Chapter 12

Henry

I got in my car and drove. My mind knew where I was going. I had Ralph’s address in the Hampton’s and I knew where it was. I immersed myself in driving. I blocked out everything that had happened, something I had had far too much practice in, and I didn’t stop until I pulled up into his driveway, hoping to God he was home.

Ralph answered the door and stood there for a moment staring as if he couldn’t believe who was on his doorstep.

He walked out of the doorway, and put his arms around me, slapping me on the back.

“Well, I never. Henry. I guess you got my letter then?”

I nodded.

“Well, come in, come in.” He said, gesturing inside. “Hey, Belle, honey. We have a visitor. Could you fix some fresh coffee?”

I walked inside and found a heavily pregnant woman standing in the hallway. She was small, with medium length dark-brown hair and a welcoming smile on her face. “Hey, I’m Belle.” She said, moving forward to shake my hand. “Henry.” I told her.

Her expression changed to one of recognition and surprise. “Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Henry. Now you go through to the living room with Ralph and I’ll make us some refreshments.”

“I don’t want to put you to any trouble.” I said, nodding towards her condition.

“I’m pregnant, not unable to move, honey.” She laughed and waddled into the direction of what I presumed to be the kitchen.

I followed Ralph into the living room. “I’m sorry for turning up unexpectedly.” I told him.

He shook me off. “Hey, we’re not doing much these days other than relaxing and waiting for our daughter to appear. It’s great to see you, son.” He said. “But I’m guessing there’s more to your visit than a reunion, boy?”

I sighed and then starting from the beginning I told him about me and Amelia.

He nodded throughout.

“You don’t seem all that surprised about me and Amelia?” I questioned Ralph.

“I’m not, son, and I think you’ll probably get the same response from Connie. Amelia’s a determined young woman and Connie’s found many a love heart drawn with your initials in it over the years. When she left supposedly to get a career in Manhattan, we knew she was on her way to find you. Connie’s been waiting for the fallout, though she was expecting a brokenhearted Amelia returning home, rather than a romance, to be honest.”

He patted my arm. “Now, with my sincerest apologies, what the hell are you doing here when you’ve left an emotional, pregnant woman at home? I know one thing. Connie finds that out and she’ll kick your ass from here to Colorado, boy.”

“Things were said. Amelia told me about a diary that said Vee didn’t want the baby.”

“Oh, fuck. I knew Connie should have burned that thing. I’m sorry you had to learn that, son. She was coming around to the idea. She called us both the morning you went to the house. We’d not had a chance to tell Amelia before we found out she’d died. She was so excited about the baby then. But there seemed no point in telling Amelia once she had passed. What good would it have done?”

“She was. She was happy that morning. I know she was. That morning the baby had kicked. She said it was like it had suddenly all become real. That the baby in her stomach was alive, and a combination of the both of us and she got excited. Amelia was right about the house though. I had tried to be domineering and get Vee away from work, but also I’d moved near to the babysitter, Connie, the grandma-to-be. I knew we’d not keep Vee at home for long. I was having an office fitted out so she could work from home as much as possible and I’d planned to take a year off myself.” I sighed. “Deep down if I admit it, I knew she wasn’t ecstatic about the pregnancy. I just figured once she met the baby, it would all fall into place. A mother’s love.”

“I wish we’d known this, son. We’ve carried a lot of guilt around, thinking that your fairy tale wasn’t exactly how you thought.”

I sighed. “I am totally guilty after Vee’s death of having painted my marriage as if it was faultless, when it was far from it. But I loved my wife desperately.”

Belle walked in pushing a hostess trolley with coffee, iced-tea and a whole host of baked goods. “I like to cook, keeps me feeling productive.” She explained.

I took a wonderfully smelling muffin from a plate. “Thank you, Belle. These smell delicious.”

Ralph patted his toned stomach. “It’s a good job we have the pool and the home gym or I wouldn’t be rocking this body at my age with Belle at home.” He laughed.

“Yeah, well you’ve had quite the effect on my body!” Belle laughed, rubbing at her stomach. “Right I’m going to go water the plants while you men talk.”

Despite my protests that it wasn’t necessary she left us to it.

“You look really happy.” I told Ralph.

“I am, son. Life’s given me a do-over. Just like its offering you one.”

“I shouldn’t be here, should I? I should be at home.”

“There’s only you know the answer to that question.”

“Do you really think Connie will be pleased for us? She won’t feel I’ve betrayed Vee’s memory in some way?”

“I should expect she’ll be delighted you’ve found happiness again, son. Not only that but she worried about Amelia. I think her being with you might alleviate some of those worries. There’s not only you struggled since Vee died.”

“I think before I go home, I’ll call to see Connie. Do you have her cell number?”

So from Ralph’s I drove onto Connie’s house. I’d not been there since after the funeral. I pulled up in front of the front door and took a deep breath and stepped out the car.

Connie’s appearance shocked me. She looked twenty years older than when I’d last seen her, and I saw the years had not been kind with the loss of her daughter and worrying about Amelia. I felt guilty that I’d abandoned her, someone who I could have grieved with, someone who understood.

“I’m sorry I left and never came back.” I told her. “So, damn sorry. Then I took Vee and Amelia’s mom into my arms and the years fell away as we comforted each other.

Once again I found myself in a living room being given a coffee.

“So you carried on with the property business. Still really successful?” She asked me.

“Yes, very.”

“And the club?”

“Everyone seems to know about my secret club.” I laughed.

“These things aren’t so secret anymore, life’s moving on and well, I’m feeling behind the times. Amelia makes me feel old with the things she talks about. All these reality shows where people have sex in front of the cameras. I’m old school, like to keep that kinda thing quiet.”

I kept silent as I didn’t know how to respond.

“Just tell me something, Henry. Are you happy working all those hours? Strikes me that you were all ready to give it up for the baby, then you became a workaholic, just like Vee.”

I took a deep breath. “I thought I was continuing living, keeping busy. I realize now that what I’d actually done was immersed myself so deeply in work that I could pretend I was living, when really I was existing.”

“And my Amelia, she’s shown you that you’re existing?”

My eyes met Connie’s. “Yes.” She has.

The reality hits me. As much as I’ve loved the buzz from business deals, I could walk away from it all tomorrow. All that was important to me now was Amelia and the baby. I’d move to the ends of the earth for them.

“Shit happens, Henry. And it’s not true that lightning don’t strike twice, but you can’t live that way. It’s not living. I know I was protective of Amelia, too much so, but when she said she was moving, she went with my blessing. She has her life to live and you have yours. You need to make a decision as to your future, Henry, and make it quick.”

“I already made a decision,” I told her. “That’s one of the reasons I came here after seeing Ralph.”

We spoke of what I hoped for the future and I saw tears spring to Connie’s eyes. “Oh, Henry. I hope you’ll both be very happy together and you’ll have a beautiful, healthy child. I can’t wait to be a grandma.”

All I needed now was to drive back home, find Amelia, and beg her forgiveness.

“Oh, you don’t need to drive home for that.” Connie said. “Amelia’s upstairs in her bedroom.”

My mouth dropped open, “She’s what?”

“Where do you think a girl’s gonna go when she’s pregnant and upset? She drove straight home to her mom.”