CORAL (A Romance Trilogy, Book 1) (25 page)

I have to chuckle at that one, I
have no frigging idea what she’s on about. “Sorry, still lost!” I laugh. With a
slice of cucumber in-between each manicured fingernail, she walks around the
breakfast bar until she is stood in front of me. Sighing heavily she stares
back at me with a painful look of regret in her eyes. “What’s wrong?” I ask,
ignoring the cucumber all together.

“I didn’t think you would take it
so hard,” she says wearily. “Here, close your eyes.” I do as she asks, then I
feel cool cucumber being placed over my eyelids.

“Wow!” I gasp. “That feels great,
really cooling.” Joyce sighs again.

“Hold them in place,” she says. I
hear her step-up and sit on the stool next to me. “You didn’t know cucumber is
fantastic for puffy eyes?” She asks a little exasperated.

“Um...no,” I answer. “Should I?”
Joyce laughs at that one.

“Well I suppose if you visited
the beauty salon more often you would know these things,” she says artlessly.
“So, you want to tell me about it?” She softly adds.

“Sorry?” I’m lost again, too busy
thinking about how cool cucumber is, well I know it’s cool, but it feels like
it’s literally taking the puffiness away –
Amazing!

“Coral,” she admonishes. “I’ve
never seen you with swollen eyes, which can only come from crying darling...and
for a long time too.”
Shit!

“Oh!” I whisper.

“Yes, oh!” she repeats wryly.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t think you would take it so hard,” she says gloomily.

“Take what so hard?” I ask
dumbfounded.

“Stop being obtuse!” She barks,
making me jump a little.

“I’m sorry Joyce, but I don’t
know what you mean.” I say.

“You were crying?” She whispers.

“Yes.” I whisper feeling
embarrassed.

“Last night?” She asks.

“Yes.” I confirm.

“Because of what’s happening
here?” She questions.

“Oh! No, no Joyce…” Ok now I’m
upset that she thinks she has caused this to happen to me, that I’m stuttering
as I’m trying to get my words out. “Joyce no...I mean, of course I’m upset
you’re leaving. I…I’ll miss you like crazy, you...your family, m-my family…my
aunty,” I choke. “But that’s not why I was crying.” I finish.

“Oh darling!” I can hear it in
her voice; Joyce is shocked, I feel her wrap her arms around me and squeeze me
tight. “I’ll miss you too darling girl.” She says, I hear a little sniff.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” I
chortle trying to lighten the mood.

Joyce lets go of me, I hear her
step down and walk back over to the fridge. Then I hear her heels clicking as
they reach me again. Her fingers gently peel away the cucumber; she looks so
tired, so sad. “Want to talk about it?” She asks, hesitating slightly.

“No.” I answer staring down at
the floor.

“Is it Gladys? She called me and
said that you had...well, met Malcolm.” My eyes dart up to meet hers. I can
tell she’s trying really hard not to laugh about it, which makes me burst out
laughing.

“I...c-can't...believe...t-that
h-h-happened,” I laugh, at least I can see the funny side of it now.

“Neither can I,” Joyce chuckles.
“I bet you didn’t know where to put yourself.” We really start laughing, so
much so that my belly is hurting. I can see Joyce is trying really hard to
compose herself, but it’s just not happening.

“I don't know who was more
embarrassed, me or Malcolm?” I titter. Joyce chuckles some more, it’s nice to
hear after all she’s been through.

“Well, the cats out of the bag
now!” She says, sighing again.

“Sure is,” I say, trying to keep
this light hearted.

“How do you feel about it?” She
asks.

I shrug. Joyce scrutinizes me
again – I don’t want to talk about it. I think she picks up on that, because
she nods and hands me the new slices of cucumber.

“Here, keep putting them on,
replace them once they get warm’ – “But this is your cucumber.” I argue.

“Well I can always get another
one.” She says rolling her eyes at me.

“Ok, ok!” I give in as I always
do with Joyce. But I can tell she has more to say.

“So it’s not me, and not Gladys?”
She questions narrowing her eyes at me. I shake my head. I know she’s digging,
but I can’t talk to her about it. “Want to talk about it?” She asks again.

“No...I’m good,” I say swallowing
hard. “I think I just needed a good old cry,” I say brightly. “I’m ok now.”

“Are you sure?” She asks
scrutinizing my expression.

“Yes,” I smile. “Really, last
night was...well once the crying was done I ate my pizza, had some wine and an
early night.” I omit the part about taking cold medicine.

“Sure?” Joyce asks again, she is
so watchful of me, always looking for hidden clues or signs that something more
might be wrong. “You can take the day off if you want to?” She adds.

“No, really I’m fine. I’d like to
stay, but thank you anyway.” I say hoping this will placate her and she won’t
send me home.

“Alright then, as long as you’re
sure?” She says still eyeing me speculatively. “If you change your mind
though....?” She adds.

“I won’t I’m fine. Oh, but there
was one thing,” I say remembering my lunch date with Rob. It’s strange that I
haven’t heard from him. I wonder if he’s remembered? “Is it ok if I take half
hour of my lunch tomorrow and snag it onto today?” I roll my eyes. “I have to
shop for Lily’s birthday, Rob’s meeting me.” I add.

“Coral, take two hours you can
get something from me too.” Joyce replies.

“Oh ok, thanks.” I beam brightly.

“And you don’t need to take it
off tomorrow’s lunchtime.” She sternly adds.

“Yes boss,” I giggle. “What did
you want me to get for Lily?”

“Something pretty, a nice dress…”
Joyce looks lost for a moment. “Have my card off me before you go.” She adds.

“Ok, I will.” She smiles at me,
but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Then she takes my hand in hers, squeezes it
once, then turns and walks out the kitchen. I still have the new pieces of
cucumber between my fingers, so without a second thought I slap them both on.

THE MORNING HAS FLOWN BY
and before I know it, Joyce is handing me her card so I can go shopping. Plus,
earlier today I had a text from Rob asking what time to come and meet me, so at
least he remembered.

“Hey trouble.” I say as I bound
into reception and give Rob a big hug.

“Happy today?” He asks.

“Yes, Joyce has given me two
hours for lunch, so we can take our time.” I beam, I hate rushing around trying
to find gifts for people.

“So what’s new?” Rob asks as we
head out into the sunshine.

“Loads,” I answer, not really
wanting to think about it all. “But let’s shop first, then we’ll talk over
lunch.”

“Cool.” We link arms and make our
way over to Rob’s car. “So where to?” he asks.

“Churchill,” I say. “But can we
make a stop at North Laine too?” I have no idea what to get Tristan, but I’m
bound to find some inspiration there.

“Shall we have lunch there too?”
Rob questions.

“Yes, good idea!” I answer.

We make our way over to Churchill
Square Shopping Centre in complete silence, I’ve tried making conversation but
he seems miles away.

“You ok?” I ask turning to face
him as he parks the car. Rob shrugs solemnly – Uh-Oh! – “Things still rough
with Carlos?” I ask, hoping he’ll say no.

“Same-o, same-o,” he says, but
there’s an odd look behind his eyes, one I can’t get the meaning to. I frown
back at him. “Come on, we haven’t got long.” He says, changing the subject all
together.

I shrug. “Ok.” I step out of the
car and decide its best left alone, if he wanted to share he would – Rob’s never
been one for holding back.

FORTY MINUTES LATER
we
have successfully reached our goals. I have found a pretty dress in Next for
Joyce. Got a big box of crayons from Bob – You can never have enough crayons
when it comes to Lily, and Rob has bought her a Magnetic Tile Art Gift. Debs is
going to love that one, I can already imagine the fridge freezer covered in
Lily’s designs, and I have bought her a Baboushka Russian Doll Painting Kit, I
hope she likes it.

Then I think the kid gets so many
presents anyway it doesn’t really matter if she does, harsh but true. She is in
my opinion, sweet but a little spoilt by her parents, but Debs did have two
miscarriages before her so that’s probably why they spoilt her rotten.

As we wonder down North Laine
trying to decide on where to eat I am suddenly captured and have to stop. I am
staring at a very large painting of an old E-Type Jaguar, the artist has
captured it effortlessly and set the scene so you can just imagine yourself
stepping out of the car and having a lazy evening picnic. Set high on a cliff with
the sun setting and the sea for a background, the green Jaguar looks lovely,
almost as though it’s bouncing out of the picture, begging you to take her for
a drive. I don’t know why – because it’s not Tristan’s model, and I have no
idea if he likes the classics – but something deep within me tells me to buy
it. I know it will be a one-off and would look lovely hung in the main living
area, above the over-large sofa. That’s if he buys that place?

“Coral?” Rob pulls me from my
thoughts. “You ok?”

“Uh-huh,” I nod. “I’ll be back in
a minute.” I say.

I wonder inside the gallery and
enquire to the price. Thankfully, it’s not so expensive that I can't afford it,
but it will still make a dent in my savings. I quickly put a deposit down,
explaining to the woman that I want to have lunch first, then come back to
collect it and pay the remainder. She is animated and evidently happy for the
sale.

“What was that about?” Rob asks a
little tersely as I walk back over to him.

“It was for Tristan.” I tell him
matter-of-factly.

Rob beams from ear to ear, pulls
me into him and squeezes me tight. “I knew you’d come around,” he chuckles.

“No,” I bark. “You’ve got it all
wrong.”

“Have I?” he snaps back, I frown
at him. “You should go for it with him Coral I really want you to try. I’m
tired of seeing you on your own.”

“Not you too…” I groan.

“Me too?” he questions.

“Yes, you, George and Gladys,
telling me I need to find someone.” I mumble.

“Well, he is rather delicious,”
Rob states. “And you’re a fool if you don’t,” he adds tersely.

I shake my head at him and roll
my eyes.

WE FINALLY FIND
a place to
eat, and decide to sit outside – it’s too nice to be indoors. We place our
orders with the waitress, and I watch Rob pour cold, still water into both of
our glasses.

“So what’s your news?” He asks
even though he looks distracted.

I explain all about my day with
Tristan, about him buying me an air-conditioner, and my thought of buying him a
gift to say thank you, and that it can be as a moving in present too.

“So he’s bought it?” Rob asks
with renewed vigor.

“I don’t know, but does it
matter?” I say shrugging my shoulders.

“I guess not…” he sighs drifting
off. I stare back at him, he really doesn’t seem right today. I can't help
watching him observe everything that’s going on around him, like he’s sucking
it all up for the last time. He looks kind of...sad?

“I have other news.” I say hoping
to bring him back to me.

“Yeah?” He smiles back at me, but
it doesn’t reach his eyes. Our salads arrive and as I tuck into mine, I notice
Rob is just picking at his, so something is definitely off – I feel my stomach
drop fearing the worst – then I take a deep breath and remember that I
shouldn’t be doing that, thinking that way, or worrying about the future. I
really need to put into practice everything George and I have been working
towards, so I carry on with what I was about to say.

“So Gladys is getting hitched!” I
say cheerfully. Rob’s mouths drops open, he is speechless –
That’s a first.
“And she’s leaving, going to Devon or Cornwall.” I add and take a big mouthful
of my salad. Rob is glaring at me now, he looks really mad. I quickly chew and
swallow. “Hey,” I reach over and touch his hand. “You ok?” Rob swallows hard
and shakes his head.

“I can’t believe it,” he
whispers.

“Well neither could I,” I bawl
and launch into an animated story of finding Gladys with her new man. I use
lots of sparkle, humour and dry wit, but there’s nothing, just nothing. Now as
much as I’m really trying not to think the worst, I know whatever is wrong with
Rob must be really bad, because I know Rob so well, and he would be rolling on
the floor with laughter at that one, especially with how embarrassed I was
through it all.