Chapter Thirty seven
Several weeks had passed, weeks in which more wedding preparations had been made and the cottage had been gutted and a new kitchen and bathroom installed. A colour palette had been chosen, warm beiges and light coffees accented with touches of vivid colour in soft furnishings and ornaments for a classic look with a modern twist.
Susan and Kay's buying weekend away in Paris was just around the corner and the two women were seated in Kay's kitchen where Kay was questioning Sue about what to expect of Paris.
"We'll have to do the Eiffel Tower of course."
"Will we?"
"Yes and anyway you've done that before."
Kay shook her head.
"You went to Paris and didn't climb the tower?"
"Brendan did. I waited at the bottom."
"Whatever for?" Susan was astonished and it showed on her face.
"I don't remember why."
"You're lying; tell me why?"
"It's a bit too tall."
"So is the London Eye and you've done that!"
"Once… I didn't like it."
"But once you are on that thing you can't get off until it's completed its revolution with the tower you can go up and down as you please."
"I might try."
"Not good enough."
"What?"
"You WON'T try you WILL succeed and after the wedding you WILL go back with Brendan and go up with him as well. Honestly Kay it's so beautiful. When you look out across the city it looks almost whitewashed because of all the limestone… it's magnificent."
"If I try and if I don't like it you'll let me go back down?"
"No WHEN you try and IF you don't like it I'll let you go back down, I'm not promising anything else except that and WHEN you go back with Brendan Chris and Evie can stay with me."
"Thank you."
"You really didn't get the whole Paris thing last time did you?"
"I missed David. He was still so small and I was just getting used to being his Mum."
"I remember. But you also missed Paris… You missed its confidence and elegance and I don't imagine for a second you got its relaxed vibe did you?"
Kay shrugged, "It's pretty. I liked the Seine."
"You're hopeless, completely hopeless. You never relax or just sit and people watch do you?"
"People might watch me if I did that."
"So what?"
"I'd just as soon they didn't."
"What have you got to hide?"
"Nothing."
"Then who cares who sees you? You need to take the blinkers off and look at life, you are so focussed on getting to the goal, getting the job done, that you never glance left or right and just enjoy the moment you are in."
Kay shook her head, "Don't."
"I'm not trying to upset you I'm trying to make you relax and see what you have been missing. I understand that David was small when you went back then and you'd left him with me, but you've never been back since and you could have done that time and time again. You've never sat outside one of the cafes with a glass of champagne and just watched people experience a beautiful and bustling city. People do that there all the time, or they sit and read. It's as if everyone has time to relax there and it's not a bit like London where everyone is literally rushing to and fro and everyone has an agenda."
"You're forgetting that I am British and this is just the way it's always been."
"Yes I'll admit my Australian roots mean I am fundamentally more relaxed than you are but you can change, you already have. Do you remember the woman who wouldn't leave her flat after dark? I do, all you need to do now is take the final step, jump and soar. I'll stand below with the safety net if you like."
"I think I'd like that. But if I do it don't tell Brendan and if I take him back there I can surprise him."
"There you go again with that if word. I want you to mentally change every if to a WHEN. So WHEN you do it I won't tell Brendan and WHEN you take him back you can surprise him. Have you packed yet?"
"Sort of."
"Show me."
Kay took Susan up to her bedroom and opened the case that she had started to pack with mostly casual and comfortable clothes.
"There is nothing wrong with any of this but where is your laptop?"
"In the study."
"Go and fetch it and let me show you where we are staying."
"I know where we are staying."
"Have you had a proper look?"
"Well no not yet."
"Then I will show you."
Kay fetched her laptop and watched as Sue bought up images of the Ritz in Paris. Her eyes boggled as she took in the ornate splendour.
"I need to repack."
"No not necessarily, what you do need to do are pack some pieces so that you can be relaxed in the day time when we are shopping but also so that we can have fun and dress up for dinner and the evenings. We have a suite, two bedrooms, a shared en suite and a lounging room. Behind closed doors in the suite we can be as relaxed as we want to be but in the dining rooms we should dress up."
"And the pool."
"Trust you to notice the pool! But yes bathers would be a great idea."
"Stay and help me choose what to pack please?"
"I'll be happy to."
It didn't take very long but by the time it was time to collect the girls from school Kay's case was packed.
"There all you need to add now are your toiletries and jewellery; oh you should wear your Pandora bracelet I will have mine on."
"I will and thank you. Just enough time for me to panic about the travelling now."
"Now don't. Piers has asked John to drive us and he will help us with our bags too and it's just a simple train ride. We have a car waiting for us at the other end and in no time at all we will be at the Ritz." Sue grinned and Kay found that her joy and enthusiasm were infectious.
"Yeah I think I might even enjoy it."
"That's better, and change that might to a WILL and we are set. My turn to get the girls, do you need anything in the village?"
"No I'm all set, the men will be alright while we are gone won't they?"
"Oh Kay! Listen tell Brendan if he can't cope to call Piers up, the staff will see that he and my girls are fed and I'm sure they can accommodate the Blocks at dinner times if necessary. But honestly, of course he will cope the kids aren't babies anymore!"
"I know I know but you've done such a good job this afternoon on all my other fears I have found room for some more."
"Well just stop it. Nothing will go wrong and we will have a fabulous time spending our husband's money!"
Sue embraced Kay before letting herself out to go and collect the three younger children.
Kay was left alone in her room and after adding her toiletries and jewellery to her case she wrapped her arms around her body and hugged herself as she told the almost constant worrying voice in her head to relax and that everything WOULD be just fine.