A Love Like This Page 19

  ‘But we get by, don’t we? And we’re happy.’

  Silva sat up straight. ‘But I don’t want to just get by. I want more than that. I want us to think to the future. I want us to be able to save. To buy a place of our own.’ She gazed over at the children, who were now chasing each other around the fountain.

  Will’s mouth went dry. ‘Do you mean you want us to properly settle down?’

  ‘Well … yes. Isn’t that what you want too?’

  ‘Of course I do. But I suppose we’ve just never talked about it – about the future.’

  ‘Well, we’re talking about it now.’ Silvia took his hand. ‘Will, I’m an Italian woman. I’m loyal and passionate but also have a huge sense of family. And that’s what I want for us. I’m not in this for just the fun of it. I didn’t come all the way from Perth to have a fling.’

  ‘But you know this isn’t a fling.’ Will wasn’t sure where this was going.

  ‘Let me finish. I love you, Will. And I’m pretty sure you feel the same way. So why don’t we take our relationship to the next level. Let’s get married.’

  The words hung in the air for a few moments. Will opened his mouth but no words came out.

  ‘Will?’

  ‘I … what exactly do you … I mean, is that a proposal?’

  Silvia laughed. ‘If that’s what you want to call it, then yes. I think if we have something to drive us – something to focus on – we’ll achieve what we want much quicker. Weddings don’t come cheap so we’ll need to get our act together.’

  Jesus. She was talking about a wedding already.

  ‘We should broaden our thinking,’ she continued. ‘Let’s apply for jobs further afield and see what comes up. If you did some Italian classes and learned the language, we could even consider Italy.’

  It was all moving very fast.

  ‘So what do you say? Will?’

  ‘Well, yes, I suppose.’

  Silvia glared at him. ‘Is that the best you can do? I’ve just asked you to marry me!’

  ‘I’m sorry. You just took me by surprise. But yes! Absolutely yes, I’ll marry you. I can’t think of anything better.’ He bent over and kissed her, cupping her face in his hands.

  The sound of laughter made them pull apart and they realised the children were pointing at them and giggling. They laughed too and snuggled in to each other. Will’s head was spinning. They were engaged – just like that. He felt happy about it. At least, he thought he did. He also felt a little cheated. He’d imagined the scenario so many times. How he’d ask her. Where they’d be. What she’d say. But Silvia had just trumped him with her casual proposal and sensible approach.

  ‘Come on,’ said Silvia, standing up suddenly and pulling him off the bench. ‘We need to go home and start planning. Isn’t it exciting?’

  Will nodded with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. ‘Very.’

  ‘I can’t wait to start telling everyone. Do you think we should get the ring before we tell them or just go ahead and tell them anyway?’

  Jesus! ‘Let’s just wait for a while. We need time to enjoy the moment ourselves before anyone else knows.’

  ‘You’re right. But I have to tell Nonni straight away. You know I tell her everything.’ Nonni was Silvia’s grandmother in Italy and the two were very close. Somehow Will didn’t think the news would remain a secret for long.

  As they headed out through the park gates, Will thought back to that flight he’d taken from Sydney to New Zealand. It was just after he’d said goodbye to Silvia. He hadn’t shed a tear. He hadn’t felt devastated. The realisation had dawned on him that Silvia just wasn’t the one. And now he was about to commit the rest of his life to her. So what had changed?

  He glanced at her beautiful face as they headed towards home and it dawned on him. He had changed. The earthquake had taught him that life could be snatched away at any moment and he should grab whatever chance of happiness came his way. And Silvia made him happy. He suddenly got a spring in his step and was overcome by a surge of happiness. Silvia was going to be his wife and they were going to have a wonderful life together.

  * * *

  Gastroenteritis was what the doctor had concluded. The pregnancy test had come back negative and Donna hadn’t even been able to celebrate because she’d puked for three days straight.

  When Lexie had found her collapsed on the bathroom floor, she’d immediately called an ambulance and had stayed by her side until she was finally admitted to a ward. Bob had taken over then, arriving at the hospital in a panic after receiving a phone call from Lexie.

  It was almost a week later and Donna was finally beginning to feel human again. God, she never knew gastroenteritis could be so vicious. Her stomach felt as though she’d done a thousand push-ups because it was so sore from all the heaving and her throat was stripped raw from the retching. But at least the vomiting had stopped and she felt ready to try and eat something.

  ‘Here you go,’ said Bob, placing a steaming hot bowl on the coffee table in front of her. ‘Homemade vegetable soup. And it’s my mam’s recipe so if that doesn’t make you better, I don’t know what will.’

  ‘Thanks, love. I actually think I might manage a few spoonfuls.’

  ‘Well, just take it slowly. Your stomach needs to adjust to food again.’

  Donna smiled. ‘Oh, so you’re a doctor now as well as a maid?’

  ‘Well, with you being laid up, I’m your everything at the moment, so you’d better watch out!’ He kissed her lightly on the top of the head and headed back into the kitchen.

  Bob had been a godsend this last week. They’d kept her in hospital for two days, after which she’d come home and collapsed in a heap on the sofa. She’d had no energy and, furthermore, the vomiting had continued. Not as viciously or as often as it had in the first couple of days, but just as debilitating. Lexie had come down with the bug too but, luckily for her, it was a much milder dose and had only lasted twenty-four hours. She’d told Bob to stay away. She already felt guilty about Lexie and didn’t want him getting sick too. But he’d been insistent. She needed looking after and he wanted to be the one to do it.

  ‘How’s that going down?’ He peeped out from the kitchen and Donna laughed. He was wearing rubber gloves up to his elbows and holding his hands in the air as though he was about to perform surgery.

  ‘Good,’ she lied. She’d had a couple of spoonfuls but she was so tired of throwing up at this stage that she was too nervous to try any more.

  ‘That’s great. I’m just popping an apple tart in the oven so maybe you’ll try a bit of that in a while.’

  Donna was gobsmacked. ‘You’ve made an apple tart?’

  ‘Don’t be silly, Donna. Mam baked it this morning and told me to bring it over. I’m just heating it up.’

  He disappeared back into the kitchen and Donna flopped back on the sofa. She couldn’t deny Bob’s dedication to her. He’d held her hair as she’d puked into a bucket and cleaned up the splashes when she’d missed. It hadn’t bothered him that he might get the bug too – his only concern was for her and to get her well again.

  She flicked around the channels on the telly before throwing the remote down on the sofa. She’d had enough of Toddlers & Tiaras and day-time talk shows to last her a lifetime. What she really needed to do was get back on her feet again. She’d already missed a week of work and she hated that somebody else had to be brought in to fill the orders for cakes. She glanced at the bowl of soup and knew she’d have to make a better effort. Sitting up, she dipped her spoon in again and had another go. It was really quite nice. And once she’d had a few spoonfuls, her stomach began to settle. Thank God the worst seemed to be over.

  What a week it had been. And it had started with the scary thought that maybe she was pregnant. Would it have been such a bad thing? Probably. She wasn’t ready for that sort of commitment. She wondered how Bob would have felt. She didn’t think he was ready for it either. Despite their closeness and despite how much they loved eac
h other, they just didn’t talk about the future. She wasn’t sure what that meant. Were they afraid to burst the bubble of what they had by taking things to another level? Or did they both know in their hearts that they weren’t destined to be together?

  Chapter 28

  ‘I’m not sure I want to do this now, Donna. Maybe we should leave it until after Christmas.’

  Donna took Lexie’s hand and squeezed it. ‘You need to do it now. If you keep putting it off, nothing will ever get sorted.’

  ‘I know,’ sighed Lexie. ‘The sensible part of my brain is telling me that I just need to get the ball rolling and be rid of that man once and for all.’

  ‘But?’ Much as Donna wanted to see her friend happy, she hoped she wasn’t having second thoughts. She was used to having her around now and she’d be devastated if that changed.

  ‘But the emotional side – the mushy side that I’m trying to ignore – is remembering all the good times. Because we really were happy once. I really believe he loved me …’ Big fat tears sprang to her eyes.

  Donna knew at that moment that she couldn’t be selfish. Much as she wanted to keep Lexie here, she needed to get behind her and respect whatever decision she wanted to make.

  ‘I mean, you saw him,’ continued Lexie, taking a tissue from Donna. ‘Didn’t you think he loved me? Didn’t you see how well he treated me?’

  ‘I did, Lexie. There’s no doubt he loved you. And if you’ve changed your mind about any of this, I’ll support you. If you want to go back and give it another go, if you want to try and work things out I’ll be here for you. It’s a big decision – a final one – so please think carefully.’

  ‘Are you mad, Donna?’ Lexie stared at her. ‘I will never forgive him for what he’s done and I’ll most definitely never, ever go back to him.’

  ‘I … I just thought you were having a rethink, Lexie. I really want you here but I don’t want to be selfish about it.’

  ‘You could never be selfish, Donna. You’re the most loving and kind-hearted person I know. Brendan and I have both moved on but I suppose it’s only natural that I think back to happier times. I want to make our split official but it’s just hard to think of having to go through all the legal stuff.’

  ‘Lexie Byrne?’ The young assistant who’d greeted them earlier, dressed in grey pencil skirt and white blouse with a frilly front, interrupted their conversation. ‘Mrs Cooper-Smith said she’s sorry for the delay but she’ll be another five minutes. Can I get you some tea or coffee?’

  ‘Not for me, thanks,’ said Lexie.

  ‘Me neither.’ Donna could have murdered a cup of tea but she didn’t want to be the only one.

  The assistant smiled, turned on the heel of her sensible black leather shoes and disappeared back through the large white door.

  Donna felt as though they’d stepped back in time as they sat in the shabby but lavish waiting room. The ceilings were high with a large dusty chandelier hanging from an ornate plaster rose and the chairs were a mishmash of shapes and sizes – some with faded green upholstery and some with beautifully carved high backs. Even the assistant looked as though she belonged in a 1950s movie with her full red lips and powdered white face.

  It was a year since Lexie had arrived home and, for Donna, it felt like she’d never been away. They’d fallen into the easy friendship of their childhood and Donna loved having her around. Lexie didn’t speak much about Brendan except to assure Donna she was over him. But Donna wasn’t a fool. It couldn’t be that easy, especially when she’d spent years with him and thought they’d be together for life. So it had taken Donna by surprise when Lexie herself had suggested taking the first steps to a divorce.

  ‘Are you sure that’s what you want?’ Donna had asked, feeling a mixture of relief and sadness.

  ‘I’m sure,’ Lexie had replied. ‘There’s nothing left and I might as well move on with my life as a free woman.’

  That’s when Donna had remembered the card that Vivienne Cooper-Smith had left when she’d picked up the cake. Donna didn’t know any other solicitors so she thought they might as well give her a try.

  ‘She’ll see you now.’ The assistant was back, standing at the over-sized door and smiling sweetly. ‘Follow me.’

  They followed her through the door, which surprisingly opened almost straight onto a flight of stairs going downwards. Donna idly thought of the possible claims from anyone rushing through the door and tumbling straight down. The irony of it wasn’t lost on her and she was still smiling when they were led into a stale-smelling office with Vivienne Cooper-Smith sitting behind an enormous desk.

  She stood up to shake their hands. ‘Dana, nice to see you again. And this is Lexie, I presume?’

  ‘Em, yes, this is Lexie. And it’s Donna, actually.’ She could have bitten her tongue off because the woman in front of her didn’t look as though she liked to be corrected.

  ‘Yes. Donna. That’s what I said.’ It wasn’t what she’d said.

  ‘So,’ she continued, indicating for them to sit down, ‘you want a divorce, Lexie.’

  She was straight to the point and Donna could see Lexie felt a bit intimidated.

  ‘We just want to find out what’s involved initially,’ said Donna, while Lexie gathered her thoughts. ‘It’s probably complicated because her husband is in Australia.’

  ‘Ah, you must have studied law, so.’ Vivienne smiled sweetly and Donna felt like shrinking under the table.

  ‘Well, no, I just assumed—’

  ‘That’s the problem with the general public. They just assume things without proper knowledge. Maybe you can tell me the whole story and I’ll tell you what the law says.’

  Lexie piped up. ‘Well, there’s no need to—’

  ‘It’s okay, Lexie,’ said Donna, not wanting to get on the wrong side of a woman who looked as though she could crush anyone with her stare. ‘Mrs Cooper-Smith is right. We should just find out where you stand legally instead of assuming. It might all be more straightforward than we think.’

  That seemed to satisfy Vivienne and she turned her attention to Lexie. ‘So, do you want to start with telling me the basic facts. I assume you brought the marriage certificate with you?’

  ‘Yes, I have it here.’ Lexie pulled a brown envelope out of her bag and shoved it across the table.

  ‘Good. Now I’m going to take some notes today and we can arrange to meet again maybe next week.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I’m running a bit behind at the moment and I need to be out of here in half an hour.’

  Donna resisted the urge to say something. A half an hour wasn’t much to lay your whole life on the table. She just hoped she hadn’t made a mistake bringing Lexie here. She sat back and listened as Lexie spoke about her marriage to Brendan and watched as Vivienne Cooper-Smith nodded and took notes. It irritated Donna to see the woman check her watch every couple of minutes but she decided to let it go since Lexie seemed oblivious to it.

  ‘Right, I think I have enough to go on with for now,’ said Vivienne, when Lexie had finished speaking. ‘Just give me a few days to get some stuff together and I’ll be in touch.’

  ‘Is that it?’ Lexie looked surprised. ‘I mean, don’t you need to hear more details?’

  ‘Details aren’t important at the moment. The bad news is that because he’s in Australia, things might move a little slower.’

  That’s what Donna had been afraid of. She’d heard of these family law cases that went on for years and years and she didn’t want Lexie to end up a snivelling mess at the end of it all.

  ‘But the good news,’ continued Vivienne, ‘is that if what you’re saying is correct and that your husband won’t block anything, things should run relatively smoothly.’

  ‘That’s brilliant, isn’t it, Lexie?’ Donna looked at her friend, who looked very pale, and felt sorry for her. ‘I mean, it’s great that it won’t be messy or anything. It would be awful if you and Brendan ended up fighting over stuff.’

  ‘I suppose.’
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  Vivienne waded in again. ‘And the fact that you didn’t own your own house and neither of you have pensions to worry about makes things a whole lot easier.’ She glanced at her watch again.

  ‘We won’t keep you any longer,’ said Lexie, standing up. ‘Thanks for your time.’

  ‘No problem. Melissa, my assistant, will be in touch with another appointment.’

  They shook hands with her and headed out to where Melissa was sitting at a much smaller desk. Lexie took her wallet out of her bag and handed her credit card to the girl.

  Melissa looked at her blankly.

  Lexie looked uncomfortable. ‘I assume you take credit cards.’

  ‘Well, yes, of course we do. But Mrs Cooper-Smith said that I wasn’t to charge you for today.’

  ‘Oh.’ Lexie looked at Donna, who shrugged.

  ‘In fact,’ continued Melissa, ‘she said that we wouldn’t be charging you anything at all until the matter goes to court. And at that stage, we can talk about working something out.’

  Donna was stunned. Even though Vivienne Cooper-Smith had left her card and said she’d look after her if she ever needed a solicitor, she hadn’t expected the woman to waive her fees.

  ‘That’s very kind of her,’ said Lexie, clearly delighted at not having her card laden down. ‘I really appreciate it.’

  ‘Ah, Dana, I was hoping I’d catch you.’ Vivienne breezed out of her office, fixing a red silk scarf under the collar of her tweed coat. ‘I’m flying but I forgot to say thanks again for the amazing cake. My George loved it and so did everyone else.’

  Donna reddened. ‘You’re welcome. If you ever need another one, just pop down to me and I’ll sort you out.’

  ‘I’ll do that. Melissa, you’ll get me on my mobile if it’s urgent but otherwise I’ll return all calls in the morning.’ She nodded her goodbyes and was gone with a whoosh of her coat, leaving a trail of White Linen perfume behind.

  ‘It’s her son,’ said Melissa, leaning over as though she was telling them a state secret. ‘He’s coming home.’