Chapter 48
‘Well, that was the best meal I’ve ever had in my life,’ said Cal.
‘That’s because I chose all of your favourite things,’ Cora told him, ‘and Mimi made the dinner.’
‘We made it together,’ Mimi reminded her.
‘Yes, but you’re better at cooking than me.’
Cal said, ‘Every single bit of it was perfect.’
Mimi said, ‘You were lucky, you got me on a good day. Sometimes my food’s a disaster.’
‘I don’t believe you.’ He shook his head.
‘No, Dad, she’s telling the truth. We had to throw away the first gravy,’ Cora said gleefully, ‘because Mimi made it with sugar instead of salt.’
‘Hello?’ Mimi protested. ‘At least I found out before it was too late.’
But they were laughing with her, not at her. It was one of those moments, she realised, that you wished you could capture in a jar and preserve forever. Here they were, seated together around the kitchen table, utterly relaxed as they finished a bottle of duty-free Sancerre. The table was littered with plates, bowls and – at Cora’s insistence – a dozen flickering tea lights. Cora was still giggling at the earlier mistake with the gravy and Cal was playfully tweaking the multicoloured charity bands on her left wrist. His week in Dubai had deepened his tan and he was looking more irresistible than ever. Mimi swallowed; this, being here now, was what absolute unalloyed happiness felt like. If only it could go on forever.
‘You forgot to remind me.’ Cal raised his eyebrows at Cora and tapped his watch. ‘It’s nine thirty.’
‘Oh Dad, no. Can’t I stay up a bit later? It’s a special night!’
‘You’ve got school tomorrow.’
‘I’m not tired, though. I’m excited you’re home!’
Cal said good-naturedly, ‘You might not be tired, but I am.’
Of course he was tired. Mimi realised she was outstaying her welcome. ‘I must go too.’
‘No need to rush off this minute. You can stay and finish your drink.’
‘You’re so strict,’ Cora grumbled. ‘Mimi always let me stay up until midnight.’
‘You wish,’ said Mimi.
Five minutes later, changed into her pyjamas and smelling of toothpaste, Cora came downstairs to say goodnight. She hugged Mimi and stage-whispered, ‘Thank you for staying here and looking after me and letting me stay up really late every night.’
Then she kissed Cal and said, ‘Night, Dad. Love you. Bye, Otto!’
Otto wagged his tail. ‘Woof.’
When Cora had headed back upstairs, Mimi said, ‘I didn’t let her stay up late.’
‘I know.’ The glimmering light from the candles was reflected in the golden brown of Cal’s eyes. ‘How’s she been this week?’
‘Wonderful.’ Mimi spread her hands; it was the truth. ‘She’s such great company. Honestly, I’ve loved every minute.’
‘And how many times did you have to watch Mamma Mia!?’ His expression was grave.
‘Only twice. I think I got off lightly.’
‘You did.’ Cal divided up the last of the wine in the bottle, then clinked his glass against hers. ‘Anyway, thank you.’
‘My pleasure.’ Mimi felt her pulse quicken because all of a sudden the atmosphere in the kitchen seemed to be changing. Was it just wishful thinking on her part? She took a gulp of wine, then instantly realised her mistake, because once it was gone it would be time to leave. Oh, but what would Cal do if she were to lean across and kiss him now? Would he be OK with that, or completely horrified? Plus he’d already told them he was shattered after his flight. Imagine how grim it’d be if she tried it and he shrank away, muttering, ‘Oh dear, I don’t think that’s a good idea . . .’
As if to save her from herself, his phone chose that moment to receive a message. Taking it out of his pocket, Cal looked at the screen for a couple of seconds.
Finally he glanced up. ‘Sorry, I need to just . . . deal with this.’ And there was a faint edge to his voice that made Mimi wonder what could be about to go wrong this time.
Because something did always seem to crop up when she least wanted it to, so why should this evening be any different?
‘No problem!’ Pushing back her chair, she grabbed the pudding plates. ‘I’ll just clear up a bit . . .’
But as she switched on the hot tap and squirted washing-up liquid into the sink, she heard the front door close and realised that Cal had stepped outside. Clearly he needed to have a conversation with someone that couldn’t be overheard by her.
A cold sensation crawled through Mimi’s intestines, because this kind of implied it was something she wouldn’t want to hear either. She could hazard a guess as to what it might be too. Cal had met someone in Dubai, someone beautiful and incredibly glamorous who had captured his attention, and since she was as confident as she was irresistible, she’d seduced him on the first night of his visit, which meant they’d spent the last week having wild sex at every opportunity . . . She was probably messaging to let him know that her plane had landed at Bristol and she was on her way over to Goosebrook right now.
Mimi blinked; she could even picture her, the epitome of elegance with luxuriant black hair and flashing dark eyes, her body swathed in the kind of outfit Amal Clooney would wear— Oh, oww.
The front door opened and closed once more, heralding Cal’s return, and Mimi winced at the cut on her finger from the razor-sharp vegetable knife she hadn’t realised was in the bottom of the washing-up bowl. Hastily she grabbed a wodge of kitchen paper and wrapped it around her finger. As Cal reappeared in the kitchen, she plastered on a bright smile – Look at me, busy doing the washing up! – and said casually, ‘Everything OK?’
But Cal wasn’t smiling. The expression on his face was unreadable. He crossed the kitchen and held his phone out to her. ‘There’s something here I want you to see.’
Mimi took the phone with her good hand and saw that the message had been from Cora. It said: Dad, look at this. But NOT in front of Mimi.
Oh God, had she done something awful without even realising it? Inadvertently said something terrible? Was it to do with the teaspoon she’d dropped into the waste disposal . . . had it been Cora’s all-time favourite spoon?
Or, oh please no, the last one Stacey had used before she died?
Without looking at Cal and with apprehension tightening her chest, Mimi pressed play, and the image of Cora on the screen came to life.
‘Hi, Dad, it’s me, and I promise I’m going to sleep now but there’s just something I need to say to you first.’ Sitting cross-legged on her bed in her pyjamas, she was gazing earnestly into the camera lens. ‘OK, I know you felt bad about upsetting me when you broke up with Della, but I honestly wasn’t upset about that. And then I thought you were secretly seeing Lois, which just felt wrong from the start so I was really glad when I found out it wasn’t true. And I know you’ve hardly been out with anyone at all since Mum because you don’t want me getting confused and wondering how long any of them are going to last, which can’t have been much fun for you.’ She paused to take a deep breath. ‘So I’m just going to say this now, in case you were wondering. Because if you think you might really like Mimi . . . well, that would be amazing, and if you two got together it would honestly make me so happy. OK, maybe you aren’t interested or Mimi isn’t, but I just wanted you to know that if it did happen I definitely wouldn’t be upset, because this week we’ve had the best time ever and if Mimi was your actual girlfriend it’d be so great. Anyway, if you aren’t interested you can delete this, but I just had to say it. And now I’m going to sleep, I promise. Night!’ Still beaming, Cora waved madly with both hands into the camera, then the screen went blank.
Mimi realised she’d been holding her breath since the message had begun. Her heart was banging and she still couldn’t bring herself to look at Cal, because it was just the most heartbreakingly wonderful message, but what if he thought she’d begged Cora to send it?
‘Can I just ask one question?’ said Cal.
‘I didn’t know she was going to say that,’ Mimi blurted out. ‘I didn’t ask her to do it!’
‘What?’ Cal shook his head slightly. ‘That wasn’t the question. I just need to know . . . are you completely over him now?’
Struggling to think straight and in need of physical support, she leaned back against the sink. ‘Over him? Of course I am. It’s been almost a year since I last saw Rob . . . I don’t even think about him—’
‘Not Rob,’ Cal cut in. ‘I’m not talking about Rob.’ He frowned. ‘I meant Paddy.’
It was one of those completely surreal moments. ‘Paddy? Why would I need to be over Paddy?’
‘Because you were crazy about him.’
‘WHAT?’
‘OK, let’s call it a massive crush . . .’
‘Who told you this?’ Mimi stared at him in disbelief. ‘Because it just isn’t true!’
‘You told me,’ said Cal. ‘Well, you told me you were over it, you insisted it was all in the past. But sometimes people say that because they want it to be true . . . they’re just trying to convince themselves . . .’
‘Oh my God,’ Mimi gasped as realisation rolled over her like a wave. ‘When I told you that, that wasn’t who I was talking about. What made you think it was Paddy?’
It was Cal’s turn to be taken aback. ‘Della told me. She said she’d had to warn you that he was trouble, and that for your own good you should steer clear of him, not get involved.’
Now Mimi understood everything. Della had warned her off Cal, but it had been without his knowledge. In all likelihood, she hadn’t told Cal in case the idea roused his interest. Which meant he hadn’t been laughing at her, and had completely misunderstood her stumbling, agonisingly awkward explanation, the one she’d begged him never to mention again.
And he hadn’t. Until tonight.
Nor had he deleted Cora’s video message. Instead, he’d shown it to her.
He hadn’t spent the last week in bed with a glamorous Amal Clooney lookalike either.
Well, let’s hope not.
Cal said, ‘So who was it, if it wasn’t Paddy?’
Mimi’s mouth was dry. The time had come to be brave. Could she do it?
She swallowed and said simply, ‘It was you.’
Now she was able to witness Cal mentally scrolling back through time, slotting into place those pieces of the jigsaw that had never fitted together before.
Finally his expression cleared. ‘And you thought I knew all along?’
Mimi tilted her head in acknowledgement. ‘I did.’
‘Hang on.’ He frowned. ‘You told me you were completely over your mad crush. And you weren’t talking about Paddy, you were talking about me. So does that mean . . .?’
‘I was lying. Through my teeth. I wasn’t over you at all.’
Cal stopped frowning. ‘Well that’s good to know.’
Mimi ventured a smile. Butterflies were taking flight inside her ribcage. As she pressed her hand against her chest, she saw the look on Cal’s face turn to one of horror before belatedly realising why.
‘What have you done?’
She gazed down at her hand, wrapped in blood-soaked kitchen paper. Having stained the front of her T-shirt, the blood was dripping onto the floor. Honestly, Amal Clooney would never be so careless with a vegetable knife.
Nor, probably, would she wear a T-shirt that had cost three pounds fifty in a charity shop.
‘There was a knife in the sink. It’s nothing, I’m fine.’ It was the least important injury she’d ever sustained, but Cal was already unpeeling the kitchen paper and inspecting the wound.
‘Sorry,’ said Mimi as blood dripped onto his fingers.
A slow smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. ‘Are you apologising for having cut yourself whilst doing my washing-up?’
‘Don’t get your hopes up – I only managed to wash one plate.’
Cal went into the utility room and returned with the first aid box. He ran her hand under the cold tap, patted it dry then efficiently began dressing the wound. And Mimi discovered that it was no longer the least important injury she’d ever sustained. Every time their hands touched, it felt like magic, and she half expected stars to appear, Disney-style. Cal might be concentrating on the task, but all she was concentrating on was Cal.
Finally he said, ‘There, done,’ and raised his gaze to meet hers. And there it was again, that swooping, time-slowing-down sensation overtaking her senses. It was like an out-of-body experience.
Mimi swallowed. ‘Thanks.’
‘No problem.’ He was observing her with interest. ‘So, what do you think? About Cora’s message.’
‘I think . . . it’s lovely that she’s trying to help you.’
‘All this time,’ Cal nodded slowly, ‘I’ve wondered how you felt about me.’
‘Have you? Really?’
‘Oh yes. But I was scared in case it was just wishful thinking on my part. Because making a mistake would have been . . . well, awful. And it was too important to risk messing everything up. Every time I thought maybe it could happen, something went wrong. I couldn’t bear it when I thought you and Paddy might get together.’
‘I couldn’t bear it when I thought about you and Lois.’ Mimi felt as if someone else was in charge of sending the words out of her mouth.
‘On the afternoon of Cora’s party, Paddy asked when you were coming over. That’s why I said we didn’t need any help when you offered.’
‘Oh, there’s something else I need to tell you.’ Suddenly remembering, Mimi blurted out, ‘I was so mortified on Boxing Day when Della said you were embarrassed by my crush on you. And then I lost my front door key and Paddy let me stay over at his place, and I threw myself at him. But only because my love life was a complete disaster, a barren wasteland of nothingness, and I was so ashamed by what Della had told me. I didn’t fancy him at all, I was just desperate to get over you and I thought it might help.’ It was a terrible thing to have to confess, but she had to say it. Cal needed to know.
‘You tried to seduce him? And did you?’
‘No. He turned me down.’ More shame. ‘He said I wasn’t that kind of girl and I’d regret it in the morning.’
Cal half smiled. ‘Well, I’m impressed with Paddy. And do you think you would have regretted it?’
‘God, yes!’
‘Did you . . . kiss him?’
‘Only once. For about two seconds, before he stopped it.’ Mimi shrugged. ‘Then we both went to bed in separate rooms.’
Cal shook his head thoughtfully. ‘If it had been me, I don’t think I’d have done that.’
‘I’m just glad he did.’
His smile broadened. ‘What are you looking at?’
‘Your mouth.’
‘Why?’
‘Just wondering what it would be like to kiss it.’
Oh my life, listen to me!
Cal said, ‘I’ve wondered what it’d be like to kiss you ever since you moved down here last summer.’ He moved closer, and Mimi felt her skin tingle with anticipation. As he slid his hands over her shoulders then lifted her face up to meet his, he said in a low voice, ‘I was beginning to think I’d never find out.’
Oh, the sheer bliss of the moment. Finally, it was happening. The adrenalin rush reached every inch of her body as she gave herself up to the culmination of all those months of longing and wishing and waiting. Nothing – nothing – had ever felt so right.
The kiss went on and on. At last they came up for air and Mimi discovered she couldn’t tear herself away.
‘Well, now I know,’ said Cal.
‘That’s a coincidence. Me too.’ Her eyes were locked on his. His arms around her were all that were keeping her upright.
‘Is it too soon to tell you I love you? It’s probably too soon. I won’t say it yet.’ Cal ran his index finger over the curve of her upper lip. ‘I’ll just think it.’
Mimi kissed him again, and this time when they finally drew apart, Cal murmured, ‘Is it OK to say it now?’
The patter of small paws behind them heralded Otto’s entrance into the kitchen.
‘Basket,’ prompted Cal, but Otto wagged his tail and did a polite throat-clearing woof.
‘Has he actually learned to tell the time?’ Mimi marvelled, because according to the clock on the wall, it was two minutes to ten. ‘I know you told me about this, but every night he gets it spot on.’
‘The joys of the bedtime routine. Come on, we won’t get any peace until he’s sorted.’ Cal clasped her hand in his and walked with her to the front door. Otto had always refused to go for his last wee of the evening in the back garden, preferring instead to explore the lane at the front of the house before using the grass verge just beyond the front gate.
Leaving the door open, they waited on the narrow path while Otto darted around, busily inspecting his favourite nooks and crannies as he always did.
All was silent around them until the church clock chimed the hour. The stars were out, the night was warm and still, and the scent of new-mown grass hung in the air. Cal said quietly, ‘I’m still thinking it,’ then kissed Mimi again, and this time the kiss seemed to go on for ever because neither of them wanted it to end, and if there was anything more amazing than the way she was feeling right now, Mimi didn’t know what it could be . . . OK, well maybe apart from—
‘Woof woof!’ said Otto, and it wasn’t until then that they realised they were no longer alone; the outlines of a figure and another dog were emerging from the darkness. But whereas they couldn’t identify the new arrivals, Mimi knew that she and Cal were clearly illuminated in the light from the hallway beyond the open front door. Whoever it was couldn’t have failed to spot them.
Then the second dog gave a gruff answering bark and Cal, recognising the sound, said, ‘That’s Bongo.’
The straggly-haired mongrel, who closely resembled his owner, belonged to Old Bert. During Bert’s prolonged stay in hospital, Bongo was being looked after by Paddy.
Now close enough for them to see him, Paddy said in conversational tones, ‘I usually just take him for a walk around the green, but it turns out this way’s far more interesting.’ His teeth gleamed white in the darkness at the sight of Mimi and Cal with their arms wrapped around each other. ‘Well done.’
‘Thanks.’ Cal was smiling too. ‘I love her.’
With a shiver of joy, Mimi blurted out, ‘And I love him.’
She heard Cal’s intake of breath as he turned to look at her. ‘You do?’
‘Oh yes.’ She nodded and squeezed his hand. ‘Definitely. I have done for ages.’
‘It never was CJ, was it?’ Paddy sounded amused.
‘It was never CJ,’ Mimi agreed.
‘I can’t believe I got that so wrong. Although I did manage to figure out the real story at Cora’s party.’ He was making his way past the front gate now, with Bongo loping along at his heels. ‘But it’s nice that you finally managed to work it out for yourselves.’
‘It’s taken a while.’ As Otto rejoined them, Cal’s arm tightened around Mimi’s waist. ‘But we got there in the end.’
An owl hooted nearby. Still fizzing with exhilaration, Mimi murmured, ‘We should be getting back inside.’
‘Well don’t go counting on getting any privacy,’ said Paddy.
Mimi was startled. ‘Why not?’ Surely he wasn’t planning to invite himself in for a drink.
But Paddy was grinning now, pointing past them and above their heads before leaving them to it and making his way back down the hill into Goosebrook.
When they turned and looked up, there was Cora, doing a victory dance and waving madly at them through the open bedroom window.
‘Oh God.’ Cal spluttered with laughter. ‘She’s going to be wide awake for hours.’
‘Doesn’t matter,’ Mimi murmured back. ‘We’ve got plenty of time.’
Cal dropped a kiss on her forehead. ‘All the time in the world. But I still wish she was asleep right now.’
Above them, beaming with satisfaction, Cora proudly called down, ‘See? I knew my idea would work. I’m always right!’