Chapter Twenty-Four #2
It doesn’t escape my attention that everyone looks relieved.
Mum is happy that Dad will have less stress, so he can concentrate on his recovery.
Nina is just exhausted and glad that she won’t have to worry about money.
And I can see how relieved Dad is to pass on the baton at last, and have someone else run the race.
Mark is trying to hold it all together for the rest of us, but the cracks in his soul are wide, and, like the Japanese art of Kintsugi that Kingi mentioned, he needs time to understand that they’re a part of him, and he can’t get rid of them—they will also be there, but he has to learn to accept them.
But at least he seems to be on the road to recovery.
I think about the fact that they’ve asked me to run the business long term.
It’ll be a challenge. I’m still not sure I’m the right person for the job.
But I find myself excited at the thought.
This time, it won’t be about covering until Dad gets back and trying to keep us afloat.
I can use the rest of the money that Kingi gave me and really do something with the company.
Buy new equipment, and hire more employees.
Something occurs to me then… a flash of an idea. I put it to the back of my mind, though. I’ll need to talk to him about that later.
“I’ve got a bottle of bubbly in the fridge,” Mum says, getting to her feet. “I’m going to open it. I think we need to make a toast to a fresh start for all of us.”
I watch her go, and then look over at Mark.
His eyes meet mine, and he gives a small smile.
I know he feels guilty about what he did.
I watch Thea go over and sit on his lap, and she gives him a hug, the same way I’m doing with my dad.
Fathers and daughters. When we’re young, they know they need to protect us, and they try so hard to be strong for us.
But they’re only human. And sometimes a kiss and a hug from their baby girl is the medicine they need.
*
A few hours later, I get back in Dennis and start driving home. I’m halfway there when my phone starts ringing, and when I see it’s Kingi, I pull over and answer it.
“Where are you?” he asks.
“On my way home.”
“Come and stay with me tonight.”
My lips curve up. “I need some clothes! I’m still wearing what I wore yesterday.”
“Then go and pick some things up, but come and stay with me. I need you.”
“Aw. What happened today?”
“Nothing bad. I’ll tell you about it when you get here. How are you?”
“I’m okay.” I think about sliding in bed with him, kissing him, making love with him, then curling up beside him for the night. “Yeah, all right, I’ll be over shortly.”
“Good girl. See you soon. Love you.”
“Love you,” I say shyly, and we end the call.
I drive back to the house I share with the girls in a bit of a daze. I’m worried about this moving so fast… but then I think of the fact that my dad asked my mum to marry her just days after meeting her. It obviously happens, and they’ve been happily married for nearly thirty years.
After parking Dennis out the front of the house, I get out, and it’s only then that I see Tamati’s car parked just down the road. My heart bangs, but I realize then that I still haven’t spoken to Ria. He’s probably here to see her. Wow, that’s awkward.
I walk slowly up the path and let myself into the house. I can hear voices, and when I go into the living room, I see Tamati sitting on the couch, where he used to sit with me, and his arm is around Ria.
“Hello,” I say evenly.
Lisa is sitting in one of the armchairs, and she gets up and gives me a nervous smile. “Hey, Chess. Everything okay?”
I nod and look at the other two. “So… are you dating now?”
Ria lifts her chin. “Yeah. You didn’t want him, so I didn’t think you’d mind.”
I look at Tamati, who just smirks.
Something settles over me then like a soft mist. You’re not always aware of the passing of time.
Days, weeks, months, even years can go by without much changing.
And then suddenly you catch sight of yourself in a mirror, or you see someone you haven’t seen for a long time, and it’s a shock to comprehend how things have moved on, and how much has changed.
This is one of those moments. Without realizing it, my whole life has subtly shifted.
It’s as if I thought the stars above my head were static, but I’ve filmed the night sky on a long exposure camera, and now I can finally see the way the heavens rotate above me.
I’ve moved on. I’ve outgrown my old life.
Running the business and being with Kingi have given me more confidence and an understanding of myself that wasn’t there before.
I no longer feel that everyone else is better than I am.
I’ve run the company for months and I’ve done a damned good job at turning things around.
I might not have Sabrina’s beauty, wealth, or contacts, but I know that’s not going to play a part in my relationship with Kingi because I have other things to offer.
I have a long way to go, but I’ve outgrown my old life.
“I’m very pleased for you both,” I say with as much graciousness as I can muster.
“But I’ll be moving out.” I walk out of the room and down to my bedroom, go into the bathroom, and pick up the things I need.
Afterward, I come out and take a bag out of the cupboard, and start stuffing in some of my clothes.
Lisa appears in the doorway, looking pained. “Please, don’t do this. We can work this out. I don’t want him in the house either. We’ll tell Ria that if she’s going to meet him, she’ll have to do it somewhere else.”
But I shake my head. I like Lisa, and I’ll miss her, but I know she would never have the courage to say that to Ria, and anyway, it’s time for me to move on. “It’s okay, you’ll find another tenant.”
“But where will you go?”
“I’m moving in with Kingi.” I thought I might feel sad as to leave, but my heart soars as I zip up the bag. I give her a hug. “Thank you for everything,” I tell her. “I’ll be back over the next day or two to pick up all my stuff.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“It’s not your fault. It’s okay. Take care of yourself.”
I don’t go back into the living room. I walk down the hallway and out the front door, and close it behind me.
*
When I arrive at Kingi’s house, he’s obviously seen Dennis pull up because he’s standing there, waiting. He holds out a hand. Dangling from his forefinger is a key with a white ribbon tied to it. He smiles. “I’m hoping to tempt you.”
I take it from him. Then I burst into tears.
“Shit,” he says. “That wasn’t what was supposed to happen.”
“Sorry,” I squeak. “It’s been a bit of a tough few hours.”
“Aw. Come and tell me all about it.”
He takes my hand and leads me through the house, and we cuddle up on the sofa. I tell him everything, about Dad and Mark and the business, and about Tamati and Ria. He tells me about his Dad and the fact that he’s probably going to move out of the house and start divorce proceedings.
“Everything’s changing,” I murmur, resting my cheek on his shoulder. It’s growing dark outside, the sun about to disappear below the horizon. The sky is the color of an eggplant, with a touch of orange where the last piece of sunlight remains.
“Yeah.” He kisses the top of my head. “But it’s not all bad.”
I lift my face to his, and we exchange a long kiss.
“Oh, I had an idea,” I say when he eventually lifts his head.
“I was thinking about the gardening business, and about the Foundation. And I thought that if you wanted, you could always ask any of the youngsters if they were interested in gardening and plants, and if they were, we could run some kind of apprenticeship. We could train them in the basics and offer them a certificate at the end, and maybe give some of them a job, if we start growing enough.”
“That’s a fantastic idea. I was thinking about working with local businesses like garage workshops or electricians to offer the kids different pathways to jobs.
Schools tend to drive kids toward university because they need to make their quotas, but university isn’t for everyone, and too many kids are leaving uni with degrees and heaps of debt, and they still can’t find jobs.
So yes. Some kind of gardening apprenticeship would be a great idea. ”
He kisses me again, then lifts his head and strokes my cheek. “Are you okay about seeing Tamati today?”
“Oh, I’m fine. I was kind of upset with Ria, that she thought that bringing him into the house was okay.”
“It was a tad insensitive. What are you going to do?”
I pick up the key where it’s resting on the sofa beside me and study it. Then I look up at him. “I thought… that I might move in with you. I don’t want you to think this is the only reason… I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and—”
“I don’t care.” He shrugs, his whole face alight with pleasure. “I don’t mind what the motivation was. I just want you here.”
“Maybe we should trial it for a week or something,” I say hesitantly, “and if you think it isn’t working, we can reassess and talk about it…”
He just laughs. “Whatever.” Then he takes my face in his hands.
“I adore you, Chessie Ross. Right here, right now, I absolutely adore you. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.
You make me feel complete. I want you… I need you…
and the thought of being able to wake up next to you every morning and go to bed with you at night fills me with joy. ”
He presses his lips to mine, and kisses me, and kisses me, and kisses me, until I’m breathless and laughing.
And then he wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly, while the last touch of color fades from the sky, the stars begin to twinkle, and the moon rises over us, casting us in her silvery glow.