Lost and Found - 24

24

Friday 13^th December 2008

                “So, a spa day is all you want as a hen night or rather day?” Amelia looked at her friend, “no fancy dress? No getting drunk? No tiaras or helium balloons shaped like...well, you know what I mean!”

Li nodded, “nope, spa, nice meal then home to bed is all I want! You know I’m not against the odd glass of wine...”

                “Or ten!” Amelia added with a laugh, “no that’s fine, so that’s all planned for next Saturday. All we need to do now is head over to the reception venue; I mean we need to work out exactly how many flower arrangements we need.”

Li nodded, “I’m so glad you’re here, you’re such a great organiser!”

They got the tube to the dock, and were lucky enough to find the boat owner there, they met the newly recruited wedding coordinator and Li released a sigh of relief when she took on the last minute organisation.

                “Right. Let’s go get a drink; we deserve reward for today’s work!” With an exaggerated wink, Amelia linked her arm through Li’s and led her to a nearby pub.

The mood was generally jolly, everywhere Christmas lights and decorations trapped the light and coated the inside of the pub with a sparkly glow. With a glass of white wine each and the remainder of the bottle in an ice bucket between them, they sat in the corner of the pub and smiled at each other.

                “I’m so excited for you Li! I can’t wait for Christmas Eve!”

Li giggled, “But I’m so nervous!” She took her friends’ hands and sighed, “And I worry about what will happen to you...”

Amelia laughed out loud, “it’s your big day and you’re worrying about me? I’m fine. I’m going to find somewhere to live, then I’m thinking about a career change. Who knows? But whatever happens I will be fine! Ok?”

As they started their second glass of wine, Li started to share her fears over her second book.

                “I saw an interview with someone on VH1 last week. Who was it? Might have been Noel Gallagher on about Morning Glory, said that the second album was the hardest, especially when the first is such a big hit. So put yourself in good company and stop worrying! You are an intelligent and witty writer; I have SO much confidence in you!”

After a little silence Amelia asked the question that they both knew was on the tip of her tongue since getting back off the plane.

                “So how’s Sol? Do you see much of him?”

Li shook her head, “he’s away a lot. He’s the face of the business so he travels. I haven’t invited him to the wedding, you know that don’t you?”

Amelia felt a jolt at the thought, she’d been unsure and the unknowing was worse than worrying about seeing him. She still wasn’t sure what she wanted in terms of him, but she couldn’t ignore him, she knew that much.

                “I’m glad he’s not coming, though I think we’ll have to cross paths at some time, it’s not realistic to think that we won’t. Maybe sooner would be better?”

Li sighed, “I don’t know what to suggest Ams, I just hope that one day you’re as happy as me!”

         That evening, ensconced in the hotel room she insisted on renting despite Li's protests, she let her mind wander to Sol. She was honest in that she’d fought to not think about him, but she had thought that he’d be at the wedding, and that had been a real worry for her, now that she knew he wasn’t going to be there, she didn’t know what to think.

She had few friends left in London, so she spent the time when she wasn’t with Li alone, and it was the time alone, the thinking that seemed to be her downfall.

Saturday 21^st December 2008

The hen day at the Regency Hotel and Spa was a success. It was the perfect place to mix Daichi’s elderly and fairly conservative mother, with Li’s charity working mother, and three other younger girls. Anything else would’ve been a disaster.  They’d drunk a lot of champagne, eaten wonderful food. But now the night was at an end, and she sat looking at the same damned four walls as she had every night the last three weeks. Tomorrow Li had organised a lunch with her mother and mother-in-law to be, so she had some time to herself. So she decided that she’d head for home.

Sunday 22^nd December 2008

The drive to her home, of rather her father’s home was quick. There was very little traffic in the mid morning. For some reason as soon as her job in New York had ended she’d had the burning need to see her father. She’d not been there since their confrontation over a year earlier. He’d refused to see her side of things, and in her heart of hearts, she needed to see him a little remorseful. She’d got as close to the top of the financial world as she wanted, she’d achieved all that she hoped she would. Her job may have ended sooner than expected, but it didn’t detract from the fact that she’d reached the dizzy heights she had.

There were no cars on the sweeping driveway that led to the house. In fact all the windows seemed to be dark, despite the bright winter sun. Ignoring the tinge of nerves that bit at her stomach, she climbed out of her hire car and headed for the front door.

Knocking several times saw no response, so she headed around the back of the house making for the back door, via the kitchen garden. At the gate to the small walled garden, she paused, a vivid image of her mother flashed into her head, tending the garden, battling daily to keep the slugs from her lettuce, cabbages and tomatoes.  Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, that was too many years ago to be feeling such grief. With a deep breath she crossed the garden to the rear kitchen door and found that locked too. Glancing through the various downstairs windows, she saw no sign of life. Heading back to the car, taking in the depth of the anticlimax, she paused, something wasn’t right.

Going back to the lounge window she peered in again, nothing looked unusual...then she saw it. A foot, or rather part of one, just visible behind the sofa. Was it her father? As a child there’d always been a key left somewhere in the outhouse, the shed. After less than three minutes of searching, she found one, under a plant pot.  Opening the door, she rushed in, and her heart was in her mouth as she saw her father, flat on his back, eyes closed.

As Amelia rushed to him, she dialled for an ambulance.

 A few hours later, time she’d never want to repeat again, and Amelia was talking to the consultant. Her father was dehydrated, and malnourished, but after being on IV fluids for a few hours he expected good recovery.  And like clockwork, a further few hours later, her father was weak, but awake, talking.

                “Where’s Alex?” She asked her father as she plumped his pillows and settled him more comfortably.

                “Christmas...” he rasped, “took his fiancée to...Bahamas.”

                “But you’re in a terrible state. Didn’t he look after you?”

She didn’t get much out of him, but waited until she knew he was out of the woods before she drove back to London for the final day before the wedding!

Monday 23^rd December 2008

After an early call to the hospital to be told her father was fine, Amelia met Li for the final day of preparation. That included her staying over tonight for more pampering and gossip. After all it was Li’s final day as the woman she was.

After breakfast Amelia had packed all her things, she was staying at Li’s home for a little while whilst they were on honeymoon. Daichi had promised to pick her up at ten; he was rushing around too, but he insisted that she couldn’t cross town with all her bags. As she sat in a deep armchair near the open fire that warmed the reception, her phone bleeped to tell her via text that he’d been held up at his restaurant and wouldn’t be there until eleven. Checking her watch she groaned, it wasn’t quite a quarter to ten; that meant over an hour to wait. She tried to call him, but it went straight to answer phone. She’d get a cab, but if she couldn’t get hold of him he’d traipse all that way across here for no reason.

With a sigh, she called over a waiter and ordered coffee. Thank God she had a book in her bag. Drifting off into the World of Stieg Larsson, Li had bought her the new best seller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and she was loving it. So much so that she almost forgot where she was.

The voice seemed to seep into the zone that the great writing had taken her to, and her heart was racing before she’d acknowledged it. Almost dropping the book, she glanced around and every cell in her body stopped functioning. Stood at the bar, the other side of the reception of the hotel, talking to a group of people, was Sol. He looked beautiful, he’d let his hair grow a little, which reminded her of the young Sol of her childhood, but the exquisitely cut suit, the Italian shoes...they all reminded her that her boy had grown up.

The familiarity, the homeliness of the vision combined with the lurch of desire and lust confused her. Until now she’d managed to control her thoughts and feeling s for this man, but the surprise of him being here, in her hotel had caught her out. Half of her wanted to run across the room, hug him, be hugged, feel safe, and feel at home. The other half wanted to shoot out the door, run and run until she was far enough away.

Ducking down into the wingback chair that hid her slightly from the group containing him, she did neither, she panicked. Pulling the book up to her nose, she hoped that no one saw her whilst she decided what to do.

The decision was taken out of her hands when the waiter arrived with a tray of coffee, smiling and handing him a note to cover the bill she was about to slide back into her hiding place when she felt eyes on her. Glancing towards the bar, she saw Sol, a look of surprise crossing his face. As her eyes met his, he smiled, and immediately sensed relief in his expression.

Excusing himself from the group he was with, he crossed the room to her. She smiled as he approached, glad that he’d made the decision for her. With each step towards her she felt the mixture of fear and excitement rise, the surge of adrenaline and the hint of nausea.

                “Hey Meals! What brings you here? I thought you’d be living with Li before the wedding.”  He lowered himself to perch on the table in front of her.

She nodded, “giving her some breathing space. They’re both a bit stressed. I thought I’d be out of the way here.”

Sol smiled, and it lit up her world, “I read about Clay...”

Nodding, she felt tears threaten and realised that they would give Sol the wrong idea, “you think you know someone...”

                “I thought you’d call...” 

So he'd felt rejected all over again. She was convinced that was the tight thing at the time,  but now...No she needed to find herself, she'd done the right thing.

                “I chose him; I could hardly call you as soon as things went wrong. What was I supposed to say? ‘Sorry Sol I made the wrong choice’?”

Sol chuckled, “the fact that you considered it is enough I suppose. And we’re both guilty of that aren’t we? Making the worng choices.” They both laughed ironically. “Are you ok otherwise? How’s New York?”

Amelia sighed, “it’s a long old story, but I think me and New York are about to part company, the finance companies have taken a real hit.”

His eyes widened, “you’re out of work?”

She shrugged, “sort of, though I have a few irons in the fire so to speak.”

                “You always were dynamic.”

His comment was followed by a pregnant pause, and though it wasn’t awkward for either of them, both their minds were working overtime trying to formulate the thoughts and emotions that were ransacking their minds. Sol glanced up and saw his group waiting for him.

                “Shit!” he took her hands in his and she gasped at the heat, the electricity the contact caused. He stuttered too and she knew he’d felt it. Shaking his head for a second he added, “I really need to go. I’ve got a meeting. I suppose you're not free later with the wedding?”

She shook her head, “I’m staying with Li.”

                “And you’ll be tied up all day tomorrow?” She nodded a reply. “What about Christmas Day? With Li gone...”

She sighed, “With Li gone I would be alone, but I have to go home, my father’s in hospital, Alex is away. I should be there now.”

He looked surprised, and concerned, “is he ok? Do you need me to go check on him?”

                “After all he’s done to you?”

Sol shrugged, “I’d do it to help you!” Pausing for a moment, he smiled, “I could pick you up after the wedding and drive you to the hospital. You can’t be alone Christmas Day; I’ll cook dinner at your father’s whilst you visit him...”

                “I can’t let you do that Sol; you must have your own plans.”

He laughed, “I haven’t really celebrated Christmas since I left your home. Why would I? But I want to help you Meals, I want to do this for you.”

                “I don’t...”

He placed a finger on her lips and the sensation of his contact increased so that she was speechless, “a lot of bad has happened, but ultimately we are two lonely friends, who could be alone and sad on a special day...or we could spend it together catching up. I’m not expecting anything more than your company. What do you say?”

He stood as his acquaintances started to shuffle into a conference room, all the time pleading with her for the opportunity to just spend time.

When she nodded an agreement, he smiled, a beaming happy smile.

                “Great, I’ll pick you up at ten? Organise any luggage you have for me, I can collect it from here? Anyway, I’ve got to go. You still got my number? Text me?”

When she flustered unsure, he handed her a business card. Then he was gone.