Chapter Twenty
Ophelia
O phelia tapped the wheel as she drove towards Glenbriar. Any other Friday at this time, she wouldn’t mind visiting her mum, but this was to be her first night in the boathouse. Her mum was always so busy she had to accept the windows when they opened. She needed to speak to her, but she couldn’t stay long. Not with the nights closing in earlier all the time. She wasn’t sure how good the lighting outside the boathouse was. And truthfully, she was still a bit freaked out at the idea of being there alone, especially in the dark. But she’d survived white-water rafting, so she could do this.
As she pulled into her mum’s driveway, the hands-free rang, and Brann’s name appeared on the screen.,
She slapped accept call . ‘Hello.’
‘Hey,’ he said.
‘What’s up? I can’t really talk.’
Her mum had appeared at the door; she didn’t like being held up or kept waiting, as Ophelia knew from experience.
‘This is important,’ Brann said.
‘Tell me then, what is it?’ She dreaded to think. A hole in the roof? A leaking pipe? Or something worse?
‘You’ve just had a visitor.’
‘Who?’
‘Sean.’
She gaped at the screen. ‘Are you being funny?’
‘Unfortunately not. Listen, there’s no easy way to say this. He came in here and snuck upstairs with a bottle of wine.’
‘What?’
‘You heard me. He told Harrison you were his girlfriend, then I went up to kick him out, and he told me he wanted to surprise you. So be warned. I don’t think he’d do anything awful. He’s too wet for that, but I doubt you want him hanging about.’
‘Oh Jesus Christ. That’s horrendous. I’m calling Jacinta for his number. How dare he?’
‘Yeah. Idiot.’
‘Listen, thanks for kicking him out. Don’t let him back in again and when you lock up, take the key away. I’ve got my own. I don’t want him sniffing around and finding it somewhere.’
‘Ok, I will.’
‘Right. Got to go.’ She ended the call and got out of the car.
‘Hurry up,’ Edith said. ‘All the heat is escaping.’
‘Just needed to sort something out.’ Why was her life never simple? And now this little shit! What was his game? Why did it seem like Jacinta was somewhere behind this?
Edith’s house was always beautiful in an understated way. The country cottage style was effortless, small piles of books and magazines were in every room looking decoratively placed, flowers added colour, and the furniture was perfectly mismatched.
Ophelia inhaled the earthy smell on entering the kitchen, ducking under some hanging vegetables. Somehow, the house reflected Edith’s love of gardening and everything home-grown.
‘I’ve been tidying the garden,’ Edith said. ‘So many fallen leaves everywhere. I’ve been looking for someone who might like to do it for some extra money, but no one has taken me up on the offer.’
‘That’s a shame.’
‘Indeed. And how’s life with you? It seems a while since I’ve seen you. Things have been crazy busy, as always.’
Ophelia filled her in on the boathouse, the man in the woods, the dinner dance, and the rafting, all conveniently missing out Brann. In her mind, he was one of the biggest parts of those things, but she couldn’t even say his name. Somehow, it was like confessing to committing a crime.
‘Goodness me,’ Edith said, when Ophelia told her the latest life instalment – Sean lurking at the boathouse. ‘Call him this instant and tell him to stay away or you’ll get a restraining order. I would. Sneaky man.’ She shuddered.
‘Yes, I will. That’s also why I don’t want to stay too long. I don’t want to get back when it’s too dark.’
‘Quite understandable. Call me as soon as you’re home or I’ll worry.’
‘I… Um… There’s something I wanted to ask you.’
‘Ask away.’ Edith sipped her coffee.
‘How’s Nancy?’ That wasn’t really what she wanted to ask, but somehow, they were the words that popped out.
Edith’s expression flickered slightly but Ophelia only noticed because she was watching for it.
‘She’s very well. She’s coming for dinner later. You’re welcome to stay, but it won’t work if you want to get home before it’s dark.’
‘It’s fine. Just say hello.’
‘Of course.’
Ophelia took a mouthful of coffee, not sure she could get the question out.
‘Is that what you wanted to ask me?’ Edith said.
‘Well, kind of…’
‘Ok. And is there something else?’
‘Yes, but if it’s not true, you might be upset.’
‘If what’s not true?’
‘Someone told me you had a partner. I wondered if it was Nancy.’ As soon as she said it, she wished she hadn’t. Her cheeks were suddenly too hot.
‘Who said that?’ Edith scrutinised her.
It must be a lie. Her mother appeared shocked. Kristalee must have made it up, but why?
‘Who said it?’ she pressed.
‘It doesn’t matter.’
‘I’m just curious.’ Edith rubbed her temple and her expression softened.
‘I shouldn’t have said anything.’
Edith got to her feet and moved to the window. She leaned on the kitchen sink and inhaled slowly ‘I don’t know quite how to say this, but… well, it is true.’
‘It’s true? You and Nancy are partners?’
‘Yes. But there are only a few people who know and I’m very curious to find out who told you.’
‘But…’
‘I’ve never really told anyone. A handful of women know, ones I’ve been… in relationships with, but that’s about it.’
Ophelia’s heart slipped. Her mother had been in relationships and never said a word. She’d met none of these people. Sometimes Edith seemed closed, but Ophelia felt she’d missed a huge part of her mother’s life.
‘Your father doesn’t know,’ Edith said. ‘I didn’t know how to tell my family. It’s easier to talk to strangers sometimes, occasionally I’ve done that. I thought you would all be so shocked or horrified you’d disown me.’
‘Understandable. Dad definitely would be horrified.’
‘Oh, I know. I’ve seen so much prejudice in action, watched friends’ families fall apart and seen people lose contact with loved ones. People don’t always react the way you want them to. I didn’t “find myself” overnight. It dawned on me gradually and I had to come to terms with it. I was brought up in a family where such things are taboo and unacceptable. I had to alter my whole mindset to realise I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I wanted to tell you, but it never seemed the right time.’
Ophelia stood up, went over to her mum, and put her arm around her shoulder. ‘Now’s the right time,’ she said.
Edith looked at her, eyes misting over. ‘Really? And you don’t think badly of me?’
‘Of course not.’ Ophelia embraced her, and Edith let out a little cry. ‘I wish you’d told me before, but I get why you didn’t.’ She patted her back.
‘I thought maybe after Nancy and I had lived together for a while and you were used to her, we could break it to you then, but… Well, it’s out now.’
‘I like her,’ Ophelia said. ‘She seems like a lovely lady.’
‘Thank you, darling. Your acceptance means the world to me.’
Ophelia pulled back and smiled. ‘You’re like the strongest, feistiest woman I know. Be you and don’t let anyone change that. If there comes a time when you want to tell people, I’ll be right there for you.’
Edith smiled a watery smile. ‘I think you should take your own advice. Be you and kick these silly suitors your father keeps throwing at you into the ether. Choose someone for yourself.’ Edith clapped Ophelia’s cheeks.
‘Yes, I need to have a good think about that. Speaking of which, I should get back and make some calls, so I don’t get any unwanted visitors tonight.’
‘Yes. Do that straight away and let me know when you’re back safe.’ Edith held her upper arms for a moment. ‘You’re a wonderful daughter and I’ve done not only you a disservice by not telling you before, but also myself. So often I needed someone to talk to, and I didn’t realise the answer was always here.’
Ophelia gave her another hug. ‘Well, I’m still here, so if you need me again, call.’
‘I will.’
As soon as she was in her car, she rang Jacinta. The call didn’t connect, but she rang again. And continued to ring until eventually she picked up, when Ophelia was halfway back.
‘Why have I got so many missed calls from you?’ Jacinta said.
‘Because you didn’t pick up your phone.’
‘I was busy.’
‘Have you cooked up some scheme to get me together with Xander’s friend Sean?’
‘Oh… Do you like him? He’s very well off, I understand.’
‘Can you hear yourself? He’s a university student. I am not dating him. Did you also know he went to the boathouse this afternoon and seemed to be planning to wait for me there? Doesn’t that set any alarm bells ringing for you? Or do you think that’s perfectly acceptable? Maybe you’d be happy for Xander to behave in the same way and lie in wait for unsuspecting single women to come home.’
‘Really, Ophelia, you’re blowing this out of all proportion. We suggested he went around to chat to you, maybe take you some gifts.’
‘Oh, he brought wine apparently and took it with him up to my bedroom.’
‘Don’t be silly. You’re making that up. He said you weren’t even there when he went in.’
‘I wasn’t, but thankfully the builders tipped me off because they thought it was suspicious behaviour and they’re not wrong, are they?’
‘Alright, calm down. And what builder are we talking about? He told us a story that he’d met you at a party where you were dancing rather closely with someone called Brian, who was also at the house pretending to be the builder.’
Ophelia let out a silent groan. She should have known that would come back to bite. ‘No one was pretending to be a builder. Where is Sean now?’
‘He’s still here with Xander, and don’t worry, I’ll make sure he doesn’t call around tonight.’
‘We’re doing more than that,’ Ophelia said. ‘I don’t want him calling around, ever. You can get this right now. I am NOT dating him. Now, put him on the phone.’
‘Who?’
‘Sean.’
‘But…’ Jacinta seemed to be huffing and puffing. ‘What will you say to him?’
‘None of your business. Just put him on. I insist.’
‘Oh, for heaven’s sake.’
Some scuffling sounds told her Jacinta was on the move. Voices spoke and then a clear male voice said, ‘Hello.’
‘Who’s talking?’ Ophelia said.
‘Sean.’
‘I know what you did this afternoon.’
‘Look, that builder was—’
‘Telling the truth. I’m not daft. He wouldn’t phone me out of the blue and make up a story like that. You shouldn’t have been in my room.’
‘Yeah. I get that, but I was just looking around.’
‘My bedroom? What were you planning? Jumping me when I got home? Not exactly romantic and not exactly behaviour that’ll make me want to date you. If you’d done that, I’d have knocked you out with the nearest heavy object.’
‘Look, I wasn’t going to do that. So, yeah, I didn’t think it through, but those builders were there, and I didn’t want to get in their way. Who knew the guy would follow me up?’
‘I’m glad he did. Because it tells me you and I have completely different ideas about what’s romantic. And I don’t like your way. So, I want you to understand there’s no future for us. And nothing will make me change my mind. Don’t come around my house again. If you do, I’ll be calling the police.’
‘Yeah, yeah, ok. You’ve made your point and really, no relationship is worth this much grief.’
The call ended abruptly, and Ophelia gulped a large amount of cold air, not wanting to imagine the scene. Would Jacinta be flapping around Sean, trying to apologise? Silly cow. How would she feel if it had been Francesca who Sean pulled that move on? Something told her that would change Jacinta’s opinion. But the woman was such a narcissist, there was no point trying to tell her any of that.
Ophelia drove to the boathouse, glad there was enough light to see clearly. The light above the door was on. She unlocked it and went in to find the small hallway was lit up too. Something told her Brann had left it on for her and not by accident. He had the ability to infuriate her, but she trusted him. Of all the men she’d ever known, he was the one she knew she could ask to do anything, and he would. He’d looked out for her today when he could have turned a blind eye or laughed it off as a silly prank.
She closed the door and bolted it again. Sitting on the new sofa, she let out a sigh and texted her mum to say she was home. Who’d have thought she’d ever say this? But thank god, she’d met Brann. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. It wasn’t warm in here and with darkness closing in, she was lonely and isolated. If only Brann was here now. She could do with some company. His was the face that kept coming into her mind. Over and over again. Maybe if she willed him to come, he would. But that was stupid. Why would he? It was Friday night. He’d be busy with his family or out at the pub, doing whatever he did. He certainly wouldn’t be calling around here anytime soon. She’d just have to suck up the loneliness and deal with it.