Finding Your Way Back (Chapter six) (standard:drama, 3129 words) [6/6] show all parts
Author: Cyrano	Added: Jun 13 2009	Views/Reads: 2135/1567	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
James' daughter and grandaughter pay him a visit. James meets with his client, Lavinia Lavender, to discuss plans for the new conservatory.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

but we'll pull it through, won't we Robbo?” 

James noticed Robbo was by now looking anxiously down towards the end of
the garden, where a young lady emerged from the house bringing out a 
tray on which were tea and sandwiches. 

“The usual, boys”, she said brightly as she approached. “I've done the
bacon just the way you like it.” 

Robbo gritted his teeth and shook his head as he looked at the girl. She
was completely oblivious to whatever meaning he was trying to convey to 
her. 

“You're a bit early, this morning with the stuff, aren't you love,” he
said. 

“No, same as usual, Mr Robinson”, she said, blandly. “You did say it was
in the building contract with your firm that we had to bring you tea 
and sandwiches at half past eight. And it's just going on half past 
eight now. That is, unless my clock's wrong in the kitchen.” She 
frowned. “It is alright isn't it?” 

James put her mind at ease. 

“Yes, Mr Robinson doesn't mind if the sandwiches are a little early. Mr
Robinson and Mr Jackson are going to work right through the lunch break 
every day this week, and they will need all the sandwiches they can get 
to give them the energy to get your job finished by Friday, at the very 
latest. Isn't that right, Mr Robinson and Mr Jackson?” 

James thought he could detect an agreement to this proposal from the two
men. 

The young lady's face flushed with excitement. 

“You mean you will finish this weekend?” Her eyes widened at the
prospect. “Mr Robinson told me it would be another week. That's 
brilliant. I can't wait to tell my husband.” 

“And think of all the sandwiches you won't have to make. And think of
all the money Mr Robinson and Mr Jackson will save by not having to pay 
you any more for the sandwiches. I think, off hand, the rate is about 
two pounds a day,” said James glowering at the two men. “Each....” he 
added. “What do you think boys?” 

He had to repeat the question four times before he was sure of their
reluctant muttered agreement. And the young lady tripped gaily all the 
way back into her house with a happy smile etched on her face. 

“That were a bit over the top weren't it boss?” said Robbo. “It was the
highlight of her day bringing us them sandwiches. She'll have nothing 
else to look forward to.” 

“It were jutht a bit of fun,” lisped Big Ernie. 

“Well, you've had your bloody fun... so get on with it.” 

James smiled as he walked away, and he knew they would be already
dreaming up some other fiddle. But the next meeting with Lavinia was 
foremost on his mind and when he drove up to the cottage the following 
day he tried to recall what she had said to him. What she looked like. 
The way that she spoke. 

There was no response to his knock on the door and no bark from the dog.
The BMW was parked at the side of the house and he walked from the 
front door and looked anxiously to the rear of the property. Then he 
heard a voice and saw her in the distance sitting on a bench in the 
garden on the riverbank. She waved him over. 

“Hello James, this is my favourite spot, I love sitting here and looking
at the water and the trees. I suppose this is the reason I bought the 
cottage. I'd looked all up and down for a place but when I came across 
this view I knew I had to have it. So I here I am.” 

She finally paused and smiled softly. James did not understand why she
was wearing sunglasses on this warm but overcast day but he raised no 
query. 

“It's funny about houses,” reflected James. “I could sell mine tomorrow
and not really care although I designed and built it. Eileen wasn't 
like that. She loved that house. I often tried to persuade her to move, 
but she wouldn't listen.” 

“I felt the same about Camerton”, said Lavinia. “I'd been there about
seven years. I fell in love with it when I first walked through the 
door.” She laughed gently. “I was so happy there. I thought I would be 
there for the rest of my life. Just being there, walking through the 
woods, sitting by the river. This same river, just a bit downstream. I 
had my horses. I went riding every day. It was wonderful.” James 
detected sadness in her voice. “The last thing that I wanted to do was 
to leave.” 

James sat quietly. He was intrigued by her need to tell him of her
recent past and as looked around, he too, was entranced by the beauty 
around him. He asked her the extent of her property. 

“Come on”, she said, “I'll show you round the field and the wood.” Then
she paused. “That is if you have the time.” 

James enjoyed the fifteen minutes or so it took them to stroll leisurely
around the land. It was overgrown and the wooden fences needed 
attention. Small sheds struggled for survival with loose tin roofs and 
doors hanging crookedly. She told him of her plans. Which areas to be 
let off for grazing and which areas she would turn to lawn. The dog ran 
ahead but returned to check they were following before dashing off 
again. Being a Labrador he enjoyed splashing noisily around in the 
river. He retrieved stones from the bed and laid them at their feet. 
James threw these back into the river but he and the dog soon tired of 
the game. The river bank was too steep for the dog, and the stones were 
too heavy for James. It wasn't like the old days when he could hurtle 
the cricket ball in from the covers in a flat powerful arc. His best 
endeavour now was a painful underarm lurch. Without admitting the fact, 
he was relieved when the dog decided to call it a day. 

“Shall we go inside and look at the new plans, I'm quite excited to see
what you have come up with”, she said as they walked through the 
kitchen. “Have a seat. Can I get you a drink? I have a carton of red 
wine just opened. Just make yourself at home while I go and bring you a 
glass.” 

God, she is a good looker, thought James, and seems happy to see me but
I hope she doesn't bump into that door with her sunglasses on. 

“Just lay the plans on the table,” she instructed. Then she knelt down
and handed him the wine. 

“Cheers! Here's to a successful conservatory.” 

The dog lowered himself slowly and deliberately between them and lay
down on the floor with unblinking eyes fixed firmly on James. 

Lavinia glanced over to James and they giggled. 

He realised she now had more of an understanding of his proposals but
his thoughts were distracted by her closeness and he could smell her 
perfume. He felt a tingle in his arm when she brushed against him. She 
raised one or two queries but appeared to be generally well pleased 
with what he had done. 

“Would it help if I could arrange for you to look at a conservatory we
have built recently?” said James and this idea appeared to please her. 
“Then you can get some ideas on size and maybe pick up some other ideas 
that will help you.” 

“That would be wonderful, you are so clever!” 

He knew that, but did she? Or was she being a bit cynical. He looked at
her closely, but her demeanour offered him no clues as to what she was 
thinking. She sipped at her wine and continued to look steadily down at 
the document. James felt pleased with himself.  Not only was she good 
looking but she was turning out to be very perceptive! 

He had finished his wine and there did not appear to be any more on
offer so James felt it was perhaps time to depart. 

“I have to get the planning application in within a week or so because
I'm going on vacation to stay with a friend in the States and I would 
like to have it sorted out before I leave, if that is at all possible.” 


“Well yes.... that sounds good. What part of the States are you
visiting”?  she enquired. 

“Near San Francisco; I have a very close friend lives there and he wants
me to visit him. We'll play a lot of golf. We'll have a good time. Take 
my mind off things.” 

“That's a coincidence, I have a sister living in San Francisco. She
married an American super tanker captain. He's retired now and I 
haven't seen her for years. She's always inviting me over but I never 
get around to it. We were very close when we were younger.” She smiled 
as she recalled “We were both mad about horses. Spent all our childhood 
in stables. Riding, grooming, even mucking out”, she laughed. “She 
still has a few horses. I often think of her. Anyway, lucky you. I hope 
you have a nice trip.” 

James thanked her for her good wishes, picked up his papers, and then
drove off with the promise he would ring her in a day or so. 

Frank was not at his desk when he returned to the office but he heard a
little squeal of delight coming from the direction of Margaret's room 
so he knew where to find Frank. 

It was usually prudent to knock on the door before entering when the two
of them were alone and he was surprised to receive the go ahead to 
enter almost immediately. They were, as he imagined they would be, very 
close together sitting side by side at the desk. Margaret was receiving 
instruction from the great man on how to use the new laptop computer 
she had pressurised him to purchase. 

Her pink flushed cheeks gave away her high state of excitement over the
new possession. Frank was drooling over her in anticipation of the 
reward he was hoping would be coming his way. 

“So you've finally persuaded him to get you one”, said James. “Yes, but
its not the one I really wanted”, was the totally unexpected reply to 
his enquiry. James frowned.  Margaret wouldn't recognise the difference 
between a computer and a compressor. 

“Is it the memory? Not adequate for your requirements?” 

“Don't be silly James, its only a little computer, you can't expect such
a little thing to have a big memory.” She dismissed this stupid 
observation with disdain. 

“Silly me”, replied James, but felt confident enough even in the
presence of the new expert, to take the matter further. “ What is it 
then that you don't like about it?” 

“Well James, what I really wanted” she said, “ was a pink one to match
my curtains. And this black thing clashes horribly. I just don't know 
if I can live with it. But he”, she said pointing to Frank and pouting 
her lips, “says I can't paint it. Something to do with getting it wet. 
But I would be so careful. But he won't have it. So I'll have to make 
the best of it.” She ended with a resigned sigh. 

Frank looked vacantly up to the ceiling and twiddled his thumbs. 

“Does it have Windows, Margaret?” said James. 

“Of course it hasn't, ”  she replied with scorn. 

“You don't need to look inside them, James. There's nothing to see
inside except the machinery. Look”, she lifted up the hinged screen, 
“this is where you see things.” 

“I can see your getting the hang of it quite nicely” remarked James,
politely. 

“Well I suppose I am really”, she replied. “I've only been doing it for
an hour and I can already open the case and switch it on.” 

“ It's quite a remarkable achievement, don't you agree Frank, and all
down to your personal tuition, no doubt.” 

James asked if Frank if it would be possible to have a quiet chat with
him and suggested that outside the room would be the place to talk. 
“Alright if we leave you to it for a minute, darling”, brought a nodded 
silent agreement from Margaret as her eyes remained transfixed by the 
somniferous patterns of the screensaver. 

“I want to show Lavinia a conservatory we have built so she can get some
idea's,” said James. 

Frank peeped over his long nose and moustache. 

“James, dear boy. I sometimes despair at the thought of what goes on
inside that unruly mop of grey hair. You built a conservatory five 
months ago next door to the bloody cottage. You haven't forgotten that 
already. Have you? You can show the good lady that splendid example.” 
He gave his moustache a gentle rub. 

“You know, I was only saying to Margaret this morning, since you've
started to work on that job for Lavinia Lavender, you've been running 
around like you have a flock of butterflies stuck up you're arse” James 
blinked and frowned. 

“Oh, is that so” he said and walked away and made the necessary
arrangements to show Lavinia around the new conservatory they had 
built. A few days later as they walked back towards her cottage after 
the visit, she invited him in for a drink. They conversed easily as old 
friends with no strained silences. The red wine from the winebox was 
offered and accepted with alacrity and Lavinia suggested they sit on 
the bench and enjoy the sunshine. 

“Have you any plans for supper tonight James?” 

“No...no, nothing. There's no-one at home.” 

“Let's go inside the house. I'll see what I've got. I think I have some
salmon crumble and I can rustle up a bit of salad and some bread.” 

His offer to help in the preparation of the meal was accepted and he
stood at the sink washing the lettuce and tomatoes and cucumber. As 
they worked side by side, he reflected that only a few weeks ago he was 
doing the same thing with Roiseen preparing for the fateful unfinished 
dinner party. 

His mind turned back to his wife as he stared out of the kitchen window
and looked down towards the river. What would she have thought of this? 
 Not just physically being with a woman, but with the emergence of 
thoughts for the future that were already developing in his mind about 
this new friendship. They had often talked in general terms of what the 
survivor of the pair of them should do after the first one passed on. 
James had it in his mind it would be he who would be doing the passing 
on and statistics supported his case. Woman live about seven years 
longer than men, on average, and James' sedentary occupation gave him 
only a three in four chance of getting through his fifties, on average. 
All of which had proved that averages are only averages. But he was now 
in this other than average situation and it was presenting him with 
some serious food for thought. 


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