Always You

by Tiara Inserto

  “I can’t smell anything.”

  “Precisely. It’s a custom on-demand air cleaner.”

  “In a car?”

  “You’ve obviously never had a child get sick in a car before. Andrew had one made after my niece threw up in his last car.” Blake pushed another button to reveal the transparent panel of a moonroof. “Mum and Dad are excited to meet you,” he said. “When was the last time you saw them?”

  “At the same school picnic where I didn’t share the Choc Cherry. Your mum’s hair was purple that day.”

  Blake snorted. “It’s funny how many people remember Mum’s hair color at different occasions.”

  “How could you forget?”

  “Because my brothers and I grew up with her hair color never being the same. I think I was almost ten years old before I found out her natural color was brown.”

  “She’s quite different from your dad.”

  “They’re as opposite as they can get. You remember that Dad was in the Navy, don’t you? Even after he left the service, he liked living his life by schedules and discipline. I don’t think he knows how he ended up with Mum, but they’ve been married almost forty years. Somehow, they make it work.”

  Blake’s parents now lived outside of Christchurch, in the seaside suburb of Sumner. The street leading up to their house was already chockful with cars, suggesting to Neela that this was a bigger party than she’d thought. “Didn’t you say this was mainly just family and friends?”

  “Well, Mum does have a lot of friends.”

  “Oh, great.”

  “You can’t be shy of crowds, surely? You’ve played in front of thousands of people.”

  “On the pitch, I’m a rugby player. I’m focused on the game. I don’t pay attention to the people in the stands. This type of event is different. There’s no game to distract anyone from who you are.”

  “Just don’t pay attention to the people around you. They’ll think you’re too cool for them.”

  Neela shook her head, smiling. He had an answer for everything.

  They had reached the house when she realized her hand had been in Blake’s as they walked from the car. It was an automatic movement now, as was the feel of his arm around her waist as he steered her through the other guests.

  The attention on Blake was different here. He wasn’t the famous rugby player in his parents’ house but the youngest son of the woman whose birthday everyone had gathered tonight to celebrate.

  The “guests” greeted Blake informally, often with nicknames Neela had never heard before. They didn’t ask about his ankle; they were more interested in whom he had brought to the party.

  “My friend Neela” was how he introduced her to Uncle Jack and Aunty Rose, to Uncle Sanjay and Aunty Priya, to Uncle Mike and Aunty Doris.

  “How many uncles and aunties do you have?” she asked when they had a respite between introductions.

  He smiled. “Loads. Both my parents were only children, so their mates became family. Most of the people you’ll meet here tonight will tell you they knew me while I was still in nappies. Some might even show you a picture of it.”

  “I have one if you’d like to see it.”

  She turned to see a near-spitting-image of Blake in front of her, except he was slimmer, had less hair and wore glasses. Bright orange glasses.

  “Robbie Stanton, Blake’s oldest brother,” he said. “You must be Neela, of course. It’s an honor to meet you. My daughter is a huge fan of the Sevens team.”

  “Thank you. Nice to meet you too.”

  “My daughter’s here if there’s any chance you’d be interested in meeting her.”

  “I’d love to,” Neela replied.

  Robbie grinned, a dimple showing in his cheek. “She’s going to be thrilled. She’s holding court with her nan and pop as we speak.”

  When they entered the rumpus room at the back of the house, Lulu Stanton had a captivated audience of not just her grandparents but at least another dozen guests. Dressed in layers of tulle and chiffon, she was flitting and floating around the small space allotted to her show. When she finally stopped, she bowed dramatically in front of her grandparents, who were seated on their ‘thrones.’

  Neela smiled as the figure of Clarissa Stanton —with lime-green hair—came rushing toward her granddaughter. With a dramatic flourish, Clarissa swept Lulu into in her arms, tulle, and chiffon fluffing about.

  “My word, Lulu-bell! That was simply stunning! The Bolshoi has nothing like you in their company. They’ll be falling over themselves when you’re ready to dance with them, won’t they, everyone?” Clarissa gestured around the room.

  Everyone clapped louder and more enthusiastically. Blake whistled his appreciation and attracted Lulu and her nan’s attention.

  “Uncle Blake! You’re here!”

  The youngest Stanton wiggled out of her grandmother’s arms and launched herself at her uncle, confident he was going to catch up.

  “You’re a little late,” she admonished him, her arms around his neck.

  “I am not. I’m right on time. You were early.”

  “Did you see any of my dancing?”

  “I caught some of it.”

  “I can do it again for you later.”

  “Would you? I’d be most honored.”

  Blake gazed adoringly at his niece as they spoke, closing his eyes slightly as he kissed Lulu on her forehead as if he were memorizing the moment. “And I have a friend you might be interested in meeting. Recognize her?”

  Lulu screamed. “Neela Smyth! Oh, wow!”

  Lulu grabbed her arms, and a flood of indiscernible words came pouring out of the little figure. Neela could only nod, unable to get a word in.

  Blake crouched next to Neela, an arm around his niece. “Slow down, Lulu. Breathe, darling, breathe.”

  Lulu’s quick nod was followed by concentrated intakes of air, her eyes widening with each exhale until she burst out again. “We watched the series in Dubai! You were brilliant! Especially when you scored that try against Ireland! Better than any of Uncle Blake’s tries, I can tell you that. He always looks like he just makes it across the line, but you just float! You’re a legend! Oh, wait. Is that bruise from when you stopped that bigger woman in the finals?”

  Neela laughed, catching Blake’s smile.

  “Lulu, please, let Miss Smyth talk,” said a heavily pregnant woman who had just walked up to them. “I’m Sharon, Robbie’s wife, and this bundle of energy’s mum. God help us all if we have another one like this.”

  Neela rose from her knees to take the hand being held out.

  “Mum! It’s Neela Smyth!” Lulu repeated, her eyes not leaving her heroine’s face.

  “She says my tries are better than yours,” Neela teased Blake.

  “My niece knows what she’s talking about,” he responded good-naturedly. “And she’s right. You do look like you float when you cross the line.”

  “Do you have your Games medal with you, Miss Smyth?” Lulu asked.

  “I’m afraid I don’t,” she said. “It’s in a small box I keep at home. But maybe I can have your uncle bring it to you one day to see?”

  “That’s a grand idea, but I have a better one,” Blake said. “Maybe, just maybe, we can convince Miss Smyth to show you her medal herself. We can say thank you by taking her on a picnic. What do you think?”

  “Oh, yes, please!” Lulu squealed. “Say yes, Miss Smyth! Uncle Blake always bakes the best cookies when we go on a picnic.”

  “I know. He’s already baked some choc chip ones for me,” she said.

  “Oh, he must really like you, then. He only bakes choc chips for his favorite people,” Lulu said, switching her gaze from Neela to Blake. “Is she your girlfriend, Uncle Blake?”

  Lulu’s voice pierced through the crowd, and a flush crept up Neela’s neck, warming her cheeks. She expected to see laughter in her date’s eyes. Instead, they stared back, as if studying every detail on her face.

  He then bent to meet
Lulu’s face. “She’s just a very good friend.”

  “That’s all right, then. Dad said I don’t ever have to have a boyfriend because boyfriends are rubbish anyway, and I should just have lots of friends,” Lulu said confidently.

  Neela laughed. “Your dad gives good advice.”

  “And your dad needs to make sure you have your dinner,” Robbie said as he reached for his daughter’s hand.

  “No—”

  “Lulu, let’s get something to eat.”

  “Can I—”

  “No.”

  “Please?”

  “No.”

  They watched Robbie firmly march his daughter out of the room, but not before the little girl had turned for one last wave.

  “I must warn you, Neela, my daughter was already quite a fan of yours before Rio.” Sharon placed her hand over her stomach. “But after Robbie, mean sod that he is, showed her the video of you and Blake at twelve, she’s been quite obsessed with you. On behalf of my husband, I apologize in advance for anything she does.”

  Neela smiled. “I’m flattered. But it seems she also has quite the artistic side.”

  Sharon sighed. “It’s in the Stanton blood. It’s not one thing, it’s several things. I asked her the other day if she’d like to try ballet or rugby, and she asked why she couldn’t do both.”

  “Good question. Why not?” Blake asked.

  “She wants to wear her tutu to rugby practice.”

  “Again, why not?”

  “Remind me to ask you to babysit on those days she has rugby.”

  “I’m always available to spend time with my niece, Sharon,” he said.

  Sharon angled her head. “Yeah, but I’m never sure who makes the decisions when you do.” She sighed when she caught Robbie waving to her from across the room. “Looks like the doctor needs help with the five-year-old. Honestly, we’ve been trying to take this family picture for half an hour now, and I’m wondering if it will ever happen. We found you, but Andrew’s disappeared.”

  “What happened to Andrew?” Blake asked, surveying the room.

  “Not sure,” Sharon replied. “He was here before you arrived.”

  “Alone?”

  Sharon’s eyes were troubled. “Yes. Alone.”

  Blake squeezed his sister-in-law’s arm. “He’ll be fine. It just means he’s going to be involved in everyone else’s life a little bit more than usual. But if you’ll excuse us, I need to introduce Neela to Mum and Dad.”

  Neela felt Blake’s warm hand on her back. She told herself to move away but didn’t. She caught a glimpse of their reflection in one of the windows. They looked like any average couple at a gathering, except they weren’t really a couple.

  “Happy birthday, Mum!” Blake leaned to kiss his mother before shaking his father’s hand. “And how are you, Dad? You did well to put this together so quickly.”

  “Darling! So glad you’re here,” said Clarissa. Voluminous tangerine material covered Blake when his mother embraced him. “Oh, I love those buttons! Did you find that shirt on the website I told you about?”

  “Yes. That was a gem of a recommendation. The designer also makes belts. All I need now is a picture of Mano’s tattoos.”

  Neela frowned. Did she just hear that right?

  “I’ll re-introduce myself to you now, Neela,” said the tall man in front of her. “Blake and his mum may go on and on about buttons and forget all about us.”

  Neela smiled and held out her hand. “Sir, it’s good to see you again after all these years.”

  “Please, call me Walt. And you’ll have to forgive them,” said Walt. “They’ve always been like that. Blake was the only one of our children who was excited to go clothes shopping with his mum. Together, they’ve cost me thousands of dollars in art, crafts, and clothes. When Blake received his first paycheck from the Club, I almost became religious.”

  She hadn’t known Walt Stanton’s voice when she was at school. While not unfriendly, he left the socializing to his wife. Back then, he always kept his sunnies on, and his lips were thin and stern. No one could quite match the man to the boy who had made people laugh, whether it was intentional or not. Now retired, the former captain of the Royal Navy still stood with authority, wearing his silver hair in the expected crew cut.

  “And congratulations on your success,” said Walt. “You’ve done our country proud,”

  “Very kind of you to say so. I’m lucky to be part of a great team,” Neela replied. “And thank you for inviting me.”

  “I understand from my wife that you’re keeping our son out of mischief this summer.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “I’m surprised our paths haven’t crossed sooner given all that you and Blake have in common.”

  “Life’s sometimes like that, isn’t it, Mr. Stanton?”

  “Indeed.”

  Blake returned his arm to Neela’s waist. She took a step to face Blake’s mother, which he automatically mirrored, drawing her closer. She could smell his cologne again, a scent she realized was becoming familiar and comforting.

  “My dear! Look at you, all grown up!” Clarissa exclaimed. Like her granddaughter, Clarissa immediately reached for Neela’s hands and studied her face intently. “You were pretty as a little girl, but you’re quite simply breathtaking now as a young woman. Those eyes! Fire in them, my dear. I must paint you. I simply must.”

  Clarissa turned suddenly. The softness of the tangerine fabric brushed against Neela’s arm as the cape swirled in a witch-like manner. Clapping her hands, Clarissa commanded the room’s attention.

  “Everyone, everyone, Neela Smyth, silver medalist from the Summer Games is here. Let’s greet her properly. It’s her first time with us, so be nice. And don’t mind the gossip papers about her and Blake. They’re just friends.”

  Before Neela could blink, Clarissa recaptured her hand and pulled her close. Blue eyes animated and excited, the older woman whispered loudly, “We’re so pleased to see you again, darling. I’ve asked about you for years, but Blake was always coming up with excuses why he didn’t know you personally. And now, look at you and him. It’s straight out of a romance novel!”

  “Mrs. Stanton, like you said, we’re just friends.”

  “The best lovers start as friends, don’t you know? Blake has had the loveliest of girlfriends, but out of my three boys, he’s never been able to exert an ounce of self-control when it comes to women. But let me introduce you to Shellie. Shellie used to be Stanley Walters. Do you remember him? He directed that dreadful movie about mermaids and pearls years ago. Her work has so vastly improved since the change. Thank goodness. One can only live a lie for so long, don’t you think?”

  * * *

  Blake smiled as he watched his mother commandeered Neela around the room. He suspected she intended to introduce Neela to all twenty of her best friends. Most people were overwhelmed by Clarissa Stanton’s enthusiasm and joie de vivre, but when his mum found someone she was particularly interested in, her energy level went up another notch.

  His father came up to him and thrust a glass of lemonade into his hand. “How’s your ankle, son?”

  “Doing better, Dad. Thanks.”

  “Going to have your brother take a look at it?”

  “He’s a neurosurgeon, Dad.”

  “Ankle, shoulder, brains. He had to study everything.”

  “You might want to think of adding new things to your repertoire, Dad. I’ve heard this one too often, just with different body parts.”

  “You’re the only one I can say it to since your brothers tend not to get injured.”

  “Speaking of brothers, I haven’t seen Andrew.”

  “Probably walking by the beach. It relaxes him,” said Walt. “He flew down last night.”

  “How’s he doing?”

  “As well as he can be. Pat leaving him was unexpected. The last time they visited, Andrew brought up the idea of getting married.”

  Blake sighed. He’d lik
ed Pat. “They were together a good three or four years, weren’t they?”

  “Indeed.”

  “Shall I go look for him?”

  “Yeah. Why don’t you take Neela with you? If my calculations are correct, Lulu will be done with her dinner. I don’t think it’s fair for anyone to have to deal with your mother and Lulu simultaneously. We don’t want to chase her away after one visit to the Stanton household.”

  If Neela needed rescuing from his mother, she didn’t show it. In fact, she was laughing animatedly at one of his mother’s anecdotes. Probably about him, Blake thought. She looked as relaxed as he had ever seen her.

  She had done something different with her hair. Maybe it was a little shorter? Hard to tell, since it was usually pulled back into a ponytail or hidden under a cap. Now loose, perhaps styled a little, its vibrant dark mix of brown and black shimmered under the ‘mood lights’ his mother had in the room.

  He watched Neela angle her head slightly as if to hear better. Then she threw her head back, laughing at whatever it was that Aunty Shellie had just said.

  Blake smiled in response to the sound of her amusement. He was getting used to Neela’s smile. She was the kind of person who laughed from deep within, a genuine and honest reaction when amused.

  She should laugh more. It suits her.

  She caught him staring at her, her face still flushed from the laughter. Blake moved toward her, unable to stay away. He wanted to be part of whatever it was that had made her happy. When he was close, he held out his hand, and a deep sense of satisfaction went through him when she automatically placed her hand in his. What had once been awkward was now instinctive.

  “Everything all right? You’re looking quite serious for a Stanton,” she said.

  “I’m going to look for Andrew. Would you like to come with me?”

  She nodded and quickly excused herself from the group.

  They were a few meters outside the house when Blake felt a slight shiver go through her. She had a wrap, but the sea breeze, while kind, was cool, so he took off his blazer and draped it over her shoulders.

  “Thanks,” Neela said as she pulled the blazer closed. “I’ll give it back when we go inside. A bit foolish of me to forget how much cooler it is by the water.”