Chapter 15

Louisa clutched the car seat whilst Joan happily bounced along the narrow country lanes. Louisa bounced along in the background desperately trying to hold the car seat in place without jolting the baby. 'We're not far away' Joan chatted happily. Louisa clung on for dear life all the while trying to fight off the odd carrot or potato flying around her jeep.

Thankfully, the afternoon was much less exciting! The afternoon sunshine and the perfect harmony of tidal wave, light summer breeze and the faint sound of happy children. Ah! Cornwall in the summer. They both sat back, took an intake of calming breath and remembered just how lucky they both were. Louisa had spent the afternoon wandering around Newquay trying to convince Joan that the baby, most definitely did not require any more equipment or clothing. Nappies-yes! But she reminded her how generous everybody had been and that they both had everything they needed. All the while, little Glasson slept in his pram, completely oblivious to the ladies' natter. He'd better get used to it!

They now sat at a quaint coffee shop on a tiny cove beach just outside Newquay. Early August, therefore everywhere was a hubbub of activity but the two of them knew just where to go at these times. It was later afternoon and things started to settle. They sat saying nothing for a while. They both absorbed the sunny view as if they had never seen it before. There was something so nostalgic about it, something so meaningful. Topped with a latte- perfect!

Joan smiled at them. She was so proud of them.

'You're lucky you know, Louisa. We tried for several years to, you know, become parents.'

Louisa was taken aback. She had spent so much time lately fixed on everything that had been going on with her and Martin. 'Oh I'm so sorry, Joan.' She felt guilty.

'Oh no, no. Well it just wasn't mean to be. Things aren't ideal. But whatever my ever-so-tactful nephew decides to do in his one-sided life, you have the little one and he's a blessing. Planned or otherwise' She winked at Louisa and they both chuckled.

'I know, really I do. I thank my lucky stars every day. And there was a time I thought it wouldn't happen for me, too much time had passed. I spent my life wondering and seeing other children grow and blossom and in the end, concluded that it just would not happen.' She smiled, she was certainly lucky and if her and Martin had ever done anything right, it was him.

'Heard from Martin?' she asked Joan, acting like it was just a passing thought.

Joan sighed, she was just so frustrated with him. 'Well, just a phone call or two. He didn't give much away of course. He asked how you both were each time though.' Trying to make Louisa feel better, if possible. Louisa smiled.

'Has he contacted you?' Joan quizzed.

'Oh just a text message shortly after his arrival there. Hhm ventricular hey?'

'Vascular.'

'Ah yes of course, that's what he did in London, wasn't it? Well, I'm sure he's loving every minute, back in his stride' Louisa looked down then at the pram which was shaded under the parasol. 'Tell me about him. He's told me very little considering we almost got married. What was he like? As a child ?'

Joan again looked sad 'Well, his upbringing was far from conventional to say the least. Both of his parents are Londoners, his Mum an accountant and his Dad a hospital doctor, as you'd imagine' They both nodded. 'He's an only child and well, basically, not a wanted child. His Mum was 42 and gave birth to him very quickly when they attended a dinner party at a stately home one evening. So there you go, strike number one against her child.'

'Oh' Louisa said. Joan continued without really needing any prompting.

'Oh he was a tiny baby, so very similar to his son. And I know, you wouldn't think of it looking at him today! He spent all of his childhood either in boarding school or down here in Cornwall with us. Very quiet boy, very isolated. He rarely mixed with his peers and was aloof even then. But he had this rare skill of being able to retain endless information and use it for future reference at a terribly young age. He was able to break down the complexities of arithmetic and sciences and spent hours reading and problem-solving. The sad thing about it is that he never really knew his parents and they never knew him. If they dug a bit deeper, they may have found a sensitive little boy who had distinct intelligence and was in desperate need of some loving care. He also had a desperate need to give loving care.'

Joan stopped herself abruptly realising what she had just said and how much she had waffled on.

'Oh' were the only words Louisa could find. Then continued 'So his parents are, you know, dead?'

'Oh no' Joan sniggered 'but they might as well be. No, the last I heard, they divide their time between their villa in Cyprus and a country home in Surrey'.

They both sat in silence. Information that held so much pain and grief. Poor Martin. Everybody had reasons behind their behaviours.

'Nevertheless, we wont dwell on that today. Let's get back to Portwenn, there's somebody there who I think you might just like'

Louisa smiled nervously.

XXX

He stood and grunted at this pile of rubble in front of him. Everything ruined. Unrecognisable in places. He stood and stared at his home, which at this present moment, was not a home at all. He looked at the upstairs windows, then the bottom. The house that was one of three when he decided to make his move to Cornwall. A village which was also one of three but equally had zero significance. It was at the time, a house he didn't particularly like in an area he didn't like and concluded wouldn't stay in after he arrived. He'd never even heard of Portwenn. It was a completely alien existence to that of one in London. All those years ago. But now, he felt almost sad to see it in this state. Of course, he wouldn't despair but all of a sudden he felt attached to it somehow. A nostalgia he had never known.

It had been a hellish journey back from Edinburgh and he had decided to go straight to the cottage when he arrived to see if any improvements had begun as stated- turns out nothing whatsoever had been done. He noted he would call them at 8.30am tomorrow, 30 minutes after finishing his breakfast and would advise that he would make a formal complaint if no action was to be taken by the weekend. It was evening by now, the pub on the platt were holding their weekly karaoke event- he wish they didn't. He had a headache. He noticed Mr. Stone making his way down the hill with his four pet dogs and he wasn't in the mood for self-diagnosed illnesses, most certainly not after such prolonged travels. So Martin moved swiftly into his car and sped off to Louisa's.

He picked up his leather travel bag and made his way around the corner before attempting to contort himself through her front door. He glanced through her window on arrival and completely stopped in his tracks. He was shocked by what he could see. What was going on? Was he really seeing this? Was this really happening so soon? What was she doing? He took a step back and then remembered what Joan and Arnold had previously said to him. They had warned him and they saw it coming. But so soon? Their baby was hardly two weeks old. But then, she did need stability and he had known this yet took no action. She needed that something in her life and Martin just wasn't it. He felt heartbroken. He turned and left.

He left Louisa in the tight embrace of another man.