Chapter 25
25
PRESENT DAY
‘Any drinks or snacks?’
Maggie opened her eyes to see the flight attendant smiling at her, holding out a bottle of water. She took it and thanked him, then turned back to look out of the window, cotton wool clouds partially covering the landscape below. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. On the one hand, Maggie had had one of the best nights of her life. On the other, never had she been so sad to leave a place – or person – behind. She was exhausted; her nails were filthy, her fingers sore from sorting grapes and as for her back, she wondered if she’d ever be able to stand up straight again. But for all her aches and pains, she’d loved every second.
Eventually, when they couldn’t put it off any longer, Nico said they should get going if she was to make it to the airport in time. They walked back up to the house and he ran her back into town, waiting outside whilst she grabbed her bags and woke Allegra as promised to say goodbye, then insisted on driving her to the airport despite her saying she was happy to catch a train.
‘I’m so glad you stayed for the harvest,’ said Nico as they sat in the car outside the terminal. ‘But I hate that you’re leaving.’
‘Me too,’ said Maggie, trying not to cry.
He kissed her again. ‘ à bient?t .’
As much as Maggie wanted to stay, real life was waiting for her back home. She had a job to go to, a flat to pay for, her friends and family were there. By the time the plane landed and she switched her phone back on, there were three messages waiting for her. The first was from the boss of the production company asking her to confirm whether she was taking the job. The second was from her father on the family WhatsApp group, a photo of Maggie’s cat lying flat out on their kitchen table as if he owned the place and the third was from Nico. She opened it, her heart racing. She read his words and replied immediately.
I miss you too x
* * *
The following day, Maggie turned down the job. She felt sick as she pressed send on the email but as soon as she’d done it, she knew it was the right thing to do. Maggie had grown adept at hiding her feelings – she’d done it for the last few years of her relationship with Jack – but the idea of working alongside him and his pregnant girlfriend was just too much, however desperate she might be for work.
Maggie was halfway through typing an email to her agent when her phone rang. It was her mother.
‘Mum! How are you?’
‘Hello, darling, glad you’re home safely. Did you have a lovely time?’
‘Gorgeous.’ Maggie smiled to herself. ‘Allegra is wonderful. I wish Granny was still alive so I could ask her more about her time in Paris. It sounded amazing. I can just imagine the two of them together, they obviously had so much fun there.’
‘She never really talked about it much; it probably felt like another lifetime to her,’ said her mother, quietly. ‘Did you bring the photos back?’
‘Yes, and I thought I’d come up later this week.’
‘I thought you said you had a new job starting?’
‘I’ve turned it down.’
‘Really?’
‘I couldn’t do it, Mum. Something else will come up, it always does.’
‘That would have been a tough gig for you.’
‘I’m emailing a few people now, actually.’ Maggie looked out of the window at the grey London sky. ‘How’s Dad?’
‘Oh, you know, same as ever.’
Maggie could tell her mother wasn’t being entirely truthful.
‘He does love having Tiger here, though. They’re literally inseparable.’
‘I saw the picture. He’s obviously made himself quite at home,’ said Maggie, laughing. ‘I’ll let you know but assume I’ll be with you in time for drinks on Thursday.’
‘Okay, we’ll look forward to seeing you then. Don’t forget to bring the photos.’
‘I won’t.’ Maggie thought about telling her mother about Nico, then decided against it. At least for now, she would keep him to herself.
The next few days flew by as Maggie continued her mission to find work but something felt different. At first, Maggie put it down to having been away; no one wants to go back to work after a holiday. Whatever it was, the feeling just wouldn’t go away and Maggie knew her heart just wasn’t in it like it used to be. She had the long drive up to her parents’ house to think and by the time she reached Melrose she’d made a promise to herself to sign up for a creative writing course, something she’d always secretly harboured a desire to do.
The season was putting on a glorious display as Maggie crossed the bridge over the River Tweed, the trees looking like a fireworks display in shades of garnet and gold on either side of the blue-grey water. Her father was at the door when she pulled into the drive, Tiger in his arms.
‘You have absolutely no loyalty,’ said Maggie, stroking her cat under the chin and kissing the top of his head. Tiger narrowed his eyes at her. ‘Hi, Dad.’
‘Hello, darling,’ said her father. ‘Come on in, your mother’s somewhere. Sylvie!’ he called. ‘How was your trip?’
Maggie followed him into the kitchen. ‘Amazing, thank you. I can’t believe I’ve never been to Cannes before. That whole area is just beautiful. Shall I put the kettle on?’
Her mother appeared, still in her overalls. ‘Sorry, I was in the workshop. I didn’t even hear the car. How was the drive?’
Maggie hugged her mother. ‘All good. Lots to catch up on.’
‘Is that cake? I’m starving,’ said her father, hopefully.
Maggie had taken these familiar rituals for granted for so many years but now, as she watched her parents age, these were the moments she loved the most. They sat around the kitchen table, hot tea in their mugs and Maggie filled them in on her stay with Allegra. She put the box of photographs on the table and they went through them together, spreading them out before them just as Maggie had done with Allegra.
‘So that’s Luc, who was Granny’s boyfriend at the time,’ said Maggie, tapping the photo of them in Etienne’s flat. ‘In fact, it’s a shame Granny isn’t in any of them.’
‘She was a very good photographer, wasn’t she?’ said her father.
‘She really was. So that’s Etienne?’ asked her mother, pointing at the photograph of him standing on the street with a book in his hand.
‘Isn’t he gorgeous?’ said Maggie. ‘Theirs was a real love story, I think.’
‘Why didn’t Allegra ever go back to Paris?’ asked her mother.
Maggie sighed. ‘Honestly, it’s so sad. They were engaged and Allegra went back to New York when her mother was ill. She assumed she’d return to finish the year, but her father refused as he didn’t approve. Then Etienne told her not to come back either. He said he didn’t love her but in fact, as Allegra found out years later, it was because he had to go back to his parents’ house in the south and he didn’t want her to give everything up for him. He didn’t think he could give her the life she deserved.’
‘Goodness, that is sad,’ said her mother.
‘What happened to him?’ said her father, pointing to a picture of Luc.
‘If it’s the same man, I think he became a politician in France, quite a famous one as it turns out,’ said her mother.
‘Really? How do you know?’ said Maggie.
‘Google.’ Her mother laughed. ‘It’s funny because I know they had to come back from Paris quite suddenly but I never really thought to ask why.’
‘It was all to do with the demonstrations and riots going on in Paris at the time, according to Allegra.’ Maggie picked up another photograph. ‘I love this one. It’s taken in one of the jazz clubs they went to.’ She handed the photograph to her father. ‘There was one photograph I left with Allegra. I hope you don’t mind, Mum. Your mother took one of her and Etienne on a bench in a park just by the Notre-Dame. I left it propped up on her table before I left, along with a thank you note. I thought she’d like it.’ Maggie thought of that photograph, how she’d wished she’d been kissed like that when she’d first seen it. And now, she had. Nico hadn’t been far from her thoughts since they’d parted company and with each passing day, their messages had become more frequent. She hadn’t checked her phone since arriving at her parents’ house, but she knew there would be one waiting. Her heart skipped at the thought.
‘Of course, quite right.’ Her mother nodded. ‘Talking of which, there’s a letter for you here too. I think it’s from Allegra. I recognise the writing.’
‘For me? Why would she be writing to me so quickly?’
‘I’ve no idea. It arrived this morning. Hang on, it’s on the side there. Michael, can you grab it?’
‘Not with this damn cat on my lap,’ said her father.
‘I know you love him more than you’re willing to admit,’ said Maggie, winking at her father. She got up to retrieve the letter, picking up the light blue envelope.
‘Open it,’ said her mother, pouring more tea.
‘What does she say?’
‘Hang on, Dad. I’m reading it.’ As Maggie scanned the words, her mouth dropped open.
‘What is it, darling?’ said her mother. ‘Is everything alright?’
Maggie read it again, then handed it to her mother.
‘What is it, Maggie?’ said her father.
Maggie looked from one to the other. ‘She’s bought a vineyard. And she wants me to have it.’ Maggie felt so light-headed, for a moment she thought she might pass out.
‘She’s what?’ said her father. ‘Did you just say vineyard?’
Her mother took the letter from Maggie and started reading. ‘It’s not just a vineyard. She’s bought a house. And who is Nico?’
‘Sylvie, what does it say?’ said her father, looking nonplussed.
‘I think I need a drink,’ said Maggie.
‘I’ll fix us some,’ said her father, putting Tiger on the floor.
Her mother reached across and squeezed Maggie’s hand. ‘I thought you seemed different.’
‘What do you mean?’ said Maggie, picking up her cat and putting him on her lap. His purring started up like an engine in a waiting car.
‘Start from the beginning,’ said her mother.
Maggie took a deep breath and told them her story.