BUTTERFLIES FLY AWAY (31 page)

“I need to see Belle before she leaves for LA”

“She’s on her way over now, go on get yourself
settled and I will make you some tea.”

“Tea?”

“Yes, that stuff you love from back home”

She ran over and kissed him.

“Oh thanks, I really need a cuppa”

Walking along the corridor she quickly found the
master bed room of the two guest rooms.  The room was decorated in shades
of cream and white complimenting the relaxed style of the beach house.  A
large bed dominated the room but her eyes were drawn to the oversized chair by
the window with views of the Bay.  It looked inviting to snuggle with a
throw.  A definite for later.  Her clothes had been unpacked, her
toiletries in the bathroom.  She looked for her pyjamas but instead found
a drawer full of beautiful satin La Perla pyjamas.  Surely they didn’t
provide these for guests?

She called out to Nico.

“Where are my pyjamas?”

“Carrie, I thought you might like some new ones as you
have been in the hospital?  They are for you, no-one else; if you prefer
your own they are in another drawer.”

Running her hand on the soft silk of the La Perla
she couldn’t resist picking a pair in a soft charcoal.  When she returned
to the living area Nico had her tea ready.

“How did you know how I like my tea?”

“I asked Belle”

“Thank you, this is a nice comfort from home. 
You have given me some lovely gifts with the gown for the dance but this tea is
a lovely gesture.” Feeling a little teary, she took a sip as a
distraction.  “I’m gutted to miss my sister’s birthday today; I had
planned on baking some red velvet cupcakes.  They are her favourite. 
This year was going to be so different,” She had texted Claire a happy birthday
that morning and promised to call before they were leaving for their family
dinner. 

“So you like to bake?”

“Yeah I do, I like to cook but baking is better,”

“You will have to do some baking then.  But not
today.  Come here, and lie down on the sofa,”

“I’m not an invalid, Nico”

“No you are not but I can see you are tired,
remember what Dr Petersen said you need to rest”

“Okay, okay.  When did you get so bossy?” she
grumbled.  Settled on the sofa and drank her tea.  Nico was working
on his laptop and she fell asleep to the soft tap tap noise of his fingers
typing.  It was after lunch when she woke or should she say the grumble of
her stomach woke her.  “I heard that! Time for something to eat, what do
you want?  I will phone up to the house kitchen”

“Despite the grumbling of my stomach I’m not that
hungry, a salad would be fine for me”

Nico made the call for some soup and a couple of
chicken salads.  It didn’t take long but Carrie had time to set the little
table with placemats and tableware.  Removing her arm from the sling she
tried to gain more strength and movement by setting the table.  She
wondered if anyone who had stayed in the beach house had even eaten there as it
all was pristine.  It was strange to set the table again but she dismissed
the thought of the intimate dinners she had set for her and Rob during their
marriage.  The everyday meals they had shared when they had dissected how
their day had been, what their upcoming plans were.  With Nico she felt an
air of complete familiarity and she poured them some water from the bottle in
the fridge without asking.  Remembering he asked for water when they ate
out.

“Water okay for you?  Or do you want a soda or
something?”

“No water is fine with me”

A discreet knock on the door and their food had
arrived from the house kitchen.

To her surprise she cleared both the delicious soup
and salad. 

“Come on back to the sofa for you, do you want the
tv on or some music?”

“No TV for now, how about some music, I think my
iPod is in my battered bag”

Nico handed her bag and she found the iPod which he
placed on the docking station.  She had picked a random playlist to listen
to while Nico’s attention returned to the laptop.  Occasionally he would
take a call and she observed him in the close proximity.  When the
conversation was becoming heated, she couldn’t tell who he was talking to; he
walked out onto the deck.  She could see his hand animated in
frustration.  Oh oh. 

The doors clicked softly when he returned.  He
sat at the small bureau trying to work in this cramped space.  Carrie rose
from the sofa and walked over to him.  Carefully removing her arm from its
supported sling she placed her arms around his shoulder. 

“Hey, this isn’t good for you to work Nico, you need
more space,”

She placed a soft kiss on his neck, surprising them
both.  He placed a hand over her ‘good’ arm.  “It’s fine Carrie,”
spinning round on the chair he pulled her into his arms.  She tucked her
head under his chin, shuffled a little to settle on his lap.  At that
moment, Maria Callas’s voice filled the air with Carrie’s favourite La Mamma
Morta.

“I love this song, I haven’t a clue what she is
singing but I love it anyway,”

“But that is what the spirit of opera is; you don’t
have to know the words but to feel the music”

“I would love to see it performed at the opera one
day,”

“I’m familiar with it.  My Mother is a great
patron of the arts.  It is one of her things to do, if it involves
dressing up, jewellery and people my mother is there!”

They let the song continue in the back ground. 
Carrie was aware that her wriggling around on Nico’s lap was causing a
reaction.  She could feel his growing hardness against her bottom through
the smooth satin of the pyjamas.  Carrie looped her arms around his neck
and they began to kiss.  “Aww Carrie you don’t play fair, we can’t do
anything”

“Who says we can’t?  I’m better”

“Doctors’ orders, no excitement.”

“For who?  Me or you?”

A knock on the door interrupted their banter. 
“Belle” they said in unison.

“I will get the door; you can make yourself decent
Mr Devanti!”

Nico left them to their chatter as Carrie suggested
he might be better back at the main house to catch up on some calls.

“Carrie, this place is lovely; I’ve always stayed at
the main house, I didn’t know these guest houses were here.  How did you
manage this?”

Carrie had made them some tea and they were seated
on the sofa.

“It was my concession to staying here that I had
some privacy plus I didn’t want to see Chiara after the spectacle of the dinner
party or his parents if I’m truthful.  Nico said they had some guest
houses so here we are”

“I’m glad you look better already after just a few
hours out of hospital.  How are you feeling?  You know you can be
completely honest with me darling”

“I’m tired Belle, that’s all.  A bit achy but
nothing as bad as before.  I’m going to call Claire later but I’m sure
within minutes she will have all the details out of me.  I’ve never been
any good at keeping secrets from Claire”

“Yes, I think she takes that from your Mum, they
should have been detectives.  Oh love the pyjamas are they La Perla?”

“Yes, well spotted Belle, another gift from Nico, I
know I should be wearing my own ones but I couldn’t resist.”

“I’m flying to LA in a few hours; I don’t know when
I will be back darling, probably not before you go home.  You are still
going home?”

“Of course I am but I have a life back in
Glasgow.  This isn’t real Belle.  Nico is amazing but he moves in a
different world to me.  I like him a lot Belle, maybe too much for my own
good.  That’s why I will be going home as soon as I can to get back to my
reality,”

“Oh Carrie, I’m sure it’s more than that.  But
I know what you have gone through losing Rob.”

“I still miss Rob.  How he made me laugh until
my sides were sore.  How safe and protected he made me feel.  But
I’ve learned to look after me.  Some days I feel fine and that I am
capable of anything.  Then something like getting mugged sets me back,
tries to take away that safety net.  I know that Nico has cocooned me here
to complete my recovery.  I don’t feel scared now.”

“You were lucky to find a man like once with Rob
that but don’t lose your chance with Nico.  I’m sure he cares for you
Carrie”

“Time will tell.  So quickly changing the
subject from my love life, when will you be back home?  You know it will
be one of the first questions Mum asks me”

“Looking at the projects I’m working on I think it
might be Christmas before I am back for a long break.  I might squeeze the
odd long weekend but not much longer.  If your father ever commits to
retirement I will make it home for the party,”

They said their goodbyes and shared a hug. 
Carrie had enjoyed this time with her Aunt given her hectic schedule it was
rare other than holidays in Cornwall or Christmas with the family to spend much
time together. 

The comfy looking chair that she had saw earlier in
the bedroom caught her attention; she retreated to the room and sank into the
chair, pulling a throw over herself for some warmth.  When she slept her
dreams returned to Rob.  They were in the woods again and she could hear
the lapping of the water on the Loch. 

“Why here Rob?  Why this place?” as she tugged
at his hand.  But he didn’t answer.

She looked high into the sky, the trees high
creating a canopy from the bright sun.

Nico returned to the guest house.  He had
chatted with Belle as she prepared to leave.  The security monitors
alerting him that she had left Carrie.  This time Beau was at his side and
he held a white cardboard box.

He found Carrie asleep on the chair in the guest
bedroom.  He didn’t want to wake her but Beau had other ideas.  The
young puppy paid no heed to stopping and raced over to her, licking her hand to
wake her.

“Oh” she said startled.  “That’s one way to
wake up I guess,”

“Hello boy, hello.” She rubbed at his ear the way he
liked and soon he was lying on the floor next to her.

“How has your afternoon been?”

“Sleeping, sleeping and more sleeping.  How was
yours?”

“Calls, calls and more calls.  Did you say your
goodbyes with Belle?”

“Yes, after promising a million times to let her
know if I have a relapse or anything,”

“I’ve brought something for you; it’s in the kitchen
when you are ready”

“What?  Nico you didn’t have too, you’ve given
me so much already”

“It’s nothing extravagant, don’t worry but you will
like it”

“Now you’ve got my interest,”

In the kitchen area a small white box on the work
top.  Carrie opened the box and to her surprise two red velvet
cupcakes. 

“Oh Nico, thank you,”

“I thought you could still share a piece of cake
with your sister, virtually of course”

She kissed him on the cheek.  “That was very
thoughtful of you; I’m going to send my sister a picture”

With a click of her phone she sent the pic

“Happy Birthday sis, this pic will need to tide you
over until I am home xx”

Her phone beeped in reply.

“That cake looks scrumptious.  Thank you xx”

Carrie settled back on the sofa and Nico returned to
his laptop.  Beau wandered from room to room familiarising himself with
the layout before he found her again.  He resumed his position of lying
next to her. 

“Is he allowed on the furniture?”

“I say yes, he says yes but my mother says no, I
guess you take your pick”

She laughed and nodded at Beau.  He jumped up
beside her, his head quickly resting on her thigh.

“If you don’t mind I will call my sister,” Nico
handed her the phone. 

Carrie was determined not to cry and to remain
positive on the phone not wanting her sister to pick up on her feelings. 
“So tell me, what did you get from Ryan?” Her brother in law loved the bones of
Claire.  They had been teenage sweethearts and no one had been surprised
when they got married in their early twenties.  “Oh I’ve been spoilt this
year, I saw a necklace months ago when we were out shopping.  He surprised
me that he remembered I liked it but he bought it ages ago and kept it a secret
from me.”

“Oh that’s so sweet Claire, yes you are spoilt”

“How you feeling?  Are you well enough to be
out of hospital?  Where are you staying exactly?”

“I’m fine Claire, a little bit wobbly on my feet but
I think that’s just from resting so much.  I have a full list of dos and
don’ts which Nico is making me adhere to”

“I’m sure he is!”

“Well the inn was full as I said in my text the
other day but Nico kindly offered me the use of one of the beach house’s here”