A Happier New Year
It all seemed so plausible when Louisa responded to Gordon's email. They would meet for lunch, and his laughter and warmth would be the balm against Martin's scalding remarks about her and Philip. But how can she possibly go to Plymouth, push a pram into a restaurant and meet a man who has every reason to question her sanity. Tonight she will email Gordon and cancel. It was a brilliant idea but not quite right.
Later that evening, Caroline phones to ask if Louisa and Philip want to spend Saturday at her home. Tom is in Munich for a week, and she would love to have their company. They can listen to music, watch mindless telly and catch up after the holiday. For someone who makes no secret of her disdain for children, Caroline enjoys Philip and has been most helpful to Louisa. If she weren't the oldest of six children and had taken care of far too many babies, Caroline claims she would have wanted six of her own. This way she can cuddle, spoil and pamper Philip and then hand him back to Louisa.
Louisa talks a bit around the subject and finally asks Caroline if Philip could stay with her while she meets a friend for lunch in Plymouth. This is the entrée Caroline has awaited since Philip's birth: "Who's the friend then – Dr. Day?" Before Louisa can think of another response, she replies "Yes." She tries to stammer out the story, but Caroline interrupts: "Louisa, I know." Caroline relates what happened the night Philip was born and how she put two and two together after reading a few of their email exchanges.
Describing her alternating attraction to Gordon and confusion over him, Louisa has tried to force him from her mind, but can't seem to do so. Perhaps if she meets him for lunch, they can thrash out their odd attachment one way or the other. Philip begins to fuss and poke at her jersey indicating he wants supper. Louisa rings off thanking Caroline for her help.
Before Philip's early morning nursing on Saturday, Louisa uses her breast pump so that there will be extra milk for Caroline. Then she feeds Philip stored milk from a bottle, and he drinks it quickly not seeming to care how he receives his breakfast.
When he falls asleep, Louisa has a long shower and washes her hair. Her weight has finally reached its pre-pregnancy level, but it has shifted. Her breasts and waist are larger while her arms and legs are thinner. Cocoa butter has lightened the stretch marks on her stomach, but they remain very evident. With all of this, she still feels more attractive than last April when she and Gordon met at the same restaurant.
At Caroline's Louisa tries to tell her about Gordon, but she suggests that Louisa simply go to Plymouth, enjoy herself and not worry about Philip. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of Sir Philip for a day. Your Christmas was horrid, so let this lunch make up for it. You deserve a bit of fun after this year."
Gordon arrives at the hotel where the conference was held and finds an eager staff welcoming him on a slow post-holiday weekend. The receptionist wants to upgrade him to a suite, but he declines asking only for a room with a view of the harbour. Packing his running kit means that he has a larger piece of luggage than is needed for the brief overnight trip, and the receptionist is disappointed he will be there only one night.
Christmas at Gordon's home proved a bit disastrous. Ordering most of the dinner from on-line purveyors, Gordon found he had too much food for his family. On Boxing Day they were invited to a neighbour's gathering, so Christmas leftovers were served the next day. The result was food poisoning which made everyone ill for the remainder of Christmas week. Only Gordon was spared. Just as well, because he took on nursing duties for four adults and four children.
After that unpleasant week, Gordon feels he does deserve time away and is looking forward to seeing Louisa. Charlotte and Evelyn are staying with Freia, Elizabeth and their two daughters who attend the same school. On Saturday afternoon, they will join Gordon's neighbor, Samira, and her three girls for an ice show featuring characters from the princess films they adore. Missing the ice show is another reason he is happy to be away this particular weekend.
Gordon has timed his trip so that he could check into the hotel and then go directly to the restaurant. He can't bear waiting about, especially for Louisa. He showered and shaved early this morning before his flight from London. Perhaps he should have another shower in case the reason he decided to spend the night actually happens. He can't let himself think that and hasn't even bought condoms. He is so sure that nothing is going to happen with Louisa and having unneeded condoms would make him feel even more pathetic.
If the lunch leads to nothing else, he will have a run and call Chris Parsons on the chance they can meet on Sunday. It is short notice, of course, but he doesn't want to set up something with Chris only to cancel it should Louisa stay. My God, why is this so complicated?
He thinks back to the wine bar and the behaviour of the young men. When Louisa leaves, he may give up and go to the nearest wine bar and start throwing about 10 pound notes. Resorting to what he does understand, he reasons that statistically some woman will eventually find him worthwhile. Maybe that is all he needs and this waiting for Louisa is so 20th Century when he should be living in the 21st Century.
In that frame of mind, Gordon decides not to shower and walks to the restaurant. This time he will be there well before Louisa arrives.
Louisa drives her car into the same municipal car park which is nearly empty today and walks quickly through the biting wind to the restaurant. She has her hair pulled up and back, and the hood of her coat is covering it. When she enters the restaurant, Gordon is waiting and looks at her with an appreciative smile. Taking her hand he says: "At least you're not pregnant this time." They both laugh as they are lead to a table, again overlooking the harbour. Like the hotel, few people are about, and the staff is overly attentive.
The waiter who bet Gordon was dining with his mother or favourite aunt lost the wager as did the one who thought he was a lecherous professor meeting an impressionable university student. This woman looks like she could be his sister or wife, but he appears much too happy to be meeting either.
The gentleman has ordered a very nice bottle of Pouilly-Fuisee, and the waiter is already calculating his tip. He did overhear the lady say she had pumped this morning so she can have a bit of wine. Pumping – whatever could she mean?
A few more people enter the restaurant, so the staff's attention is taken from Louisa and Gordon. Just as well. They are laughing and talking so intently that no hint of their relationship could be easily ascertained. Gordon is regaling Louisa with the tale of what will be known in his family chronicles as "The Christmas Gordon Poisoned Us." Never has he made so much tea nor done so much laundry in such a short amount of time. No more ordering Christmas on-line!
Having each had a glass of wine, the waiter hovers, concerned that they still haven't ordered lunch. They pause long enough from what seems to be a very serious conversation for Gordon to order turbot and Louisa a fish stew.
Smiles return as Louisa recounts Boxing Day at Stu MacKenzie's home and John's pub dinner afterward. Following her disappointing Christmas Day – which she does not describe - it was good to be among friends. Louisa left Martin's Aunt Joan at the pub singing bawdy songs with the lifeboat crew and a pack of surfers. At dawn, Louisa bundled up Philip and drove to Joan's farm where she fed the chickens, helped about the farm and made pots of strong tea for Joan.
Again hesitating to interrupt them, the waiter finally asks if they want to end the meal with a sweet or cheese. Deciding to indulge a bit, they will have coffee and share a dense chocolate mousse. Louisa recalls the evening she and Martin shared the pear tart in London, and it remains a painful reminder of her dashed hopes for that weekend. As with Martin, she finds it somewhat erotic eating the rich mousse with Gordon and tries to force that thought from her mind. She must think of something amusing to continue their friendly lunch.
Fortunately, Gordon asks if she would like to walk about Plymouth – maybe visit the maritime museum or one of the galleries near the harbour. Relieved to be distracted from her thoughts, Louisa smiles and nods.
Before leaving the restaurant, she calls Caroline to check on Philip. She assures Louisa that he misses her, although he was eager for lunch and is now sleeping contentedly. Restraining herself, Caroline asks nothing about Gordon and only repeats her admonition to have fun.
Continued. . . .