You Got It Wrong - Part Nine

Chapter Nine

A/N Sorry, another delay, hectic but also struggling to get this bit right. LOTS to come, this is starting to look like a huge story. Hope you're enjoying! 

 

Nina stood away from the car and glared at the approaching man, “excuse me? HE doesn’t want to transport you either.” As she said it she patted the bonnet affectionately.

Mansell shook his head, “you two! Can’t we all get along?”

That caused Nina’s head to flick up and glare at the older man, “he’s rude, inconsiderate and childish...I told you in the kitchen you two should just do your thing.”

                “Great,” Theo gave a false grin, “my car’s over here...”

He made for the black sporty saloon car that was parked across the driveway. As Nina shrugged and made for the house Mansell held up a hand, “guys, please! Nina knows the way...and if she wants to take her car...that’s what we do. Theo, get over it.”

With a half gloating tilt of her head she turned back to her car, then had the perverse pleasure of watching Theo try to climb into the back seat through the narrowest of gaps.  When he was finally settled he glared at her.

                “I’m childish yet YOU call your car ‘he’!”

She laughed dryly, “all cars should have a name...but then I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand.”

Mansell tutted as he fastened his seatbelt, and as she pulled the car out on to the road, Nina couldn’t help but smile to herself, definitely one- nil.

The village was a fifteen minute drive, and when they pulled up at the house she knew belonged to Ines, Mansell looked pale again.

                “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

He looked up and smiled, “of course...it’s just...”

She patted his hand, “I can’t imagine how terrifying this must be.”

Moving around the car, she helped him out, but neither trend back to Theo, despite his grunts of frustration as he presumably fought himself out of the back seat.  Instead, they moved to the doorstep, but as they approached the door opened and a woman stood there.

                “Mansell Gershwin...I never thought I see you again.”

Her English was good, and her voice strong, much stronger than Mansell’s, he sighed reaching for the railing to steady himself, “Ines Dubois. You haven’t changed!”

She laughed, “you always did speak with flattery...you must come in. And I am not Dubois...I am Picard now. Ha. For Sixty five years.”

As the two older people entered the front door, Nina purposely held back, she didn’t want to intrude on whatever was said, this was a personal matter, Theo studied her for a moment before following his grandfather into the house. Yes, it was a family moment.

                “Bonjour.”

Nina looked up from the novel she’d packed in her bag that morning; sat on the front porch she was more than comfortable in the warm sunshine. For a moment she took time to adjust to the figure stood in front of her, but as her eyes grew accustomed to the sun, a woman came into focus, her age, maybe a little older.

                “I am Ines neighbour...she is worried about you being out here alone, she wants me to take you into the village...to the cafe?”

Hauling herself to her feet, she smiled, “that sounds great. I’m Nina.”

                “Anna...” they shook hands then the other woman directed her towards the village they’d driven through earlier.

It was to Anna’s great relief to learn that Nina spoke French, reasonably at one time, but she rarely used it these days so she was very rusty, but the time covering the ground to the cafe gave them both chance to strike up a conversation. Ines had no children, and was failing in her health, Anna as her neighbour was caring for her more and more, and worrying too.

                “So tell me about the man you brought.”

Nina smiled and over very strong coffee told the French woman all about Mansell, his relationship to her, his past, and Ines’ sister Hélène.

She clapped her hands to her mouth, “oh I love such romantic stories!”

Nina nodded, “I think he could relax if he met her again, though we don’t even know if she’s alive.”

Anna laughed, “Ines’ sister? She’s alive; she doesn’t live that far away!”

The drive home was silent, Nina’s distaste at the man in the back of her car was on the back burner, beside her Mansell was quiet, contemplative.

                “So, you’re going to meet her?”

Mansell nodded immediately, but it was a while until he spoke, “yes, I have to. How far away is Honfleur?”

Nina paused as she pulled into the village they were staying in, “about an hour, maybe a little more.”

                “Be three hours in this monstrosity.”

She stopped the car, uncaring that she was in the middle of the road and turned to face Theo who was sat scowling behind her, “it got us here comfortably, and let me remind you that it got you to where you need to be today.” She turned back to Mansell, “there’s still a day until the celebration ceremonies, do you want to go there tomorrow?”

                “I don’t know...I need to think about it.”

Theo didn’t know what had come over him, all day he’d behaved like a child, sniping, bitching, back biting, attempting to score cheap points. Not that Nina was letting him get away with anything; she was winning on every level.

But he couldn’t think about that now, since they’d got back, Mansell had taken himself off to his room and wasn’t answering when he knocked the door, he was starting to feel the anxiety that Nina had expressed, this was both very important, but also really difficult for the older man. And he hated that anxiety. Walking out of the house, he strolled down to the road and was rewarded with a few bars of signal on his phone.

Within seconds his call was connecting to Tony, he’d been in school with him, inseparable, and they’d remained good friends all through college, now they helped each other out as much as was possible. For the last thirty six hours, Tony had been keeping an eye on both Sadie and Melody. He felt awful that as his grandfather’s traumas both current and what he’d learned about the past, had come to light, he’d barely thought about what was happening back home, the guilt for that was joining the emotions that were swirling around him, and he felt for a moment as though he was drowning in the pressure of it all.

Reaching for the fridge he pulled it open and saw the pack of French beers and grabbed one, as tony answered with a bright, “Hello?”

Within moments his relief was growing, Tara, Sadie’s sister had been staying with his ex wife and his daughter for the past two days, Tony had orchestrated a ‘bump’ into her at a local shop when she was taking Melody for some treats. Whilst the three year old had hugged him profusely, Theo’s ex sister-in-law Tara had in conversation told him she was staying with her sister for a week.

Theo almost collapsed into a chair thankful for whatever God determined that he didn’t have to make a choice. Because he wouldn’t have found it easy, not since he’d been here. When he hung up the call, he glanced up as the door open and a sodden and cold looking Nina was entering the kitchen from the rear courtyard.

                “You ok?”

She looked up at his voice then gave a nonchalant shrug, “swum.”

Then she walked past him without as much as a glance.

Groaning he reached to the fridge for another bottle of beer and cracked it open.

Despite it being a warm day in early June, the evenings were chilly. Mansell and his grandson had gone out for dinner; Nina had declined when Theo asked her to join them. The invite had been instigated by a nudge in the ribs from Mansell and offered begrudgingly, and she was almost tempted to go, just to piss him off, instead she was tired and wanted to stay in. And now, she was sat in the leather Chesterfield in front of the fire that she’d managed to light in the hearth, smiling at her success, and basking in the warmth, she curled and uncurled her toes as she waited for Lilah to answer her phone.

                “Nina! You are like the Scarlet Pimpernel! What’s happening in La France? How’s life on the road with the fugitive?”

Nina laughed, “oh Lilah, you would not BELIEVE what’s been happening!”

So the whole story came out, Mansell’s secrets, the family they’d met, Theo arriving, his anger towards her.

                “So he’s moody hunky?”

Nina guffawed at that almost spraying her mouthful of beer across the room, “hunky? NO. And he’s not moody; he’s arrogant, smug and looks down his nose at me.”

                “Why? I thought now he’d found his grandfather he’d be glad you helped him.”

Closing her eyes Nina sighed, “no, I think that he thinks I’m plotting something.”

                “Like what?”

She shrugged even though her friend couldn’t see her, “he keeps asking me why I would help him, like with a silent what’s in it for you?”

That made Lilah laugh loudly, “really? What does he think you’re after his grandfather’s integrity? Does he think you’re Anna Nicole Smith? Are you about to marry a pensioner?”

Nina laughed too, “if it wasn’t so probable...him thinking it, rather than me doing it,” she quickly added. “He’s a self absorbed prick and if it wasn’t for Mansell I’d be gone, home by now.”

                “So he found his love?”

                “Yep, we’re meeting her tomorrow, or rather they are, I’m just the driver.

Lilah was quiet for a moment, “sounds like an amazing story, but come home if you’re not happy.”

                “Is there much work on?”

                “The Wootton’s are both singing your praises and have invited us to their wedding, can you believe that?”

Nina rolled her eyes, “I’m more interested in the ‘word-of-mouth’ factor than I am the wedding. You lined up meetings?”

                “Provisionally starting in ten days. Wasn’t sure when you’d be home. The wedding is in six weeks. I think we should go. It’s a great PR stunt; it could give us a huge push up in the world.”

She groaned, “we’ll see. I’m planning to go to Cherbourg after the D-day stuff just for a couple of days , I mean doting grandson can take Mansell home, I haven’t seen my cousins for ages, and I LOVE Cherbourg.” And she did, she had so many happy memories of her teenage years, when her home life was dreadful, escaping to her maternal family had been her salvation. “If anything urgent crops up forward it to me. I can take a break?”

                “Of course!” Lilah assured her, “definitely. It’s what you deserve.”

Theo had never felt as close to his grandfather, they’d had dinner at a beachfront restaurant, local fish, local cider and great company. But he know looked tired, and he was worried about the stress of all this emotional change on the old man.

                “Turn in Gramps; I’ll lock up down here, busy day tomorrow.”

Mansell nodded as he looked at him, “I’m really glad you’re here.”

He nodded, “if you’d said how important it was we’d have dropped everything, me and Daniel. You just never said.”

                “Maybe that’s because I’m used to your father’s disinterest. Maybe I need to let you two in a bit more. I can see my role in this.” He reached out and hugged Theo, “don’t be hard on Nina, she dropped everything to bring me here, she’s an amazing woman.”

That made him snort, he still couldn’t fathom the woman, she had spent the last thirty six hours scowling at him, and yet everyone else seemed smitten, but he couldn’t work that out, and STILL could come to no conclusion for her doing this for her grandfather than he’d promised her something. In this economic climate no one could afford to drop her work, her life to do this. She worked at the Residential Home; he’d gleaned that much information from his grandfather. It was hardly a huge salary.

But she was doing this; she’d made him happy, so what if she had a free holiday out of this?

He shook his head then made for the kitchen, and the bottle of whisky he’d deposited there earlier.  It was toasty warm in the house and it wasn’t until he looked into lounge that he saw the crackling fire. He’d never been in a place where the days were SO warm, but the nights SO cool. Pouring a measure of whisky, he took the bottle and the glass into the lounge and was about to sit when he realised that the woman he’d been contemplating was sat in the chair opposite. Fast asleep.

Lowering himself into the overstuffed chair, he kicked out his legs immediately appreciating the warmth. Taking a sip of the smooth whisky he closed his eyes, for a moment he wished he could stop the world and get off. Ten days ago he was a normal man, working, living. Now he was about to start a custody battle for his daughter, was in France for his grandfather to be both part of a huge celebration of a life achievement he’d had no idea about, and was going to accompany him to meet the love of his life who’d been missing from him for seventy years.

He opened his eyes to view Nina, then shook his head, where she fitted in to all this he had no idea, but he did know that she was going to be a thorn in his side. His mind was whirring thinking of ways to get her out of their lives, then he could make good with Mansell and get back to the really important matter of his daughter.