Thirty-three
He was due to arrive any minute, and Beth thought she might just throw up. ‘I don’t know what to say to him. I don’t how to act. I don’t know …’
Lisa suggested, ‘Want me to do it?’
‘No, thank you. I can do it. It’s just weird, here in Tennison Avenue. It was like another world back in Bondi.’
‘He won’t have changed. He’s still the same man who taught you all about sex.’
Beth blushed. ‘Oh great. Remind me of that just as he’s about to knock on the door, why don’t you?’
‘It’s funny you should say that.’
‘What?’
‘That he’s about to knock on the door. He looks different. A bit paler. Thinner.’
‘Where?’
Lisa laughed. ‘You just glanced out of the window, he was walking down the road.’
‘Was he?’
As usual, Lisa had seen him first. James was making his way down the path.
For a couple of seconds, they just stood looking at each other. It was awkward and uncomfortable and unbelievably odd to have him on her doorstep. But then he opened his arms and said, ‘Love, it’s good to see you.’
His opened arms were an invitation to start again, and without serious consideration, she took it. Running to him, she welcomed his embrace. He smelt like Bondi, her Bondi. ‘It’s good to see you, too.’ She led him into the lounge.
Her mum and dad had been hovering in the kitchen, trying to give them some space. But far too quickly, curiosity got the better of them, and they began edging their way towards Beth.
‘Sorry to interrupt. Can I get you a tea or coffee?’
At the same time as Pat uttered this life shattering question, Don asked, ‘So, this is the young man from Australia?’ Again, a riveting choice of words.
James was polite and friendly towards them, and he won them over instantly. He was grateful to Pat for the tea and biscuits, and embarked on a long-winded conversation with Don about refrigeration units.
Beth sat across the room with Lisa, studying him.
‘He sure is a smooth one.’
‘I’d forgotten how good looking he was. Mum and Dad seem to like him, don’t they?’
At that moment, the front door opened, and Nanna made her way into the lounge.
‘Now the real test begins.’ Lisa sounded delighted.
‘I understand you were friends with our girl in Australia?’ Nanna ran a scrutinous eye over James.
‘Yes. We were together for a couple of months, Mrs Campbell.’
‘Right. And now? You’re down here to work?’
‘Yes. I’m a labourer. I’ve worked on several sites. Bricklaying. A bit of carpentry. Painting and decorating. I can turn my hand to most things ‒’
‘All right. Steady on, lad. I don’t need to hear your qualifications. You’re planning on getting close to my granddaughter, not building me an extension.’
‘That’s it, Nanna. You tell him.’
James gave an ingratiating smile. ‘Quite right, Mrs Campbell. I do plan to get close to your granddaughter. I was very fond of her in Bondi, and, with your blessing, I’d like to take her out.’
‘How long are you down here for?’
‘I don’t know. Nothing’s definite. But I’d like to say I might be around for a while.’
‘Right then. We’ll see how it goes, shall we?’
‘We will that, Mrs Campbell.’
The rest of the family busied themselves about the house, leaving Beth alone with James.
‘Your grandma’s quite the little interrogator.’
‘She’s a nanna, not a grandma.’
‘OK. Still, I was fearful for my fingernails at one point.’
‘She just doesn’t want me to be messed about, that’s all.’
‘Understandable. I’d feel the same. But … you know you can trust me, right?’
‘Do I?’
‘Beth, what’s up?’
‘Shall I ask him? Shall I demand an explanation?’
‘It’s your call. I wouldn’t waste any of my time on him, if I were you.’
‘It’s now or never though, surely?’
‘Right then, ask the shifty git,’ Lisa tutted.
‘James, I’m pleased to see you, I really am, but …’
‘But?’
‘You left. You didn’t say goodbye. I woke up and you’d gone.’
He had the good grace to look sheepish. ‘I’m sorry. I thought I’d made it clear the night before that I was going to struggle with an airport goodbye.’
‘Did you?’ Beth searched his face for signs of a lie. ‘Did he, Lisa?’
‘No, he friggin’ didn’t.’
‘I thought I did.’ Both Lisa and James answered at the same time.
Beth wasn’t sure what to believe. ‘It wasn’t clear to me. I went to find you. I must’ve looked stupid.’
James took a tentative step towards her. ‘Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just … you know … I just thought it was better to go. We’d had such a great last night, we’d said some lovely things …’
She felt excluded. If only she knew what the lovely things were. Impossible to ask now. ‘So, you didn’t run out on me?’
‘No. I … Beth, you must know how I feel. I love you.’
No one, save for her family, had ever told her they loved her. She was overwhelmed. James was handsome and charming, and he was stood in front of her, declaring his love. Her heart melted. ‘Wow. I … I think I love you too.’
After James had left to check out the room he was renting, Beth asked her family for their opinion.
‘Seems like a nice enough boy. But he’d better not mess my Betty-Boo about.’
‘What about you, Mum?’
‘He’s extremely good looking. Almost too good looking. I’m always a bit wary of very handsome men. I’m not sure they can be trusted.’
‘Of course, we can,’ Don replied, with a chuckle.
Pat swatted him with the tea towel, playfully.
Lastly, Beth turned to Nanna. She alone could make or break this fledgling relationship. ‘Nanna?’
‘Well … you can’t say he’s not confident. I gave him the stare, you know the one I mean, Don?’
Don shuddered. ‘I certainly do.’
‘And?’ Beth held her breath.
‘Usually, lesser mortals struggle with that stare. They tend not to know if they’re on foot or horseback, but ‒’
‘Nanna, you’re killing me. Get to the point, please?’
‘Not a flinch. He passed.’
‘Really? You like him?’
‘Now then, I wouldn’t go that far. I’ll reserve my judgement. But he’s obviously keen on you, I’ll say that about him.’
James began his job on the building site. He and Beth seemed to fall easily into a relationship. She soon discovered he still had the touch when it came to the bedroom. He shared a house not far from where he was helping to build a new estate. His room was grubby and small, but it had a lock on the door and, unlike her bedroom, well-meaning relatives weren’t permanently butting-in with offers of hot beverages.
One day, a few weeks after she’d gotten back together with him, Beth asked Nanna, ‘Are you still reserving judgement on James?’
‘Well, he’s got enough northern charm to sink a battleship, that’s for sure. But I’ll not be fooled by those film star looks. I suppose he’s OK.’
‘OK? He’s a lot more than OK. He’s perfect.’ By now Beth had decided there was no point dwelling on the unfortunate way he’d chosen to leave Bondi.
‘Hmm … nobody’s perfect. Not even my Malcolm.’
‘I meant perfect for me, Nanna.’
‘Good, well, like I said before, we’ll see how it goes.’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘I’m just not as convinced as you are, darling, that’s all.’
‘But …?’
Turning to face Beth, Nanna said, matter-of-factly, ‘I’m just giving him enough rope. Let’s see what he does with it.’
Lisa cheered. ‘Yay for Nanna.’
‘You’re wrong. James is a wonderful man. I promise you.’
‘I hope you’re right.’ It was clear Nanna would rather not be drawn into any further conversations on the subject, and Beth knew better than to push her.