Chapter 44
44
F leur walked along a path with Cassy, not far from the hotel, on their way back from the hairdresser’s. She’d been in to talk to the stylist about what they were having done to their hair the next day, and to make sure everything was set. As they strolled and chatted, she looked up at a long beautiful line of green and yellow frangipani trees, the lush tropical vegetation thick around them. Everything seemed saturated in deep green, and the air was heavy with a scent so flowery and sweet, it was almost sickly. Sunshine streamed down onto the road, little rays slipping through the trees making dapples of light on the path. Fleur looked up at the deep green of the trees, smiling as a few pink frangipani flowers punctuated yellow ones here and there. Picking up one of the flowers from the path, she tucked it into her hair. Cassy followed suit, bending down picking up a yellow frangipani and popping it behind her ear.
‘Well, this is the life. I could get used to this every year.’
‘It really is. I wonder what the weather’s like at home.’ Cassy queried.
Fleur turned her mouth upside down. ‘Who knows? I don’t care.’
‘We know it won’t be like this for sure.’
‘Nope, not in a million years.’
‘How was your mum last night?’
Fleur sighed and shook her head. Valerie was up to something. Fleur knew it. She just wasn’t quite sure what yet. ‘She was fine. But there was something up with her.’
‘Like what?’
‘Like she was acting strangely. And then the whole thing where she said she was going back to her room for an early night—it doesn’t add up.’
Cassy wrinkled her nose. ‘What do you mean? Doesn’t add up? Why not?’
‘I mean that I think she was up to something.’
‘Like what?’
Fleur shook her head; she had an inkling that Valerie was interested in a man. ‘I don’t know. She was chatting to that man at the bar, remember? And then when I said to her about going back to her room, she told me it was because she had a headache. But then, later I went to get some ice because Patrick and I were having a nightcap on the balcony and she was coming out of the toilet by the reception. I asked her what she was doing, and she said she’d changed her mind and was going to have a little stroll on the beach. When I said I’d go with her and that she couldn’t go walking on the beach in the dark on her own, she was adamant that I didn’t. Like really adamant. She wasn’t having any of it.’
Cassy raised her eyebrows. ‘What do you think she was up to, then? Meeting him on the beach or something? Would she feel safe doing that?’
‘I don’t know, but she looked all dreamy and weird. She had a funny look on her face.’
‘What kind of look?’ Cassy frowned.
‘The one she had when she first told Wendy and me about Marvin. Sort of like the cat who got the cream.’ Fleur shook her head.
Cassy stared at her. ‘Wow, you don’t think?—’
‘I think she might have done, yes. Don’t say anything to Wendy or anyone, but I know that look on my mum’s face and I think she was probably going to the bar to meet up with him.’
‘Really? Would she actually do that? With someone she’s just met?’
‘She’s already been for a walk with him. Then she went for a drink with him.’
‘Wow. She doesn’t waste much time, does she?’ Cassy laughed.
‘I know, right?’
‘How does that make you feel?’
Fleur shook her head. ‘Pretty rubbish I suppose. I wonder who she is, you know? Sometimes, it makes me think that my whole life and childhood was a lie. I don’t know. I don’t really have much choice here, do I?’
‘I suppose you don’t, really.’
‘It is what it is. She was with Dad for all those years, then Marvin, and now it’s been like five minutes since that came to an end, if it has, and she’s jumping in at the deep end with someone else if I’m right. I guess she deserves a holiday romance…’
Cassy tutted. ‘Does she? Last time I checked I thought this holiday and occasion was meant to be all about you. She should keep that in mind.’
‘You don’t need to tell me. I’m well aware of it.’
‘It’s quite unbelievable. You know I’ve heard everything about her since she went off to do van life but, gosh, the last few days have been an eye-opener. She’s well, I don’t want to step out of line, but Fleur, she’s very self-centred.’
‘Oh, I know. You’re telling me nothing I don’t already know.’
‘It’s like she’s literally making up for what she believes to be lost time.’
Fleur shook her head. ‘I can’t be bothered with it anymore. It is what it is, and my mum will do whatever suits her because, let me tell you, she’s going to do it anyway. So there’s no point in me wasting any time or energy on it. Let her have her holiday romance, if that’s what’s happening.’
‘I do see what you mean about ignoring it but I’m saying for the record that she’s unbelievable in my opinion. This was meant to be about you…’
‘You live and learn, don’t you?’
‘You certainly do.’
Fleur picked up another frangipani flower and twirled it between her fingers before bringing it to her nose and inhaling deeply. ‘Wow, these smell lovely. We’re going to have them in our hair tomorrow. Do you think they will last? I don’t want mine to wilt.’
‘She said there’s a treatment they do to keep them nice for the whole day.’ Cassy sighed, stretching her arms up. ‘It’s just so nice that we’re here.’
‘Doesn’t feel like we’re in the USA at all. More like a little slice of paradise.’
‘Who would’ve thought that my best friend would be getting married in paradise?’ Cassy smiled and nudged Fleur on the arm.
‘Absolutely mad, isn’t it?’
‘It all started when you moved to Lovely Bay and things have gone like lightning since.’
‘It did. Now, look where we are.’
Cassy smiled. ‘You know what? All this and what has happened to you has really made me realise that I need to try and do more with my life.’
Fleur made a funny face and then wrinkled her nose. ‘More with your life? Like what?’
‘Ahh, I don’t know. There’s always budget to take into account, but sometimes I think, wow, months have gone by and all I’ve done is work, make dinner, clean the house and look after the boys. Rinse, repeat and then do it all again the next week.’
‘Yeah, I know, I feel the same sometimes. So, what grand plans have you got to change that?’
Cassy laughed. ‘No idea but I’m going to try and make more things happen. Actually, I was going to ask if you could make me a notebook that I could use for it. The Get-Cassy-a-Life notebook.’
Fleur chuckled. ‘Of course. I like the sound of that. What sort do you want?’
‘I just want one for bits and bobs, you know? Like the one you showed me before, where you note down stuff about things you're interested in, places you want to go, bucket lists, that sort of thing.’
‘Too easy. If there’s one thing I know how to do…’
‘So, what do you do? Every time you see something you like or are interested in you note it down and refer to it when you need to?’ Cassy questioned.
Fleur nodded. ‘Exactly. It’s good to do because you forget stuff. You can just refer to it when you want and, yeah, remember things etcetera.’
‘It’ll help me keep track of all the amazing things I want to do with my life.’ Cassy giggled.
‘Go on then, like what?’
‘I don’t know… I think I might do something like a tap dancing class. Something to expand my brain and my fitness, that sort of thing. I know I’m getting older, and I want to stay active.’
Fleur chuckled. ‘So, we’re doing a tap dancing class in the new year, then, are we?’
‘We are.’
Fleur burst out laughing. ‘Can you imagine? We’d be like a couple of fairy elephants.’
‘We should make it ballet, then we could wear a tutu.’
Fleur giggled as they carried on down the path, the frangipani-scented air thick and warm around them, the sun dipping lower in the sky, golden light in the leaves. As she laughed, she had a life moment. A good one. Here she was in Maui, strolling under the trees, laughing with her best friend and not a care in the world. Oh how life had changed for the better. Oh how pleased she was with that.