An Emerald Cove Christmas, page 8
“I don’t surf.”
“Well, you can’t live in Emerald Cove and not learn how to surf. I’ll take you out sometime.”
He grinned. “I’d love that.”
Chapter 10
23rd December
Adele
“Do you think Sarah is coping with the baby?” asked Cindy, as she folded a T-shirt into her open suitcase. “Maybe Athol is right, I shouldn’t go to New Zealand, after all.”
Adele hesitated as she scanned the shelves in her mother’s walk-in closet. “What do you mean? Of course, she’s coping. She’s Sarah.”
“She doesn’t always cope, Adele.”
Adele walked out of the closet holding a zippered jacket in her arms. “Yes, she does. Everything she tackles, she conquers. Nothing fazes her.”
“She’s very strong, but she has her moments. Just like the rest of us. And babies are hard. Especially the first one. You don’t have any idea what you’re doing, your whole life gets turned upside down, you’re not sleeping…and next thing you know you’ve burned dinner and fallen asleep on the kitchen table. Or worse, you’re running half-naked through the garden in the middle of the night looking for the baby who is tucked safe and sound in her cot.”
Adele lay the jacket on her mother’s blue and white bed covers and crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you talking about Sarah, or yourself? And why were you half naked?”
Mum shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is your sister’s mental health. I’m worried about her.”
“Is there a reason, has she done something?” Adele’s long fingers drummed a beat on her arm.
“Nothing especially, but she seems very tired. And when I reminded her I was going away for the holidays, she acted like it was the first time she’d heard the news. I think she even sobbed.”
“Sarah sobbed?” Adele arched an eyebrow. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her resilient sister cry, let alone sob about something so innocuous. Perhaps Mum had a point.
“Yes. At least, I think she did. Anyway, will you please check on her while I’m gone.”
“You forget, Mum. I’m leaving tomorrow as well. We’re both going to be out of town.”
“Oh yes, that’s right.” Mum slumped onto the bed and scrubbed her face with both hands. “I don’t know why that slipped my mind. I was hoping you’d spend Christmas with Sarah and Mick so you could keep an on eye on them.”
“I suppose I could cancel.” She’d been thinking about it a lot. Ever since yesterday, when she’d spent time with Carlos and Samuel, she’d pondered the idea of staying home for the holidays instead of going to Darwin. Why would she fly to a city where she might run into her ex and his happily pregnant wife, when she could stay home in the Cove with her family? And if she happened across Carlos while cycling around town, or at the cafe, that would be a nice surprise.
“Would you?” pressed Mum. “That would take a load off my mind.”
“Okay, I suppose I can. I’ll call and cancel my flight and let Bec know. I’m sure she doesn’t care. I was gatecrashing her family Christmas anyway. I didn’t want to be here in the Cove alone, and she invited me. So…”
“Alone? You wouldn’t be alone.”
“You know what I mean. I didn’t want to third-wheel it with Sarah and Mick, the happy newlyweds, and their perfect baby.”
Mum eyed her through narrowed lids. “That’s a bit jaded for a twenty-four-year-old, love.”
Adele huffed. “I’m not jaded. Well, not really. But you know what I mean.”
“I suppose that makes sense.”
“If you want me to stay to help though, I’m happy to do that. In fact, I’ve been concerned about leaving the cafe so soon after taking over.”
“I can understand that,” replied Mum with a shake of the head. “I’ve missed many a trip because of that place.”
“But you’re not going to miss this one,” replied Adele with determination as she reached for another shirt to fold for her mother’s suitcase.
“Maybe you should invite someone to come along with you, so you don’t feel that way?” suggested Mum, as she searched her white antique dressing table for items of makeup to pack into her makeup bag.
“Maybe.”
“Any ideas?”
Adele smiled. “There is a guy.”
“Oh, really? Do tell?”
“It’s nothing really. But I met this guy, his name’s Carlos, and he and his grandfather are new to town. They probably don’t have anyone else to share Christmas with. It might be nice to include them in ours.”
“I’m sure Sarah and Mick wouldn’t mind. You should ask.”
Adele nodded as the thought took root in her mind. “Okay, I will.”
She didn’t really believe in coincidences. Things happened for a reason. So when she’d connected with Samuel, then separately with Carlos, the fact that they were related was a detail she couldn’t get past. She’d been thinking it over all day. Carlos was handsome, caring and obviously kind. The way he’d taken care of his grandfather was a good sign as far as she was concerned — he had integrity. It was clear how much the two of them loved one another. And she hated the idea of them spending Christmas alone after experiencing so much grief and loss. The idea of spending Christmas together gave her an extra jolt of holiday spirit.
Her only concern was her judgement. She’d already proven to herself that she wasn’t the best judge of character when it came to men. What if Carlos was married, or an axe murderer? There was no way for her to know, and her integrity meter seemed to be completely faulty when it came to attractive men. She should’ve asked him if he was in a relationship. She hadn’t seen a ring on his finger, but then again married men didn’t always wear one. Antoine certainly hadn’t when she’d fallen in love with him. It wasn’t until later that his ring had appeared. He’d pulled it from his locker after a shift and shoved it onto his perfectly tanned ring finger. When she’d stopped short, with shock written across her face, he’d blushed pink and stammered a quick explanation about a wife whom he was separated from but who couldn’t seem to let him go. He was wearing the ring, he said, out of compassion for her mental health. He wasn’t sure what she might do if she saw him without it, but he’d break it to her gently and soon, that it was over, and he wasn’t going back.
Of course he didn’t do what he’d promised.
Mum sat still on the bed, listening to the crooning of Harry Connick Junior’s Christmas carols over her sound system. Then, she sighed. “I don’t know, love. Maybe I shouldn’t go away either.”
“Why not? Because of your health?” asked Adele. “Because, like you said, you’ve missed so many trips in the past. You don’t want to miss this one as well. Sarah will be fine, I’m taking care of the cafe. You can go and have a good time. Unless you’re worried…”
Athol walked into the bedroom, smiling when he saw Adele. “I thought I heard voices. When did you get here?”
“Hi, Athol, I’ve been here about half an hour. Helping Mum pack for your trip.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Oh? Are we still going, then?” He reached for Mum and kissed her on the forehead. “Hello, my darling. How are you feeling?”
Mum nodded. “I’m okay.”
“Aren’t you well, Mum? I thought the medicine was working.” Adele reached out to press a hand to her mother’s arm.
“It seems I might be reacting to the medication. I’m feeling nauseated and my head is foggy.”
“That’s not good,” replied Adele, her brow furrowing with concern.
“I’m sure it’ll all work out. But I’ve spent the whole morning trying to decide whether or not we should still take this trip.”
“We can go later,” called Athol as he walked into the closet. “There’s nothing stopping us from visiting in a few weeks when things settle down.”
“I know. Oh, Sue will be so disappointed.” She shook her head. “I’m so disappointed.”
Adele sat beside her mother on the bed and looped an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Mum. Auntie Sue will understand. It’s more important you take care of your health. And like Athol said, you can visit as soon as you’re feeling better.”
“I suppose you’re right,” replied Mum. “Merry Christmas to me.”
Chapter 11
Cindy
The bubbling aftermath of a wave rushed up the beach. The cool water lapped around Cindy’s toes as she and Athol strode along the beach. She tightened her grip on his hand and glanced up at him. His grey hair whipped up high over his head with the wind, giving him a wild windswept look. It suited him, she decided. He was usually so well-groomed, with his hair combed to the side, she liked the unkempt look on him.
“How are you feeling?” asked Athol.
She chewed on her lower lip, considering a response. It was hard to know sometimes if the things she felt were real or if she’d talked herself into believing they were. “I’m okay. My brain is still foggy, and I’m tired. Plus, there’s a bit of nausea, which might be from the medication. But it’s not too bad.”
“I’m sure you’ll feel better in a couple of weeks,” he replied.
“I wish we were still going on the trip,” said Cindy.
Athol smiled at her. “I know. But there’ll be other trips.”
“I hope so.”
“Of course there will. We’ve only recently retired, plus we’re newlyweds. Both of us have a lot of living to do. The grandchildren are starting to arrive. We’ve got to take advantage of the window of opportunity to do the things we want to do.”
He was right, but sometimes it felt as though everything around her conspired to ruin her plans.
“So, in the new year perhaps?”
“Definitely. We can go to New Zealand and then head off for somewhere else after that. What do you think?”
“Well, I’ve always wanted to tour around the South Island.” She’d seen so many friends trundle off to New Zealand and spend weeks touring around the beautiful South Island in RVs, or rental cars. Andy had never wanted to do it. His idea of a holiday was a week in Noosa. He didn’t like to go far, and with the cafe to care for she hadn’t fought him over it, even with disappointment washing away her joy like a dumping wave.
“That sounds perfect. And maybe we can spend some time in Fiji afterwards. I’ve always loved it there. It’s so relaxing.”
She grinned at the thought. “Yes, please.”
They walked along quietly for a few minutes, listening to the caw of seagulls and the shushing waves. They were small today, almost trickling to shore. The water heaved and sighed, sparkling azure beneath the hot sun.
“Despite the disappointment, I’m happy to stay home for Christmas,” she said suddenly.
He kissed the back of her hand. “Me too. It feels right to be here for Leo’s first Christmas. Doesn’t it?”
“I was sad at the prospect of missing him open his first gift. Although, he’ll probably only whack it with his little fist, but still,” admitted Cindy. “I know it’s silly, he won’t know anything about it and will probably sleep through most of the day, but it’s a special time.”
“Not silly at all. Those are the things that matter. In fact, on that note there’s something I wanted to talk to you about. You know I visited Marcus and Anna recently.”
Marcus was Athol’s son, and Anna his wife. Cindy knew Marcus from when he was a little boy, although he’d changed a lot since then. He wasn’t the carefree, sweet child with the dark brown bowl-cut she remembered.
“Yes, you said you had a nice time.”
“I did, but of course there’s still tension there. He blames me for some of his issues from childhood.”
“Like what?” asked Cindy, her brow furrowed. “From what I recall, he had a pretty idyllic upbringing.”
“That’s true, from one perspective,” agreed Athol. “You never knew this, but his mother had something of a nervous condition. She was a good mother. But every now and then she’d stay in bed, couldn’t seem to pull herself out of it.”
“No, I didn’t realise that.” She squinted against the afternoon sun as it set behind Emerald Cove. Streaks of orange glanced off the roofs of the buildings almost blinding her. She adjusted her sunglasses.
“Yes, well she wanted me to keep it quiet. Was ashamed, you see. Anyway, it had an impact on Marcus, and because she’s no longer with us he can’t blame her. So, he takes it out on me.”
“That makes sense, I suppose. Although it’s not right.”
“I don’t mind. If it helps him.”
One of the things that’d always impressed Cindy about Athol, even back when they were friends raising children with their respective spouses, was his ability to put his own feelings aside. If he could help someone, he would. Even if it meant making a sacrifice. It was what set him apart from Andy, who always looked out for himself. Athol had been the contrast that’d highlighted to her all those years ago, just how much Andy fell short of the man she’d hoped he would be. Athol was the man she’d longed for, even if she hadn’t realised it at the time. Now she knew it. He was the one for her.
“Is there anything we can do?” she asked.
Athol hesitated, then stopped walking and waited until she stood before him, looking up in expectation into his kind, handsome face.
“He says there is. He and Anna are going through some financial difficulty.”
Cindy braced herself. “Oh?”
“He made a bad investment, I’m sure you remember me talking about it last year. Anyway, they lost a significant nest egg on the investment. They’d saved it to put down a deposit on a house they have their hearts set on buying. They want to have a family, it seems.”
“That’s wonderful, they’ll make loving parents. I wish them all the best. But…”
“But?” replied Athol, one eyebrow raised.
Cindy sighed. They’d never argued. She and Athol hadn’t had a real disagreement so far in their entire relationship. It’d been pure bliss. But she had a very strong feeling she was about to stoke their first.
“But…I don’t think it’s wise to give money to family. It only gets in the way and causes conflict.”
What she wanted to say was, Athol was too soft-hearted. If Marcus and Anna couldn’t manage their finances, bailing them out wouldn’t help them learn. They should grow and mature through their mistakes, just like she had done. Most likely Athol had learned the hard way throughout his life as well. Everyone experienced the scuffles and hard knocks of life and learning how to navigate those hard times was what built character for the years ahead.
Athol didn’t reply. He dropped Cindy’s hand as they strode along the beach. She trotted beside him, barely keeping up.
“I know you love him and want to help. We all do as parents. It’s hard for us to say no. But he won’t learn anything if you bail him out. All I’m saying is you should think about it. He needs to learn character, not to rely on you for everything. He made a mistake, now it’s time for him to figure out how to deal with the consequences.”
He shook his head, glanced at her, then sighed. Finally, he stopped, and she puttered to a halt next to him, puffing hard.
“Just like you did with your kids?”
Her brow creased. “What do you mean? I always encourage my children to face the natural consequences of their decisions head on.”
“Sure you do,” he replied with a huff. “Like the way you gave Sarah and Mick your house at a significant discount. Or the way you handed your business over to Adele, without making her pay a cent for it. You gave her an entire business, an ongoing income she didn’t have to earn.”
Cindy squared her shoulders. “That’s different.”
“No, it’s not. You love your children, you help them out of jams all the time. I want to do the same for my son. It’s no different.”
“But it’s our money, not just yours,” replied Cindy, heat rising up her neck.
“The money you lost when you gave the house and business to your children would’ve been our money as well if you’d held onto it. But I didn’t complain, did I? Because I know how much your children mean to you. Marcus means as much to me.”
Cindy sighed. “I know he does, but it isn’t the same thing. Sarah and Mick paid for their house. Adele is working her tail off at the cafe. Besides, the cafe was handed down to me by my parents, so I gave it to Adele. It was an inheritance.”
He rubbed both hands over his face. His cheeks were red, his eyes flashed. “It’s the same thing, don’t try to tell me it’s not. I want to help Marcus and Anna buy their first house. Yes, he’s made some bad choices, but who hasn’t? Certainly, Adele has.”
“Let’s not go there,” snapped Cindy, her head spinning with anger. How dare he bring up Adele’s affair. It was something she’d told him in confidence, not for him to use as a weapon against her in an argument.
“Fine, we won’t go there. But just so you know — this thing you do, where you act like your children are perfect, and other people’s kids are flawed, is irritating at best. I won’t put up with you treating Marcus that way. We’re married now, so he’s your child as well, in a sense. I know he’s grown, but he’s your family. I treat your children like family, I expect you to do the same for him and Anna.”
With a wave of his hand, Athol backed up. “I’m going home. I’ll see you there.” Head bent forward, shoulders hunched against the afternoon breeze, he marched back down the beach the way they’d come, leaving Cindy behind.
An hour later she was back at the house. Athol was upstairs on the deck outside their bedroom listening to music on his headphones and staring moodily out over the ocean as twilight descended. Cindy pottered around the kitchen, thawing beef for stroganoff and slicing capsicum and onions. She’d give him time to cool off before she broached the subject they’d fought over on the beach.
Already she felt ashamed of what she’d said. She stood by her words, but they weren’t necessary. Marcus was Athol’s child, of course he wanted to help him. And as his wife she should stand by his decision. Shouldn’t she? She was so confused. After decades of marriage to Andy, a man who rarely included his wife in any of the decisions he made and who kept up a happy facade while plunging her into massive debt, she wasn’t sure what was normal and what wasn’t. At least Athol had come to her with this, rather than going behind her back to give money away to his son. That was probably what Andy would’ve done.
