Chapter 10
This afternoon I would meet with Danny, who had asked me to help him renovate his mother's house so that he could sell it. I was looking forward to spending time with him and doing things together.
To be honest, a thought crept into my mind wondering if there was anything I would ever be able to do together with Martin. He was so bloody brilliant and self-sufficient and never asked for any help at all. Was there anything that we could share?
After I'd finished school, I picked up the paint I had promised Danny to bring. The next DIY store was miles away and Danny didn't know where to get it. I knew a local painter who promised to get the paint for me, cheaper even as it was not the normal business prices, but the supply for builders.
His three sons had all been in my class, the last one had left the primary about a year ago. They were very lively children and so I had seen quite a lot of their parents.
Maybe his kind offer to get the paint for me was also sort of compensation for all the nerves his boys had cost me.
I had picked up the paint and was on my way to my car when I saw Joan Norton's pickup on her delivery tour. As she had to stop to let some tourists pass by, I crossed the street.
"Hello Joan, visiting your brother, are you?"
"Definitely not!" Joan exclaimed and her face had the air of a thunderstorm. "Have you also been charmed by him? You're just his type of prey."
"If you're cross with your brother, don't take it out on me. I've just heard he's in town and met him only briefly."
"Oh, you met him then? Are you also going to tell me what a charmer he is?"
"It's not my fault you're on bad terms with your brother. Actually, the short encounter with him was not warming me to him. He was quite horrid to Martin."
"Martin?!" Joan exclaimed in disgust, which I found odd. I always had the impression the two were as close as Martin probably would anyone ever allow to be. "I thought Martin had finally managed to sneak his way into his Dad's good books. After all, he is in cahoots with him against me! That lousy rat! After all I've done! After being more of a mother to him than that shallow bitch has ever been!"
"Are you sure? I didn't get the impression that Martin was on very good terms with his parents."
"The backbone of a worm, that's Martin's problem. Always clinging to the apron string only to find there's no mother attached. And now he plays the game his parents want him to play. If you see him you can tell him that he should think about getting his priorities right."
Furiously Joan started the pickup and rushed down the hill in a cloud of dust.
I stood nailed on the spot, gobsmacked. It was the second time today that my view of Martin was challenged. Joan's accusations didn't either fit to the encounter I had witnessed before in Martin's kitchen nor with the impression I had gathered over the years.
Finally I reached Danny's mum's house. It was in a beautiful location. Gorgeous sea views, high above the cliffs so that flooding wasn't a problem. It was a nice house and garden and whoever was going to buy this property after Danny had improved it could call himself lucky.
I heard Danny sanding the floor upstairs when I entered through the unlocked door. I liked that about Danny. Despite his degree in architecture he hadn't forgotten how to do dirty work. He was still prepared to get his hands dirty. He didn't have to hire any fancy workers. He hadn't forgotten his humble beginnings. He was like me, in a way - doing as much yourself as possible.
I rushed up the stairs and Danny looked up from his work, smiling at me.
"Louisa, you're a star!"
Gosh, I had just brought some paint, but Danny was easily enthused. I was touched. It was nice to get some recognition. Danny was good in saying nice things and making you feel appreciated. When I turned to go after I had put the paint where he wanted me to, I noticed that Danny was putting his hand on his heart. Good old Danny. I felt tears prickling in my eyes as it was such a romantic gesture. It simply made me feel good. No matter how engrossed in his work he was, he always found time for little signs of affection.
I repaid him this gesture and put my hand on my heart. I could imagine us inventing lots of secret signs of love, showing each other how much we meant to each other, and without even saying a word. I thought I had found the answer to the question that was haunting me all day.
To be continued…