Kate & Alf

by Carrie Stone

  She certainly hadn’t expected things to develop with Marcus as quickly as they had. Meeting him the day after her argument with Michael had been gut-wrenching – mainly due to the uncertainty of whether she’d made a grave mistake in misreading his feelings and causing unnecessary tension in her relationship with Michael. But it had, in fact, been a life-changing conversation. She was surprised at how easily she’d found herself opening up to him and hinting at the underlying chemistry she sensed between them. It was ironic that she’d assumed she’d have to be the one doing the questioning to know where they stood with one another.

  It hadn’t been anything like that. Marcus had automatically taken matters into his own hands; he hadn’t hesitated for a moment in steering the conversation towards his own feelings and being honest and reassuring. His evident relief and surprise that her relationship with Michael had taken a turn for the worse was enough to confirm every notion that she’d had. Moreover, he’d been direct enough to tell her that he’d been unable to stop thinking about her ever since the first time they’d met at Kate’s house; it had been driving him wild with jealousy that she belonged to another man, because he’d never felt this way about someone before. She was left with no doubt that it was something special between them.

  Allowing herself to acknowledge that she’d felt exactly the same about him had been both exhilarating and comforting. Deep inside, she knew this was it – exactly what she was supposed to feel about the man she’d hopefully spend her future with. In fact, she realised that on a subconscious level, she’d known for a long time that she’d felt this way, which is why she’d always had a small doubt about her relationship with Michael. But that didn’t matter now – if anything, the experience with Michael had allowed her to be receptive enough to recognise the special connection she’d struck up with Marcus.

  She could hardly contain the breathtaking mix of emotions that the past few days of getting to know one another had left her with. It had barely been seventy-two hours since they’d laid their feelings on the table, and yet Megan couldn’t imagine considering a relationship with Michael again – everything she’d felt for him had ebbed away since spending time with Marcus. The emotions that she’d had for Michael were well and truly eclipsed by those she was feeling for Marcus. In spite of this, she’d agreed with him that, for the time being at least, to everyone else they were to still appear as ‘friends’, taking it very slowly in a new direction…. After all, how often was it that people fell for one another after only a few days? There were bound to be a few surprised reactions.

  Starting up the car, Marcus turned to Megan. ‘Before we get Kate’s friends from the care home, I need to swing past my sister’s and pick up my granddad, if that’s okay.’

  ‘Of course. So he did want to come in the end?’ She grinned, aware of Marcus’s frustration at his grandfather’s insistence that he was past his days of gallivanting.

  Marcus nodded. ‘Yep, I knew he would. He called me earlier and said that if he had to spend another moment with my sister fussing over him, he’d go insane.’ He pulled the car away from Megan’s house, noticing Jonnie at the end of the road with a large holdall slung over his back. ‘Hey, there’s your brother.’ He pointed ahead.

  ‘Finally,’ Megan whispered, straining her eyes to see how sober Jonnie looked. She was relieved to see that he was walking straight and looked clean. It was an indicator this his AWOL status for the past few days hadn’t led to a big bender. Whatever had happened with his drinking, at least he was managing to get it under some level of control.

  ‘Do you want me to stop, so you can chat to him?’ Marcus asked, fully aware of Megan’s predicament and knowing that she was most likely assessing him for signs of his sobriety.

  She shook her head confidently. ‘No, it’s okay – he looks fine. Let’s leave him to his business.’

  If the argument with Michael had given her any lasting thoughts, it was that he was right in one thing – Jonnie did need to get himself sorted. It was no longer for her to worry so much on his behalf. He had his own life to lead – as did she. It was time she moved forward and put her own self and happiness first.

  The car drove past Jonnie at the very moment that he looked up in their direction, noticing his sister. Breaking into a happy grin, he waved before turning back to the road ahead. Megan waved back, feeling consoled and justified in her decision. The last few days had been the first time that Jonnie had gone drinking without the usual calls and demands on her and seeing him wave in such a carefree way was an unusual gesture. Perhaps things were finally changing for both of them. It was most certainly long overdue.

  By the time Marcus arrived at his sister’s, his granddad was already waiting outside the red iron gate of the semi-detached house.

  ‘No need to get out. He’ll get in the back, he won’t mind,’ Marcus said, lifting the handbrake and opening his driver’s door.

  He walked across to his granddad. ‘Grumps, you okay?’ He patted his back. ‘You’re alright to get in the back? I’ve got Megan in the car and we’ve got to pick up some of her friends on the way.’

  Roberto walked directly to the back door of the car, shooing his grandson away. ‘Yes, yes, stop fussing. I’ve had enough of that with your sister. I’m fine in the back.’ Opening the car door, he lowered himself in, immediately reaching across to Megan. ‘Nice to meet you, my dear, I’ve heard a lot about you. I’ve never seen Marcus quite so taken with a woman before. And what a beauty you are, I should add!’ He winked at her, tellingly.

  ‘Thanks, Roberto. I hope it was all good things Marcus told you.’ Intrigued, Megan glanced sideways at Marcus, who was settling back into the driver’s seat, and noticed a faint colour in his cheeks. He glanced at her with an embarrassed smile before turning to put his belt on.

  ‘Right, let’s get going, then. Where exactly is this Oak Park place, Megan – Kate did tell me once, but I can’t remember?’

  Forgetting all about Marcus’s granddad’s words, Megan instantly began pouring out directions, giving them a rundown of the beauty of the Care Home as she did so.

  From the back seat, Roberto could only watch as the pair in front of him giggled and smiled their way towards their destination. He wasn’t an intuitive man by any means, but he knew all about women and was certain that this one was something special for his grandson. It was a million miles away from how Marcus had acted around Linzie, or any woman, before. From the way the pair of them looked at one another to the way their body language already mirrored each other, it was obvious that they were destined to be together. It was a rare and special thing, true love, but he was in no doubt that these two had found it. Just as he had – some fifty-odd years previously.

  Kate stared at herself in the full-length mirror, the cream-chiffon dress hanging a little more loosely on her slimmer frame than it had the last time she’d worn it months before; nevertheless, it still looked elegant and chic – the stain that had once made it un-wearable was now long gone. It made her feel every inch the confident and glamorous woman that she now felt within. She teased her chignon a touch more tightly into place, securing it with more hair pins and stood back to assess the overall result – she was startled to realise how far she’d come in herself in such a short space of time.

  It was strange to be wearing the dress that had been specifically purchased for a different purpose – a purpose that hadn’t been fulfilled and had consequently brought about so many changes in her life. It was even more absurd that, not so long ago, she’d associated the dress with a time of heartache and missed opportunity. And yet now, standing barefoot and feeling so much more settled in herself and her life, she didn’t feel anything but the buzz of excitement and anticipation for the evening ahead – her evening.

  She could hardly believe it was finally here; granted, she might be a little over-dressed for the occasion, but she didn’t care. Her theme for the exhibition was ‘The Hidden Beauty’ and fittingly, the cream dress had marked a fork in the
road where life had brought out parts of herself that had been hidden – parts that had since had a chance to flourish and open new doors for her.

  She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. ‘Better get my shoes on,’ she muttered to herself, wondering how Alf was getting on at the venue with her instructions of where to affix each canvas in the layout. She couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed at his lack of enthusiasm for the evening; she knew part of it was due to his deflation at not being considered for the job he’d applied for, yet she felt he was also holding something back from her.

  In many ways, the weeks since they’d been back together had been idyllic – she couldn’t remember them both feeling so happy and at ease. But there was also a feeling that there was something she wasn’t seeing; every time it arose, she told herself it was probably because things were at an emotional peak. It was natural to be anxious when life reached a point of seeming too good to be true – it wasn’t going to last, she knew that much. So she’d decided it was pointless to burst her own bubble when she should be making the most of it. It was her time; Alf was by her side and all was relatively smooth around her. Sure, they hadn’t spoken too much about the longer-term future – apart from the house sale – but that no longer weighed so heavily on her mind. If the last few months had taught her anything, it was that life was best lived in the moment, day by day. Besides, given that she had love, health and blissful happiness at that very moment – what was there not to be thankful for?

  Reaching for her mid-heel shoes, ones that complimented the dress, she slipped them on and picked up her mobile, feeling a pang of guilt as she noticed a text from Megan. She’d been so wrapped up in the last few days, ensuring all was prepared for the exhibit – as well as working and trying to reassure Alf about his job plans – that she hadn’t had time to properly discuss Megan’s dilemma further. Her stomach somersaulted at the thought of seeing her friend at the exhibition, along with so many others who would be joining her in support of her evening – she really was a lucky woman.

  Marcus had already told her that the turnout for the exhibit was expected to surpass expectation, as informed by the venue manager; she knew part of this was thanks to Marcus pulling a few strings with media coverage. Either way, she didn’t dare to expect much – if only one of her paintings sold, then she would be ecstatic. Her main hope was that others would find as much pleasure in viewing them as she’d had in creating them.

  Without reading Megan’s message, Kate put the phone into her bag and went downstairs, her heart banging nervously in her chest with each step. Despite not placing too much emphasis on the potential success that the exhibition could bring her, she couldn’t help but silently wonder if the evening was a marker for a new beginning. Subconsciously, she crossed her fingers.

  Chapter 25

  The grandeur and presence of Oak Park was hard to miss on the winding country lane that led to it.

  ‘Now this is what I call a retirement home,’ Roberto piped up from the back seat, impressed by the stately building that outshone any version he’d mentally envisioned upon hearing where they were going. ‘Bet it costs a fortune to reside here.’

  Megan turned to him, nodding. ‘Yes, my friend Kate knows a lot of the backgrounds of the residents and none of them are particularly hard up.’ She pointed to the far right entrance, tapping Marcus’s knee gently. ‘Go that way, Marcus. Kate said Viv and Lil will meet us by the East entrance.’ She turned around to face Roberto again. ‘The pair you’re going to meet are lovely, a bundle of fun – especially when together. They’re both very close to Kate. That’s why they’re coming along tonight.’

  Marcus glanced at the dashboard clock, aware that they were running a bit later than planned. ‘I think we might end up being a bit late getting to the venue. It’s already seven now.’

  Megan was scanning the car park as they were approaching, trying to catch a glimpse of where Vivian and Lillian might be – very few people were milling about and most of them were staff workers, evident from their familiar fuchsia-coloured uniform. She was certain Kate had mentioned the East entrance, but maybe she’d meant West – after all wasn’t that the main entrance?

  A sharp, strangled intake of breath from the back seat caused both of them to turn around in surprise, Marcus stamping sharply on the brake. ‘What the hell? Grumps?’

  Roberto spluttered as his breath caught in his throat, causing a coughing fit. He couldn’t believe his eyes; surely they were playing tricks on him? It couldn’t be – could it?

  Megan watched as Marcus repeated the question to his grandfather, whose face was ashen – as if he’d seen a ghost. Her attention was caught by a red flap of fabric in her peripheral vision and, turning her head to the left, she saw the pair of women they were there to collect – both dressed up to the nines.

  Roberto finally stopped coughing, caught his breath and cleared his throat.

  Confused as to what was going on, and aware that the women seemed to be checking their watches in the distance, Megan used the moment’s silence to point towards Vivian and Lillian. ‘Marcus, I can see them. Look – they’re just over there.’ She wound down her window and shouted across to the women, one of whom looked up and waved in recognition.

  Roberto chose the very same moment to speak. ‘My God, I can’t believe it – after all these years – it’s her.’ His hands shook slightly as he regained his composure, before turning once more towards the window and eyeing the woman in the green coat in the distance, now making her way slowly in their direction with her friend.

  Marcus looked in bewilderment from his grandfather to Megan, who shrugged her shoulders in return, equally puzzled. ‘Who, Granddad? Who’ve you seen?’ He pulled the car forwards slowly, in the direction of the pair, who were making sluggish progress towards it.

  ‘Lillian. It’s my Lillian. Her in the green coat.’

  Megan turned around in surprise. ‘You know Lillian?’ Well, that was a turn-up for the books. Kate was always saying Lil was a lonely woman with no remaining family to speak of except her friend Viv. She genuinely hoped Roberto wasn’t mistaken.

  Marcus slowed the car to a halt, just a few metres from the women. He could clearly see their features now, especially the one wearing the thin, flapping mint-green coat that came to her knees, a slim and elegant woman with dark, large eyes and a warm smile. ‘Lillian – your first wife Lillian?’ he asked in astonishment, still transfixed by the small woman, who was now patiently re-adjusting her hair fascinator. He turned to his grandfather, whose eyes were twinkling in a way that he’d never seen before.

  ‘My God, she’s still a beauty.’

  ‘Wife?’ Megan repeated in astonishment, aware that both ladies were only feet away from the car and looking in at her curiously. She opened her passenger door quickly, unsure how to react as Vivian stepped forwards and swooped down on her.

  ‘Hello, love – we thought you must have got lost.’ She embraced Megan, who noticed Lillian behind her, fussing with her handbag and paying no attention to the exchange.

  ‘Sorry, we’re late. We had to collect Marcus’s grandfather Roberto on the way.’ At the mention of his name, Megan saw Lil’s head snap up at the same moment as hearing the back door of the car open. She heard a stifled gasp and saw Vivian’s head swivel back around at her friend in surprise.

  All eyes turned to the left side of the car, where Roberto was scrambling to climb out adeptly. The sudden sprightliness with which he found himself on the pavement and propelled towards the woman of his focus was startling. The words weren’t thought through and they tumbled out in quick succession. ‘Good Lord, Lillian, it is really you? Can I dare to hope it’s you, after all these years?’

  It took a five full seconds of silence before Lil found her voice. She could hardly believe that the man standing before her with the green eyes and square chin was the same one who she had carried in her heart for over fifty years. He’d aged considerably; weathered skin and heavily lined features
replaced the smooth, tanned wrinkle-free face that she remembered. Life hadn’t been particularly kind to him in the years that they’d been parted, but nonetheless, it was most definitely him. Her stomach somersaulted in a way that she’d forgotten was possible.

  ‘Bobbi?’ Her voice was small and barely audible. She felt Vivian’s hand rest gently on her shoulder and her heart beating wildly against the restraint of her chest.

  ‘Yes it’s me, my love.’

  She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was really him. The man she’d always loved with every part of her soul. And the very same man who had cheated on her with another woman.

  The venue was big, bigger than she’d remembered – it was hard to imagine how it was ever going to be filled with enough people. ‘Did I do okay?’ Alf asked, coming up behind her with a glass of champagne and resting his hand on her back. He kissed her on the cheek. ‘By the way, you really do look beautiful, babe.’ He held out a flute of the sparkling pink liquid.

  Kate flushed with excitement and pride, accepting the glass. ‘Thanks. I can’t believe how well you’ve done. It looks fantastic.’ She gazed around once again at the many canvases mounted in white frames against the exposed red-brick walls, the strategic warehouse track lighting above them creating the perfect ambience. Alf had clearly taken note of her instructions; prices were mounted correctly, as were the descriptions of the works that she’d felt it was imperative to include. ‘Better than I could have ever imagined it would.’ It was hard to believe these were the very same paintings that she’d painstakingly created in her makeshift workspace of the upstairs spare bedroom. It was like viewing them for the first time. They looked magnificent with their lively, colourful tones against the warm backdrop of the exhibition room, even if she did think so herself. She took in the table lined with bottles of chilled wine and champagne, the various canapés arranged neatly alongside them. The soft music that she’d chosen to compliment her theme was already beginning to play in the background.