by Ruth Hay
“Is that what has been bothering you, Sandy dear?”
“Why am I complaining? You’ve been through so much more than I have lately, Val.
I do miss you though. Why do our lives have to be different from the dreams we had long ago?”
Valerie rose to stand behind her friend at the railing. “I can’t answer that question other than to say I have learned lately that we need to cherish each moment whether it matches our dreams or not.”
Sandra turned and they hugged.
“You have always been so wise, Val.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you had seen me a few months ago. I was a total mess!”
The crisis was over and the two old friends fell into the easy companionship they had shared over the years. Valerie described the dark months after David had died and Sandra explained her frustration over her lack of meaningful work. “I am wasting my life, Val, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
“Put it all aside for now. I can’t promise anything but this week is about sharing and remembering and having a darn good time together. There’s such a lot to see and do in the Lake District and it looks like the weather will hold for us. Let’s tidy up and I’ll show you the choices I collected for us.
By the way, I got a text from Corinne. She arrives today. She’s such a practical person. She’ll set us all to rights, I’m sure.”
They decided to start by exploring the Lakelands complex. Sandra was determined not to get lost again.
It was easier to figure out the plan in the daylight when signs at the upper road level indicated what apartments and facilities could be found at the bottom of the stairways. They discovered that Valerie’s Fairfield apartment was at the highest level, overlooking the manicured gardens and paths. They went into the pool building below the apartment and saw an excellent facility with huge glass windows at the front.
“I am going to swim there, looking out at that view,” Valerie insisted.
“Good for you, but I am out of here before I melt. This place is like a sauna!”
The roadway, where all the residents’ cars had designated parking spaces, ended at a very steep lane leading down to the streets of Ambleside. Sandra was all for setting off downward until Valerie reminded her she would have to climb up again and they might miss Corinne’s arrival while they were in the town.
Instead, they turned around in a circle and revelled in the amazing views from every angle. Valerie mentioned they would get even better views from further up the hillside where houses could be seen bordering a winding street.
“Do you remember the climb up the muddy slope behind the college to get to our residence?”
“Yes! It was a shortcut from the bus stop but dark and dangerous, I suppose. We were brave and bold in those days, weren’t we?”
“Some might say more foolhardy than brave. We could have been attacked there. Grace warned us to stop, didn’t she?”
“You’re right. She was always watching out for us. I still can’t believe she’s gone.”
Valerie thought it was time to change the subject before Sandra got morose.
“I have an idea. One of us at a time can go down that steep lane and explore the town for a bit. I had a look around yesterday. You go, Sandy. Take your time. There’s no rush. Have a bite of lunch if you like. Or bring something back if you want. Take a sniff at the Apple Pie Bakery for example!”
Sandra chuckled, agreed to this plan, and set off slowly on the steep path with a cheery wave.
Valerie went back to the apartment and did some tidying. She intended to move into the bedroom with Sandra and leave the other bedroom for Corinne. She and Sandra had shared a room before and were well used to each other’s preferences for dark sleeping conditions and bathroom etiquette.
She finished smoothing the bed she had slept in and wiped the bathroom countertops and sink then transferred her belongings to Sandra’s room. Looking around the apartment, she thought it was the perfect place to spend time with friends. The setting was lovely and that view! She was drawn out to see what else was happening. It was like having a giant screen with an ever-changing panorama set in place just for her delight. In the late afternoon the streets far below the Lakelands complex were a hive of activity and all was hustle and bustle. The noise of cars was a background buzz but it was possible to see figures stepping into shops and emerging with purchases or ice creams and wandering along at their leisure.
The day continued warm and the town was busy with weekend visitors. Valerie was lost in a reverie of former days when she and David had strolled along these same, unchanged, narrow streets together, hand in hand, exclaiming at the variety of hand-made chocolates on display or planning their next meal.
She must have been dreaming for an hour or more, or perhaps she was dozing. The sound of a doorbell brought her back, abruptly, to the present. How long had the bell been ringing? It must be Corinne at last.
She rushed to the door at the back of the apartment, thinking Corinne must have seen the sign at the car park that indicated Apartment C could be reached from inside the building. She threw open the door with Corinne’s name on her lips but the words died quickly.
This was not Corinne Carstairs.
The young person who stood there was so different from Corinne in every way that Valerie was stunned into silence.
“Excuse me! I am looking for Valerie Westwood. The office people sent me here. It’s been a long time but ……… aren’t you Valerie?”
A thousand thoughts flooded Valerie’s mind. This gorgeous creature could only be the girl she had last seen weeping at her mother’s grave, and yet, the resemblance was only superficial. She had the elegance and polish of one of those willowy models who grace the pages of high-class women’s magazines. From the top of her shiny black hair to the tips of her high-heeled white shoes, she was a symphony in black and white. Her suit skirt was white with dark panels on either side making her body appear ridiculously slender and the white blouse she wore had a dramatic diagonal stripe of black that narrowed towards her tiny waistline.
The effect was both stunning and fashionable.
Valerie absorbed this vision and gulped. She felt the urgent desire to push back her own floppy hair and straighten her shoulders before replying.
“Zoe! How wonderful! I was not expecting you. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long. Forgive me for staring. Please come in.”
Zoe Morton took command of the situation as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She lifted her black leather valise and marched into the lounge, taking in the entire room at a glance, then, depositing her handbag on the floor by the nearest chair, settled herself into it with a sigh and the swish of nylon as she crossed her long legs.
“I really don’t know why I came. It was a last minute decision. The conference I attended this weekend is not far away and it was something about the good weather that may have prompted me to take a short break. Feel free to throw me out if you wish. It was a foolish impulse.”
“No! No! Don’t even think of leaving! I am so pleased to see you. I had given up hope you would accept my invitation but I’m more than thrilled you came. I was expecting someone else just now and you caught me by surprise.”
“Oh, who else is here?”
“No one else at the moment but my old friend Sandra has arrived and Corinne should be here any time now. Do you remember their names?”
She shook her head and a perfectly-cut angel wing of hair descended to cover the side of her face, curving to frame her bottom lip. Valerie could not read her reaction to the question. When Zoe looked up again it was to focus on something else entirely.
“I noticed the artwork as soon as I came in. How did you find this place? The prints on the walls are famous and must be worth thousands.”
“I am sorry to say I had no idea of their value until I met someone by chance who knows the owner of this apartment and who told me her name. What do you know about the paintings, Zoe?”
“This one is in the boardroom of my company in London. The previous CEO was born in Scotland and he said the painting reminded him of old stone buildings on the west coast. He said it must have been a beloved place because it radiated love and contentment. The artist is Lawren Drake, of course.”
“That fits in with the information I was told. I believe the apartment is owned by his wife.”
“An excellent choice for you. Not the only remarkable thing here, I notice.”
Zoe unfolded herself from the chair and walked out to the balcony to admire the view. Valerie let her enjoy it on her own. Interrupting the girl with the questions that were crowding her mind would be crass at such a moment. She seemed tightly wound and not exactly communicative. The glorious scenery could only benefit her.
While Zoe was still leaning against the railing, the door from the other side of the balcony sprung open and Sandra entered with a canvas bag in her hand, followed closely by a familiar figure toting a case.
“Look who I found outside! She was just as lost as I was. This place is like a warren!”
Valerie crossed the floor in three steps and folded Corinne into her arms. “You are here! I am so glad you made it, my dear. Come in and sit down. Don’t worry about your case.”
Sandra was heading to the kitchen with her Apple Pie Bakery purchases and providing a running commentary on her Ambleside expedition.
“What a neat little town and so busy with tourists. It must be very popular. There are so many cafes and interesting shops. I wandered around for ages and finally came back to the start. You were right, Val, about the steep climb back. I had to sit down on the top step to catch my breath and an elderly couple carrying two heavy bags of groceries came marching steadily up the hill and continued on up to another level without a pause in their pace and enough spare breath to wish me a good day! I think I must be very much out of shape, Valerie.”
“Oh, that hill is a challenge for anyone who isn’t used to it. David and I had to wait close to a week to do it without stopping. And we were much younger then.”
There was an awkward pause during which Corinne’s thoughts were involved in wanting to ask Valerie about David’s final months, but she did not feel the time was right for that difficult conversation.
Sandra, still in the kitchen, was feeling renewed guilt that she had not been available to her friend when she lost her life companion and at the same time she was admiring the fact that Val was now able to talk about happier times with David.
Valerie ignored the pause and remembered her hostess duties. She turned to the patio doors where Zoe was entering from the balcony. She had not noticed the new arrivals until the sound of animated chatter drew her attention. She stopped short, trying to remember what, if anything, she knew about these people and also calculating when she could extricate herself from her impulsive mistake in inserting herself into some kind of old gals’ reunion.
“Corinne and Sandra, you remember Zoe, Grace’s daughter? She arrived a while ago and I am delighted she decided to join us here.”
“Actually, I have never met Grace’s daughter but I feel I kind of know her from hearing so much about her from you two.” Corinne advanced with her hand outstretched and said “How are you? I am Corinne Carstairs,” to a startled Zoe, still poised in the doorway with a perplexed look on her face.
“Oh, I didn’t see you there, Zoe!” Sandra bounced out of the kitchen and across the floor and almost pushed Corinne aside in her rush to enfold Zoe in a bear hug that nearly swept the girl off her feet.
She lost her breath for a second and missed the opportunity to take her leave as Sandra was determined to fill the gap with reminiscences about Zoe’s early years; a period of which the girl had little memory. Despite herself, she was soon caught up in the stream of happenings she had apparently participated in with Sandra and Valerie when they were all in Glasgow.
“And the time we were babysitting for your parents and Valerie let the kettle boil over and the noise and the steam frightened you so much you screamed for ten minutes on end until we found your panda bear under the couch and you settled down with his paw in your mouth, sobbing all over him. When you finally fell asleep, Val snuck the toy away and washed and dried him so your mother wouldn’t suspect how upset you had been.”
The three women laughed sympathetically and Zoe, in spite of herself was suddenly soothed by the fact that two of them had known her then. In a life in which there was no longer any person who could tell her about her childhood there was a strange comfort in that knowledge.
Valerie could only imagine that the sophisticated young executive was embarrassed by Sandra’s tales. She seemed to be somewhat stunned by the turn of events. Val filled the gap by turning to Sandra and pulling her gently away from Zoe.
“Well, Sandy, what did you find to eat in the town? Our travellers must be hungry by now.”
“Wait! Please! I want to treat all of you to a meal as an apology for barging in like this. Where is the nearest hotel?”
Zoe’s impulse was genuine and yet, she was secretly planning to escape immediately after the meal without causing any further fuss. She could quickly summon a limo and be on the road back to London before nightfall with this whole weird incident left far behind her.
Valerie’s face crinkled up as she considered this generous offer. “There are lots of places to have lunch around here but on Sundays only noisy pubs are open late and hotels don’t do evening meals unless you are a resident.” She rushed on so as not to disappoint Zoe. “There’s plenty to eat here, of course. I shopped yesterday and Sandra has brought more goodies from town. We could have a picnic-style meal here and catch the sunset from the balcony. I have a bottle or three of a decent wine as well.”
She turned to include everyone in her appeal. “What do you say? Shall we eat together and plan what we’ll do tomorrow? We can start fresh on Monday after a good night’s sleep.”
The majority vote won.
Zoe was experiencing an unusual, for her, confusion. Normally she was the one in charge; the decision maker who was never challenged. Suddenly she found herself caught up in something totally unexpected, a group of older females who seemed to know more about her than she did.
She took a deep breath. There were things they could never imagine and things they would never know about her. For one more night she could hold it all together and be gone before they suspected a thing.
Nine.
Monday.
Valerie awoke first. As the one who had done the least amount of travelling lately, she felt refreshed in spite of the excessive wine and food consumption of the previous evening.
On the whole she was pleased with the way things were going. Everyone had arrived safely although she feared Zoe’s commitment to a week’s stay was fragile at best.
The three original friends were very different in style and manner. It would not be easy to establish consensus for anything including where to spend their leisure time. She determined that today, at least, would be about Zoe. Something from the perusal of the tourist folders and brochures must have been of interest to Zoe. Whatever the girl wanted, would be the agenda for the day if Valerie had anything to say about it.
She tiptoed out of the ensuite bathroom and closed the double doors to the bedroom behind her. Sandra was still fast asleep and Valerie needed a few quiet moments to plan the day. Unexpectedly, the patio window was open slightly and she could see Corinne standing at the railing with only a light dressing gown around her.
Immediately Valerie was struck by the thought that somethin
g had happened in the bedroom shared by Zoe and Corinne. Although the younger girl had graciously accepted to share, after consuming a considerable amount of wine, it was clear to her hostess that Zoe was accustomed to private facilities when she travelled. The other factor was the difference in personalities between her and Corinne. The latter was a solid, no-nonsense kind of person whose medical career had taught her to brook no fools. Placing these two females together was a risk Valerie had to take but it could have gone horribly wrong.
“Did you sleep well, Corinne?”
“Only as well as someone who is used to early rising and who has plenty on her mind. Did I disturb you, Valerie?”
“Not at all. I confess to sleeping like a baby these days, but what is troubling you? Is it Arthur? Anything I can do?”
“I doubt it.” She wrapped her arms around her waist as if holding herself together. “It’s Carla.”
“But I thought she had agreed to look after Arthur while you were away.”
“It’s not that! I just found out about something she’s been up to. We had a terrible row. That was why I missed the train. She has been seeing a man.”
“Do you mean she’s now divorced from her husband?”
“No. That’s the trouble. A letter arrived at the house addressed to C. Carstairs and I opened it without thinking. It was from some guy who met Carla in a bar and tracked down her address through her pals.
He wrote begging her to give him her phone info and pick up their romance where it left off.
I was absolutely furious with her. She’s living at home and moping around all day doing nothing to sort out her life after two years of marriage. Two damn years, Val! That’s barely enough time to open all the wedding presents she was given, never mind decide to dump a fellow she promised to love forever.