by Kim Nash
She smiled and thought about what a long way she’d come from the day Monica had started her make-over. At one point, she’d never thought she’d find someone she’d want to be with romantically. She just couldn’t be bothered and was just happy to wait around for Archie to come back from his dad’s but she thought that she might just be falling for Vinnie. He made her feel things that she’d never thought she’d feel again. Perhaps it was worth it after all.
Chapter Twenty-One
Vinnie asked if they could swing by his house on the way out, so he could pick up his hoody. The weather was definitely warming up, but it was cool in the shady parts of the forest. As they pulled into the cul-de-sac he lived in, she noticed a car parked outside his house, but when the driver spotted Vinnie’s car, she quickly pulled away. It was a pretty young woman in a blue Fiat 500. Grace’s heart began to beat faster and she went silent, not knowing whether she should mention it and prick the little bubble of happiness that had descended on her since last night with Vinnie. Was she just imagining things – seeing things that weren’t even there? When she was with Mark, he said she did that all the time. Her thoughts were racing; she needed to calm down and pull herself together.
They pulled up in the car park at the forest and Becks jumped out of the back of the car and waited patiently for Vinnie and Grace to put on their hoodys. Vinnie kissed her gently then took her hand as they headed down towards the lakes. Grace couldn’t stop wondering again if everything was too good to be true. Once you’d been severely hurt, half of you always wanted to protect your heart, however much the other half of you wanted to just let things flow. And it wasn’t just her that she had to think about; Archie was also attached now. She knew that Vinnie was someone very special and she desperately wanted to trust him with her heart – but could she? They had a lot of getting to know each other to do. What happened when the honeymoon period was over and they both stopped being on their best behaviour? She knew she had to stop comparing him to Mark, but they’d been together for such a long time that she found it difficult. Perhaps the car she’d seen was visiting his neighbour and just happened to have parked outside of his house?
A voice that seemed to whisper through the trees and sounded just like her mum came into her head. Darling, you have to love like you’ve never been hurt or you’ll turn love away. You deserve love, you have love right here and you have to grasp it with both hands, eyes wide open and an open heart. Trust me, even if you trust no one else! Things aren’t always what they seem.
Vinnie shouted, ‘Race you to the bench!’ and took off, Becks charging at his heels.
‘Totally unfair! You knew you were going to do that, so you were always going to win.’ She panted as she reached the bench where Vinnie was sitting. He pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her passionately.
‘Grace, Grace, Grace, what are you doing to me?’ he murmured. ‘I thought that feeling like this was something you read about in books. I didn’t realise that you could feel so wonderful with someone so quickly. When I’m with you, there’s nowhere else in the world that I’d rather be.’
One of the many things she loved about Vinnie was how honest and open he was. There was no playing games, he just said what he was feeling. OMG! She just realised she’d thought the word ‘loved’! Did she love him? Already? In such a short space of time? She hadn’t thought it possible that she would ever love anyone apart from Archie ever again. But yes, she was definitely well on the way to falling head over heels with this man.
Grace had been guarding her heart and protecting herself from possible further hurt, never even considering meeting anyone else. But she realised now that she’d been missing out. Perhaps that expression, ‘love like you’ve never been hurt’, was right after all, rather than, ‘don’t bother loving, because you’re going to get hurt’. She realised that she’d gone from being a glass-half-empty to a glass-half-full person and she felt happier because of it.
A grey-haired couple who were probably in their late seventies were walking past hand in hand and they stopped and smiled at them. ‘Good morning,’ said the gentleman. ‘So lovely to see couples in love! And what a beautiful morning too.’
‘It is indeed,’ said Vinnie. ‘We’re making the most of a beautiful sunny day.’
‘Glad to hear it, son. When you get to our age, every day you wake up is a bonus. We have our aches and pains but I’m delighted to say that my Vera and I have been married for fifty years today and I just want to share it with the world.’
Vinnie jumped up and shook the man’s hand. ‘Congratulations to you both. How wonderful to hear that. Are you doing anything special to celebrate?’
‘We’re flying out to Australia tomorrow morning to see our son. He’s been out there for five years now and he’s paid for us to visit him and his family as our golden wedding anniversary present. We’re just off to grab a coffee now and a late breakfast and then home to finish the packing. We’re thinking of staying in the country around three to six months, depending upon when they get fed up with us, so we’ve had to think very carefully about what to take. Vee obviously wants to take everything she owns.’ He smiled as he winked at his wife.
‘I’m very excited,’ she said. ‘I get to hug my son again. We Skype each other every week since he bought me an iPad last Christmas, but to feel him in my arms again will be such a special moment. I cannot wait. I thought this day would never come.’
‘I’m Vinnie, by the way, and this is Grace. How wonderful for you. I know we’ve only just met you but would you do me the honour of allowing me to buy breakfast for you both to say Happy Anniversary?’ Grace thought that this was quite possibly the nicest thing she’d ever known anyone to do for a stranger. Vinnie really did have a kind heart.
‘Oh, Vinnie. What a lovely young man you are. You do remind me of my boy.’
‘Hardly a boy any more, Vee! He’s forty next week.’
‘He’ll always be my boy, Reg, you know that,’ Vera retorted, nudging her husband with a grin.
‘It would be lovely to have breakfast with you,’ Grace said. ‘We’d love to hear all about your plans for your trip. What do you think?’
Vera and Reg looked at each other and smiled. ‘We’d love to.’
Reg and Vinnie walked ahead with Becks trotting along at Vinnie’s side. The dog really had taken to Vinnie in a way that Grace hadn’t expected. Becks always seemed calm in Vinnie’s presence, which reflected her own feelings when she was around him.
Vera walked along beside her and when they came to a particularly rocky part of the path, Grace offered her arm and Vera happily tucked hers in. When they got over the rocks, Vera didn’t remove her arm and Grace realised how nice it felt. It reminded her of the days when she used to walk with her mum for hours arm in arm. She smiled as she realised that this was another happy memory instead of a sad one even though it tugged at her heart.
They meandered along, chatting like they’d known each other for years. Vera talked about her son who she was still quite clearly besotted with. He was an IT consultant who had moved out to Melbourne for a six-month period, but while he was there, had met Amy, the love of his life. They’d married quickly and recently discovered that they had a baby on the way. The baby would be born while Vera and Reg were visiting, another reason they were so excited about the trip. When Vera talked about her son, her whole face lit up.
She asked Grace if she and Vinnie had children. Grace explained that they’d only recently got together and that she had a son who spent time with his father as well as her. Vera slowed down, turned to face Grace and took her hands in hers.
‘I know we’ve only just met, but I’d like to say something. If I can teach you one thing in life, it’s that you can’t just be a mother. Don’t get me wrong, being a mother for me was the best job I ever had. And for years I felt that it was all I ever needed. But one day, your children flee the nest and you become lonely. When your child leaves home, you feel like your heart has been ripped out. It
’s almost like you have a limb missing. That’s when you realise that the man you chose to spend your life with is the one that you will grow old with. I can see how much you love your son by the way you talk about him and I know we don’t know each other, but I bet you are an amazing mother. But you need a love of your own. One day your son will meet the love of his life, and if you are lucky, like I am, you will not lose a son, but gain a daughter.
‘I know that your son leaving home is a long way off, but trust me on this. I think you’ve found yourself someone there who’s a little bit special!’ She nodded towards Vinnie. ‘He’s a good man. I can feel it in my bones. I feel that you are guarding your heart, but I also feel that you need to let go. Trust in love and trust in each other and you’ll be just fine – I hope maybe one day you will be celebrating a milestone anniversary! Life is short and when you get to our age, you know that you have to live it to the full.’
Vera reached up to Grace and wiped away a tear, which she hadn’t realised was trickling down her cheek. ‘Special love comes around just once in a lifetime. I found mine and I think you’ve found yours. Now you just have to grasp it and enjoy it. Don’t push it away before you’ve given it chance to bloom and flourish. Now come along, let’s go eat. I’m ravenous!’
Vera reminded Grace of her mum. She had grey hair, and looked sophisticated in her bright russet-coloured raincoat over a pair of brown jeans and walking boots. She had very subtle make-up set off by a bright orange lipstick. Grace smiled, thinking how much her mum would have liked this lady.
They sat outside in the sunshine and Becks settled nicely under the table. Breakfast was ordered and the two couples chatted companionably. It didn’t take long for them all to demolish their full English breakfasts and a huge pot of tea and then, reluctantly, Reg reminded Vera that they had to go and pack. Grace said that she would love to know how their Australian adventure was going and Vera reached inside her handbag and found a notepad and pen. She asked Grace to write down her email address and promised to let her know when they arrived in Australia.
The two women hugged when they parted as if they’d known each other for all their lives. Reg pumped Vinnie’s hand and said what a pleasure it had been to meet them, thanking them for their breakfast. As Reg and Vera walked towards the car park, Vinnie slung his arm around her shoulders and planted a kiss on her head. ‘Well, that was a surprise meeting if ever I’ve known one. What a fabulous couple.’
They heard the roar of a deep throaty engine and they turned around to see a bright-red convertible Ferrari pull out of a parking space. There was the loud beep of a horn and Reg and Vera waved as they wheel-spun out of the car park, leaving a cloud of dust behind them.
Vinnie and Grace laughed as she said. ‘I guess that’s what Vera meant by living life to the full!’
They arrived back at Grace’s house just after one o’clock and as she was expecting Archie back later in the afternoon, Vinnie said that he would go home, as he had some planning to do for the week ahead, and leave them to have some quality time together.
‘I’ve had a wonderful long weekend, Grace.’ He kissed Grace tenderly after she got Becks out of the boot and he walked towards his car. She did wonder what the neighbours would be thinking, having her bedroom curtains shut in the middle of the afternoon and then a car at hers overnight. She’d be getting a text from Belinda soon, she was sure of that.
She waved as he drove off. As she shut the door behind her, Grace realised that she was missing him already.
Chapter Twenty-Two
On Tuesday at lunchtime, while Grace was making herself a sandwich before going out to another house viewing, her mobile rang and she saw Ruth’s number displayed.
‘Hey, Ruth, how are you?’ she asked. ‘How did it go?’ There was a very strange noise coming from the other end of the phone. ‘Ruth? Ruth?’
‘Oh, Grace,’ she sobbed. She sounded so upset.
‘Where are you? I’m coming to you. Just tell me where you are.’
‘I’m at the shop. I can’t face going home right now.’ It was difficult to decipher what Ruth was saying, and her tone of voice was strangely muted.
‘I’m on my way,’ Grace said, feeling concerned.
When she arrived at the café, it was in darkness, but there was a light coming from the staff room at the back. The door was locked so Grace hammered on it. Ruth appeared, her face blotchy, looking like she’d been crying for a week.
When she opened the door, Grace slammed it behind her and turned the lock again. She led Ruth back into the staff room.
‘What happened, darling?’ she asked.
‘Oh, Grace,’ she sobbed. ‘I spoke to Meredith through Michelle. It was incredible.’
Grace’s body tingled, from her toes to the top of her head as Ruth recalled her session.
‘When I arrived at Michelle’s house, she was eager to get me in and settled and said that she had a young lady who desperately wanted to speak to me. Michelle described the woman and I knew straight away that it was Meredith. Michelle said that she was getting the feeling that this young lady had been taken way ahead of her time and that the young lady was telling her that it was OK; that she was fine and well, and that while she knew that her family were so very sad, that it was just her time to go.’
Grace passed Ruth a tissue as she noticed a tear fall slowly down her cheek.
‘She said that she knew that her family wouldn’t ever forget her, but that it was time that we started to build a new life without her and that there was no better legacy for her to leave behind than to watch her family live their lives to the full. She said that we needed to know that life is so very precious and short, and that it is about the people that you meet and the memories that you make with them along the way. She said she wanted us to make amazing memories with the people that are around us; to remember and cherish the past, but that we should take and make opportunities to have an amazing future. To live life like every day counted. She made me promise to do this, Grace.’
Grace held Ruth’s hand as she could see how emotional her friend was getting and she just wanted to comfort her.
‘She talked about the leukaemia and said that there was nothing anybody could have done to save her. She said that she was around me and my beautiful family all the time and that she walks with us when we go on our family walks. Apparently she’s never far from her brother or her sister and she wants us to continue to talk to her as she hears everything we say, but she gets frustrated because she couldn’t answer us before now.’
Ruth explained that during the session she was trying to write things down so that she wouldn’t forget what was said, while listening as hard as she could so she didn’t miss a thing. Grace was trying really hard to hold it together as Ruth continued her story; she felt so emotional and she was taken right back to that very first contact she’d had with her mum.
‘Finally Meredith talked about Vinnie and how he’s met someone new who he feels is his soul mate and that she hopes that they will go on to have a fabulous life together. She said that she wanted to thank Mike for being a wonderful husband and so supportive to me and that he really is a sincere person who genuinely adores his family and his wife.’
Ruth seemed to have calmed down slightly at this point and Grace wiped her own tears away and asked her how she felt about her visit to Michelle after sharing the experience.
‘Oh, Grace, I am so pleased that I went. I know I’m upset now but it’s because it’s all so raw. I’ve had this amazing connection with my kid sister that I never thought for one minute that I would ever have again and that is such an incredible feeling. I didn’t realise how much I’d pushed all these thoughts aside, and it’s brought all my emotions back to the surface… but in a really good way. I know I’m totally drained now, but that aside, the one thing that I’m sensing more than anything is peace. I feel at peace with what has happened. I really needed this.’
‘Ruth, I am so delighted for you. I know that goin
g to see Michelle was a massive help to me. In fact, I don’t know how I would have coped without her in my life at a time when I needed so many answers. I can’t tell you how pleased I am that you have done what you needed to do. Perhaps now, your heart might start to heal.’ She turned to Ruth, tears shining in her eyes, and embraced her friend, knowing exactly the emotions that Ruth was experiencing.
The shrill ringtone of a mobile phone interrupted the moment. ‘Oh my!’ Ruth exclaimed, as she spotted Vinnie’s name on the caller display. She clutched her hand to her chest. ‘I need to tell Vinnie and Mike. I told you first.’ She smiled through her tears. ‘I knew you’d understand and I instinctively just needed you to be the first to know. I know neither of them will mind. Will you speak to Vinnie for me and ask him to come round to mine and Mike’s house now please?’
Grace answered Ruth’s phone and Vinnie laughed. ‘I knew she’d ring you first. I just knew it.’
‘I’m so sorry, Vinnie,’ Grace replied. ‘I know she probably should have told you and Mike but she called me instead, probably because I understand better than most what she’s just been through. She asked me to get you to meet her at their house as soon as you can.’
‘I don’t mind, Grace, why would I? She loves you nearly as much as I do. And that’s a huge amount. See you there in ten minutes.’
Grace smiled as she handed the phone back to Ruth, her heart beating ten to the dozen and set on fire by Vinnie’s words. Had he really just said that he loved her? She wanted to jump up and down on the spot in excitement, but on reflection decided that probably wouldn’t be particularly cool.
‘Can I ask a massive favour, Grace?’ Ruth asked.
‘Of course. Anything you like,’ Grace replied.
‘Can I have a hug? I just need a great big sisterly hug right now.’
Grace and Ruth stood and hugged like they were never going to see each other again. Tears poured from both of them, but they both knew that they were good, cathartic tears. They knew that there was a bond between them that no one could ever break; that whatever happened, they would be friends for the rest of their lives.