Chapter 30
THIRTY
I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.
Speaking of which, both Jarvis and I are looking at becoming permanent volunteers. Jarvis will only be able to commit in between projects, and I’ll obviously only be able to help out after work hours, but I think it will be a fun bonding activity we can do together.
It’s been a week since I kissed Jarvis, and I haven’t been able to see him in the meantime because he had to go to Brisbane to talk to the director of his show.
He confided that his character had been put in a coma because, as an actor, he’d been particularly difficult to deal with recently, and the director was sick of him. But now he’s begging for forgiveness.
Part of me wants him to leave the show permanently so I can have him to myself, but I know he really does love acting, and he told me how much the character means to him.
At least when I see him on TV now, my heart flutters. I’ve also gotten slightly possessive of him when I go on social media and see people posting mean comments or inappropriate things like wanting to sleep with him.
When we were married, I ignored all that stuff, and it wasn’t really that bad back then, but it seems to have gotten crazy recently.
Jarvis made me promise not to interact with anyone online. Which I completely understand, but it’s really hard when some woman details exactly what she wants to do with my man in the bedroom.
It’s Friday afternoon, and I’ve just finished work. Jarvis didn’t tell me when he’d be back because he wasn’t sure how long it would take to schmooze the director, but I’m hoping it’s soon.
I drive home and see Mum waiting at my door.
I swallow. I’ve kind of been keeping my distance from her, which is probably why she’s here now.
After getting out of the car, I slowly make my way to the house.
Her expression is unreadable.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” she says neutrally.
“I’ve had a bit going on,” I say, equally neutrally.
“So much that you can’t even spare a phone call?”
“Have you had so much going on that you forgot to tell me Kurt is my half-brother?”
I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that, but as soon as I say it, I feel relieved. I hate that I’ve been keeping the news to myself.
Her eyes widen, but then she sighs.
“So that’s what this is about.”
“Does Kurt know?”
“Yes. But only recently.”
I wonder if it was because he also found out from going back in time.
“Why didn’t you tell me then?”
“I… I don’t know. I guess I was waiting for the right moment. Originally, I considered it after you turned eighteen. But then Margie didn’t want to rock the boat…”
Wasn’t that the exact same thing she said in 1999?
“I really don’t think you were ever going to tell me.”
She visibly crumples. “I… I just… everyone was happy. And I didn’t want Margie to feel like she’d lost her child. She raised Kurt, and I still consider her his mother.”
I shake my head in frustration. “It seems like you were all just too scared to face the consequences. And I understand why you did it, but I don’t get why you kept it a secret for so long. Don’t you think Kurt and I, not to mention Chris, would have liked to know we all have the same mother?”
She nods. “I do. I’m very sorry. I really am. I should have considered your feelings more…”
She trails off, looking at something behind me.
I turn and see Jarvis.
He doesn’t seem to know what to say.
“Uh, hi, Mrs Morgan.”
“Jarvis? What are you doing here?” Mum’s tone suddenly changes to one of bewilderment and disapproval.
“I’m here to see Rachel.”
“Since when were you two back in touch?”
I belatedly realise Mum doesn’t know anything that happened recently. “It’s a long story. But I guess it started with Jarvis’s Aunt Florence leaving me half a castle in her will.”
Mum’s mouth falls open. “What?”
“Can I explain later? I need to talk to Jarvis in private.”
Mum looks at me and then Jarvis and back again.
“Please?” I plead.
She nods wearily. “I worry I’ve damaged the communication between us, so I’ll agree for now. But I’d like us to sit down later and talk properly.”
“Okay.”
I’m still annoyed with Mum, but right now, all I want to do is be with Jarvis alone.
Mum reluctantly leaves, and I drag Jarvis inside. “How did everything go? Are you still employed?”
He chuckles. “Slow down. What was that with your mum just now?”
“It’s complicated, so I’ll explain later. First, I want to know about you.”
He steps forward and wraps his arms around me.
He gazes into my eyes for a moment and then leans forward, pressing his lips to mine.
I kiss him back, and I love that now he doesn’t have the weight of the world on his shoulders, we feel so much more connected.
In fact, I don’t think I’ve felt this close to another person ever.
“God, I missed you,” he says.
“I missed you too.”
“Okay, so yes, I’m still employed. I told the director everything, and he was surprisingly understanding. I think he’s a romantic at heart, but he said I also gave him some inspiration for a new storyline in the show.”
I laugh. “Really? I wonder which part.”
“There’s a lot to work with. Anyway, are you hungry? Do you want me to make something?”
“Can you make your famous pasta?”
“I can definitely do that.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me to the kitchen. “I’ll have to go by whatever you already have. Any requests?”
“I bought some orecchiette, so I was thinking you could put it with that broccoli topping you’ve made in the past.”
“Perfect.”
I sit at the counter and watch as he expertly prepares everything. I think this is one of my single favourite past-times.
“Hey, I want to ask you something,” I say.
He looks at me curiously. “Yes?”
“You know when we were married, you used to disappear all the time, and I’m assuming now it was because of Cameron’s messages.
And while I didn’t agree with your method, I kind of understand.
But what I still struggle with is when you used to say things like you couldn’t use your voice unnecessarily because you needed to save it for work. ”
He grimaces. “God, I was a jerk, wasn’t I?
” I never meant any of that crap I said.
It was just me coming up with dumb reasons to push you away whenever I felt guilty and like I didn’t deserve you.
I thought it would be easier if you hated me and left, because I was never strong enough to leave permanently on my own. ”
“That’s pretty messed up.”
“I know. But in a weird way, it shows how much I cared about you. I couldn’t stay away.”
I roll my eyes. “Okay. Let’s just say that was it.”
He comes over to my side of the counter and cups my face in his hands.
“I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. If you are the happiest woman in Shell Beach, my job will be done. Wait. Make that the happiest woman in the entire country.” He kisses my forehead and pulls me into his arms.
I exhale contentedly. “You’re doing a pretty good job so far.”
“Excellent. And it’s only going to get better.”