Secrets From the Past (24 page)

‘I know. He’s a different man. Geoff says Zac’s lost his edge, that he won’t go back to the front line.’

‘What’s going on with you and Geoff
actually
?’ I probed, wishing to change the subject, and also wanting to know about her unexpected involvement. To me it was a curious liaison.

‘I guess you could say we’re having an affair,’ she replied in a low voice. ‘He’s the first man I’ve met since Jules died that I can actually stand. Most men leave me cold, but there’s something genuine about Geoff. He’s totally sincere, and very caring. I suppose he’s a bit square, but I like that about him … he’s the real thing.’

‘What you say is true, Cara. But …’ I broke off, hesitating, and then decided to finish my sentence. ‘I thought he was going to LA to visit his daughter. I’m sure you heard what happened, that you know the whole disastrous story.’

‘I do. I told him he was batting against the odds, and wanting to get back with his ex-wife was silly. That she was long gone, that’s for damn sure. I suggested he bring his daughter to London for a visit, rather than go over there to see her. Why set foot in enemy territory?’

I couldn’t believe she had said all this to Geoff, and my stomach churned. Dismay rendered me momentarily speechless. Finally, I found my voice. ‘That might be tough on a little girl, don’t you think? London’s hardly California. Not only that, Geoff’s working …’ I let my words trickle away, wondering why I had embarked on this complex tale of Geoff and his ex-wife. It wasn’t any of my business. No, not strictly true. Geoff was one of our employees at Global and important to us.

Cara now said suddenly, ‘I offered Geoff another alternative. I suggested he could invite his daughter to come here with him. I think Chloe would enjoy spending a few days at Jardin des Fleurs.’

I found it hard to disguise my astonishment, and I exclaimed, ‘Geoff has to run Global in London! He can’t take off just like that!’ I gave her a hard stare. ‘He has responsibilities to the agency.’

‘He could take a weekend off, surely? And I could look after Chloe here for a few days while he goes back to London.’

This idea of Cara’s alarmed me, and I wanted to end the conversation, nip it in the bud. So I said, ‘It seems you’ve got it all worked out in your head. But I’m afraid it won’t fly.’ I suddenly wondered what Jessica would say about these plans, and was about to say this, but changed my mind. Instead, I asked, ‘So, have we cleared the air?’

‘I think so. I’ll try not to be so blunt in the future, and I’ll apologize to Jess. What about the bone density tests? Shall I make an appointment for next week?’ she asked, moving on abruptly, for once understanding I was irritated.

‘Yes, but make it early in the week.’ I jumped up. ‘I’d better get back to the pictures of Venice.’ I was somewhat relieved she’d let the matter drop, and I hoped I’d got my message across about Geoff and his child. The fact that Cara even wanted a child around her astonished me; she worked eighteen hours a day most of the time, including weekends, and was so focused she was in another world.

Cara walked across the floor, turned at the door. ‘I think there’s a lovely coffee-table book in those pictures, Serena, but you’ll need a few more, don’t you think?’

‘I agree, but you told me there are a lot of Venice shots in Dad’s archives.’

‘Tons. Over there in the files in the credenza.’

‘I’ll look for them in a while.’ I sat down at the desk, once more staring at Tommy’s dummy.

Cara left the studio, quietly closing the door behind her.

I realized as I analysed the dummy of the Venice book that it was actually much more complete than
Courage
had been, except for needing a few extra photographs at the end. Dad had called it
La Serenissima
, using the ancient name for the city in its heyday when it was first a republic. It meant ‘The Most Serene’.

After half an hour I got up and went over to the credenza, which contained the built-in filing cabinets. In the top drawer
La Serenissima
was written on several folders, each one marked with a red star. This was Dad’s usual way of indicating that the folder contained his favourite shots.

Taking them back to the desk, I looked at them all and was even more thrilled. They were staggeringly beautiful, and I understood that with the addition of these the Venice book did not require much work at all. I couldn’t wait to tell Zac.

Later, when I went up to the terrace for tea, I saw that Jessica was alone. ‘Where’s Cara?’ I asked, joining her at the table.

‘She’s gone to see a client. Unexpectedly. She said we’re not to wait for her, that she’ll grab a cup of tea when she comes back.’

I nodded, then told Jess about the conversation I’d just had with her twin. I missed out nothing.

Jessica laughed when I’d finished my tale. ‘Well, it’s true, she did take my breath away for a moment last Friday. I couldn’t help thinking she was being rather dumb. But you’ve always known she’s got a blind spot when it comes to people’s feelings. She’s too honest, that’s her real problem, actually.’

I nodded, and poured myself a cup of tea. ‘She says exactly what comes into her head. No editing. But listen, what’s so amazing to me is her unexpected involvement with Geoff Barnes. You talk about having the breath knocked out of you when she blabbed about the osteoporosis. I was blown away when I heard about the affair with Geoff.’

‘I was, too. Flabbergasted.’ Jessica studied me for a moment. ‘I’ve thought about their involvement for the last few days, and come to realize that Geoff is a lot like Jules. Not in his looks, I’ll grant you that. Jules was movie-star handsome, and Geoff’s plainer in appearance. But he is much taller – fits better with Cara, in that sense. Anyway, Geoff has the same kind of niceness, which is what made Jules so warm;
likeable
, I guess that’s the word. I think Cara sees that, understands that Geoff’s character is underscored by the same kind of genuineness and reliability that Jules had.’

‘Now that you mention it, Geoff is a very authentic person. But I hadn’t made the connection between Jules and Geoff, to be truthful. How do you feel about having Geoff and his daughter staying here?’

‘Oh, I don’t mind, Pidge, I really don’t. Actually, I’m pleased about Cara and Geoff. She’s had some really bleak, depressed days over the past two years, ever since Jules died. I want her to have a little happiness now. Anyway, the house is big, and it’s nice to have company. And you’ll be leaving soon, won’t you? You’ve got to get back to work on Dad’s biography, and now’s the time, because you’ve finished sorting out
Courage
. And I think it’s marvellous, by the way; it’s going to be a great book.’

Pausing, Jessica smiled. ‘That was a mouthful, wasn’t it, Pidge? But you will be leaving me, and I’ll miss you.’

I heard the sudden sadness in her voice, and exclaimed, ‘I do have to go, yes, but I’ll be back later in the summer. Zac wants to come with me, because he has to write the text for
Courage
. We’ve only sorted the photographs and created sections so far, got them in proper order, the way Dad envisioned it. Also, Zac wants to try his hand at writing a memoir.’ I cocked my head on one side, and endeavoured to suppress a smile when I said, ‘We’ll be back here before you can say Jack Robinson.’

‘I ought to throw this cupcake at you,’ Jessica cried, grinning as she picked it up. ‘I thought we promised each other we’d never use any of Granny’s sayings.’

‘That’s true, but I couldn’t resist.’

‘When do you think you’ll be leaving?’

‘In about a week or ten days. I’m happy to tell you I have already found those additional pictures for the Venice book. I just have to create the last few sequences. And it’s easier to do it here.’ I paused, gave her a pointed look. ‘And I don’t want Zac to think I’m breathing down his neck in New York. I want him to devote all his time to his mother, all the time she needs him to help her get well.’

‘I understand. Cara mentioned she’s going to make an appointment for you both to have the bone density scans. Early next week.’

I nodded. ‘That’s right. I told her to make it as soon as possible.’

‘I’d like to explain something to you,’ Jessica said, sounding tentative. Then she cleared her throat, and went on in a stronger voice. ‘About this form of osteoporosis.’

‘Go ahead,’ I replied, and sat back in the chair, focused on her, unexpectedly feeling a little nervous.

‘My condition has been caught early, which means I can lead a relatively normal life,’ Jessica explained. ‘And if you and Cara do have it, then you’ll be pretty much in the same category as I am. You’re eight years younger, of course, so you’ll be better off than Cara and me in a sense. The doctors have prescribed a drug called calcitonin, which slows bone loss, along with painkillers and various calcium supplements.’

‘And they’re helping, aren’t they?’

‘Yes, they seem to be starting to work already. A lot of women who suffer from osteoporosis are often treated with bisphosphonates, which are the most powerful drugs to slow bone loss.’ Jessica took a sip of tea, and went on, ‘But most doctors won’t prescribe them for women who are still of childbearing age, like me, Cara and you.’

‘Why is that?’ I asked a little anxiously.

‘Because the long-term effect of the drug on the developing baby’s skeleton is not yet fully understood. It’s all about not damaging an unborn child.’

‘I understand that completely, Jess. And you do feel all right, don’t you? You’re not in great pain, are you?’

‘No. I’m really doing fine. And incidentally, I’m glad I spat it out, told Allen. He’s been so understanding, and it doesn’t seem to bother him. It’s made me feel much better, talking about it, being open and honest.’

‘I think he’s serious about you, Jess.’

A small smile played around her mouth. ‘I think he is too, and guess what?’ She leaned across the table and said softly, still smiling, ‘I am too. About him. I believe there’s a future for us together.’

‘I realized that before you did!’ I exclaimed buoyantly.

‘So aren’t you the clever one! Just like Mom. Always spotting relationships budding, affairs starting and all that romantic stuff – long before anyone else. So, Pidge, what about you and Zac? Where do you two stand?’

‘We’re together. We’re serious. Actually, we’ve been talking about getting married next year.’

‘Why next year? Why not now?’ she asked, a brow lifting.

‘He wants to feel right about himself, his health, wants to be sure he’s got his PTSD under control.’

‘That’s understandable,’ Jess agreed. ‘On the other hand, don’t leave it too long, Serena, don’t let time slip away. Get married, make a home, get new careers, be together in the best way. You can trust him, because you and I know he’s never going back to the front. And neither are you.’

‘You’re absolutely right,’ I answered. ‘I’ll never wear a flak jacket again.’

Little did I know on that sunny May afternoon how wrong I was when I said those words. But then none of us knew what the future would bring, or the sorrow and pain we would encounter. What was in store for us was a secret.

W
e went to the African Queen.

We put on our jeans, our best silk shirts and sparkling fake earrings, and set off from the house, the three of us in a congenial mood. Cara drove us there – to the charming little port in Beaulieu-sur-Mer where the famous old restaurant was located.

It had been one of our mother’s favourite spots, and we had been going there for years, so what better place to celebrate her birthday? It was 15 May, and if she had lived she would have been seventy-two years old today. I found that hard to believe. In my mind’s eye she was the beautiful blonde superstar of my younger years, and she always would be. My sisters felt exactly the same as I did. Our mother was forever young in our hearts.

Cara took the Moyenne Corniche to Beaulieu. The traffic was light, and she was lucky enough to find a parking spot on the port. This was helpful to Jessica, who was now wearing a soft cast on her foot and feeling better, but she still couldn’t walk far.

Our table was ready when we arrived, and the bottle of pink Veuve Clicquot, which Cara had ordered in advance, was waiting for us in a bucket of ice. As we sat down we were assailed by a cacophony of sounds – the chatter, the laughter, the rattle of china, crystal and cutlery, the joviality in general. The delicious smells emanating from the kitchen were mouthwatering.

The African Queen had always been a lively spot, and so popular it was often hard to get a table. But because of our long family history with them we were never refused.

A waiter came, opened the bottle and poured the champagne, and the three of us clinked our glasses and said, ‘Happy Birthday to Mom’, as we had done for the past four years since her death. And then we sat and reminisced about her for a while, recalling her
joie de vivre
, her lovely quirkiness.

At one moment Cara glanced around, said sotto voce, ‘The posters are starting to look faded, don’t you think?’

Jessica and I followed her gaze, and saw that she was correct. The walls were covered with framed posters of Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn in the old movie
The African Queen
, from which the local bistro took its name.

I said, ‘I could ask Harry to get them some new ones. He has a friend who deals in old movie posters and memorabilia. But maybe everyone likes the faded ones.’

‘That’s more than likely,’ Jessica interjected. ‘I’d leave it alone, if I were you. I’m sure they know where to get the posters. These are not the ones they started with. This place has been open for thirty years or more.’

‘They’ve probably got a storage room full of them,’ Cara muttered, sounding cynical, and reached for the menu. ‘I’m having my usual,’ she announced, then glanced at the menu anyway.

We all ordered the same thing. To start, we selected warm white asparagus, now in season, with vinaigrette dressing, followed by
moules marinières
and
pommes frites
– mussels steamed in a broth of white wine and served with French fries.