Escape to the French Riviera

Chapter Twenty-Six

Four days later, Poppy’s antibiotics have kicked in and she feels so much better that she is heading back to Cardiff. Over the past few days, I have wanted to pick up the phone to Elias and speak to him, but with Poppy listening to every word and requiring soluble painkillers every four to six hours, it has been difficult to get the space and time to have any sort of honest discussion. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that Elias hasn’t tried calling me or messaging me either. I would like to think he is busy, but I know that is far from the truth. After what happened between us, it is me who needs to break the ice. How I want to so badly, but I also don’t know where to begin. What if Elias won’t take my calls? We had such a beautiful evening together and it’s all ruined.

Poppy is still not in the best of moods with me by the time she sets off.

‘You know that Dad realises what he did was wrong. Why won’t you give him another chance?’

‘Because too much has happened between us. He did things I never expected. It’s taken me two years to get over the shock of it all. Now I’m finally at peace, and he’s putting ideas into your heads. He can’t just decide he wants us to be a family unit again.’

‘But we were a good family. We were all so close. I know he messed up, but we all make mistakes.’

‘Yes, we do, but some are bigger than others.’

‘I know. He has been stupid, but…’

‘Exactly. He has, and now it’s too late.’

‘But I always dreamed my mam and dad would be one of those couples I’d tell my friends in uni about. How they’d been together forever, and then one day, you’d be celebrating your fiftieth wedding anniversary. I never wanted my parents to be divorced. Imagine my wedding day. Where will you both be sitting? It’s all gone awkward now.’

‘Oh, love. I’m so, so sorry. I never wanted any of this either. It’s happened now, though, and we have to get on with it.’

‘Well, it’s not too late to change your mind, Mam.’

I give Poppy a hug, and we both get a little emotional as we say our goodbyes.

Then, as soon I can compose myself, I decide to sort this mess out once and for all with a phone call to Michael.

‘Hi, Michael. Are you free to chat?’

‘Go ahead. I’ve got a very interesting tax form in front of me, but go on because I need a word with you too…’

By the tone of his voice, I can guess that Poppy has got to him first.

‘Sounds riveting. Well, I won’t keep you. I need you to explain to the girls that we’re not getting back together. You’ve got to stop getting their hopes up.’

‘Oh, and why is that? Would that be because of that Tinder Scammer that has been staying with you?’

‘Right. First of all, it was one night, and yes, Poppy did accidentally meet Elias, as it seems you already know. Then secondly, we didn’t meet online nor is he a scammer. How many times do I have to tell you? Do I interfere with whoever you’re seeing? Since when are you so interested in my life?’

‘Well, I mean, there’s no need to go around flaunting this man about the place. People know me in Swansea. It doesn’t look good. Imagine how I felt when one of the new guys in the office said he’d been for dinner with my ex-wife and her friends.’

‘Duncan?’

‘Yes. I’m horrified.’

‘May I remind you, yet again, that we’re divorced and it’s all your fault that we are even in this mess.’

‘That’s why I want to make amends. Let’s give it another shot. Lucy, we’ve so much history between us. We have the girls who I cherish more than anything. I made a big mistake, and now I’m paying the price. You’re the only one for me. Let’s try again. For the sake of the girls. We can be a family once more, just like we were. We’ll have a new start. It’d make the girls so happy.’

‘Do you know how much I used to wish we could have a conversation like this? I did everything I could to keep my little family happy, but it was never enough for you. You took me for granted for years. Whatever the latest thing was, it would always turn your head. Well, now I’ve got myself together and realise that my future is whatever I choose it to be, and you are part of my past. We’ll always have our history, that won’t go away, but it’s time for a new start now.’

Michael is quiet for a moment and then snaps back at me. ‘If you don’t accept my apology and get back together with me now, then I won’t ask again. It’s your final chance.’

Any sympathy I had for him during this conversation has gone. He never did take rejection well.

‘That’s fine. It was over for me the day we signed the divorce papers. Now you go and do whatever it is you want to do with your life, and I’ll do what I want. But just make sure the girls know that it’s not Elias’s fault we’re not getting back together.’

‘Fine. I was only trying to get back with you because I pitied you being on your own and for the girls’ sake, anyway.’ Michael’s voice has turned meaner and more spiteful.

‘Goodbye, Michael. Have a nice life.’

I put the phone down and pour myself a coffee to calm myself before I make the next important phone call. This one is much more nerve-racking because I realise how much it means to me. I rub at the back of my neck, take a sip of coffee and press in the number. It rings and rings, and I pray for it to answer, to hear that voice on the other side, but I don’t. Instead, it goes to a generic voicemail from the phone provider. Do I really want to leave a message? I put the phone down, trying to keep a tiny glimmer of hope that he may call back. Twenty minutes later, there is no phone call from Elias as I had hoped and so I ring again. Still, there is no response, and it goes onto the voicemail. This time I decide that leaving a message might be the only way he will hear what I have to say.

‘Hi, Elias. It’s me. You know, Lucy. I’m calling to say sorry. I’m so sorry for what Poppy said. She didn’t know what’s been going on. You see, Michael did ask me to get back with him. I didn’t tell you because it didn’t feel important to tell you.’

I stop for a moment, thinking about what I can say next.

‘So, it is true what she said, but…’

I am halfway through when I hear a recorded message down the phone.

‘To record your message again, press one, or hang up if you’ve finished recording.’

I stare at it, not knowing what to do as I realise that my time is up. I’ve left an unfinished message telling him that it didn’t seem important to tell him about getting back with Michael. No, no, this has all gone wrong.

I desperately ring back again, but the line is engaged. I start to panic as I imagine Elias’s reaction as he listens to such a terrible message. Why did I not rehearse this before calling? I frantically ring again and again until I get through. When his number eventually rings out, I get that blasted recorded message again.

‘Sorry, I got cut off in half. I’m going to speak super-fast this time. So, yes, he did ask me to get back with him, and I said absolutely not. That’s why I felt it wasn’t important to tell you. It didn’t mean anything to me. Michael got this stupid idea into his head… Probably because he doesn’t have anything better to do right now and thought we could get back together, but I was having none of it. I think it’s because he realised that—’

‘To record your message again, press one, or hang up if you’ve finished recording.’

I scream at the phone.

This time when I call back to continue with my final message, it isn’t engaged. As soon as I hear the bleep, I start with what I really want to say.

‘I think it’s because he realised that I’ve met someone else. Someone I care for more than I ever thought possible. I never expected to meet someone again. I wasn’t looking for love, but somehow I feel as though I have found something I didn’t know I was looking for. I mean, I’m not falling in love… Of course, it’s very early days, but what I’m saying is that if I was to fall in love, then it would definitely be with you. I hope you’ll call me back so we can talk about what’s happened. Please don’t—’

‘To record your message again, press one, or hang up if you’ve finished recording.’

I put the phone down and stare at it in frustration.

I consider calling back to finish the sentence but decide I’d best not spam his voicemail even more. So, I put my phone to one side and hope that he will eventually call back. In the meantime, I meet Soraya for a lunchtime glass of wine. Not something I make a habit of, but there is a lovely wine bar in the marina and, right now, I need Soraya to chat to and the wine to cheer me up.

As only a best friend can, Soraya tries to lift my spirits. She’s sympathetic about my predicament and tells me how much she likes Elias.

‘Andrew thought he was very nice too. Didn’t they get on well?’ she says.

‘Yes, very well. But I don’t need to hear that now, Soraya. Don’t tell me how great he is when I might have lost him. How can I get him to speak to me?’

‘He will. It’s just a silly misunderstanding, and anyway, he lied to you about his money, so he can’t exactly talk about hiding things.’

‘No, I did think he might be a bit more understanding.’

‘Well, maybe he’s busy somewhere. Perhaps he’s out buying a new yacht and so busy negotiating that he can’t come to the phone.’

‘Or avoiding me,’ I say, taking a sip of my Sauvignon. ‘Oh well, there’s plenty more fish in the sea. Anyway, I never wanted another relationship after Michael, so I’m really not bothered. Who cares?’

‘You clearly do,’ smiles Soraya.

‘I don’t. Look, I’ll switch my phone off so he can’t call me even if he wants to.’ As I grab my phone from my handbag, I see four missed calls.

‘Oh my god. It’s Elias, he’s been trying to call!’

‘You see. How glum you looked when you walked in, and now look at you. All smiles again. Just like you were when we were away. I fear he might mean more to you than you even realise, or want to admit to anyone.’

As the phone rings in my hand, I have to agree. All I want is to speak to Elias and hope that he will understand that there was nothing to this Michael business at all. The pessimist in me raises her annoying head to plant the fear that he might be calling to ask me to leave him alone and, for a moment, I look at the phone, scared of what he will say.

‘Answer it, will you,’ says Soraya.

I nod my head and quickly swipe to answer. ‘Elias, hi.’

The line crackles and breaks up.

‘Wait, Elias, let me go outside. I can’t hear you.’

I look at Soraya, who gestures for me to hurry outside.

Looking towards the boats in the marina, I try to listen to what Elias is saying.

‘I owe you an apology too. I ran out of there and didn’t listen to what you had to say. I should have called you sooner. You listened to me when you deserved an explanation, and I should have done the same. I’m sorry. I guess this relationship business is harder than I imagined. My boys drilled it into me not to trust anyone. That everyone will be after my money, and…’

I consider how Poppy and Jasmine think the exact same way. If only they knew the truth that he definitely doesn’t need my tiny flat when he has so much of his own. But I don’t want to tell them the truth yet, either. Announcing that you’re dating a lottery winner isn’t the easiest thing to say. There are going to be so many preconceptions. Now I understand why Elias keeps it quiet. They may think he is some guy who spends all his money on women, boozing and bidding on football clubs.

‘I’m scared, I suppose. I can feel myself getting closer to you. How fond I am of you, and I just think that I don’t want to get hurt. Do you know what I mean?’ says Elias.

‘I totally know what you mean. The thought of getting hurt again terrifies me. That’s why I wasn’t looking for another relationship. Who wants to get hurt? It’s the worst feeling in the world.’

‘That much is true, Lucy. Look, we need to sit down together. I know it’s difficult with the distance between us, but we can work something out.’

‘Yes, absolutely.’

‘I have an idea. This might sound a little too much too soon, but I have to get back to France in a couple of weeks. How do you fancy joining me?’

‘I don’t think I can. I’ve got a lot of work on the book that I want to do and, well…’ I don’t want him thinking I’m a freeloader. I know if I tell him I can’t afford it, he will offer to pay for me, and I don’t feel right about that.

‘Let’s see. Why don’t you come back down to Swansea instead? The girls are definitely back in uni and not coming home at the weekend. We can try again. Or I can come up to Manchester?’

‘I’d love to come back down,’ he says.

‘Great, this weekend?’

‘It’s a date.’

We end the call, and I have a big smile on my face, but as I sit back down with Soraya and finish my wine, something troubles me.

‘All sorted now?’ asks Soraya.

‘Yeah, he’s coming back down to see me again.’

‘That’s fab. It’s not your turn to go to Manchester, then?’

‘No, I did think that. He’s happy to come here, but if I mention anything in passing about going up to see him, he doesn’t really acknowledge it.’

‘Hmm, that’s weird. He’s not hiding anything, is he?’

‘I don’t know. That’s what’s beginning to worry me. He said his boys live with him, so that might be what’s wrong, but I’d happily stay in a hotel nearby. I don’t have to go to his house. I didn’t call him the Mysterious Mancunian of Manchester for nothing. He doesn’t give much away.’

‘Well, he seems quite deep from what I’ve noticed. He’s just one of those guys who doesn’t really show his feelings and keeps his cards close to his chest. I’m sure it’s nothing.’

‘I don’t know.’

However, as I finish my glass of wine, I can’t shake off the feeling that there’s another reason he didn’t want me to go up to Manchester.