You Got It Wrong - New Story!

Chapter One 

A/N A new story, another slow burner I'm thinking. This is just a taster. Hope you enjoy, more to come! 

                “Have you got any dry shampoo? My hair is desperate.”

Nina Willoughby looked up from her sketch pad, to see her housemate and best friend Lilah stood at her bedroom door looking a million dollars, then glanced at herself. Her friend was the epitome of beauty and looked particularly breathtaking at that very moment. With a smile of exasperation she offered, “A - your hair looks perfect, as always, and B - WTF is dry shampoo?” She had no idea what it was, let alone have any in her bedroom.

Lilah groaned and rolled her eyes, “you are such a heathen Willoughby, do you know that?”

Nina laughed, “you do enough glamour for us both.” And that was true; they were like chalk and cheese. Lilah all colour, vibrancy and exotic, Nina was a tomboy, polar opposites but best friends. Since their first day in school age five back in the centre of London they’d been devoted best buddies. Lilah was an only child, whereas Nina was years younger than her brother James, so they’d been sisters, friends...everything for years.

Lilah was an ex-model, her six foot frame, amazing bone structure and glossy healthy hair made her a wonder, without her funny, devoted and caring personality. Nina on the other hand was short, dark and chunky, she would never command a crowd as her friend did, but where Lilah loved attention, loved glamour and all that that brought, Nina was happy carrying the bags, being behind the scenes. And that worked for them both.

Lilah laughed, “the irony is that no matter what I do I never look as lovely as you do!”

Shaking her head in bewilderment, Nina looked at her friend, “Now I KNOW you’re after something Miss Ellis! Where you going anyway?”

Her friend smiled, “on a date! Would you believe that?”

Nina grinned, “brilliant, who is he?”

Lilah’s heart had been broken the previous year by the man she thought she’d marry, they’d been together for three years, and whilst Nina had never REALLY liked him, Lilah had been besotted, but finding him in bed with another friend of theirs had more than devastated her. It had taken her months to rediscover her joie de vivre, and over the last twelve months her fragile heart had started to heal. This was the first man she’d dated to Nina’s knowledge since.

                “I met him at that trade fair the other week, he’s called a couple of times, flattering me, you know?”

Nina smiled, “you deserve some happiness, they’re not all bastards, ok?” She dropped her pencil and jumped up to hug her friend. “If I knew what dry shampoo was, then now is the exact time that I’d pass it to you. OK?” Nina meant that, she’d do anything for Lilah, because her best friend had done so much for her over the years, as unlike family, she got to choose who she spent her time with.

Lilah chuckled, “what about you? What are you planning on a sunny Saturday afternoon?”

                “Painting class at the Oakdale Home, then finish those designs that I started for the Wootton wedding.”

Shaking her head Lilah sighed, “you work too hard!”

                “How can that be true when it’s SO much fun?”

Half an hour later Lilah called out a goodbye and Nina heard the door close, peace. It was a while since she’d had the house to herself. Sliding her design sketches into the pad open in front of her, she stood to leave the bedroom; it was the mirror on the back of her bedroom door that stopped her in her tracks. She looked at her reflection, her unruly black hair, short and spiky on a good day, but today wild and out of control, the freckles that adorned her nose, a snub nose. She sighed, she’d never be what Lilah described, and she would never own dry shampoo...like that even made sense.

Opening her wardrobe door, she found her leather biker boots and pulled them on, with her short denim shorts and layered vest they were anything but elegant, but she loved them. She loved being different, she loved not conforming, and she loved that being that way drove people away from her.

The walk to the residential home that she volunteered in several times a week was less than twenty minutes, and when the sun was shining, there was nothing nicer. She waved to Cliff, the pensioner who rented the ground floor apartment next door.

                “Need anything while I’m out?”

He was recovering from a hip replacement, and whilst he was getting on well, he wasn’t back to full strength, though as he kept reminding her, “not bad for eighty one.”

                “No thanks Nina...your Lilah got me milk this morning.”

Nina stopped in her stride and gasped, “Lilah? WOW. She really is turning over a new leaf.”

He laughed, “saw a young man collect her just now, that must be a good thing.”

                “It is!” Then with a wave she carried on her way.

She had been giving art lessons in the home for eighteen months, volunteering to help older people who were lonely, bored and tired. Initially it had been a form of guilt that made her help others, a need to pay something back to society, but now it was compulsion, she loved the people there, and whilst art was the reason they all came together, more often than not they just gossiped, the women so stereotypically about soap operas and family, the men usually sport or the latest technological gadget that they’d purchased. But for Nina, the times there reminded of Sunday afternoons she’d spent with her maternal grandmother in the very house she now lived in with her friend. They were her greatest childhood memories, and she came close to the same feeling of contentment with the residents of Oakdale.

Nina looked out of the window and smiled, was there anywhere more beautiful than here, on the coast, watching the puffy clouds blow across the horizon?

                “Are there you are Nina. There are only three in the group today, is that enough to run it or do you want to leave it this week?”

Nina turned and smiled at Donald, the warden for the residential home, “one is fine.”

He nodded then left her to it.

The three women wanted to work on watercolour skies as their topic, and the framed picture of blues and greys out of the window that dominated the room was a perfect example to work on, so they set the easels in front of the glass and began the instruction. Cheryl, the youngest of the three at seventy nine, was so extravagant with her painting skills, that the four of them had dissolved into giggles before the halfway point.

After a particularly raucous session, Nina was grinning as she put away all the equipment remembering some of the scandalous comments that the women had made, when the door to the room opened and a man backed in.

                “Mansell?”

The man spun around looking distraught and shocked at seeing her there.

                “Are you ok? Come and sit down.”

She guided him to the seat and sat beside him, and he looked up at her gratefully, “sorry, I just needed some space.”

Nina instantly worried about Mansell. He was one of the quieter men in the home, he told her in the past that he’d been quiet since he’d had a stroke four years earlier, though externally there was very little sign of that now, she could only imagine that internally it was a lot harder for him. He’d joined a few of her lessons over the last few months, but nothing regularly, and never very frequently.

                “You ok? You seem a bit...worried.”

He laughed, slumping back in the seat. “That, young lady, is a gross understatement.”

She leaned close, “what’s wrong?”

                “I don’t want to bother you...”

Nina reached in her bag and pulled out a silver hipflask, “no bother, I’m here for the night!” After taking a slug of the whisky it contained, she passed it to her right, and after a few seconds delay, he took it and threw his head back, his lips around the opening of the bottle.

                “That feels good. A serious whisky.”

She nodded, “only a single malt, but a good one. I don’t mess when it comes to whisky.”

                “I can see that.”

Nina sat there quietly watching the sun set through the window in front of her as they occasionally passed the flask between them. It was more than ten minutes later when he finally spoke.

                “It was my brother’s birthday today.”

                “Ah.” She handed him the flask, “how old would he have been?”

He took a drink then looked at her, “he was two years older than me, would have been ninety today.”

                “You are eighty eight? Oh my God, Mansell I wouldn’t give you a day more than seventy eight!”

He laughed at that, “been a long hard life, I’m sure you flatter me. Seventy years he’s been gone. Seventy years of living that he was denied.”

                “How did he die?” She had turned sideways in her seat, genuinely interested and concerned in equal measures.

                “D-day. He was one of those slain as they rushed out of the sea; the Gerries all sat in their impenetrable bunkers mowing down young men as though they were tin cans lined up on a wall. I feel close to him here, you can almost see France...I know it’s not Normandy...but it helps. You know?”

She nodded, “shit. I watched a show about it a few weeks back. It looked terrifying, but also amazing, what an achievement. Something SO special, something to be proud of.”

                “Ha, yeah. For those that made it...like me.” He looked up at her, “he was married, an eight week old baby...I had nothing at home, I left the boat before him, why did I live and he die?”

She squeezed his hand, what an awful thing, to question your own life when a sibling died so young. “Because...sometimes things just happen that we have no control over. And I always have to believe that things happen for a reason. Maybe you came back because you were destined to have a family, the same future that he had?”

He guffawed at that, “to be stuck here? Really? Great job I did with my family if this is what they put on me, dumping me here without a care.”

Again Nina sighed, “at least you had the chance to have a family. Some didn’t, and whether you live or die by your decisions regarding the children, you had them. Your brother would have given everything to have seen his family grow up. Don’t resent that Mansell. Don’t be bitter and angry, be happy, pleased, be grateful that you could see your own family grow, as well as his. I’m sure if your brother had a wish it would be that you would celebrate what you have, not mourn what you don’t. He wouldn’t appreciate your pity.”

Mansell sat with his head hung for a few long moments then sighed, turning his head towards her.

“Where did you get all your wisdom from? It was like listening to Gordon speak then; my brother always was the wisest man I knew.”

She gave a pity filled laugh, “you aren’t the only one who has regrets Mansell and it’s always easy to see things from the outside when it’s not you at the heart of it all."

That made him laugh heartily. “Thanks Nina, you’ve made things...realistic for the first time in ages.”

As he stood to move away she wondered what that meant. “I didn’t mean...”

Mansell was taller than her and she could only imagine how imposing he was back in the height of his youth, “Nina, it hasn’t affected me, I’m not about to crumple up in a ball, and I’m not thinking that you are belittling everything about my life. No, you’ve just given me a huge reality check. It’s fine... I need to stop feeling sorry for myself.”

Later that night as she worked hard on her designs, Nina couldn’t help think about Mansell and his sadness. She thought of James, her brother at thirty nine ten years older than her, and wondered if she’d ever feel that level of worry, concern or affection for him. But she knew the answer, she despised him, so there was little chance of that. In the past that would have saddened her, but now, she was confident in her choices, she’d stand by what she’d done in the past and had no intention of regretting anything.

There was no sign of Lilah the next morning; her date had either gone very well or dreadfully, either way she wasn’t showing her face. She had a deadline approaching for her latest commission, but Mansell’s sadness was playing on her mind when she should be thinking of ideas for the perfect romantic design that encompassed the love of Jocelyn Cairns and Martin Wootton, two of London’s gentry into solid platinum wedding bands. Over the last few years she’d moved from a student of jewellery-making to what Ultimate Wedding Magazine had titled ‘the newest and biggest name in bespoke wedding rings.’

Despite this, despite the pressure to come up with designs, her thoughts were with an elderly man who had seemed lower than she’d ever seen him the previous day. So she packed up and headed back to the Oakdale Home.

By ten am she was knocking the door to Mansell’s “suite”, the home was purely residential, each resident had an individual bedroom, small lounge/kitchen and bathroom, but it was supervised, and there were communal areas for the residents to meet, and activities held throughout the day and evening which were of course obligatory. She’d volunteered at the home for the past eighteen months, and her commitment there had grown from occasional art classes to several hours a week for under many guises, she couldn’t imagine not committing to being there.

Mansell didn’t answer, so she knocked again, eventually he opened the door still looking sad.

                “I’ve been worried about you.”

                “You have?”

She smiled, “yes. You ok?”

He shrugged, “I want to see his grave...my brother, it’s the seventieth anniversary of D-Day in two weeks. But my wonderful family, not ONE of them can be bothered to take me, all TOO busy.”

She sighed, “not one of them.”

Again he shrugged, “nah. All too busy.”

Nina’s heart broke for him, “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure if you explain how important it is they’ll change their mind.”

With a sad shake of his head, he retreated back into his room.

As she walked into the house she’d inherited from her maternal grandmother, Lilah called out from the kitchen, “Neee-Naaa?” She called out in a way that only Lilah ever did. “Is that you?”

Nina grinned, “who else has a key to this place?”

Lilah looked up from the kitchen table and the Sunday papers with a beaming smile on her face, “your brother called earlier...can you call him back?” She grimaced as she delivered the foreboding news. “Sorry.”

Nina shared the grimace, “that’s a no. But you look amazing, and happy. Do I take it that you had a great date?”

Lilah paused for a moment, noting the subject change, but was too excited to contain her news, “he’s AMAZING, we had a great time, he took me to that new wine bar, then we walked along the front...smooched under the pier...then he walked me home like a real gent!”

                “He sounds perfect.”

Lilah nodded, standing to get Nina a cup of coffee, “James didn’t say what he wanted, and I didn’t ask.”

Nina took a deep breath, “his ounce of flesh no doubt.”

                “Don’t call him.”

Nina grinned, “he’ll just keep pestering me. Must be after money, it’s rarely anything else.”

Lilah paused, biting her tongue for a moment, “don’t do it Nina, he does nothing for you.”

Three hours later Nina had completed her designs and skipped upstairs from her basement workshop with a smile on her face, “go take these to the Wootton’s girlfriend. I’m all done.  Shall we go for Sunday lunch? On me?”

Lilah looked up from her current task of painting her nails, “you said you hadn’t a clue what to do earlier.”

Nina grinned, “inspiration.”

She tossed the four versions of rings on to the table and Lilah perused them. “How the hell do you pull it out of the bag EVERY time?” Her eyes were wide when she looked up at her friend, “these are perfect.”

Nina grinned, “if I stick to designing and making I can do this...but I need you and Amelia to front things, to be the face of the business, you know that.”

She’d become interested in jewellery making when she was young, but her rebellious teenage life had seen her travel for years, driving around Europe in her multicoloured Beetle. It wasn’t until she settled back in Britain four years earlier that she’d looked into pursuing what had always been a dream to her. It coincided with her inheriting the house they now lived in after her grandmother passed away, and so she could enrol on a course to learn exactly how to craft amazing jewellery.

Within the first year of her course, her tutor had singled her out as exceptional. By the second year she’d focussed on making rings, and only using precious metals as she found them more challenging, and the finished article had more lustre, more glamour.  

When she completed her first self designed ring, she’d sold it almost immediately for far more than she anticipated, ironically to Lilah’s cousin Amelia. It was one of those moments of fortune that had shaped Nina’s life, because, if Maya hadn’t been a fledgling Hollywood starlet, looking for the perfect wedding ring for her new husband, an American A list actor, then things could and would have been very different. But after the lavish OK magazine cover wedding, Maya came looking for her and invested heavily in Nina, with her financial backing and contacts, with Lilah’s people skills and charm, between them, they had developed a very lucrative business.

Nina emerged from her room fifteen minutes later dressed in a handkerchief top, brown with turquoise pattern, her favourite denim shorts and her biker boots.

As she was teasing her short dark hair into some semblance of control, Lilah appeared from the room opposite in a floor length maxi dress, immaculate make up and a side plait in her long thick hair. She could make work overalls look attractive, and beside her Nina had felt dwarfed for so many years, but her success, the fact that she was the driving force for their business, that she was successful, meant she felt taller than her five two frame, and more elegant than her larger than desirable figure allowed. She’d spent years trying to be what everyone wanted her to be, years of wearing glamorous clothes, heels...but she’d lost her confidence years back, and it had taken several years of travelling alone to get her groove back. Now she didn’t care what people felt she should wear, she dressed how she wanted to, she wasn’t about to conform for anyone.

                “Come on Lilah, it’ll be dinner time before we get lunch the way things are going.”

Arms linked they headed off into the late afternoon sunshine for some lunch.

After All - Part Fifty Eight

Chapter Fifty Eight

The End...

Matilda applied a swipe of lipstick to her lips. She loved the dress she had for Sarah’s wedding. Aubergine, her favourite colour, with lime green, her favourite combination. But it didn’t compliment her pale complexion, not today. Shaking her head, she pinched her cheeks hoping to look a little less pasty.

                “How long are you going to be in there Miss? You’re going to be later than the bride at this rate.”

Dylan.

She sighed; this was going to be the longest day of her life.

                “I’m ready,” she called back through the door. Though she wasn’t.

With a forced smile, she opened the door. Dylan looked devastating. His short dark hair was as usual fighting to be controlled, his chin freshly shaved of stubble and his eyes glittering. There wasn’t a bit of him that she didn’t love.  Her eyes coursed over his elegant suit, the impeccable shirt and tie, he was beauty personified. Then he smiled and he was even more devastating.

                “You look amazing, you take my breath away.”

She blushed, “so do you.”

That made him chuckle, a deep warm sound. “You ok?”

She nodded, “is the car here?”

                “It is.” He offered her his elbow then led her out to their waiting transport.

Sarah was getting married in a riverside house in Chelsea, then there was a heated marquee overlooking the Thames for the celebration. They took their place amongst those gathered to witness the event, covered seats either side of the aisle. Steven stood at the top, looking petrified, but handsome in his morning suit. She gave him a thumbs up sign when his eyes met hers and it made him smile.

Then the music started up and they all turned to see Sarah, petite but stunningly pretty Sarah in a beautiful off white dress, gliding down the aisle on her father’s arm.

The service passed quickly, and they all filed out into the winter sunshine, to talk and be offered canapés as the room was prepared for dinner.

                “Here darling,” a warm arm wrapped around Matilda as a glass of champagne was wafted in front of her nose. She grasped the stem then leaned nervously back into the warmth of Dylan. With him protecting her, looking out for her she could relax. “What’s wrong?” He whispered, his breath against her ear, “you’ve not been yourself since we left home.”

How could she tell him? She’d been running the hotel for six weeks, she had so many things planned, they were on a schedule with work, but also at home. They had her brother and father coming to visit for Christmas, they were going to start house hunting later in the year, they’d tentatively talked about a trip back to Thailand...all that was about to be tossed up in the air. She was the one who’d wanted independence, she’d wanted space and time, if it was left to Dylan they’d be joined at the hip permanently.

When she looked up Dylan was staring at her, concern etched across his face, with a gentle tug, he led her away from the groups chatting casually, towards the trees that hugged one corner of the garden.

                “Matilda Davies, you are scaring me. What is it? What’s wrong?”

She sighed, it wasn’t wrong, not now, not this time and she had to explain that to him, she took a deep breath and lifted her eyes to meet his, “nothing is wrong, not in my eyes anyway. Badly timed...that’s a given...but NEVER wrong.”

He shook his head, “tell me, you’re not making sense.”

Closing her eyes she mustered all her inner strength and took another deep breath, “I think I’m pregnant.”

There, she’d blurted it out, and with her eyes closed she waited for a sign, a hint, but there was nothing, just silence.

                “For God’s sake!” she muttered as she snapped her eyes open, then froze, she’d never seen Dylan wrong footed, never seen him so unsure, so stunned, so consumed with pleasure. His shocked features rolled into a generous smile and he opened his mouth to try and speak but his voice failed him.

                “You think? You should do a test,” he reached for the champagne glass that was still in her hand and tossed the contents over her shoulder, “that’s enough of that...oh my God.”

She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, how she’d anticipated this would go, but it was nothing like this. This was better, it was perfect, he was bossy - but that just told her he cared, he was stunned, but then neither of them had anticipated this happening.

She gave a half laugh then pointed her finger at him, “you get away with being bossy that one time only, ok?”

Shaking his head he gave a half smile, “shit. A baby?”

                “I’m three weeks late...didn’t realise what with being so busy at work...”

Pulling her into his arms he smiled, “that is the best news I’ve heard ALL year.”

                “Really?”

He nodded, “it’s quicker than we’d have thought, but it feels right, doesn’t it?”

                “It does, but...”

He placed a finger over her lips, “no, no buts.” He stroked her cheek gently, “when we were in Thailand I told your father I was going to marry you again.”

Her throat was dry, “you did?”

He nodded, “but it’ll happen when you’re ready, that’s the important thing. If it were up to me...I’d have married you that first night on the beach in Thailand, but you weren’t ready. This may not change things for you, but it does for me. I want our children born properly, to us as a married couple, living in a home that we share together. I know that it’s faster than maybe you’re ready for...” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather box, “but I’ve been carrying this around for one hell of a long time. You get to choose when you wear it, but it will be soon. OK?”

She was shaking, her heart was racing she had never felt so scared, she’d honestly not thought about getting married again, not after the disaster of last time. She wasn’t really able to formulate a response, so she stood there silently as he chuckled, then pulled her to his side as they rejoined the party.

After a wonderful meal, speeches, and Sarah and Steven’s first dance, Matilda sat quietly beside Dylan watching the day unfold, he was the perfect gentleman, looking out for her whilst being charming and sociable, and on several occasions he’d had their table laughing. The big question was could she do it? Could she be Mrs Wallace once again, could she give over that last piece of herself to Dylan? As her hand strayed almost unconsciously to her stomach she knew that she’d done that a long time ago. She loved him to distraction, she missed him when he wasn’t beside her, she needed him like oxygen. Even before she’d realised she might be pregnant she knew that. But now, even more so.

As he whisked her onto the dance floor in response to the band striking up a tune, Matilda reached up on tip toes to his ear and whispered, “yes.”

The delay in hearing the words and processing them saw him pull her into his arms, then he stopped dead, “yes? You mean it?”

She nodded, “I do. I love you. I’m scared, but not scared of marrying you, just scared of losing you.”

He sighed, “I’ve lost you once Matilda Davies, I am NEVER losing you again. You have my word.” Kissing her proudly on the lips then reached inside his pocket for the ring.

But Matilda shook her head, “no. This is their day, give me the ring tonight...I want naked...grovelling on your knees...and it had better be good Mr Wallace.”

                “Oh it will be!” He said with a smile, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Just you wait and see.”

With that he swung her around the dance floor with the enthusiasm of a five year old, and Matilda couldn’t wait to grow old with the man she’d spent her whole life loving.

Eight Years Later

                “I don’t care what it costs, it has got to be THE best, and it has GOT to be here before Friday. Don’t you relish doing business with me Mr Partridge?” Matilda ran a hand through her hair, glad that the afore mentioned Mr Partridge couldn’t see her stress and anxiety down the phone.  “We deal in hundreds of thousands of pounds a year contracts with you, if you can’t honour this, then I am sorry but I will be seeking ALL the hotel’s household products from elsewhere.”

The other man started to protest but she wasn’t listening, “this is no idle threat, I’ve got more than you can imagine riding on this weekend, you KNOW that. There is no way that I’m going to let this lie.”

As he made some pleading sounds from along the phone, she turned to perch on her desk wondering where else she’d be able to get ten thousand linen napkins from at such short notice. The Ryder Cup was being held in the hotel, the biggest scoop that she’d ever achieved. A timely planned presentation had won them a shot at holding the cup. They’d spent the best part of the last eight years preparing for the coming weekend. She wasn’t about to be let down at the last moment.

Frustrated she dropped the phone back in its cradle and tried to control her breathing. It was then that she noticed the door inch open slowly.

Not again! She groaned as she crossed the room and pulled open the office door to see the most handsome little cherub stood there looking up with a toothy smile, his bright blue eyes full of mischief, his dark hair as unruly as his father’s.

                “Thomas Wallace. Have you escaped AGAIN?”

How could she be angry when faced with the little escapologist? The addition of a crèche to the hotel had been a huge hit, and meant that she was never too far from her children when she was at work, but her youngest two year old monster had taken it upon himself to test the nursery workers beyond belief.

As she scooped the nodding boy up into her arms, Mary, one of the carers burst around the corner.

                “I’m SO sorry Mattie; I have no idea what you must think of us. We’d all been to the park, as soon as we set foot in reception he ran here, he was never more than a few metres in front of me. I swear.”

The girls were very thorough; all of Tom’s escapes literally saw him spend just a couple of seconds away from them.

                “This boy is going to be the death of me, aren’t you?” He merely laughed and swung his arms around her neck. “I’ll let him have a minute here then I’ll bring him back, is Cassie ok?”

Four year old Cassandra was the opposite of her brother, studious, serious and very content, she would be sat at a table drawing or painting. She could just imagine.

                “Cass is fine, only one of your children has the family’s mischief.”

That made Matilda laugh, “you’re right on that count.”

                “Daddy?” Tom asked as she carried him across to her desk.

                “He’ll be back soon darling, I promise.” Sitting on her chair he took the cup of juice she offered and gave a theatrical sigh which made her laugh. “You are such a Daddy’s boy!”

Dylan was in New York, he was due back later, but they all missed him when he was away, her and the kids. From the moment a test had confirmed that she was pregnant after Sarah’s wedding, Dylan had been the perfect man, he’d lined up dozens of houses for her scrutiny, then tolerated her constant changing decisions as they decorated the house, colours and styles selected at the whim of her raging hormones. They got married at Christmas, when she was blooming, the service was attended by immediate family and friends, much to his mother’s chagrin, but that didn’t bother them, they didn’t need pomp and ceremony.

Then Emma had burst into the world and nothing had been the same since. She rubbed a hand over her stomach, still unable to believe they were going to have their fourth child. Another reason not to get stressed.

At seven Emma was currently in school near their home, and on a Monday had a riding lesson straight after school. Fortunately that meant she could get a lift from a friend back to the hotel afterwards. She wasn’t leaving the hotel until late this week, Dylan had tried to convince her to employ a nanny, someone to look after her brood whilst she was at work, but she couldn’t do that. They were her children; she was the one to look after them. Plus Dylan’s mother had barely cared for him when he was a child; the last thing she wanted was to pass his insecurities on to their children.

                “Come on Buster, let’s get you back to nursery, ok?”

Ninety minutes later and Mr Partridge was promising her he’d deliver on her order, a huge tick in her book, when Emma walked in. She was tall, slim and pretty, Dylan swore she looked like her, but she didn’t agree, she was more like her own mother; Cassie was the image of her, in looks and temperament.

                “Hi Darling, how was your day?”

She nodded, “good, I got nine out of ten in my maths test.”

                “What did you get wrong?” She asked as they hugged.

                “Six times eight...it was the fastest to finish. I think I rushed!”

Matilda smiled, “shall we get the little ones, then I’ll see if Leo has any fruit for you in the kitchen?”

Linking hands with her mother they did just that.

A huge bowl of fruit salad that Leo loved providing for the kids, and a movie played through her laptop kept them all quiet for the next hour, and it gave Matilda the chance to chase up the remaining things on her to do list. The following day they had another equally long list, but Sarah was working so she could relax a little.

She glanced at her phone, no message from Dylan, he was due to land in a couple of hours, but he normally called or messaged her before he boarded the plane. But not tonight.

                “Right guys; let’s get all our things, I for one could do with going home.”

                “I second that.”

A voice called from behind them and the three youngsters all screamed “DAD!” at exactly the same time as they rushed across the room to him.

Matilda smiled at Dylan; he looked tired, but happy. His trips away became more taxing as the kids got older. He hadn’t changed over the years, there was the hint of grey in the hair at his temples, but he was still strong, lithe, handsome...and devoted to her and the kids.

                “Your day get any better?” he asked as he hugged all three kids and accepted a dozen sloppy kisses.

She shrugged as he deposited his bags on the floor, then stage whispered to the children, “maybe there’s a gift in my bag for you?”

Emma took over the search through his bag as the other two giggled and tried to help her. Dylan walked towards her and smiled, “you look good.”

                “I do?”

He nodded, reaching out to wrap an arm sound her, pulling her against him, “you been sick?” His hand ran briefly over her stomach as she shook her head, “nope, no sickness. Haven’t had the time for that.”

He kissed her then, and that passion, that desire was all still there. Until three screeching children got between them, each waving a wrapped gift in their direction. As they opened things excitedly, Matilda watched her family with such pride and happiness. Life was hectic, Dylan was away too much, it was hard to juggle the kids, but with the biggest golf event about to put their hotel complex on the world map, and a fourth child on the way, there was no sign of any let up in the future, and she loved that. She wouldn’t change a single minute of anything.

After All - Part Fifty Seven

Chapter Fifty Seven

A/N Sorry, I've been both hectic, and had a little writer's block when it came to ending this story, think this ending is a little flat. Not sure how you guys feel about it??

A final chapter to come, then the new story that's emerging will start in a couple of days. 

Let me know how you'd change this story as I'm struggling!

 

Dylan squeezed her hand as Matilda froze dead in her tracks, “come on sweetheart, we HAVE to deal with this, don’t we?”

Despite the question it was far more statement than that, she looked up at him for a moment, “way to burst our bubble hey?”

He smiled, “can build a bigger thicker impenetrable bubble once we’ve done this ok?” He squeezed her hand, “this is forever, don't forget that.”

Nodding she started the walk towards Gareth.

                “Matilda...I er...I wanted to apologise for earlier, I should have been more hospitable. You came all this way...”

She shook her head, “I don’t give a damn about hospitality, but I care about you accepting me, accepting Dylan. That’s the deal here, all or nothing. I told you that earlier.”

Dylan admired her spunk as she started to walk away from her brother towards the lift, he met Gareth’s eyes and gave a sympathetic shrug, and immediately her brother started to laugh.

                “Stop Matilda, when did you get so bossy?”

She stopped dead in her tracks, then turned to face him angrily, “you think this is a joke?”

Gareth groaned, “you’re shouting at me, dragging Dylan like a puppy. Forgive me if I see the funny side of it.”

Dylan grinned, “you know how feisty she is Gareth, I’m surprised you’re surprised.”

He sighed, “she hasn’t been though...for a long time.”

He face was pained as he looked between his sister and her lover, then ran a hand over his eyes, “ok, ok. I get that you’ve got your groove back; Dad hasn’t stopped telling me that. But I can’t forget what you did Dylan, I really can’t.”

Dylan nodded, “and I don’t blame you for that, I’m willing to prove myself to her...and you. I know I was wrong.”

Matilda stepped between them, “we were BOTH wrong. It was as much my fault as his. I goaded him, my bluff failed...that was my fault I was trying to force a reaction...I got the wrong one.”

She stared at Gareth and Dylan felt sorry for him, “Gareth, we were never best mates before, but I don’t want to be enemies, ok?”

Gareth nodded, “do you want a drink?” He gestured to the bar, “I don’t want to give the reception staff anymore of a thrill...I’m a bank manager here you know?”

Matilda’s scowl was still evident, but Dylan chuckled and tugged on her arm, and reluctantly she succumbed.

Sat at a corner table at the huge glass window that over looked the view of the town; she crossed her legs and arms, then stared at her brother.

Gareth shook his head then turned to Dylan, “I presume you’re more of an expert...do you know the way through this?”

Dylan was still laughing, and when he gave a shrug he became the victim of the scowl too.

                “Matilda.” Gareth leaned forward, “don’t be like this, I came here to sort things out, not cause more problems.”

She nodded, then added snippily, “so says the man who threw his toys out of his pram earlier! Gareth don’t come all holier than thou with me.”

Dylan sniggered beside her and she turned to stare at him, “you’re laughing at me?”

He put his arm around her and pulled her into his side, “just relax, Gareth has come to you, come to talk. Don’t push him away.”

Gareth sighed, “I get why you’re angry...” He paused as a waiter took their order then turned back to her. “I was out of order, I get that. But I care about you Matilda; I don’t want to see you hurt again.”

She shook her head, “you didn’t see me hurt though did you Gareth. Mum wasn’t cold in her grave and you were gone, leaving me and Dad to deal with it all. Don’t throw all the brotherly concern on me here, because you weren’t there. Were you?”

                “You begrudge me my own life?”

She shook her head, “of course not. I don’t wish my misery on anyone else, but you are making a judgement on something you know nothing about. This is more about your guilt than it is about mine.”

He hung his head for a moment, “I don’t feel guilty, not really. But I have felt helpless. This job here was a great opportunity, I didn’t do wrong by taking it, and Mum would have wanted me to do this. But I’ve seen how Dada has worried, he wanted to move out here years ago, but he couldn’t, he...and I, we were both worried about you.”

She took a deep breath, “so you’re saying Dad couldn’t do what he wanted because of me? Because I NEVER asked him for anything, even on the days I couldn’t afford dinner, I never asked him to do anything.”

Dylan reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, “don’t misread Gareth, and don’t get angry. You know that your Dad will worry about you until his dying day. I think that Gareth is feeling bad that he couldn’t ease that load for him.”

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes, “why are you defending him? YOU are the one he hates.”

Dylan shook his head, “Gareth doesn’t hate me, he doesn’t want to welcome me back in to the family easily, and I can get that.” He looked at her brother for a moment, “as I told your father, no one hates me for what happened like I hate myself. But we all make mistakes, and all I’m asking is for a second chance. You’ve given me it, so has your father,” he smiled, “and at some point Gareth will too.”

Gareth groaned, “you always were a smarmy bastard who knew exactly what to say to get what you wanted.”

There was humour rather than animosity in his voice, and Dylan chuckled, “your mother couldn’t resist my sweet talking!”

Her brother smiled, “no, that’s true. Neither could Matilda.”

                “You REALLY haven’t seen her the last year have you? She hit me, humiliated me, shouted at me, went behind my back...any luck I had charming her has long gone.”

Gareth slumped back in his seat, “you hurt her I’m coming after you this time.”

Dylan grinned, “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

Matilda looked between them and groaned, “you two...”

As she shook her head, Dylan and Gareth laughed, and as the waiter arrived with their drinks, they started to talk in a way they hadn’t in years. And it wasn’t until then that she realised how distant she’d become from her brother. As they left for bed later that night, they both had agreed to visit Gareth’s home the following day for dinner. It was a compromise, but it was hopefully the start of more meaningful relationships with her family, and Dylan was more than pleased at that.

                “So it’s back to reality tomorrow?”

Matilda lifted her sunhat from over her eyes and looked up at Dylan stood in just his board shorts holding out an ice cold Mojito to her, his broad muscular body glowing and tanned.

She gave a groan, “you mean we can’t stay here forever?”

He grinned as she took the condensation covered glass and sipped the drink elegantly, “afraid that we have work to return to. And you young lady have a hotel to run.”

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment; it was all still so surreal. She’d been away from London for almost four weeks, and it had been heaven. The last four days spent almost entirely with her family had topped off the amazing time away, and as she watched him lower to the lounger beside her, it was almost impossible to imagine that she’d arrived in Thailand alone, devastated, and desperate. Now she was radiant, happy, and SO well loved.

They were making the most of their last day together, and tonight, they were meeting Gareth his girlfriend Suni and her father, it was a festival in the area, and they were going to a huge gathering at a local market, fresh food, dancing...it promised to be a spectacular event.  And a timely good bye from them.

Since the animosity of their first meeting, the three men were getting along tremendously, and plans for Christmas had been tentatively discussed.

For Matilda it was the about turn she had never dreamed of when she’d sat on the plane in tears leaving London. She sipped her drink as her mobile phone in her bag beside her started to ring.

She looked at the display, Sarah. She hadn’t spoken to her friend and colleague since her first week away, though she’d emailed her when Dylan had turned up to say she was happy, that they were working things out.

                “I know I said I’d give you space, but it’s been ten days, and I am DESPERATE to know how you are, and if you’re going to be home for the wedding.”

Matilda sighed, “Sarah, it is SO good to hear your voice. We’re coming home tomorrow, and of COURSE I’m going to be at the wedding. We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

She could hear Sarah exhale down the phone, “good. I’m SO looking forward to seeing you, Brandy has been amazing helping to keep things going, but I will have to email a couple of things for you to make decisions on. Sorry to disturb your paradise.”

                “You are a welcome distraction Sarah, I promise. Will you pass on my love to everyone? I can’t wait to see you all in a couple of days.”

                “Liar!”  Dylan whispered at her ear as she hung up. “If I promised you another month here you wouldn’t think twice about it.”

She stretched luxuriously then turned to him with a smile, “on the other hand...everywhere I go, you’ll follow me!”

He slumped back on the lounger and groaned, “Touché darling.”

London was dark and cold, and as they emerged from the terminal at Heathrow, Matilda realised how woefully under prepared she was. Fortunately Dylan had ordered a taxi and it was waiting to take them back to the London flat. Dylan had been determined that he didn’t thrust himself on her full time, but she knew there was no way she was sleeping alone that night. She needed him more than ever now that they were back in Britain.

Reality really was a bitch.

The apartment was freezing cold, and Dylan rushed inside to turn on the heating. Then turned back to her with a smile.

                “You look nervous.”

She nodded, “you were right, it’s kind of strange now that we’re back here.”

He came towards her and pulled her into his arms, “nothing has changed with us, ok?”

Matilda smiled at him, then said, “I don’t want you to leave...not tonight...” She didn’t add the “...not ever,” that threatened to spill from her lips. She wasn’t ready to beg him to stay with her, not yet.

Matilda stood outside the hotel and took several deep breaths.  It was over a month since she’d last walked out of the building, and that had been a time when she honestly believed she’d never come back. Stepping into the foyer, which was no different to the last time she’d been there, but seemed so different, so foreign, she looked around for a moment, then heard a squeal. Looking up she spotted Hermione rushing around the desk and hurtling towards her at breakneck speed. And she was absorbed in a huge hug.

Eventually the receptionist pulled back and held her at arm’s length.

                “You look amazing!” With an elaborate wink she added, “thoroughly loved up!”

Matilda rolled her eyes, “I needed a break that much is true. Is Sarah here?”

Hermione nodded, “she is. Glad to have you back boss.”

                “Thank you.” Matilda’s smile at Hermione was genuine, she’d missed everyone there.

Sarah was sat at her desk on the phone when Matilda tapped the door then walked into the office. The other woman looked up and her face lit up in pleasure. Finishing the call she literally leapt from her seat and rushed over to hug Matilda.

                “You look amazingly well.”

Matilda smiled, “I feel it. Thailand is an amazing place. You HAVE to go.”

Sarah reached for her desk and called the kitchen, “coffee and breakfast please Leo, my office.” Then she hung up and reached for Matilda’s hands, “I had an awful feeling you weren’t going to come back.”

Matilda lowered herself into the seat opposite her desk and sighed, “for a while I wasn’t.”

                “Dylan looked dreadful after you left.”

She nodded, “it’s been a hard six months.”

                “And now?”

She gave a dry laugh, “now, Dylan is stepping back from the hotel...he’s giving me free rein over everything.”

                “Wow. I thought you two were getting along...”

Matilda laughed again, “oh we are, but we need distance in some parts of our lives, and we’ve proved time and time again we can’t work together, after all I can’t deal with taking orders from him.”

                “And the rest of it?”

Matilda paused for a moment, how much did she want people to know? She wasn’t sure, but she did know that she couldn’t hide it, couldn’t deny him anymore. “We’re trying again...nothing’s easy, but I love him...more than ever.”

Sarah grinned with pleasure sat back in her chair, “you two are SO perfect for each other.”

                “Who is?”

The two women turned guiltily towards the voice and Matilda smiled to see Brandy stood there a smug look on her face, “Brandy!” She jumped up and hugged the woman, “I hear you’ve been instrumental in keeping this place going.”

Brandy blushed, “just doing my job. Now that you’re back I can head off back to my brood?”

Matilda smiled, “of course, though I’d love to buy you dinner, thank you.”

                “Oh! No need for that. But I do have some papers that I need signing...and can you tell your lover to answer his damn phone?”

Matilda blushed at that and the older woman gave a hearty chuckle, “I presume he’ll speak to you!”

The breakfast arrived and the two women alternated catching up on the runnings of the hotel, with gossip from each of their lives as they demolished the contents of the trays. There was still so much to catch up on, but Matilda knew she couldn’t stay holed up in the office all day.

                “Right, time to tour the residence! Want to come?”

Outside of the office they had to uphold a professional appearance, so with clipboards in hand, they moved around the hotel, Matilda greeting every member of staff gratefully and with a familiarity that she’d missed when she’d been away. And without exception, they were all more than pleased to see her. The bar managers were pleased to tell her how well things had been in her absence.

Even the Major, the golf captain was pleasant. She’d missed the place. She arranged meetings with all of the department leaders over the coming days, and was back in her office trying to tackle the hundreds of emails that had arrived since she’d been away when she heard a commotion in reception.

Jumping to her feet, she covered the distance in less than a minute. Then froze, stood in the reception, with the WHOLE of the staff laughing manically at him, was Dylan, complete with - at a brief count she made it nine red love heart balloons, two huge bouquets of flowers, and an inane grin.

 For a split second she wanted to run away, but all too quickly she knew that this was his way of bringing everything into the open, stopping gossip by telling everyone JUST how things were. With a smile she rushed towards him and into his heavily laden arms for a kiss that left everyone observing whooping at. Then pulling back he smiled at everyone, “champagne, on me, in the restaurant.”

Then he led her into the room ahead of the excited staff.

Holding her hand he waited whilst everyone took a glass, then smiled.

                “Thank you all for joining us. I just wanted to clarify a few things. Firstly, I am stepping back from my involvement in this hotel. Matilda here, she’s in full charge, I may stay here a bit, and of course...play gold, he winked at that, and a few chuckled. “But other than that, I will have nothing to do with this place. You all know I’ve compromised Matilda since I’ve been back here, challenging her decisions...all of which were right, I might add. She does a better job without me. And I’m looking forward to being challenged and compromised by her in other domains.”

That led to laughs, catcalls and a dig in the ribs from the woman herself.  And laughing he added, “I’m concentrating on other things, there’s nothing wrong with that!”

Then he looked down at her with a smile that warmed her to the soul. She’d wanted grand gestures, she’d wanted commitment from him, and he had delivered on innumerable fronts. She loved him, and now knew with confidence that he felt the same way, and for the first time in years, her life felt complete.