Life Is A Foreign Language

by Rayne E. Golay

  “Brian said you’re from Europe?”

  “I’m from Annecy, France. It’s a small medieval town, some fifty miles south of Geneva in Switzerland. Annecy is an old town, charming, and a canal runs the length of the downtown area. We pride ourselves on having one of the cleanest lakes in Europe.”

  “I’ve been to Paris and Marseille. La Rochelle. Do you know La Rochelle?”

  “No. It’s a big country—I’ve seen some of it, but not all.”

  He turned into the parking lot of a strip mall. “We’re lucky. There’s an empty space by the door. I’ll get a wheelchair, won’t be a minute.”

  “Oh, I don’t need …”

  “Oh, yes you do.”

  Nina clenched her fists; his interruption jolting her unbidden memory of the innumerable times André had cut her off—she’d often felt like screaming in frustration over his abruptness. Shrugging, she now complied, and Michael wheeled her inside. After she completed the customary forms, she asked the nurse to help her to the restroom. She washed her hands and made a futile effort to pull a comb through her tousled hair. In the mirror above the sink she caught a glimpse of her usually tanned face—now it was ashen, her hazel eyes huge against pale skin.

  The nurse helped her return to the waiting room. Michael and another man walked toward her.

  “Nina, this is Dr. Bradbury. Rick, meet Nina Brochard.”

  They smiled their greetings, and the doctor wheeled her into his examination room. The X-ray didn’t show any broken bones, but she had badly inflamed ligaments. He wrote a prescription and accompanied her to the waiting room.

  Dr. Bradbury patted her shoulder. “Keep that foot elevated and put ice on it.” Nodding at Michael, he smiled at her. “I’ll see you in a few days.”

  Again Michael helped her into the car. On the way home, he stopped at Wal-greens to have her prescription filled.

  Nina watched the traffic rush by. The street scene certainly was different from any European city she knew; no pedestrians sauntering along; no crowds loitering, window-shopping; and no street cafes, their tables occupied by people having drinks. A profusion of shocking pink bougainvillea and bushes of varicolored ixora created color clusters in the road divider. It’s pretty here. I like it a lot, but goodness how I miss my children and home and all the familiar places in Annecy! She took a few deep breaths to quell the tears that threatened.

  Michael returned, handed her a box containing an ankle brace, and positioned a pair of crutches next to her. He slid behind the wheel and started the engine. As he drove out of the parking lot, he told her the pharmacy would deliver the medication in a couple of hours.

  Puzzled, she glanced at him. “Why didn’t you get it now?”

  “It’s not like in Europe, where medication is prepackaged. Here the pills or capsules have to be counted and put in sealed vials. Takes a bit of time. They’re reliable at Walgreens; you’ll have your medication tonight.”

  Preoccupied, she fingered the crutches, hardly hearing him. “I hate the idea of using these things.”

  “You’ll be surprised how much easier you’ll get around with them. Give them a try.”

  “I’m afraid they’ll make me feel even more handicapped.”

  He glanced at her. “You’re right, they might do that, but only in the beginning.” He cleared his throat. “You may think I’m forward, but I’m curious. What’s your background?”

  “I’m a psychologist.”

  “Interesting. Do you work as a therapist?”

  “I did, until recently. Among other things, I used to lecture at the Geneva University. I probably will work again, once I’m settled.”

  Michael parked in her driveway. Opening the door on her side, he held out his hand to help her, but she shook her head, grabbing a crutch in each hand.

  “I might as well get used to them until I can walk on this foot again.” By the front door she took a moment to catch her breath, filling her lungs with the aroma of freshly mowed grass and the voluptuous fragrance of gardenia. Her progress was slow and laborious. Reaching the living room she gave up. “My hands hurt.”

  “It’s normal. You’re putting your entire weight on them,” he said. “Where would you like to go?”

  “The lanai will be fine. I love it there.”

  Using Michael’s arm for support she stretched out on a lounge chair. He made sure she had everything she would need on a low table nearby, the crutches within reach.

  He sat next to her and seemed in no hurry to leave. Nina, dreading to be alone, was relieved by his presence.

  “Would you care for a cup of coffee?” he asked. “I wouldn’t mind one myself. Haven’t had my caffeine fix yet.” His bright smile flashed, showing good teeth.

  “I don’t drink regular coffee, only decaf, but don’t let that stop you.”

  He grinned and hurried inside.

  She relished this time of day on the lanai before the late afternoon sun turned it into a golden caldron, vibrant with light. Inhaling the scented air, she watched and listened to nature. This was a perfumed garden, the fragrances numerous.

  Michael came carrying a tray. He handed her a tall glass of ice water and set the tray on the table.

  “The picture on your bookcase, is it your family?”

  “Yes.”

  “Mind if I get it, and you can tell me who they are?”

  “Sure. Go ahead.”

  He returned with the photo, pulling his chair closer. Holding the picture, he leaned near as she pointed, the heat from his shoulder radiating through her arm.

  “Here on the left is my son, Danny. Next to him is my daughter, Lillian, my first-born, named after my mother. Her husband Jean-Luc stands beside her and in front of her my twin granddaughters, Morgan and Natalie.”

  “Who’s this man with silver in his hair?”

  She hesitated, reluctant to touch on the subject. “My … that’s my almost ex-husband.”

  Brow creased, he glanced at her, but didn’t comment. “Nice family. Are the twins identical?”

  She shook her head. “No. They’re like ordinary sisters.”

  “How old are they?”

  “Fifteen.”

  Their dear faces plunged her into an abysmal homesickness. Again tears welled up in her eyes. Not wanting him to see her cry she turned her head.

  “Homesick?” he asked gently.

  She only nodded, afraid he would hear the catch in her voice.

  Neither of them spoke for several minutes. He glanced at his watch and sighed. “I have to leave.” He handed her his card. “These are numbers where you can reach me any time. Please call if you need anything.”

  She took the card, turning it in her hand, and stuck it between the pages of the book she’d been reading.

  “I won’t lose it.” On the table, she found the notepaper and pen she always kept handy and scribbled her number.

  He took the piece of paper, glanced at it and stuck it in the pocket of his shirt. “Anything else I can do for you before I go?”

  “No, I have everything I need.” She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Thanks for everything. You’ve been very good.”

  “I’m glad I happened by at the right moment.” He gazed at her, studying her face and seemed about to add something. The moment passed.

  He stood. “I’ll be working on Brian’s house tomorrow. I’ll stop by to see how you’re doing—if you don’t mind.”

  Smiling, she shook her head. “I won’t mind.” She felt his hand on her shoulder. A moment later she heard the whoosh of the lanai door, and when she looked, he was gone.

  Like a cloak, desolation enveloped her. Then she remembered Michael’s words, “… I’ll stop by to see how you’re doing,” and she didn’t feel quite so alone.

  Chap
ter 2

  Nina shifted in the lounge chair. The muggy air was stifling, the evening so quiet only the occasional bird’s trill reached her.

  Without her job and family, her sense of purpose was gone. As much as she hated to admit it, she existed through what she did and how well she did it. She’d made her choices while fully cognizant of the consequences. By giving up her old life, she’d taken a stand and set her limits. Now it was up to her—and only her—to dig deep inside to find the courage to change, to create a new existence. She sighed. Enough of this. I can’t change myself all at once, but I’ll do the best I can.

  Encouraged by the moment of introspection, Nina picked up the phone. She’d intended to call Lillian earlier in the day, but had put it off, reluctant to deal with her daughter’s anger. Then the accident happened.

  Nina glanced at her watch; a little after ten pm in Annecy, which was late, but she decided to call anyway. She dialed the number, her heart thudding in her chest.

  “Allo, oui,” Jean-Luc’s high nasal voice answered.

  “I’m sorry for calling so late. Is Lillian there? If she’s asleep, don’t …”

  “No, she’s right here.”

  A moment’s silence. “Yes, Mami?” Lillian’s voice was tense. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing much. I wanted to hear your voice. How are you? And the twins?”

  “Everybody’s fine. And you?” biting off each word.

  “A bit homesick. I miss you all.”

  The line went quiet for a long moment. Nina thought they’d been cut off. “Are you still there?”

  “I’m here. Don’t complain about homesickness. It was you who decided to leave. Remember?”

  Nina leaned against the cushion of the lounge chair. “And you know why.”

  “I only have your word for it. You filed for divorce. You rushed off to Florida.”

  “Lillian, you’ve never been in my situation, thank God, so don’t judge me. As I said, I left because I’d reached my limit with Papa. You may not be able to grasp it as his daughter, but as a woman I’m sure you’ll understand if you let yourself.” Nina closed her eyes against her powerlessness, its weight stooping her shoulders. Lillian could be so stubborn.

  “You were too hasty. Punishing Papa for one mistake makes no sense.”

  “Not so, Lillian, it wasn’t one mistake, but too many to count.”

  “All I know is you’ve let us all down—the twins, Danny, me, Papa, everybody.” Lillian’s voice broke. “You’re in Florida. You’ve abandoned us … me.” She was crying.

  Nina’s eyes blurred. She pulled a tissue from the box on the table and dabbed at the tears running down her cheeks. “I haven’t abandoned you or anybody else. Talk to Papa—ask him what he did to push me out.”

  “It’s none of my business what went on between you and Papa,” Lillian shouted. “You’re not here, and I miss you. The twins miss you.”

  “Chérie, I miss you, too. I love you and I feel terrible.”

  “Good! I’m glad if you’re miserable in your sunny paradise.” Lillian’s loud sobs stabbed Nina’s heart. “What about us? We’re your family.”

  “Yes, and you’ll always be my family. But there will be holidays and vacations. We’ll visit. You’ll come here. I’ll visit you in Annecy. After all, Florida isn’t the end of the world.”

  “No Mami, I won’t see you—not here or there.” Lillian’s voice came across cold and hard. “That goes for the twins, too. Your irresponsible behavior could be a bad influence on the girls.”

  Nina’s breath caught in her throat, and her hands shook with anxiety. “That’s not fair, and you know it.” She inhaled to calm her racing heart. “I think we’d better end this conversation before we say things we’ll both regret.”

  “Okay. Good night.”

  “Wait! Don’t hang up. I repeat, please, ask Papa about …” A click in her ear told her Lillian had broken the connection.

  Nina sat for a long time in the light of the fading sun, the persistent beep from the receiver widening the rift between them. She thumbed the “off” button and dropped the cordless on the floor.

  Was the piercing pain in her chest her heart breaking?

  Their relationship had never been close. Lillian kept her at arm’s length, and Nina didn’t know how to break through the invisible barrier. She didn’t doubt that Lillian loved her, but her first loyalty had always been to her father, to André.

  Danny had been more reasonable. His grey-green eyes hadn’t waver as he listened to Nina’s account of the latest events, the reasons for the divorce and her decision to move to Florida.

  “It’s your call, Mami. You must do what feels right.” He hugged her, rubbing his cheek against hers, leaving traces of wetness. “I love you and I’m going to miss you so very much.”

  “I love you, too. Come see me, chéri?”

  “Of course, I will.”

  The sharp ring of the doorbell interrupted her thoughts. In the gathering dusk she fumbled for the crutches and limped to the front door. It was the delivery boy from Walgreens with her medication.

  In the kitchen she prepared a bowl of strawberries and mixed them with yogurt. She wasn’t hungry. The argument with Lillian and the resulting anxiety left

  Nina feeling slightly nauseated, but she had to eat something before she took her pills. With the help of one crutch, and the bowl of strawberries in the other hand, she made it to the lanai. She ate slowly, using her spoon to cut each berry in half. The cricket symphony interrupted the stillness of the evening. A soft breeze whispered in the palm fronds.

  Her foot throbbed. She wanted to go for a swim, but didn’t know how she would get out of the pool, so she hobbled to the edge and sat, feet dangling in the water. The coolness felt good on her ankle.

  The phone rang. Her heart gave a sharp jolt. Was Lillian calling to put things right? She grabbed the cordless.

  “Wanted to make sure you’re all right.” Michael’s voice sounded huskier, deeper than she remembered.

  “Thank you for checking. Yes, I’m all right.” A pause. “I received the medication.”

  “Good. Take it now, and you’ll feel better in the morning. See you tomorrow.”

  “Good night.”

  The conversation with Lillian had shaken her to the core. Anger and frustration churned inside at Lillian’s stubbornness. Nina felt restless and couldn’t settle down.

  She stood with effort. That darned ankle. With the help of the crutches, she hobbled into the house and looked out the living room window. The lights were on at Brian and Samantha’s house across the street. She decided to thank them for their kindness. A swarm of mosquitoes accompanied her slow progress across the street, their zing a nuisance she couldn’t chase away.

  On her ring, Samantha opened the door. “Nina, hi. What a nice surprise! Welcome back.” They hugged each other as much as Samantha’s distended belly and Nina’s crutches allowed.

  Brian joined them. “I thought I heard a familiar voice.” He patted her on the back.

  Nina was struck by his marked resemblance to Michael. They were alike in coloring and posture, and had identical dazzling blue eyes.

  “I won’t stay long. Just wanted to come by to say how much I appreciate all you’ve done. The fruit and flowers—you even made my bed that I left stripped. Thank you so much.”

  Brian spoke over his shoulder as he preceded her to the den. “Your e-mail made it clear something had happened to change your plans. We had the key, so no big deal.”

  He helped her sit while Samantha prepared drinks in the kitchen.

  The den, an extension of the dining room, was furnished in earth colors, shades of brown, sand and ivory. The barely pink of the tile floor and the walls painted in the same color gave the room a warm glow.

 
“How’s the leg?” asked Brian. “Dad told me about your accident.”

  “Inflamed ligaments in the ankle. Lucky he was there.”

  “You must have made quite an impression on him. He couldn’t stop talking about you all through dinner.”

  Her laugh was quiet. “I was surprised to learn he’s your Dad. I mean, the coincidence that my ‘savior’ turned out to be your father.”

  “Like serendipity, you mean?”

  “Something like that.”

  Samantha returned. “What an eventful day you’ve had. Michael told us all about it.”

  Placing a tray on the table, she handed Nina a Diet Coke over ice. Jet-black hair worn straight past the shoulders contrasted with her pale complexion, her face an oval. The arched eyebrows drew attention to her fascinating eyes—blue grey—with a square brown beauty spot on the left iris.

  Brian faced Nina. “What happened to make you decide to return here now rather than in the fall as you’d planned?”

  Briefly she closed her eyes, feeling the old reluctance to talk about André. “My husband and I, we’re getting a divorce.”

  He stared at her intently. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  Nina nodded. “That’s all right. I’d rather not talk about it.” She took a sip from the glass. “How are you feeling, Samantha?”

  She patted her tummy and grinned. “Very well, but tired. This kid is training for the New York Marathon. Keeps me awake nights.”

  Brian put an arm around his wife’s shoulders and pulled her close. “It won’t be long now. Another month or so.”

  Samantha smiled at him. “We’ve been waiting a long time to have this baby. Now every day seems like forever. I’m impatient to hold this tiny one in my arms.”

  “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?

  Brian kept his hand on her tummy. “No, we decided to let it be a surprise. My parents are excited because so far they only have grandsons. My Mom can’t wait; she’s coming to help during the last weeks before the baby arrives.”

  “This late in my pregnancy,” Samantha said, “I feel insecure when Brian’s away. After the baby’s born, Cindy will stay for a while to help. I wish my own mother were here, but she can’t leave the farm and all the animals in Kentucky.”