Villa of Sun and Secrets

by Jennifer Bohnet

  Already suffering health problems and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, Amelia had been less than welcoming. Her weekly home help would have been in yesterday, Carla knew, but already the sitting room was untidy and the kitchen work surfaces were strewn with spilt breakfast cereals, toast crumbs, plates, dirty cutlery and broken pieces of china. As her shoes had scrunched across the linoleum, Carla had realised the broken china was the remains of the sugar bowl.

  ‘Mum, you could have swept up the sugar after you dropped the bowl,’ Carla had said, sighing and getting the dustpan and brush out. ‘You’ll have trodden it everywhere.’

  ‘Knew you’d do it when you got here,’ Amelia had said, shrugging before pointing at the paper bag on the table. ‘What’s in there?’

  ‘Two cakes for us to have with a cup of tea. As it’s my birthday today, I thought we’d treat ourselves.’ Carla had looked at her mother. Surely now she’d wish her happy birthday?

  ‘Hurry up and make the tea then, I’m starving,’ Amelia had said and went back into the sitting room and sat laughing at the cartoon channel on the TV.

  Carla had put the cakes on plates, poured the tea into a china cup for Amelia and a mug for herself and carried it through. ‘I’ll just turn the sound down a bit,’ she’d said, reaching for the remote.

  Amelia had glared at her and picked up one of the cakes.

  ‘You going to wish me happy birthday then, Mum?’ Carla had asked.

  Amelia took a bite of her cake before saying, ‘No, and you’re not my daughter.’

  ‘If I’m not your daughter, who am I?’

  ‘Don’t know. Social Services?’

  ‘Oh okay,’ Carla had said. Futile to argue with Amelia.

  ‘This cake is delicious. You should have bought me more.’

  An hour later, as she left, Carla realised that the afternoon marked a turning point in both their lives. There was no way Amelia could continue to live alone. Her mind was clearly deteriorating. It was time to find a retirement home for her, which Carla acknowledged in her own mind was the beginning of the real end for her mother.

  Thinking about that birthday afternoon now as she drifted around the pool on the sunbed, it struck Carla how different things were just one year later. How different she herself was.

  Climbing out of the pool to shower and get ready to meet Maddy and Sam, Amelia’s voice rang suddenly in her head again. ‘No, you’re not my daughter.’ Had that been a true Alzheimer’s moment? Or had a befuddled Amelia simply been stating the truth? Impossible to know, but, whatever the truth, it was all so sad.

  Ten minutes after their arrival, Maddy and Sam were sitting on the terrace, Maddy with a glass of ice-cold rosé and Sam with a beer.

  ‘It’s so good to be back,’ Maddy said, sighing happily. ‘Can’t tell you how much we’ve been looking forward to this holiday.’ She took a sip of her wine. ‘Dad been in touch?’

  Carla shook her head. ‘No, thank goodness. Did you tell him you were coming here?’

  ‘Yes. He phoned and wanted to know where you were spending your birthday, so I told him.’

  ‘How is he?’

  Maddy shrugged. ‘Okay, I guess. He’s been working out and lost a ton of weight. I hope you and Josette have talked?’ she said, changing the subject and looking at Carla.

  ‘Yes, we’ve talked,’ Carla said. She knew she had to tell Maddy everything Josette had told her, but she’d been hoping to put the moment off for a couple of hours at least.

  ‘Good. You can fill me in with all the gory details later,’ Maddy said as though reading her mind. ‘First I need a swim. Sam?’

  ‘I’ll join you in a bit,’ Sam answered. ‘Quite happy here for now.’

  As Carla and Sam watched Maddy swim a few brisk lengths before turning onto her back and drifting, Carla said. ‘Maddy seems to be accepting our changing family dynamics. First me and David divorcing, me moving to France, then all this business with Josette’s revelation.’ She turned to Sam. ‘I think you being there for her has helped more than a bit. Thank you.’

  Sam shrugged her words away. ‘I mainly listened to her. Having divorced parents myself, I was able to understand some of what she was going through. As for Josette – I think Maddy’s hoping to get to know her better this holiday – she figures she’ll be a great granny. Have you seen much of Josette recently?’

  ‘Not since she told me the story behind my birth. I think we both decided we needed some breathing space to let things sink in. I hope she and Gordon will be spending the day here on Sunday though.’

  ‘I want to see her before then,’ Maddy said. Unnoticed, she’d floated close to the side of the pool and was now holding on to the edging stones and regarding them both. ‘I think we need a day out, the three of us. A spot of granny-mummy-daughter bonding.’ She smiled up at Sam. ‘You’d enjoy a day of mooching around Antibes by yourself, wouldn’t you? Good, that’s what we’ll do then. We can walk round to Josette’s later and organise the day. If we go to Cannes, we can indulge in a spot of retail therapy too. I’m dying to explore all the shops everyone talks about in rue d’Antibes.’

  34

  Josette was taken aback when she’d opened the door to find Maddy and Sam standing on her doorstep.

  ‘Bonjour,’ she said, kissing Maddy on both cheeks before turning to Sam to do the same. ‘Bienvenue et entre.’ She gestured for them to come in.

  ‘Thank you, but we won’t come in. I’ve come to invite you for a family bonding day,’ Maddy had said. ‘Which means, Mum, you and me going to Cannes for lunch and a spot of shopping. Please say you’ll come. You can choose a day to suit you?’

  ‘Any day,’ Josette said in a daze.

  ‘Tomorrow then. Come to the villa about ten and we’ll go to the station together. Ciao,’ and Maddy had grabbed Sam by the hand and left.

  Now, sitting on the train as it made its way along the coast on the short journey to Cannes, Josette looked at the two women sitting opposite her and smiled. She was with her daughter and granddaughter on a family outing. Something a short time ago she would have placed money on being as likely to happen as a snow storm in Antibes in August. She leant down and took her camera out of her bag. ‘May I take a quick photo of the two of you? This is such a special day for me. A day out with my daughter and granddaughter.’ Before either of them could protest she looked through the viewfinder, focused and clicked. ‘Thank you.’ Putting the camera back in the bag, she asked, ‘So, what are your plans for today?’

  Maddy shrugged. ‘No real plans, although rue d’Antibes is a must. And somewhere really nice for lunch – off the tourist trail if possible, where we can chat and get to know one another. You’ll know the easiest route around town so you can tell us which way to go.’

  ‘D’accord,’ Josette said, having a quick think. ‘We’ll make for the Palais des Festivals first, a spot of window shopping in the really posh designer shops down there, a walk along the Croisette and then make for the top end of rue d’Antibes. I know a good restaurant up there. After lunch we can go shopping.’

  ‘Sounds perfect,’ Carla said. ‘Come on, we’re here,’ she added as the train drew into the station.

  The three of them wove their way down through the streets crowded with locals and tourists to the front and crossed the road to the Palais des Festivals. Maddy instantly struck a pose on the famous flight of steps and Josette took her camera out of her bag again.

  ‘No red carpet but, hey, everybody will recognise the steps I’m standing on,’ Maddy said. ‘To think Chris Hemsworth was standing on these very steps a few months ago,’ and she feigned a swoon.

  Josette clicked away until Maddy stopped posing and they all walked across to drool at all the luxury items in the shop windows of Chanel and Hermès, to name two of the designer labels they could all only dream of. They’d strolled past both the Carlton and the Martinez Hotel before Josette had them turning left, away from the Croisette, and heading into the back streets. Ten minutes later, Joset
te stopped outside a restaurant with the most delicious aromas drifting towards them on the air.

  ‘Voilà! This is the place I was thinking of. There’s a secluded garden with lots of shade.’

  ‘It looks good,’ Carla said. ‘And eating lunch al fresco is obligatory down here.’

  Sitting in the restaurant garden, under the shade of a huge lime tree, an attentive wine waiter discreetly hovering with the bottle of champagne she’d insisted on ordering, Josette raised her glass. ‘Here’s to dysfunctional grandmothers, daughters, and granddaughters everywhere, but particularly to us! Santé. May this family outing be the first of many.’

  Maddy took a sip before saying. ‘Family names. We need to sort out what we call you. Are you happy with Josette? I can’t get my head around Gran just yet and I’m pretty sure Mum is going to stumble over calling you Mum for a while.’ She ignored Carla’s sharp intake of breath and smiled at her grandmother.

  Josette slowly nodded. ‘I’m happy with that. Now, tell me about you and Sam. Are you in love with him? Is he about to put a ring on your finger? Don’t look at me like that, Carla, as a grandmother I claim the right to ask embarrassing questions.’

  All the embarrassing, caring, questions she’d longed to ask Carla down the years but was never permitted to. Would she and Carla ever be close enough in this new family order for them to talk to each other properly? She knew Carla was treading on eggshells around her, but Maddy was uninhibited, openly saying things as she thought them and she appreciated that.

  Josette dragged her thoughts back to the present as she heard Maddy say: ‘I don’t need a ring on my finger, but I definitely think he’s “The One” that Mum has always insisted I’ll meet,’ she said. ‘Even if Dad doesn’t agree. Having screwed up his own marriage, it’s not as if he’s the expert on relationships.’

  ‘There are two sides to everything,’ Carla said quietly.

  ‘Why are you defending him?’ Maddy demanded.

  ‘I’m not defending him. He’s still your father and I don’t want the fact that we’re divorcing to change your relationship with him. He’s always adored you.’ Carla took a deep breath. ‘And, to be honest, I’m not happy discussing this in front of Josette or in public.’ She glanced around at the other diners.

  ‘Josette is your mother. There are things she deserves to know about you. Like how unhappy you’ve been for years, how Dad cheated on you and why the family fell apart.’

  ‘Josette already knows most of that. Can we just not discuss it in detail here please?’

  ‘Did you know Gordon took me paragliding for my birthday treat?’ Josette said, deciding a change in the conversation right now would be a good thing.

  Both Carla and Maddy turned to look at her, surprise on their faces. ‘Way to go,’ Maddy said, smiling.

  Carla looked at her in disbelief. ‘But—’

  ‘If you’re about to tell me I’m too old for things like that, don’t. You should have a go. It’s wonderful. Invigorating and life-affirming. We’re going to do it again soon.’ She registered the speculative look on Maddy’s face and guessed what she was thinking.

  ‘We’re just friends,’ she said. ‘You, young lady, can stop looking at me like that. Now, shall we order lunch?’ and she picked up the menu the waiter had placed in front of her earlier.

  Once lunch had been ordered and the waiter had topped up their champagne glasses, Maddy jumped up and insisted on taking a selfie of the three of them.

  ‘I know you’ll have lots of photos,’ she said to Josette, ‘but I want one of the three of us on my phone. A souvenir that will come everywhere with me.’ Sitting back down with a happy smile on her face, she said. ‘Let’s talk about Sunday. Family lunch for the four of us, plus Gordon. How many for the party in the evening, Mum?’

  ‘I’ve invited Joel to join us for lunch, so there will be six of us,’ Carla said, ignoring the look on Maddy’s face. ‘For the party, and out of politeness, I’ve asked the neighbours on either side,’ Carla turned to Josette. ‘You’ll know them better than me. Heléne and her husband have said they’d be delighted to come, Marcus and Joan are sailing all day but have said they’ll pop in when they get back. And I’ve asked Bruno, so we’ll be eleven.’

  ‘Bruno Grimaud is coming?’ Josette said, startled.

  ‘I invited him when I had dinner with him the other evening,’ Carla said. ‘It’s not a problem, is it?’

  Josette shook her head. Not yet. But remembering the unanswered letter from Mario at home in the bureau drawer, she wondered whether the nephew would take the opportunity to try to champion his uncle’s cause.

  ‘Having both your boyfriends at the party could be risky,’ Maddy teased.

  ‘I’ve told you – Joel and Bruno are friends. Friends who happen to be male. Not my boyfriends in that way,’ Carla answered. ‘I like them both, but Bruno, with all his money, lives a very different life to mine. Joel is very much more down to earth. I know I’ll miss him when he moves out of the villa.’

  ‘It’s a good job you don’t have to introduce either of them to Dad,’ Maddy said. ‘You know how materialistic he is. Joel wouldn’t impress him, but Bruno, especially if he’s as rich as you think he is, would. It’s why I’m keeping Sam away from him as much as possible,’ she added quietly. ‘Makes life so much easier.’

  Their meals arrived at that moment and conversation stilled as they tucked into the food with appreciative sighs.

  ‘Is there any particular kind of retail therapy you two are after when we finish here?’ Josette asked. ‘It’s a long time since I treated myself to anything new. As well as your party, I’m going out to dinner with Gordon and his god-daughter sometime soon and feel the need to glam myself up. I’m relying on the two of you to help me buy the right dress.’

  ‘Not sure what I’m going to buy,’ Maddy said. ‘But I’m sure I’ll be able to justify spending a few euros.’

  ‘I’m not intending to buy anything, so I’ll be happy to help you both.’ Carla said.

  ‘Mum, that is totally the wrong attitude. The fact that it’s your birthday party demands you buy a new dress with the ‘wow” factor. And sexy shoes. Only too easy at your age to play it safe.’ She wagged a finger at Carla.

  Watching and listening to the two of them, Josette felt a tinge of envy for their easy daughter-mother relationship. Was she ever likely to achieve that with Carla? She could already feel a bond growing with Maddy. Maybe it was the skipped generation making it easier? Had Amelia had a good relationship with her granddaughter? Giggled and played games together? All the things she’d missed out on.

  Josette pushed the insidious thoughts away. She wouldn’t allow regret to cloud the day – or the future. Her new mantra of living in the present was the only way to cope with the changes in her life.

  35

  The morning of her birthday, Carla woke early and lay thinking for several moments, enjoying the tranquillity of her room in the early morning sunlight. Today she was fifty years old. She didn’t feel fifty – not that she knew how fifty was meant to feel. If she was lucky, those fifty years represented half of her life and she could live to be a hundred. What could she expect from the rest of her life if she was fortunate? Probably best not to expect too much of anything and then she wouldn’t be disappointed.

  This time last year, life had seemed so simple. Her marriage was no great shakes, but then she suspected very few of her friends were still in the red-hot glow of romantic love after nearly twenty-five years. It had become second nature to ignore the state of things between her and David, push it into the background of her life and concentrate on caring for her mother. Knowing David’s past track record for affairs, maybe she should have realised the inevitable would happen. But her reaction of running away had been totally out of character. For once in her life she’d found the courage from somewhere deep inside her to fight back. If she’d realised it was going to start a game akin to knockdown dominos with her old life, would she still have reac
ted in the same way?

  The answer had to be a big yes. She loved everything about living in France. The weather, the food, the villa – especially the villa. It was home. She felt more alive than she had done for years and was even coming to terms with the shock of hearing Josette’s confession. Maddy’s idea of a day out in Cannes had certainly helped there. It had been a fun day and, by the end of it, the three of them were starting to relax around each other. Maddy, she could see, was already forming a bond with Josette, having seemingly decided her new grandmother was cool and hip.

  Carla, pleased they were getting on so well, felt an unexpected tinge of sadness for Amelia. She had never been the cuddly granny, spoiling the twins with treats, with a whispered ‘don’t tell your mum’. She’d never taken any nonsense from either of them, demanding good manners from them all the time. Carla guessed that Josette would be a much more laid back grandma even at this late stage and would spoil the grown-up twins in different ways at every opportunity she got.

  ‘Mum, are you awake? I’ve brought you breakfast,’ Maddy pushed open the bedroom door and came in carrying a tray. ‘Happy birthday,’ she said. ‘Prosecco and croissants okay?’

  ‘Perfect,’ Carla said. ‘You’re spoiling me.’

  As she clinked glasses with her daughter, Carla thought how lucky she was to have both Maddy and this new life she’d created for herself in France. She was adjusting to Josette’s different role in her life and she had no reason to doubt that the two of them would eventually work things out between them – especially with Maddy’s help. The only person missing was Ed and he’d be back in Europe sometime soon – in time for Christmas anyway.

  Maddy shooed her out of the kitchen when she went downstairs after a leisurely bath. ‘It’s a no-go zone for you today, Mum. I’m doing lunch and organising stuff for tonight’s party. Sam and Joel are in charge of the barbecue. Sam’s giving me a hand right now, so there’s nothing for you to do. Sit down and relax until Josette and Gordon get here for lunch.’