Episode 63 - In the cool of the evening

Sitting with her feet up against the patio wall Sophie stretched languorously ‘well Cassy you certainly know how to throw a party, what with Gloria’s secret and Mum’s bombshell about Michael’s arrest, it certainly wasn’t dull.’

‘We knew that Ollie was up to something’ said Cassy refilling her glass ‘but we never imagined hat he was looking for a long lost grandmother. I’m amazed that Malcolm’s taken the new so well, I had him pegged as a real old fuddy duddy.’

‘Just goes to show you never can tell. After all who would have guessed that Michael of all people was capable of murder?’

‘I know, it was a total shock. He and Sonny seemed made for each other and as for Mrs. Hale, wasn’t she a dark horse?’

‘Do you realise that you sound like a pair of old fish wives gossiping away out here’ laughed Liam

‘You can’t tell me that you weren’t shocked when you heard that Michael bumped off the old dear. Do you think that she had a thing for him and he panicked when she came on to him?’ asked Cassy

‘No you daft bat’ laughed Liam

‘I suppose it’ll all come out at the trial’ said Alistair pulling up a chair to join them ‘I’ve checked on the children and they are all fast asleep.’

‘Thank you darling, I won’t be up too much later myself, I’m absolutely exhausted. It was a great party though, thank you so much for arranging it Cassy. It would have taken us months to meet so many of our new neighbours, Wouldn’t it Alistair?’ Said Sophie nudging her husband.

‘Yes, yes, very kind’ he muttered distractedly

‘It was a pleasure’ said Liam ‘we just wanted a way to thank you for everything and to help you feel more at home here.’

‘Oh we do’ smiled Sophie ‘this is the best thing we ever did. Isn’t it darling?’

‘Er yes, absolutely, splendid.’ Mumbled Alistair

‘Well I don’t know about the rest of you but I’ve got to be up in five hours to feed the hens, so if nobody minds I’m going to turn in.’ said Cassy draining the last of her wine.

To a chorus of goodnights the four friends made their way back to their own homes.

Alistair looked at Sophie as they walked down through the olive grove. She was so happy, far happier that she had been in London. It was as if she had been storing up all her gaiety for this new life. Her face was glowing with more than the effects of the hot Spanish sun and there was a spring to her step that he couldn’t ever remember seeing before. He was shocked to think that he hadn’t ever noticed how unhappy she must have been before.

He had always thought that Sophie thrived on pressure and that she couldn’t be happy unless she was earning a huge salary to pay for the children’s’ nanny, their grand London house and her top of the range sports car. He was embarrassed to admit even to himself that he never questioned their life back then, he just presumed that his capable, professional busy wife was content with the trappings of wealth that her high pressured job brought.

‘Alistair are you coming up?’ Asked Sophie

‘In a minute, I just want to check my emails.’

‘Oh not now, it’s so late. Can’t you do that in the morning?’ She pleaded

‘I won’t be long, you go up. I’ll be up in a minute.’ Alistair answered as he walked into his study.

Sophie stood in the cool shower and tried to stop the tears from flowing. Why couldn’t tonight be different, she thought. Why can’t you leave that bloody computer for once and come to bed with me?

She didn’t know why Alistair was being like this, what has she done wrong? They hadn’t argued and she had tried her best to show him how happy she was to have made the move from London. She understood that when he managed to get home from Brussels that he was tired and that when they both had hectic schedules it probably did make sense for them to sleep apart sometimes. But things were different now, she was different. She wanted them to be a proper married couple again. OK they were never going to be the kind of people who tore each others clothes off in the hall and had sex on the stairs because they couldn’t wait to get to the bedroom. But that didn’t matter to her because she loved him, with all her heart.

Lying naked on top of the bed Sophie longed for Alistair to come upstairs and make love to her. She wanted to feel him inside her, making love together for the first time in their new home. As she lay on the cool cotton sheets, the warm gentle breeze wafting in through the open window caressing her tanned skin Sophie prayed that her beautiful considerate gentle husband wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Down in the study Alistair fired up his laptop and sat down at the desk. Absently he read through his emails and wondered how long he should wait until he could be sure that his wife had fallen asleep and wouldn’t wake when he finally climbed into bed.

Episode 42 - Who is this guy?

Cassy was just putting the finishing touches to the lunch when she heard Sophie’s car pull up outside the farmhouse.

Sophie waved to the site foreman as she made her way around to the kitchen.

The builders were sitting under a tree in the small wood at a table they had fashioned from an old door propped up on some spare breeze blocks waiting patiently for the salad that Cassy had promised them. The table was already groaning with the bread and cheeses that they had brought with them and Ollie was filing their glasses with the cheap red wine that he had bought from the local cava.

Work on the new house was at last starting to take shape but with early starts the builders were ready for their lunch at mid day and a long siesta in the afternoon before working through to the early evening. So much more sensible thought Sophie, than trying to work through the hottest part of the day, as long as they were on schedule how ever they organised their day was fine by her.

Putting her bulging briefcase down on the kitchen table Sophie marveled yet again at how organised Cassy was. When they had first met during those dreadful days just after Martin’s heart attack, Sophie had thought that Liam and Cassy were just another couple of new age hippies looking for a life away from the rat race back in the UK. What she didn’t realise until much later was just how committed the Stratton’s were to making their new business a success.

Sophie looked back with embarrassment to those days when her job was her passion. The problem was that is was a passion that left little time for anything else in her life. How could she have been so stupid, Sophie wondered for the hundredth time, there she was living for work instead of working to live. Well those days were well and truly over. Now, all her energy and commitment was for her family and their new life in Spain.

Selling the house in London hadn’t been a problem, and after paying off their substantial mortgage they still had enough equity to be able to put in the finance to the holiday business and have the new house built.

The tantalising smell of warm bread made Sophie realise that she was hungry and leaving her bags in the kitchen she wandered outside to look for Cassy. Standing at the kitchen door Sophie peered down to the little wood and saw Cassy laying a large wooden bowl down on the builders’ makeshift table. Sophie laughed to herself when she realised that Cassy was now providing lunch for the workmen, no wonder, she thought, the house is shooting up, with her running a café for them.

‘I see you’ve noticed Cassy’s latest venture’ said Liam wandering out from his small office ‘home delivery.’

‘I don’t know where she finds the time’ said Sophie in wonder ‘I barely remember to feed myself never mind a dozen hungry workmen.’

‘She doesn’t want Ollie to feel awkward at lunch time’ explained Liam ‘all the other workers bring something for the table and want to share it with him.’

‘Who’s Ollie?’

‘The young chap in the long shorts, the one pouring the wine.’

‘I haven’t seen him before, is he new?’

‘’Didn’t Cassy tell you about our mystery man? He turned up in his campervan one day looking for work. He says he’s on his Gap year, traveling around Europe but Cassy thinks there more to it than that. You know what she’s like; she has him running away from a shattered love affair. He’s traveling alone with a broken heart looking for a new love.’ Alistair laughed

‘That sounds like Cassy.’ Said Sophie shaking her head ‘I suppose he couldn’t just be a student taking a year out.’

‘No far too boring’

‘What’s far too boring?’ asked Cassy walking into the kitchen, kissing Sophie on the cheek and lifting Abbi from her pushchair all in one effortless move.

‘I was just telling Sophie about young Ollie.’

‘He’s such a sweetie.’ Sighed Cassy ‘works all day on the site and is perfectly content to sit around talking to us old fogies every evening after dinner. At his age most young boys would want to be out clubbing or at least mixing with people of their own age.’

‘Is he staying her with you?’ Asked Sophie incredulously

‘No, he’s staying in his campervan behind the barns but I’ve said that he can eat with us if he wants to. I couldn’t bare the thought of him sitting on his own every night eating cold baked beans straight from the can.’

‘Cassy you are incorrigible. You know nothing about this boy, he could be a thief or on the run form the police.’ Said Sophie horrified that her friend could be so naive as to let a stranger virtually move in with them.

‘Now who’s got a vivid imagination?’ laughed Cassy ‘Ollie is just a sweet young boy, far away from home and probably a little bit lonely.’

‘And I suppose the fact that he’s good looking has nothing to do with all the hospitality you're lavishing on him.’ Laughed Liam

‘I hadn’t noticed’ said Cassy flicking at his legs with the tea towel.

‘Of course you hadn’t’ laughed Sophie ‘but seriously what do you know about him, where is he from, what does he do for a living?’

‘He’s just finished University, I think he said that he’d been in Wales studying Earth Science, what ever that is.’ said Liam ‘I guess he’s just traveling. It’s not that unusual, Cassy and I spent time wandering around India when we graduated. In fact that’s where we met. We were both working in a school out there teaching English and when we finished we did the usual back packer trail before ending up on the beaches of Goa.’

‘Didn’t you take a year out after you graduated?’ asked Cassy

‘No, I had a job offer from Crabtree and Wright waiting for me. I’d had an internship with them the year before and they’d offered me a position with them on the strength of that. It seemed far too good an opportunity to turn down. And I suppose that I’m not really the backpacker sort. I enjoy my creature comforts too much to want to rough it around the world. I’m more of a five start hotel kind of girl.’

‘Well we’ll just have to hope that the builders manage to get your house built before the paying guests start to arrive’ laughed Liam ‘otherwise you’ll be joining us and living in the middle of a building site.’

‘Heaven forbid’ said Sophie looking worried.’ They should be finished in plenty of time, shouldn’t they?’

‘As long as Cassy’s cooking doesn’t kill them off.’ He laughed

Episode 20 - Secrets and Lies

Wiping her hands on the tea towel in the kitchen, Sophie turned to answer the phone.

‘I hope you don’t mind me ringing, but I was wondering if you had any news from the hospital’

‘Mrs Hale, yes its good news, the doctors have told Mum that they expect Dad to make a full recovery. It does mean though that he will have to cut back on his work commitments and take better care of himself. But they did say that if you hadn’t acted so quickly things could have been so much worse. I know that Mum will want to see you herself as soon as she can but from all of us I’d like to say a very big thank you’

‘That’s very kind of you to say, but it was nothing, I’m just glad that Martin is going to be fine’

All morning Sophie had been answering calls from Martin’s friends. It came as shock to realise quite how popular her parents were out here in Spain. After living in the same house in London since marrying Alistair, Sophie was embarrassed to admit that she didn’t know the names of her neighbours never mind being on speaking terms with them.

Cassy Stratton had even called earlier and offered to take the girls back to the farmhouse with her for the day. Olivia and Grace were thrilled at the prospect of spending time playing with baby Abi and helping Cassy pick fruit and look after the hens. Sophie was touched by her offer of help and knowing that Fliss wouldn’t be in a fit state to deal with anything other than visiting Martin, she reluctantly agreed that the girls would be better spending time on the farm rather than being cooped up indoors at the villa with her all day.

The only way that Sophie knew to be useful was to be practical and, after phoning Alistair to tell him about Martin’s heart attack, she decided that the best way she could help would be to make sure that Martin’s business was taken care of. Even if she only managed to reassure his clients and try to answer any outstanding emails she knew that it would help take some of the pressure off her Mum.

As she waited for Martin’s laptop to fire up, Sophie empty the bag that Fliss had brought home from the hospital. In the pocket of the trousers that Martin had been wearing at the party was his mobile phone. Putting the phone on charge to deal with later she pulled up Martin’s contacts list on hotmail.

She found it hard to write an email that would both advise and reassure all of Martin’s clients. The tone has to be just right, she thought, the last thing Dad needs is to loose his business. After sending a note advising them of the situation and details of her email address and telephone number for urgent enquiries she switched to Martin’s inbox to check his emails.

Sophie couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw that Martin had been corresponding with Tony Eagleton. It was the worst kept secret in the square mile that Tony’s business activities were suspect to say the least. Surely her Dad couldn’t be doing business with him?

Her incredulity turned to horror when she followed the email trail back to the start. How her Dad could ever have gotten himself into this situation was beyond her. Defaulting on a £250,000 loan with the villa as security, it could mean the end of everything that he had worked so hard far. Poor Dad must have been out of mind with worry, she thought, it’s no wonder that he is ill, that kind of stress could have killed him. Sophie knew that she had to do something at once if she was to salvage anything from this terrible mess.

Why didn’t Dad go to his bank for a loan? She wondered, or failing that, why didn’t he come to me? I am sure that I could have arranged something for him with Crabtree and Wright. Sophie couldn’t understand what Martin had been thinking about. He must have known that it would have made far more sense for him to borrow short term from Crabtree’s rather than Eagleton. Was he trying to spare Mum from the worry, or is there something more behind all this, she wondered, after all the easiest and simplest way to get the money would have been from his own bank.

Anxious now to see if there were any more surprises in store Sophie switched on Martin’s mobile phone.

Looking through all the recent text messages that Martin hadn’t had a chance to read yet from Laura, Sophie felt that her world had turned upside down. This was her Dad, she thought, having an affair with a woman in London.

Going back through the old messages she realised with horror that their grubby little liaison had been going on for months. How could he cheat and lie for so long? Did his family mean so little to him that he was prepared to give it all up for this Laura woman? How could he do this to Mum after nearly thirty years of marriage?

For once in her life Sophie felt helpless and alone, she decided that Fliss couldn’t know about Martin’s double life, not when she went to so much trouble arrange the party for him. Sophie felt out of her depth emotionally. She couldn’t imagine breaking this kind of news to her Mum or even her sister Ella. She knew that she needed support, she needed her husband. Picking up the phone she dialled Alistair’s office number.

‘Darling, it’s me, I’m sorry, I know you are busy but could you come over here please, I really need you right now’

‘Sophie what’s the matter, is Martin worse?’

No darling he’s going to be fine. It’s his business, Oh Alistair everything is such a mess. I really need you here.’

‘I was just tidying up a few things in the office before I left for the airport. I booked a flight as soon as I put the phone down to you earlier’ said Alistair
‘I wasn’t going to let you face this on your own.’

‘Oh Al, what would I do without you’ sobbed Sophie as she looked again at Laura name against all the text messages on her Dad’s phone.

Episode 13 - The Perfect Daughter

Sophie sighed as she put down the phone. Why does Mum always have to make life so complicated? All I wanted was for her to arrange Dad’s present with Ella. At least she seems to have everything under control for the party, thought Sophie, but then again it isn’t as if she has anything else to do.

Getting up from the desk in her study, Sophie paused by the large mirror on the landing. Not bad she thought, running her fingers lightly through her newly cut hair, thank goodness this new hairdresser had been an improvement on the last one. That silly girl hadn’t understood the simplest of instructions. It wasn’t rocket science, a trim, highlights, low lights and a blow dry, how hard could it be? Walking along the landing, she was replacing her earring as she heard the front door open.

‘Hello darlings, did you have a good day in school?’ she called to her daughters as she made her way down the stairs.

‘Yes Mummy, Mary took us to Regents Park to see the ducks on the way home but Grace was stung by a huge wasp and cried and cried’ gabbled her oldest daughter Olivia. Olivia always wanted to be the first with any news, no matter how gruesome.

‘Let me see darling’ said Sophie lifting Grace’s arm to see the red welt glowing just above her elbow. ‘Oh you are a brave little girl that looks sore’

‘Mary put cream on it and made it better Mummy’ Olivia announced

‘That’s good darling. Now off you both pop and wash your hands’ said Sophie distractedly as she patted Grace’s head and looked around the hall for her briefcase.

‘Do you mind staying in this evening Mary? Asked Sophie, turning from her search to look at the children’s latest Nanny. ‘Alistair isn’t due home until eight o’clock and I have a meeting at five thirty.

‘Not at all Miss, no problem’ said Mary.

Thank God this one doesn’t have a boyfriend that she wants to rush out to every night, Sophie mused, the last girl was an absolute nightmare.

‘Did you want me to take the girls to their French class as well?’

‘Oh flip, forgot about the French class. Would you be a dear and take them, I won’t have time before my meeting.’ said Sophie.

Mary stood at the kitchen door watching Sophie as she rushed into the study to find her bag. ‘I have my mobile if you need to get me urgently but I am sure that you will be able to cope. Bye-bye darlings, Mummy has to go to work now. I’ll see you both tomorrow’

‘Bye bye Mummy’ called the girls from the top of the stairs to Sophie’s back as she rushed out of the front door.

‘Come on girls, milk and cookies before your French class, otherwise you might faint with hunger’ laughed Mary as Olivia and Grace raced into the kitchen.

They are such good girls, thought Mary. If I was their Mum I would want to be at home with them of evening, never mind sending them to all these after school classes. Swimming, French, music, gym and ballet there wasn’t one day of the week when they could come home from school and just relax.

Picking up her cavernous shoulder bag Mary sighed and said ‘If you’ve finished your snack we’d better get a move on. So best foot forward young ladies, it’s time to parle vous francais’

‘Oui mademoiselle’ giggled Olivia.

‘Oui oui mam sill’ stuttered Grace as they followed Mary out of the house.

***

Sophie sat at the traffic lights on the Edgware Road and seethed. She had planned this afternoon out so well. She’s arranged to work from home so that she wouldn’t get called into an unexpected meeting in the office. She’d even scheduled in the phone call to her Mother out in Spain still leaving her with plenty of time to get across London for her meeting with the Americans. Sophie prided herself on her ability to organise her life down to the last minute but all the planning in the world wouldn’t make the traffic in London move any faster.

She was determined that nothing should go wrong with this meeting, it meant far too much to her career. Getting a partnership with the firm before her thirtieth birthday would be a fitting reward for all the hours she had given to Crabtree and Wright. It was time she knew that she should have been spending with Alistair and the girls. But all the sacrifices would be worth it when she could look at that five figure salary in her bank account.

With the annual bonus the promotion would bring, she knew that she would at last be able to afford a smart little summer house in Tuscany. Alistair had been hinting for ages that they should be looking for a bolt hole somewhere. Somewhere they would all be able to spend quality time together. Tuscany was just the place, thought Sophie. Lots of their friends had places out there. Plenty of sunshine and quaint little mountain villages to explore and with internet access she could still be in touch with the office, it would be perfect.

This deal with the Americans could do it for her. If she managed to pull it off the partners wouldn’t have any excuse for not promoting her.

Simon Crabtree himself hadn’t been able to convince the Texans that Crabtree and Wright would be able to provide all their investment banking needs in London. It was only when Sophie had taken over the negotiations that they had started taking the deal seriously and she was determined that Amtex Inc would be signing the contract tonight.

Finally pulling off from the lights Sophie took a shortcut that she knew came out behind Selfridges. She was determined that three months of hard work was not going to be wasted because of the chaotic traffic in London.

At five twenty Sophie parked her Audi coupe in the underground car park at Hyde Park and dodging the rush hour traffic, ran across Park Lane to the Dorchester Hotel.

Sophie entered the hotel lobby, made it she thought, with 2 minutes to spare. But then her heart sank when she saw that of Amtex’s more junior accountants was already standing there waiting for her. Damn, she had been hoping to arrive in time to prepare herself properly for the meeting, so much for Ken Livingstone reducing traffic congestion in London she seethed.

‘Sophie, good to see you’ Tom Allen walked towards her. ‘Mr Wegryn is waiting for you. Would you follow me please?’

Sophie followed Allen into the lift and glancing at the mirrored walls quickly straightened her jacket and smoothed back her hair. ‘Lead on Tom’ she said smiling at her reflection, let battle commence.