You Got It Wrong - Part Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

A/N Sorry at delay again, struggling over a few issues to make this run smoothly, stick with it please!!! :)

                “So you met my granddaughter earlier?”

Nina looked up from her position under the desk sorting out the plugs for the computer in the room, “great-granddaughter you mean surely?”

Mansell laughed, “isn’t she amazing?”

Nina nodded as she extricated herself from her almost hidden position, her body more than glad to be extended back to full height, “she tells me she had a sleep over.”

He nodded lowering himself to an armchair, “yep. Best night’s fun I’ve had in ages, kids...guaranteed to keep your feet on the ground.”

Nina wouldn’t know anything about that, she had no experience with kids really, none of her friends had kids, there were a few small ones in her French family, but she didn’t spend enough time there to feel confident with them, not really.

                “Sounds like fun.”

He nodded, “I’m planning on going back to France.”

That caught her attention, “you are?”

He nodded, “Helene...I speak to her several times, a day. Neither of is getting any younger...we want to spend time together.”

                “And with your grandchildren?”

He shrugged, “I don’t want my boys here to be put out, but I really need to spend what little time I have left getting to know them. Do you get that?”

She nodded, perching against the desk and facing him, “I do, but I imagine that people here will feel a little put out about it.”

Sighing he closed his eyes for a moment, “that’s what I was fearing.”

Standing again, she moved to place a hand in his shoulder, “you have to do what you feel is right, not anyone else. Don’t be bullied by guilt. Ok?”

Sighing aging he smiled at her, “Daniel, Theo’s half brother is back from the States, I’m hoping he’ll take me, as really he’s not met anyone.”

She hated the fact that she was intrigued to know that Theo was only half related to his brother, she knew so little about him, but as time went on she learned more and more. “I’m sure he’s more stable and reliable than his brother.”

That made Mansell chortle loudly, “you think? I’ve never worked that out, but then they’re both very different...but Theo is family orientated...not that Daniel isn’t...”

Suddenly she didn’t want to hear about the intricacies of his family, hear any more about Theo.

                “So when are you leaving?”

He looked up in surprise at her abruptness, “Daniel is coming this afternoon, I’m hoping he’ll book me a flight. Claudine will pick me up at the airport. It’s all sorted really. I want to leave in a couple of days.”

Nina smiled, “you’ll have an amazing time.”

Nina didn’t see Daniel, she avoided meeting anymore of Mansell’s family, but Mansell did leave. And she missed him, whenever she visited the home he always sought her out, they had intellectual conversations, talked about life. The other residents were fun, but it wasn’t the same. Still she had half a dozen commissions to work on, so she was busy, distracted for the next ten days. The time she spent in the home was her sanctuary, her sanity away from the dark and hot basement workshop that she seemed glued to at the moment.

She emerged on Wednesday, ten days after speaking to Mansell to find Lilah in the kitchen, “you’ve had three calls from your brother, and the Oakdale called a few minutes ago.”

Nina rolled her eyes, not wanting to deal with either of the calls. “I’ve been locked in a cellar for the last three days, I don’t need either!”

Lilah laughed pouring her a glass of wine, “but neither goes away.”

Nina reached for the phone and nodded, “you’re right.” Placing the phone to her ear, she waited for the manager at Oakdale to answer the phone.

                “Cinema? Really?”

Theo looked down at Melody’s smiling face and knew that a torturous trip to see some pink frosted cheesy film was on the horizon. But he could never say no...She was going to be an extremely spoilt little girl if he wasn’t careful. But after arriving at his ex wife’s home to collect her, he’d had to break the door down, finally everything coming to a head. Sadie was un-rousable on the sofa in the lounge; Melody sat cross legged on the floor at her feet singing loudly to Frozen which he could only imagine was on a permanent loop since she’d woken that morning. It was nine am, he had no idea how long she’d been sat there alone.

He’d called an ambulance, and the police. This is what he’d been dreading, if Melody had opened the front door she could have wandered anywhere, and if he hadn’t been collecting her, then who knew how long his daughter would have sat there.  It still made him shudder at the thought. He’d removed her from the room, took her upstairs to pack some bags as Sadie’s sister arrived; the last thing he wanted was his daughter to see her mother being medically treated. At the moment she thought she was asleep.

They were joined a few minutes later by a police officer, and Theo had spoken quietly and calmly as she gathered her things ready for a sleep over.

                “I have been asking for help with this situation for months, it seemed that this disaster HAD to happen...I am taking my daughter to my home.”

                “The Child Welfare Officer will have to speak to you...”

He nodded, “here’s my address, I don’t want my daughter to witness what’s happening downstairs, ok?”

And they’d left.

An hour later the Welfare Officer had come, there was talk of Social Workers, protective orders, but he batted most of them away, and now, they were stood outside the cinema picking a film to distract from the trauma of the day.

 As Melody skipped from foot to foot, disappointed at the poor choice, his phone rang. Glancing at it, he saw his brother’s name and he groaned.

                “Daniel?”

He heard his brother groan and immediately felt worried, “it’s Mansell.”

Nina wasn’t sure if the family would welcome her at the hospital, but since the manager at the Oakdale home told her that Mansell Gershwin had had a stroke, she’d needed to come, needed to see the man. She loved him like her own grandparent, and whilst she expected animosity from the family, she wanted to see him, just check he was ok, give him her support. She’d happily leave after that.

But her feet felt like lead as she followed the directions to his bed. A tall blonde man was pacing the doorway the corresponded with the direction she’d been given. As she approached he glanced up at her.

                “Is this Mansell Gershwin’s room?”

The man nodded, “yes. Who are you?”

She smiled apologetically, “I work at the care home, I just wanted to see how he was.”

He nodded, “he’s stable...”

                “That’s good. Can I just say hello?”

The man shrugged then stepped out of her way.

Mansell was as pale as the sheets he lay against, his grey hair unkempt, and it was that that seemed to upset her the most. He was normally so pristine.

                “Hey old man,” Nina placed a hand over his and saw his eyelashes flicker at the contact. “You making everyone worry about you? I mean I was sat minding my own business, having an average Friday afternoon. Trust you to disturb that!”

She tried to make light of the situation, but it was a challenge. “The lengths some people will go to avoid family crises, hey Mansell?” She stroked his hand then smiled as she saw his eyes flutter open. “I just wanted to come and let you know that we’re thinking of you, everyone in Oakdale, but me, as your friend. Ok?”

He didn’t speak, but a groan emerged from his throat and she knew he was appreciating her concern. “I’ll let everyone know how you are, ok? All the girls are missing you particularly.” She reached down to kiss his forehead. She’d only wanted to see him, to check he was ok, as it was she was stunned, scared and terrified for him.

Outside the room she leaned against the wall panting, and it was then that the blonde man approached. As he opened his mouth to speak, another voice called out.

                “Daniel...I got here as quickly as I could.” Both heads turned to see Theo almost running along the corridor, the child Nina recognised as Melody in his arms.  Daniel rushed to him and the two hugged. Nina watched as she tried to process all that was happening, this was Theo’s brother, but also realising that she was an intruder to a family moment.

                “How is he?”

Daniel shrugged, “not great. Hey Melody, how are you?" She beamed at her uncle then Daniel looked at Theo.

                “Sadie’s in hospital,” he mouthed.

Nina made to slide away when Theo’s eyes landed on her and he scowled for a moment.

                “I heard...” He gave an abrupt nod, then lowered himself to Melody’s level. “Darling, you sit out here...I just need to go and see Grampy, ok?”

Nina looked at the little girl, “I can take her for a little while...” Theo’s eyes flew angrily to Nina’s. “This is no place for a little girl. We could go to the beach...”

                “Can we Daddy? Can we please?”

She could see Theo was torn; Daniel’s hand was on his shoulder, “you know this person?” When Theo nodded, he added, “it’s not the best place for Melody. The doctor is on his way to discuss there. She’s better off having fun.”

Nina held out her hand, “we can have fun, cant’ we Melody?”

The little girl nodded and took it, Theo had a split moment to resist it, but he couldn’t, they were both right. It was no place for his daughter.

                “We’ll be about an hour,” Nina assured him, then led the little girl out of the hospital.