Chapter 29
29
After Theo and Francine left for the airport Agnes found the iron and ironing board in the tall kitchen cupboard and set it up. She’d noticed that there was a small pile of clean washing on the machine waiting to be ironed. While Theo was out she planned on doing it for him. It was the least she could do.
Twenty minutes later Agnes carried the carefully folded shirts, jeans and towels up to Theo’s bedroom and placed them on his bed. She’d leave them for him to put away, not wishing to open drawers and cupboards that were none of her business to see where he kept things.
Glancing around the room as she turned to leave she saw two silver framed photos on the bedside table. One was a group photo taken at Francine and Edwin’s small intimate wedding. Bride and groom, groom’s parents on his side, herself and Theo on Francine’s side and one bridesmaid on both sides. Agnes walked across and picked up the photo, remembering what a perfect day it had been for the happy couple.
Francine had been adamant that she didn’t want her father at the wedding and she’d asked Theo as her godfather and favourite uncle if he would walk her down the aisle. He’d been so proud that day to assume in loco parentis over Francine. Agnes remembered too how she’d stood at his side wishing that things could have turned out differently for her and Theo.
Carefully, Agnes replaced the photo before picking up the second one which was of herself. She smiled as she recognised the setting, the Royal Avenue Gardens in Dartmouth. Theo must have taken it on his phone during his last Christmas visit because she was standing by the town’s Christmas tree admiring the decorations and pointing out something or other tied to its branches.
Returning the photo to its position on the bedside table, Agnes moved towards the door thinking about the one photo, also in a silver frame, she had on her own nightstand at home. Taken a few years ago now, she’d never replaced it with a more up to date one because she loved it so much. On one of his summer visits, the three of them had taken a river trip one evening on one of the tourist boats up to Totnes. Francine busy snapping photo after photo on her new phone had captured the two of them laughing at some joke or other. ‘You look so happy in this photograph,’ she said as she handed the printed version to Agnes. ‘I thought you’d like a copy to keep. Show Theo.’
Agnes closed the bedroom door behind her and went downstairs, pushing all thoughts of what might have been so much more than a friendship, deep down inside her.
* * *
Zazz placed the last plate of food on the table and checked that everything was ready. ‘Are you excited, Gran? I am. Can’t wait to meet this new uncle of mine – well, half an uncle, and a half-cousin too.’
‘I’m not sure that excited is the word,’ Agnes said slowly. ‘Curious yes but I’m more anxious than excited at the moment. I was hoping Theo and your parents would be here by now.’
‘Plane was probably late landing and the traffic at this time of day is usually busy, especially on a Friday evening,’ Zazz said. ‘Don’t worry, they’ll be here soon. Besides aren’t French people always a polite five minutes late? Which gives Theo a bit more time. Gran, can I ask you something? It’s about Oscar so you probably won’t want to answer,’ Zazz said. ‘Which is okay if you don’t.’
Agnes glanced at her. ‘I think it’s time for honesty about the kind of man he was. Your mother and I made a mistake in not being more open with you about the past but it was easier to shut it away and not talk about him. What do you want to know?’
‘I think he was a difficult, controlling man, from the little you’ve both said and patently someone I personally would hate to be married to so I sort of understand why you left him. But?—’
‘I ran away for my own safety,’ Agnes interrupted quietly, giving her a serious look. ‘Which is not something I’ve ever liked to talk about.’
‘You mean he was violent towards you?’
Agnes gave a brief nod. ‘ Oui .’
‘You see, I didn’t know that.’
‘No reason for you to,’ Agnes said. ‘It didn’t affect you, why did you need to know?’
‘Was he violent towards Mum too?’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘So why did she cut contact with him as much as she could?’
Agnes sighed. ‘Something happened on her last visit. She came back early, saying she hated him and never wanted to see him again but she wouldn’t tell me why. I did ask if he’d assaulted her and she shook her head but something had clearly happened. Theo brought her home as he usually did but he was none the wiser either.’
‘Does she know why you ran away in the beginning?’
‘She was young, seven years old when it happened. I certainly wasn’t going to tell her the truth at that point. It wasn’t until she was old enough to visit Oscar on her own every summer that she started asking questions.’ Agnes paused. ‘And then I admit I gave her a toned-down account – a version censurée if you like, of why I had left her father. Mais since then, I tell her the truth.’
‘Mum called him evil the other day,’ Zazz said.
Agnes nodded. ‘Evil is one word that describes him, immoral is another. The world is a better place now without Oscar Agistini in it, is all I can say.’
Zazz, hearing the tremble in her gran’s voice quickly moved to her side and hugged her. ‘Oh, Gran, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.’
Agnes, taking a deep breath and visibly pulling herself together, gave a weak smile. ‘It’s easier not to speak of these things even now but I’m glad we’ve had this conversation.’
‘So am I,’ Zazz said. ‘Thank you.’
‘ Donc ! Time to get the pissaladière in the oven,’ Agnes said. ‘I always think it tastes better warm.’ As she turned to go into the kitchen there was a bark at the front door. A second later it opened and Cerise rushed in, followed by everyone, and chaos reigned for several moments. Zazz quickly told her gran she’d see to the pissaladière and feed Cerise who had dashed through to the kitchen and was already sat by her food bowl waiting to be fed.
The two families had literally bumped into each other twenty metres from the front door and had quickly introduced themselves. Once indoors, Rachel took Serge across to introduce him to Agnes.
‘My son, Serge,’ she said.
‘ Bonjour Madame Agistini. Enchanté ,’ Serge said, shaking her hand as Agnes tried not to stare at him and keep her emotions under control. At first glance it could have been a young Oscar himself standing shaking her hand. Tall like his father, he’d inherited the Agistini Italian good looks but, like his newly acquired Uncle Theo, there was no harshness in his face, and his eyes twinkled with gentleness as he smiled at Agnes.
‘Not a single doubt in my mind who your father was,’ Agnes said softly. ‘But I feel your maman was correct, you are not like him. You do not have his hardness of the eyes.’
‘ Merci, madame , I would not wish to be like him in any way,’ Serge said, his Italian accent adding a delightful lyrical note to his spoken French. ‘And thankfully my own son, Albert, shows no sign of inheriting any characteristics from the past.’
‘That’s good,’ Agnes said, smiling.
Zazz, coming out of the kitchen with the warm pissaladière , faltered as she saw Albert standing next to Serge. Avoiding both his and Theo’s surprised glance she quickly placed the plate on the table.
‘Albert, would you give me a hand with fetching some water glasses from the kitchen s’il vous pla?t ?’ And she disappeared back into the kitchen.
‘Excuse me,’ Albert said to Agnes and everyone. ‘It seems my new cousin has need of my help,’ and he followed Zazz into the kitchen.
‘Push the door to. I can’t believe it’s you,’ Zazz said. ‘I have yet to tell my mother about the party where we met. She’s going to be mad as hell with me when I tell her about it. If she asks you tonight where we met, could you just say we met briefly at a party somewhere in Cannes. Please don’t mention it was at Oscar’s. I need to tell her that particular bit of information myself.’
‘Okay.’
‘Thank you.’ Zazz gave a sigh of relief. ‘I have to ask – did you know you were Oscar’s grandson that night?’
Albert shook his head. ‘ Non . I wasn’t sure why I was invited to be honest. Not my usual crowd to hang around with. Now, were you serious about water glasses?’
‘Top shelf,’ Zazz said, pointing. ‘If you can manage half a dozen, I’ll fill a jug with water.’
Back in the sitting room Theo had begun to hand glasses of champagne around and tentatively Agnes suggested a toast, ‘ Pour forger de nouveaux liens familiaux . To family.’
Francine, sipping her champagne, regarded Serge and his mother over the rim of her glass. Rachel, a slim and quietly elegant woman whom Agnes had greeted with a kiss, was a million miles away from the woman Francine had imagined her to be. As for her newly acquired half-brother, he seemed to be a nice man. Not that you can always tell from first impressions of course, but she was prepared to try and get to know him. And Zazz was happily chatting away to Albert, her newly acquired cousin.
Once the initial awkwardness had worn off, talk turned to the serious business of Oscar’s will.
‘I will tell Monsieur Caumont that the affidavit Rachel signed is sufficient evidence that you are Oscar’s son,’ Agnes said. ‘We do not need to double-check with DNAs. He only has to take a good look at you to see you’re telling the truth.’
‘Thank you,’ Serge said.
‘We need to clear the place before we can get it on the market. Do you want anything from the house? Have you ever been inside?’
Serge shook his head. ‘ Non , I never go in the house and I have no need, except to maybe help you with moving things out?’
‘I think we’ll clear the personal things out and then get a house clearance firm in. None of the furniture is particularly good,’ Theo said, looking at Agnes for confirmation and she gave a nod.
‘The other thing is – Oscar’s ashes are currently here,’ Agnes said. ‘I do not wish to hold a memorial service but we do need to dispose of them. Do you want to be involved in any way? Hold your own service?’
Serge shook his head. ‘ Non . I have zero respect for the man. I cannot be hypocritical and say otherwise. Do as you wish with them.’ Serge looked at Agnes. ‘I think I have the need to explain why I decided to claim my inheritance of Oscar’s estate. I personally do not want the money. I do it for my maman, something to help her forget the pain Oscar inflicted on her.’
Agnes smiled at him. ‘I understand completely. I am of the same mind.’
It was nearly eight o’clock when Zazz asked to be excused as she was meeting Mel and Dominic. ‘It was great meeting you, Uncle Serge and Cousin Albert. I’m staying down for at least the next few months so maybe we can meet up again soon,’ she said. As Zazz left, Rachel regretfully began to say they ought to think about leaving too and soon the party was over.
As Agnes stood in the doorway at Theo’s side saying goodnight to the Cortez’s she sighed happily as she felt Theo’s arm go around her shoulders. Unthinkingly, she leant into him.
It was good they’d managed to sort things out between themselves and the Cortez’s without involving the notaire. First thing tomorrow morning she’d ring and make a rendez-vous with Monsieur Caumont and tell him about meeting with the Cortez’s. He could go ahead with all the legal things then. Once the house was cleared and on the market, she could go home. Home. The thought made her catch her breath. In the short time she’d been back in the town of her birth she’d completely fallen in love with the place – it felt like home and was where she unexpectedly longed to live again. To spend the rest of her days in her true home. And to spend time with Theo.
She knew without him putting it into words, that it would make him so happy if she did stay on for a while. And he deserved to be happy. But was it the sensible thing for her to do after all these years? Shouldn’t she simply accept the status quo and enjoy the loving friendship that had always existed between her and Theo? Rather than wishing for more.