meet you.’ Henry got up and shook his hand and then started the introductions.

  Helen had just come back outside and looked very confused. ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve missed the connection. It’s wonderful to meet you, an honour really, but you’re here because …’

  ‘I’m here to see Lainey.’ The full force of his gaze made her glad she was sitting down.

  There was silence and intrigued faces then Julia jumped up and handed him a plate. ‘Here, help yourself. You must be hungry.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Nick smiled at a blushing Grace as she scooted out of the way. He deposited some car keys on the table and Lainey realised they were hers. How had he managed to get those?

  General conversation began again but Lainey couldn’t join in on any of it. Nick’s shoulder was touching hers and she had to cross her legs or else her bare knee would come into contact with his. It had been bad enough anticipating a phone conversation but this had all her senses going crazy.

  ‘Hello.’ He smiled into her eyes and her bone marrow dissolved.

  She drew a shaky breath. ‘Hi. How did you get here?’

  ‘I chartered a plane.’

  Of course he had. ‘Lifestyles of the rich and famous.’

  ‘It has its perks.’

  ‘I presume you talked to my mother.’

  ‘Hm-hm.’ He swallowed his mouthful. ‘And Lara.’

  So he knew what she’d been thinking. They would’ve told him in a blink of an eye. He could be very persuasive.

  ‘And Janet and Henry. They left me a note and your car keys.’

  Lainey closed her eyes. ‘Is there anyone who doesn’t know you’re here?’

  ‘Nope. Mum put it in the church bulletin.’ He gave her a quick smile. ‘I’m joking.’ He gestured toward her plate. ‘Not hungry?’

  ‘No, funnily enough.’

  He put down his knife and fork and made small circles on her hand with just the tip of his little finger, the funny, crooked one. ‘I had to see you, Lainey. Talking on the phone wasn’t going to cut it for me.’

  She nodded as the currents flew up her arm, conscious of everyone around them. They were chatting amongst themselves, but eyes constantly darted in their direction.

  ‘I think I’ve been a bit silly.’

  ‘Yep, you have.’ Nick picked up his cutlery and resumed eating.

  She dared to look at him. ‘I’m glad you came.’

  He gave her a long look and then put his mouth to her ear. ‘We’ll stay for awhile and then let’s go somewhere by ourselves. And the reason I’m talking in your ear like this is because this is the closest I’ve been to you in a very long time and you’re driving me crazy because you look beautiful and you smell beautiful and you also need to know that this is as close as we’re going to get until we’ve had our chat, okay?’

  Lainey gulped, momentarily bereft of speech. ‘Do that again, Cusack,’ she said, when she had recovered, ‘and I’ll start playing footsie with you.’

  He grinned his fabulous, lazy grin. ‘Is that a promise?’

  She smacked his hand as he reached for her bread roll. ‘Get your own.’ Her appetite had returned.

  Nick socialised effortlessly, answering questions he must have been asked hundreds of times. It was a gift, Lainey decided, being able to talk to strangers so easily. He made them feel like they’d known him forever.

  Everyone was disappointed when they said they were leaving but she didn’t care. Lainey wanted him to herself.

  She knew where she would take him. It had been her favourite place, a haven when she’d needed time on her own. Amongst the trees, a little creek gurgled and babbled over rocks and pebbles on its way towards the river. Further over, grasses and boulders dotted the rise up towards a rocky outcrop.

  Nick unfolded himself out of the car and closed the door. ‘I can see why you would come here.’ He took a long breath and held it before he let it out. Maybe he was more nervous than he appeared.

  An old table resided under the branches of a large gum, the timber silvered and grooved from being out in the weather. Nick sat on one side, leaning on his folded arms and she sat opposite him.

  ‘Why did you run away, Lainey?’ The question was direct and she had expected it. He had every right to ask.

  ‘A few different reasons,’ she said, ‘but mainly because I panicked.’

  ‘Because you overheard me talking about Elke.’

  ‘Yes.’ No point in asking who had told him. That didn’t matter now. ‘Who is she, Nick?’

  ‘Elke is my forty-five year old personal assistant who has been married for twenty years to a very scary giant of a man. He’s even taller than I am and looks like the Incredible Hulk without the green bit.’ That made her smile. ‘They came from Sweden many years ago, have two sons, and go to your old church. They moved up from Melbourne only recently.’

  ‘And she’s very good at organising you and is very understanding.’

  ‘That’s her. We get on really well. She’s funny and smart, but you should hear her sometimes.’ He whistled. ‘She doesn’t suffer fools gladly.’

  ‘So she wouldn’t put up with me then?’

  ‘I think she’d tell you to get your act together and trust me.’

  That hit home, but she needed to ask a few mor
e questions. They had all afternoon, although clouds were gathering and the air hung thick and heavy. Even the cicadas and other insects had stopped their chorus. A storm was on its way.

  ‘So does she know about me?’

  ‘Yeah, she does. Not everything, but enough. She knows I’m here.’

  ‘Why did you take so long in coming back?’

  ‘You knew about the delays in the movie?’ At her nod he went on. ‘Well, that took me into December. I couldn’t help that. Then I had a bit of a battle between me and God over you. I had to give you up. It took awhile.’

  It wasn’t what she’d expected but she understood. She’d had to do the same. Her fingers twitched, longing to reach out and touch him, but she would wait.

  ‘After that I had to have the final say for my new assistant. I was asked to speak at your old church, then there were a few things that needed doing at my house that I couldn’t leave Angelo to fix by himself right on Christmas. Stuff just kept happening. Also, I still didn’t know what to say to you. I was nervous too, Lainey.’

  She made a face. ‘I thought you were too scared to tell me we were over. I didn’t understand why you were so distant on Christmas Day. You hugged everyone but me, you didn’t seem to want to talk to me – I didn’t know what else to think especially after what I’d heard.’

  ‘I knew I’d upset you but it was a matter of self-preservation. I don’t think I’d have made a good impression if I’d done what I really wanted to at church.’

  ‘What was that?’ Lainey saw the glint in his eye and needed to know.

  ‘Crash tackle you onto the floor and kiss you.’

  Her heart flipped over. ‘I wish you had.’

  ‘It was a close call.’ He grinned then became serious. ‘All through lunch I was wondering what I was going to say to you when the most amazing thing happened.’

  ‘Ah. Jim Miller. I saw that. What happened?’

  Nick told her about their conversation. ‘I’m finding out that God works in all sorts of ways. I really wanted to talk to you that night, but it just didn’t happen, and then Lara had Jamie and you took off and now we’re here.’

  There was no recrimination in his words, just a statement of the facts.

  It was Lainey’s turn. She didn’t think she could look at him without faltering, so she picked at some of the splinters on the table as she talked.

  ‘I’m really, really sorry for running away, Nick. Like I said, I panicked. I saw you with Jamie and I fell apart. I watched you get upset and have an understanding of what I’d gone through and I thought it was all for nothing, that you had someone else. I couldn’t bear the thought of you telling me we were finished after what we’d just shared in that room and I should have listened to what you had to say but I needed some time. I know I always need time. It must drive you nuts.’

  Lainey came up for air to find Nick watching her intently. She looked straight back at the table – she had to finish.

  ‘Janet, Mum and Lara all asked if I had it right.’ She flashed him a smile then looked away. ‘Grace said you must like me if you kept phoning all the time, then I saw you in your movie that we watched and I remembered all the things you’d said to me back in August on Liam’s birthday and I realised what an idiot I was being.’

  When she looked again, the acceptance on his face gave her the courage she needed. ‘I’m very, very sorry I didn’t trust you. I should have and I can’t believe I’ve run like this. I feel like I’ve thrown everything back in your face at the first sign of doubt. Please forgive me, Nick. I really have been a fool.’

  ‘Never a fool, Lainey, just a bit of a goose.’ He reached over and took both her hands in his. ‘Of course I forgive you. But if we’re going to be together, you have to trust me. Sometimes the media will cut and paste photos of me with different women and make up all sorts of stuff. But I will never be unfaithful to you or do anything to compromise our relationship. I love you far too much.’

  She nodded, almost in tears.

  ‘So, Lainey Sullivan, is there any reason, imagined, real or otherwise that would stop us from getting married?’

  It was mean but she couldn’t help it.

  She tightened her grip on his hands. ‘Actually, there is.’

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Lainey watched Nick’s mouth drop open. He let go of her hands and sat back. Not too far away, there was the rumble of thunder.

  ‘What now?’

  ‘Well,’ she said, observing his expression become suspicious the instant he heard her tone, ‘you haven’t actually asked me. That’s all.’

  ‘I see.’ His lips twitched. ‘I should pick you up and dump you in that creek.’

  ‘I know you could. You’ve done something like it before.’

  ‘I remember.’ A grin flitted across his face. ‘So you want this done properly. The whole bended knee thing.’

  ‘Yes, please,’ she said demurely. ‘We want to have a nice story to tell our grandchildren, don’t we?’

  ‘I think we’ve got plenty already, but it seems you need a bit more.’

  ‘I always need a bit more.’

  ‘You’re not wrong.’ He swiveled her around then knelt down on one knee and took both her hands in his. ‘Is this better?’

  ‘Much.’

  He shook his head, smiling. ‘Lainey Patricia Sullivan, see, I even remembered your middle name, love of my life and – don’t cry, you wanted it like this – love of my life and the most beautiful goose I know – don’t try to hit me, I have your hands – will you please marry me as soon as you possibly can? Hurry up and answer me; I’m kneeling on a stone.’ Nick winced, shifted, then gave up. He pulled her to her feet and wrapped her tightly against him. ‘Well?’

  ‘Yes, please. Now kiss me.’

  Being back in Nick’s arms was exactly right. All their pent up feelings for each other were conveyed in one long, perfect kiss, interrupted by a huge flash of lightning and an impressive crack of thunder.

  ‘Wow. We created fireworks.’

  Nick grinned. ‘That’s the little bit more you mentioned you needed.’

  Lainey put a hand to his face. ‘I think we’ve always had that.’

  ‘I have no doubt we always will.’ He kissed her again then dug around in his pants’ pocket. ‘I almost forgot. It’s not what you think, but it’ll do for now. It can go in your treasure box when we replace it with the real thing.’

  Nick took her left hand and slid a ring on her finger. It was a shiny gold fake one, with a pink plastic stone surrounded by glittery plastic diamonds.

  Lainey giggled. ‘It’s perfect. Oh, look, you can even adjust it if it doesn’t fit. I won’t need another one at all. I really, really love you.’

  ‘I know you do.’ He kissed her then glanced up as thunder rumbled. ‘Come on, we’d better go.’

  She gave him the keys. ‘Here, you drive. I want to admire my ring. Where did you get it from?’

  ‘The cheap shop down the road from your place. Maybe we should buy our wedding rings from there too. I’m sure I could get a good discount. The girl on the checkout gave me a strange look. I think she recognised me.’ He started the car and pulled out onto the road.

  ‘She probably wondered what on earth you were doing.’ Lainey was fizzing with happiness. She waggled her hand from side to side, examining the ring. ‘Is there such a thing as a pink diamond?’ she asked.

  Nick grinned. ‘You really like it, don’t you?’

  ‘I do.’ Mmm, wedding words.

  ‘We could get a real one made just like it.’

  ‘Could we? It would be so expensive though. Look at the size of these stones—’ she broke off, feeling silly. ‘You really are rich, aren’t you?’

  ‘Yes, Lainey, embarrassingly so. I can afford whatever kind of ring you want. So when do you think we can do this? How mu
ch time do you need? Six months? Would that be enough?’

  Lainey hid a grin. She’d done her homework. ‘I was thinking more like seven.’

  ‘Seven? That’s a weird number to come up with. Alright then, that takes us into July. Hey, it’s better than seven years. Poor old Jacob.’

  ‘You read that story?’

  ‘You bet I did. That guy did it tough. He didn’t even get the girl he wanted first off. I can wait seven months.’ He squeezed her hand and smiled.

  ‘I meant seven weeks.’

  ‘Whoa!’ Nick whipped his head around. ‘Seven weeks? Hang on.’ There was a wide shoulder up ahead and he pulled over. ‘Do you seriously mean that?’

  ‘It would be Valentine’s Day, Nick, like you suggested in the first place.’

  ‘Lainey Sullivan. When did you work that out?’

  ‘Last night, while watching your movie and thinking what an idiot I’d been.’

  A delighted grin spread across his face and he gave her a swift kiss. ‘Man, I love you. But what about you finding a dress and all the other stuff that goes with a wedding? Won’t everything be booked out?’

  ‘We’ll make it happen, especially with all your contacts.’

  ‘Yes, please. We’ve waited long enough.’ He stroked her cheek with his finger, making her skin tingle. ‘We can do this, Lainey, I know we can. We’ll phone Elke tomorrow. Between the two of you, it’ll be a cinch.’

  She didn’t know about it being a cinch but they would do it.

  They got back to the house just as it began to rain; big, fat drops that sent up spurts of dust wherever they hit. The driveway was empty – the others weren’t home yet. They sprinted from the car to the shelter of the verandah and sat on the old lounge, holding each other, watching the storm.

  When the rain began to ease its assault on the tin roof, Lainey turned in Nick’s arms. ‘It’s thirteen years, almost to the day,’ she said, ‘that I sat here on an evening just like this, and told my mother I was pregnant.’

  Nick stroked her hair. ‘I can’t imagine how difficult that was. My biggest regret is not being here with you when you needed me.’