Chapter Thirty Eight
Lilah was sunning it up in Cyprus, Theo was busy working and sorting out his new living arrangements. Without any outstanding commissions, Nina found herself sat at home watching the rain run down the window panes, and groaned, she'd never been lonely in her life before, but suddenly she was. So she set off to visit Mansell, he'd appreciate her company, and maybe stop her from going insane. And on the flipside she might stop him from going mad too.
He was sat outside under a veranda, it was a cold and wet day, but there were a few chairs set out overlooking the sea view. He smiled as she approached, "Nina! How great to see you!"
"You look a little more chipper than the last time I saw you!"
He grinned, "and I hear that is due to you...that it was your idea."
She looked at him quizzically, "me?"
"I'm moving to London tomorrow. To live with Theo and Melody, he told me you suggested that."
She shook her head, "no, I told him that he and Daniel needed to pull their fingers out and start looking after you. That's all." She accompanied the words with an elaborate wink, and that made him laugh out loud.
"Ahh, a woman's gentle pressure?"
Nina sat beside him and laughed too, "something like that. So are you excited?"
He nodded, "I haven't been to London in ages...I want to try and go to the National History museum, not sure I'll manage it, but just being back in the City will make me happy." He looked out over the sea at a ship chugging along on the horizon, "I know that I'm going because I can't live alone..."
She covered a hand with hers and gave it a squeeze, "don't beat yourself up over THAT. You've given those boys everything, from what I can see, it's about time they gave something back."
"They've got someone to look after me, from an agency. I think they think I can't wipe my own backside!"
"They want you to be safe...that's all, and with them working they need to know you're safe, and looked after. Maybe you'll have to swallow a little of that pride of yours old man."
He pulled himself to his feet, "I suppose that's true. Now I have to go change, did I tell you Hélène is coming to visit? My granddaughter..." he stumbled over the words, then looked up with a sad smile, "she's bringing her to see me."
"Wow, that'll be amazing."
He nodded, "it's a long time since I saw her...though I don't know what she'll make of this." He threw his less active arm out in front of him and she sighed.
"She loves YOU; she won't care if you've got NO arms, ok?"
He sighed, "this bloody happens JUST when I'm starting to get to know her again."
"Well, you can't help that, but think how much more appealing visiting you in London will be compared to Brighton; it's so much easier to get to."
That made him smile, "you'll visit me too? Not just Theo?"
Grinning she patted him on the back, "you try keeping me away!"
As she was leaving the centre, a black cab pulled up almost in front of her, and out stepped the regal looking Hélène, and her face broke into a smile, "how wonderful to see you again Nina. You look well."
"I could say the same to you Hélène; I only hope Mansell's blood pressure is up to it!"
It was a poorly timed joke in view of his fairly recent stroke and the three grimaced a little awkwardly, "sorry, that was..."
The delicate French woman chuckled, "once you get this old...then even mentioning the weather can have a double meaning." Hélène laughed as Nina swatted at her arm playfully, "the cheek of today's youth! How is Mansell? He seemed sad on the phone two days ago."
"He's much better, but I'll leave him to tell you all that's happening. It was good to see you again."
She smiled, then moved towards the rehab centre that housed Mansell. It was then that she noticed the other person who'd got out of the cab, Gabriel.
She'd not heard much about him since she'd met him back in France; he wasn't a popular member of the family...but then neither was she.
"Hey Gabriel. How are you?"
Looking up he smiled in recognition, "ah Nina. I'm good."
They embraced kissing cheeks as was typical in France, then she smiled at her, "I brought my grandmother...she misses the old man."
"Well I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you."
He shook his head, "I'm not going in to see him, he doesn't need me to stress things, my grandmother will get upset...I'm just here to accompany her. I'm on strict instructions to sit outside quietly and wait for her."
"I'd love to know what you've done to be held at this great a distance."
He chuckled, "it would make your hair curl."
Leaning close Nina answered, "well you've brought her here so you can't be that selfish or bad."
"Ah, people take a long time to forget."
"Come to London?" She'd barely got back to the house when her phone rang. Theo didn't introduce himself, just demanded that of her.
She grinned, "what's it worth?"
A laugh came down the phone line, "dinner...a movie...and all the pleasure you can cope with!"
She should be angry at the lack of finesse in his proposal, but she shared the desperation, and the promise in what he said made her tingle from head to foot. "Mmm, as tempting as that is, I really have to wash my hair tonight!"
That made him laugh again, "how about I throw in a foot massage?"
"Oooh, I'm so easy to please. How come you're free?"
She could hear him relax as he replied, "well, I'm almost moved into Dan's house...and he's taking Melody to pick a new duvet and curtains for her bedroom...he felt maybe I needed a break?"
She smiled, even though he couldn't see that. "I saw Mansell earlier; he's really excited to move in."
Theo sighed, "it's not ready for him really, we have to do a lot of cosmetics, but I've got some of the boys in on the weekend. Hopefully get him up here after that. Longer than he's hoping, but it's the only way."
"Sounds like you've got it all sorted."
"Yep, all bar who I want to spend the rest of the day with."
Nina looked up at the click, three o'clock. "There's a train in about forty minutes."
"Can you make that?"
She laughed, "I am never going to need four hours of pampering before I can leave the house. Where shall I meet you?"
"I can pick you up."
"Don't worry, meet me at Victoria station. I'll be there in an hour and a half..."
"Can't wait. Decide where you want to eat. Ok?"
Giggling she loudly pondered for a moment, "hmmm, wonder where I can get you to part with the most of your money...let me think on that."
Theo hugged Daniel; he'd been the greatest brother the last few months. Having a night without Melody, having the chance to spend time with Nina made him content. He loved his daughter to distraction, but the thought of some grown up time was priceless.
"You are taking Mansell on, full time. How the hell can I begrudge you a night with your girl? And," he ruffled the hair of Melody stood beside him, "I get chance to spend the evening with MY girl, what do you say?"
She held her arms up to him, and he scooped her up in a hug, "now give Dad a big hug, cos we have some SERIOUS shopping to do. You ready?"
Melody was nodding enthusiastically as she hugged her father, then clutching her overnight bag, she disappeared with a wave.
An hour later he was sat next to Nina in a pub in the centre of town, beers in front of them, debating what restaurant to eat in, and how long they could manage to avoid rushing back to his to be truly alone.
The next few days were hectic for Theo and he had little chance to see Nina, but he over saw conversions, painting, furniture removal...the lot. Both work and home, which meant that Sunday afternoon saw him and Melody finally heading to Brighton to collect Mansell. Half way there after several songs sung at full volume, mainly of the Frozen variety, Melody fell asleep. So Theo called Nina.
"On our way to the coast. Can we meet for a quick lunch?"
He heard Nina chuckle "is today the day then? I bet Mansell is ecstatic."
"He's called me fourteen times this morning all ready!"
She laughed, "lunch sounds amazing. How about the Sea View Cafe? It's walking distance of Mansell's rehab centre; I can collect him and meet you there."
He closed his eyes for a moment, a dangerous thing whilst driving on the motorway, but he loved how she included his grandfather, she didn't expect to dominate his time and attention. She was perfect.
"Brilliant. We're forty minutes away."
After a lovely lunch and supervising the removal of Mansell's things from Oakdale, they hit the motorway back to London, and within an hour both Mansell and Melody were both fast asleep in the back seat, and as a pleasant surprise Nina was beside him, heading back to London with them.
"So what have you got to do when we get back?"
He manoeuvred the car through the heavy traffic for a moment, then glanced at her, "settle Mansell in, settle Melody in...then maybe make you dinner? Will you eat with us?"
She nodded, "sounds nice, I can get the late train home."
Theo shook his head, "stay. I have a spare room now...for propriety's sake." Pondering that for a moment, her silence caused him to look at her, then she gave a smile, "you will?"
She nodded, "just on this one occasion."
Grinning he reached out and put his hand on her thigh, "I have to blur the lines a bit. You ok with that?"
"Melody knows me, I can't pretend that she doesn't, but we need to take a step back in front of her. I don't want to confuse her; she's got a mother..."
He nodded, "I agree with everything that you say, but I am struggling to keep you both separate. Does that bother you?"
She sighed, "she's a lovely girl, but I worry that it's an added pressure...it's hard enough when there's just two of us..."
"I promise that it won't change things, I promise."
Nina turned to him with a grin, "you'd promise anything to get your own way!"
Melody was a delight and DID make things easier, particularly for Mansell who had to deal with the reality that stairs into the house, and the layout of the house made his mobility an issue. For a proud man, that was so obviously difficult until Melody in her sing song voice took over. He made it to his bedroom holding her hand and feeding gratefully on her enthusiasm, it broke Theo's heart to see the independent and strong man looking so weak and vulnerable. But he seemed content once he was in the house, secure. This was what he'd wanted more than anything; they'd all make this work.
"What do you want for dinner then old man? Whatever you want...it's your choice."
Mansell was testing out the new armchair, and looked up with a smile, "anything Theo. I'm just SO glad to be out of that bloody hospital!"
Nina moved to look into the room over Theo's shoulder, "you are NEVER so laid back over food, I remember your demands when we went to Normandy!"
They all paused for a moment as they remembered that trip for very different reasons; it had seen Nina became part of Mansell's life, through her actions, but then part of Theo's too.
"Six months, what a turn around, hey?" Mansell looked between the two of them poignantly, then said, "steak, chips and pepper sauce."
Nina elbowed Theo in the ribs, knowing he'd have to make a trip to the supermarket for that and giggled, "well why don't I get Mansell and I a drink, while you play hunter/gatherer and go get us some steak?"
Poking out his tongue in retaliation to her pleasure, he found Melody in the lounge, "you want to come to the supermarket with me?"
She wasn't convinced, and when Nina entered the room, she looked up and smiled, "can we make biscuits?"
It was now Theo's turn to laugh, knowing it was the last thing that Nina wanted to do.
"Not got the ingredients, how about...we watch Nick Junior? You can tell me ALL about your favourite shows. Sound good?"
Melody beamed then skipped off to the lounge, and Nina turned to Theo, "some of us got it, some haven't. Hope it's stopped raining."
He was still grinning from her cheek when he climbed into his car.
A couple of hours later he had delivered. They had eaten the greatest steaks she'd ever tasted, Melody was having a bedtime story, Mansell was in his room watching a movie. Nina had kicked her legs up on the sofa, glad for the time alone. But the calm and serenity of the evening, was disturbed by her phone ringing. Reaching for it she saw Lilah's name and smiled, she hadn't called from Cyprus.
"LILAH! How was the sun?"
But she was met with silence. Eventually she spoke, "I'm at Amelia's house. Can you meet me there? Please. I wouldn't ask..." The silence that followed was only punctuated by a sob, and Nina was suddenly scared all over again.
She was pulling on her boots when Theo came downstairs, barefoot, relaxed, and beautiful. She'd had such wonderful plans for the rest of their evening, and he looked delicious.
"What's wrong? Where are you going?"
She shrugged, "I'm not sure, Lilah's back from Cyprus...she needs me."
Nina knew she couldn't reveal much, it wasn't her story to tell, so instead she offered an apologetic smile.
"Will you be back?"
Again she shrugged, "I don't know. Don't hate me, please?"
"I don't hate you...I'm just disappointed."
Smiling she reached up to cup his cheek, "I wouldn't go if it wasn't desperate, but it is...I'll make it up to you." Then after a brief kiss she headed out into the rain.