6. Holly, Jolly Re… Maybe
6
HOLLY, JOLLY REUNION… MAYBE
I steal a glance at my father, who’s still trying to process the sight of his ex-wife after two and a half decades. Valentina is clearly a woman who knows how to control a room and, saunters confidently towards him. “Aren’t you going to come and say hello, Gary?”
“Yes, of course. I’m sorry, Val.”
It was then that it dawns on all of us that Valentina and Saffy weren’t alone. Standing in the doorway is a middle-aged man, holding presents and looking like he’s trying to keep a low profile. Aydin, always the gracious host, grabs the gifts and places them on the coffee table, and the man smiles gratefully. “Thank you, young man.”
Aydin introduces himself, and the man returns the gesture. “Albert Werrington. Wonderful to be here, Aydin.”
Tall and thin, Albert is dressed impeccably in a black wool pea coat and black slacks, the epitome of English upper class. He stands out like a sore toe amidst our motley crew of characters. Aydin brings him over to the table and gets him settled beside Refika, who wastes no time piling a clean plate with food for him. “ Afiyet olsun .”
Saffy is still chattering away at a mile a minute, and I can barely keep up with her rapid-fire questions and revelations. “I always knew I had big sisters. Mother never hid you from me. I would often ask why we could never meet in person. But...” She shrugs, her eyes shining with excitement. “There was always a reason. Daddy was busy. Mother had engagements. We would mostly spend time at our summer home in Italy, and winters we would often go skiing. Australia’s a long, long way to go for a week, you know?”
I can’t help but chuckle at her explanation. “Oh, we know.”
“And you live here? In Istanbul? How cool is that? Maybe I could stay with you for a bit. What do you think? I’m not working right now and I don’t do lunch.” Her grin widens even more. “Your husband is sooo hot. How did you two meet? And is that your baby? I’ve got a niece?”
“Actually, you’ve got three nieces.” Sadie seems to have snapped out of her initial shock and is now back to her normal self. “Ava and Zoe, come and say hello to your Aunt Saffy.”
Saffy’s eyes light up as she meets her nieces for the first time. “Oh my God, it’s A to Z! Well done, sis!”
Sadie looks over Saffy’s head to me with a playful grin. “Oh. My. God!” she mouths jokingly.
I roll my eyes, but a smile tugs at the corners of my lips. “Don’t be a bitch,” I mouth back.
As Saffy continues to chat with Ava and Zoe, our father approaches with Valentina. “Sadie? Ginny? Come and say hello to your mother.”
I feel a lump in my throat and struggle to find the right words. It’s been so long since I last saw this woman, back when I was just a little older than my nieces are now. The memories and emotions come flooding back, leaving me momentarily speechless.
I glance over at Sadie, hoping she can step in and break the awkward silence. But she looks just as lost for words as I am.
In the midst of this tense moment, Aydin gently places a reassuring hand on my shoulder, silently reminding me that he’s there to support me, no matter what happens. His presence gives me the strength to finally find my voice.
“Hello, Valentina,” I manage to say, though I sound like I’d rather be getting a root canal. “It’s been a long time.”
Sadie nods, her expression guarded as well. “Yeah, it sure has.”
Valentina steps closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “Hello, girls,” she says, her gaze sweeping over us. “You’re all grown up!”
“That usually happens when you don’t see your daughters in over a quarter of a century!” Sadie shoots back.
“I’m not going to make any excuses for how I behaved.”
“You abandoned us.”
Sadie isn’t taking any prisoners, and I glance at the table where my friends are glued to the scene like it’s the latest blockbuster.
Drama over breakfast?
It’s just your average Christmas morning entertainment.
“It was all I could do. I knew that your father would give you both the love that you needed, the love that I was unable to give you, that I wasn’t capable of giving you then.”
“You never came back,” Sadie’s voice cracks with emotion.
“I had no idea how unwell I was.” I can hear the emotion in her tone. Is it regret? Maybe. “I was selfish, even cruel, and I couldn’t see the damage I was causing to you both. My mind was a mess, and I wasn’t prepared to be a mother. But then I met my Albert. He saw through my pain and confusion, and with his patience and love, he helped me find my way. He helped me become the person I am now, someone who can finally face the mistakes of the past.”
“It took you two and a half decades to grow?” Sadie’s sarcasm is not lost on anyone in the room.
“Darling, it was tough, but then I had Saffron, and I finally learned how to love my child... my children.” Valentina opens her arms wide, as if expecting us to step into an embrace. But neither Sadie nor I move. She closes her arms, and a flash of hurt crosses her face. “And now my girls have their own girls. I’m a grandmother!”
“You’re not actually.”
I squeeze Sadie’s hand and offer a tight smile to Valentina. “Yes, Ava and Zoe are eight, and my Ayda is just over six months old.”
Valentina smiles warmly at Ava and Zoe, but their innocent eyes are wide with confusion, unsure of the tension in the room. They don’t make a move toward their grandmother, mirroring Sadie and me.
I quickly lift Ayda out of her highchair and give her a playful squeeze before holding her out toward Valentina. “Oh, darling, not just now. She needs a little wash first, don’t you think?”
I guess a leopard really can’t change its spots.
Saffy bursts into laughter as she takes my daughter into her arms, blowing raspberries. “Don't be offended, Baby Ayda. My mother doesn’t do mothering, despite what she just said. She’s got people for that!”
Without a word, Sadie and I exchanged looks. We both know we dodged a bullet with Valentina Werrington. Her absence, once a wound, now feels like a hidden blessing. Watching Saffy laugh and chat with Ayda, I feel a surge of compassion for our newfound sister. Growing up with Valentina must have been a nightmare, and it’s a shock that Ayda turned out so down-to-earth. It’s clear that Saffy had a different upbringing, one far from the nurturing and loving environment we had with our father. While we may have missed out on having a mother figure in our lives, it’s evident that Saffy could use some positive role models in hers too.
Maybe that positive role model might just be us?
Dream on, Ginny!