CHAPTER 27

 

“It’s just a house, sweetheart,” Irene said when Cate finally plucked up the courage to call her mum back on Sunday night. “It’s four walls and a roof.”

“It’s more than that,” Cate frowned, feeling like a petulant teenager. “It’s our home.”

Irene sighed wearily. “I love you but you can’t keep me preserved in this big, empty house like a museum exhibit of your childhood which you visit once maybe twice a year. You aren’t the shy, bookish teenager or even the sad, broken wife that you were when you lived upstairs in that attic bedroom. I’ve got to be allowed to change too.”

“I’m not very good with change,” Cate admitted, bringing her knees up to her chest. She looked out across Puget Sound. “I want you to be happy, Mum.”

“I know you do,” Irene said. “I never thought I’d say this but I’m ready to retire. It’s Sierra’s first birthday soon and apart from on Skype, I’ve only seen her once…”

Cate felt unbelievably guilty, “I know we should visit more… Kian’s thinking about retiring from football at the end of the season.”

“Hush,” Irene said firmly. “I’m not trying to make you feel guilty. It’s not just you. I’ve never met Sofia either. Ben, Erin and Oliver might be in Manchester right now but I know that he’s been offered an exciting new job in Hong Kong. You and Liv are in Seattle and Remy’s in Rome. My children are scattered across the globe and I’ve never even been outside Europe – I’ve always been too busy to travel.”

“You know that we’d love for you to come and stay with us,” Cate said, “but what about your company?”

“I’m glad that all the hard work has paid off and that the company is successful but do you know what I’ve realised – the pride I feel about the company is nothing compared to how I feel when I think about you, Liv, Remy and Ben.”

“My son grew up without a dad but he has become the most amazing husband and father.”

“I was so bitter from my failed marriage that I was determined that none of my girls would grow up foolishly believing in magic or fairy-tales. I wanted you to see the grittiness of the real world. But Remy was so stubborn that as soon as she was old enough, she turned her back on all the dreams I had for her of being a high-powered CEO, a surgeon or a lawyer and she followed her heart to Italy. She fell in love with Vincenzo and had my grandsons, Rocco and Luca.”

“It broke my heart watching Liv struggle so much. I used to lie awake at night, worrying that I would lose my beautiful, artistic daughter with a heart as big as the sun to a bottle of vodka. When she was little, she used to draw me pictures and I’d put them up on the walls of my office. She was so sweet and trusting and then… I hated Ryan. I would look at the pictures she’d drawn for me and I’d wonder if I could actually get away with hiring a hit-man. He reminded me so much of your biological father. With every cruel word, I watched my baby girl shrink a little bit more.”

“When I see her now…” Irene cleared her throat. “She’s so happy in Seattle with Jax and little Sofia; I can’t even begin to tell you how proud I am.”

Cate shared her mum’s relief, “she is.”

“When you told me that you were married and pregnant at just eighteen, I thought it was a mistake.

“Mum!” Cate flinched. “Lola was not a mistake.”

“I know, it’s just that you were so very young and professional footballers don’t have the best track record for being good husbands and fathers.”

“Kian is so much more than just his job.”

“I know,” Irene said. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I was wrong. I thought that you couldn’t do it because you were so young but you’re a wonderful mum to Lola, Mateo and Sierra. With all the challenges of being the family of a professional footballer, the fact that your children are so happy and well-adjusted is all because of you and Kian. It’s a testament to both of you that your family has survived so many things that would have broken others apart.”

“I watch you every week on Stepping Out. You have blossomed from that shy, bookish teenager into a sexy, confident young woman.”

“I thought I knew what was best for my children. After your biological father left, I thought that romantic love could only lead to heartbreak. I wanted you girls to have the security of an established career before you got married and had babies – I dropped out of university when I found out that I was pregnant with Remy. As a single parent, it was such a struggle to pay the rent and make sure that you were all fed and clothed.”

“I thought that the only successes which mattered were professional ones. But I was wrong. I’m incredibly proud of Ben’s career, Remy and Vincenzo’s successful business, Liv’s beautiful art, your first-class honours degree and charity work but what I’m the most proud of is the people you’ve become and the families you’ve created. I thought that strength was measured by getting up every morning and going out to work, by the amount of your pay cheque each month but you have all taught me that it is so much more than that.”

“Even without a role model, Ben has become an amazing husband and father. Remy was brave enough to follow her dreams to Italy even though she was just a teenager and didn’t speak a single word of Italian. Liv has overcome her struggles with low self-esteem and alcohol dependence to build a new life with Jax and Sofia and her art. With all the odds that were stacked against you, you have a beautiful, happy family and you are using your blessings to help other families who are struggling.”

“Strength isn’t just about money; it’s about the size of your heart. I’m so proud of how you have all accepted Ruby into the family. I know that can’t have been easy.”

“She’s our sister,” Cate shrugged.

“I’ve spent the last twenty five years of my life being solely defined by my company; I’m Irene Klein of Klein Consulting. I’ve got more than enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life but I’m lonely.”

“Mum…” Cate felt tears prick the corners of her eyes.

“I can’t live with ghosts anymore, Cate. That’s why I’m selling the house. I’ve had an offer accepted on an apartment in Manchester city centre. It’s perfect – within walking distance of great restaurants, shopping and theatres. I’m trying to persuade Jean to do the same.”

“Although I don’t intend to be home much - there’s a big, wide world out there for me to catch up on. It’s time for me to be brave like my children. Jackson Holdings have made a very generous offer for the company and I’m going to take it. I’ll retain a minority shareholding so I can still keep my hand in.”

“I’m so excited for you, Mum,” Cate swiped at a lone tear trickling down her cheek.

“There’s a but there, isn’t there?” Irene laughed.

“I know it sounds silly but what about Christmas? You’ve always had that big party on Christmas Eve?”

“Maybe we can have it at your house this year?” Irene suggested. “Or Liv’s? It doesn’t matter where we are in the world; we’re still family, sweetheart.”

“Did you know that Ben had been offered a job in Hong Kong?” Cate asked Kian when she went upstairs.

“Mm,” Kian pretended to be engrossed in something on his iPad.

“Why am I always last to know about anything?”

He laughed, “come here.” He lifted up his arm so she could snuggle against him. “I knew he was thinking about it. Nothing has been decided yet.”

“So you keep saying,” Cate harrumphed, thinking about the big decision they had to make as a family about whether Kian was going to retire from football at the end of this season. “Won’t it be weird not having them living just across the courtyard?”

“Is that what you want?” Kian asked, switching off the bedside lamp. “When I retire from football, do you want to go back to Manchester?”

“I don’t know,” Cate said. “We both grew up in Manchester, two of our children were born there but Seattle feels like home now too. What do you think? Is it even a possibility that we could stay here?”

“If that’s what we both want…” Kian stroked his fingers through her hair. “I miss Mum and Sinead but we’ve built a great life here. I like waking up to the sound of ferryboats on the Sound. I don’t have to be Kian Warner, ex-England international. I can take Mats to the aquarium without being pestered for autographs and I can watch Lola’s soccer matches. I can make love to my sexy-ass wife on the porch swing.”

Cate blushed, “we did that once!”

Kian chuckled, “if you want a repeat, just let me know?”

“If Ben decides to take the job in Hong Kong, would we sell both houses?” Ben and Erin’s house was part of their property.

“I guess so.”