Old Lovers Don't Die (35 page)

“It’s whether I will get to sleep is the real issue, I think.” said Jannie.

Christian knew he would struggle to get to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see Isabella and Simone embracing. It did not trouble him that she had chosen Simone over him; the more interesting question to him was how she had decided. Their discussions in Rwanda had left him believing that she had not found the type of chemistry with Simone that they had had. He woke up thinking about Isabella. He wondered whether he would get to talk to her now that Simone was her partner.

Rubbing his eyes, he looked across at the digital clock and saw that it was 9 AM. Downstairs he could hear his father’s voice and Sian laughing. The smell of Ruby’s coffee, just as he remembered, filled the room with a rich Arabica aroma. He rolled over and looked down at his phone on the floor next to his bed. There were three messages. The first message, which surprised him, was from Isabella:
We won’t come to your reunion today, but Simone and I would love to talk to you.
His mother’s message was next:
So looking forward to seeing you, love mum.
The third message was from Petrea:
Kariba successfully picked up, we need to talk about the $5 million reward, would love to see you, staying at the Waterfront hotel.
He replied to his mother, then to Petrea suggesting they meet at the Mount Nelson hotel for lunch, and left Isabella’s reply for later until he had thought about it a little more.

“Good morning, Master Christian,” Ruby said, as Christian walked into the kitchen. “I hope you had a good night’s sleep.”

“Wonderful sleep, that bed is as comfortable as I remember it, and it’s so nice to be back, Ruby.”

“Everyone is out on the stoep. I’m sure you remember how to get out there.” She smiled, as Christian walked out through the open doorway.

“Good morning, dad. Isn’t that just a magnificent view of Table Mountain?”

“It is. I was just commenting to Mike, you forget how much you miss things, until you see them again. A bit like you. It’s a wonderful feeling after all this time to have you as close as you are.”

“I seem to recall mum saying you were much more clinical in your observations.”

Jannie smiled as Mike and Sian both laughed.

“I can see it hasn’t taken you two long to establish a relationship with a cheeky edge.”

“Yes, it’s funny isn’t it, after all these years; perhaps it’s that genetic link that just breaks through all the barriers that would normally require months of dismantling to get to the point where we are now.”

“I’m sure that’s the way that it will work with mum when she arrives.”

“Here’s hoping. I’m still a little nervous about that, despite all the confidence around me.”

“You have indeed changed, Jannie. Nothing ever seemed to make you nervous in the past,” said Sian

“Well, there is a lot to be forgiven and adjusted to, despite Christian’s encouragement. I’m sure that she has changed and may not feel the same as I do. I’m trying to be realistic, especially with the disappointment of Isabella and Christian fresh in our minds still.”

“I’m sure there will be some adjustment necessary on both sides but you’re both mature, have the ability to talk through issues, and love, when it’s there, can repair even the most damaged relationships.”

“So how do you think we should surprise her when she arrives?” Jannie asked.

“We will need to let her get over meeting Christian first, which will take a good twenty minutes. I will leave the big French doors open out onto the stoep. You stay out here and then after about twenty minutes or so, plug-in the iPod and let the Tom Jones song float in through the doors. I’m sure that will make her curious enough to come out, and then find you. The rest, as they say, will be up to you.”

“Okay, Mike, let’s go with that plan. Do you have a spare pair of jeans and a clean shirt that I could change into?”

“I have. Just as well you haven’t put on any weight over the years!”

Christian watched as Mike and Jannie walked up the stairs, arm in arm, like two old mates at a rugby reunion. The wall clock then chimed ten o’clock. His mother, who was always on time, would be arriving in thirty minutes. Strangely, he now felt a little nervous, possibly he thought because of the disappointing Isabella outcome. Successful conclusions were never guaranteed in life just because you hoped for them. The meeting of his mother and father, while he was seriously hoping that it would have a good conclusion, did have a number of potential hurdles.

“It will be okay,” Sian said as if reading his mind. “They are both intelligent and wonderful people. It may take a bit of adjusting in the beginning, but I’m sure it will all work out.”

Christian smiled at Sian, hoping the disquiet that he felt in his spirit was related only to the Isabella episode the previous day. He got up from the couch, taking his coffee cup, and walked through to the kitchen. As he stood in the kitchen refilling his coffee cup, he tried to imagine what it was going to be like not only having a father, but potentially now a family. He had not told his father about the golden retriever, whom he knew at least would have no problems adjusting to more affection and potential walks. He sat on the kitchen bench for the next twenty minutes slowly drinking his coffee, until he heard the front gates open.

“Dad,” he shouted up the stairs. “You’ll need to hurry; mum’s here.”

Jannie appeared at the top of stairs in Mike’s new shirt and jeans.

“How do I look, kiddo?” he said smiling.

“Handsome, dad, but get your skates on. I can hear the car doors opening.”

Jannie ruffled his hair on the way down the stairs, and then disappeared out through the French doors onto the stoep. Christian sat for a second, offered a prayer to whoever was listening, and then walked to the front door. Sian and Ruby were already at the top of the stairs, and all he could hear were indecipherable excited greetings. He momentarily thought about waiting in the family room, so that by the time everyone reached him, they would be much more settled. There was also a strange feeling of needing to show solidarity with his dad.

“Christian!” Renata said excitedly as she walked in through the front door smiling.” I don’t think I’m ever letting you go to Africa again.”

Christian laughed before he said, “Good to see you, mum; I think that’s what you said last time as well.”

As she walked up to him, he put his arms around her and felt her squeeze him tightly. For a minute, she just stood holding him her head nestled under his chin, not saying a word.

“Mum, my shirt is getting wet.”

“That’s what you have to put up with if you go getting yourself shot,” she said, standing back and looking at him, still smiling.

“In fact you look very good for someone who’s been shot; Mike told me that you were lucky enough to have an experienced liver surgeon who operated on you. That was very fortunate in the middle of the Congo. I would like to meet him at some stage and personally thank him. Someone upstairs was obviously looking out for you.”

“Yes, mum, someone obviously was.”

“You’re going to have to tell me all about it; you know what mothers are like. They need to have all the details. But firstly there’s someone I want you to meet, the surprise that I talked about.”

Christian looked beyond his mother to the doorway. Mike was standing in the doorway, making strange hand signals and pointing out towards the stoep, where Jannie was sitting. Christian could not work out what Mike was trying to tell him and then Renata turned round and saw Mike gesticulating.

“What is that Mike up to, Christian? He always had a trick or two up his sleeve.”

“I don’t know, mum. Perhaps related to your surprise.”

“I thought Isabella and Nadine might be here, or are they coming later?”

“Just us for coffee. As you will see, it’s a bit of a long story. We thought we might all be able to do lunch later.”

“Well, if Mike and Sian are not going to bring my surprise in here to meet you, let’s go and join them in the kitchen.”

Christian followed his mother through into the kitchen, his inner disquiet returning. Ruby was her busy self, and did not look up as he walked in. In the far corner, Mike and Sian were talking to someone he vaguely recognised as having visited their house in Adelaide a few times. As he looked closer, he recognised Tim Mickelson, an anaesthetist who had been to their house a few times for coffee with his mother.

“Christian, you will remember Tim who’s been to the house a few times. We decided to get engaged last week, but we didn’t want to tell anyone until we could tell you. So now it’s official and you’re the first one to know, which is how I wanted it.”

Christian looked at Mike and Sian. They both just looked back at him wide-eyed and shocked. He realised he needed to quickly get to his father and prepare him for the shock that was coming.

“Christian, nice to see you again and great to hear that you’re okay. I hope this is not too much of a shock for you,” Tim said turning and shaking Christian’s hand.

“Tim, I am extremely happy for you both, and please don’t think me rude but there is something I have got to do urgently, which you will understand later,” Christian said, turning to head out towards the stoep and his father. He had only taken one step when he heard the Tom Jones song begin and the words drift in through the open door.

“Where’s that music coming from?” Renata asked.

“I must have left the iPod on. I will go and turn it off,” Christian said over his shoulder as he headed for the doorway.

“That’s strange. I didn’t hear it before, and that’s one of my favourite songs.”

“Yes, mum, I know it is. Wait here and I’ll go and switch it off.”

Christian walked out of the kitchen into the family room and stopped. His mother was right behind him.

“Mum, best if you stay in the kitchen with Tim.”

“You have forgotten that mothers have instincts like no other human beings, especially when it comes to sons. You are hiding something from me.”

“Mum, it’s better if you let me handle this,” Christian said, turning to face her, putting his hands on her waist, to stop her coming any further into the family room. Then he heard his father’s voice from behind him.

“Renata.”

He could see Mike and Sian watching from the doorway, a concerned look on both their faces. He took his hands off his mother’s waist and stepped aside to allow her to fully see his father.

“Oh my God! Is that you, Jannie? It can’t be you! I buried you!”

“It is me, Renata. I was the surgeon who operated on Christian. I have explained to him that I had survived the shooting that took place at our house in Wynberg, thanks to a Dr. Sandy van Andover at the Salt River Mortuary where I was taken. I have been in hiding in Rwanda hoping that if Van der Walt believed that I was dead, that you and Christian would be safe. Mike and Christian have told me how he was killed down the mine in Johannesburg, and is no longer a threat to any of us. It is so wonderful to see you again. You are just as I remembered and I’m sorry that I haven’t been here for you.”

Christian watched as his mother looked away from Jannie and slowly sat down on the sofa. Mike and Sian sat next to her and put an arm around her as she started to cry. Tim was standing in the doorway looking very perplexed. Christian looked at his father, who had not heard the conversation in the kitchen - that his mother had become engaged to Tim. Jannie was looking at Christian as if to say ‘what do I do now?’

“Dad, I’m sorry. There is no easy way of doing this. This is Tim Mickelson who in the last few minutes officially became engaged to mum.”

Christian watched as Jannie stared at Tim for sixty seconds, feeling his hopes dissipating. Then to Christian’s surprise he walked across to where Tim was standing, reached out with his hand and said,

“Congratulations, Tim, you have made an excellent choice.”

“I, along with everyone else, thought you were dead Jannie - if you will excuse the bluntness. I’m sorry you had to confront this after all you have obviously been through.”

“That’s okay, Tim. Surprises sometimes don’t work out the way that you hope, and you, along with everyone else, would never have expected me to return like this. It was always going to be a long shot to integrate back into Christian and Renata’s life, let alone seamlessly. It was, in many ways, an unrealistic expectation.”

“Jannie, I think it’s fantastic that you have survived. The reality now is that you two need some time alone. There will be much that you have to discuss and provide each other answers about, as well as catching up on Christian’s adventures. Ren, I’m going to go back to the hotel. Either give me a call when you’re finished or I’m sure Mike will bring you down as an alternative.”

“Thanks, Tim, for being so understanding,” Renata said tearfully from where she was sitting on the sofa. “Jannie and I obviously need to have a discussion which will take some time. I’ll call you when we’re finished.”

Christian heard the front door close and turned to look at his mother. Mike had gone through to the kitchen, and his father was now sitting on the sofa next to his mother. He looked at them both and thought they looked like they belonged together, then wondered whether that was wishful dreaming. Sian then got up and went to join Mike in the kitchen, who was making fresh coffee. Christian started to feel uncomfortable as both his parents just looked at each other, not saying anything. He stood up to go and join Mike and Sian when Mike walked back in with the coffee and placed it on the small table in front of Renata. As he walked back out with Mike, he heard his father say: