Gena Stanley

After a cup of tea and some persuasion, Michael Stanley settled down in one of the guest rooms and went to sleep. Richie said he’d stay with him so Toni rode with Jude back to the airport to pick up her mum and sister-in-law.

Toni saw her in her red suit coming down the ramp, impeccably dressed as always and not looking like she’d just flown from Virginia to Australia. 

"Toni darlin’ aren’t you lookin’ good," Gena held out her hands.

"Mum, how are you dear?" asked Toni

"I’m absolutely won-derful, and here’s Carol."

Carol embraced Toni and whispered in her ear, "She’s had a few drinks on the plane," and gave her a crooked smile.

Oh dear, thought Toni, this was not going to be pretty.

They loaded up in Jude’s rental and started back for the house, Gena was in the front seat and Toni and Carol in the back.

"And how was your flight Jude, you didn’t say?"

"It was long Mum," Jude turned to his mother with a small smile, "but we made it."

After arriving at the house and being shown what room they would be staying in they assembled in the kitchen where Toni made a pot of coffee and a plate of chicken salad sandwiches.

"I hope your room is okay Carol, I really only prepared two rooms, not knowing I’d need three."

"It will be fine Toni; if anything needs doing I can handle it." Carol set the plate of sandwiches on the table.

Gena was chattering away with Richie, "Toni you have a gem here and so handsome you always did have good taste dear."

"Thank you Mum, would you like a sandwich and a cup of coffee?"

Later Richie and Jude moved into the den leaving Toni, her mother and Carol sitting around the table finishing up the last of the coffee.

"I suppose he’s told you?" Gena asked Toni she was clearly gearing up.

"Yes, I’m so sorry Mum; it must have been a shocker."

"You don’t know the half of it…I was sitting in a chair near the door and this young man came in…I didn’t have my glasses on and I thought it was Jude and I called out asking him what he was doing there…the young man walked over and said pardon? Just like that and I had a good look at him. "You look just like my son’ I said to him. He looked at me rather strangely and this woman came up beside him, I’d noticed her at dinner she’s the wife of some embassy person. ‘But this is my son,’ she said to me and had the nerve to smile."

"Now Mum…" said Carol

"Well…then Michael comes over and he just stands there with this LOOK on his face, "Sophie," he says and she says…"Michael, it’s been a long time…this is Giraud." I think you could have pushed him over with a feather. I knew, Toni in that instant. We left of course and on the way back to our hotel the whole thing came out. I have never been so hurt in my life. To think, Toni our whole life has been a lie, he’s been sending money to this woman for twenty five years and I never knew. He says he only went back once to Paris…but how am I to know….."

Her mother’s voice seem to fade away as she stared at the wall in front of her all of a sudden she was back in the hallway of the medical building, rounding the corner and there was Richie with that woman against the wall, a small sound escaped her as she stood awkwardly and ran out the back door.

Carol rounded the table and went to the door watching her sister in law run toward a wooded area. She moved to the door of the den and called Richie.

"Richie, its Toni she’s upset and has run out the door…go after her."

Richie was immediately out the door and calling Toni; he looked all over the garden and started for the path to the woods. He heard her before he found her; sobbing out loud she was on the bench along side the path.

"Toni…what is it babe?" Richie sat down beside her on the bench

"I can’t…I can’t do this Richie, when I look…I can’t…I can’t marry you."

"What?  Hey look at me, what is this all about? Talk to me Toni."

"I don’t want that to be us in twenty five years Richie…Mum and Dad…I can’t get that picture of you against the wall out of my mind."

 Ah Shit! "Toni that’s not us in there, this is us. We’ve already buried that Toni, don’t dig it up again…I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life…I was younger and stupider then…I know what I’ve got right here and I’d never do anything to jeopardize that." He wasn’t going to let this happen.

"I just…"

"Stop it Toni, stop it. Don’t go letting somebody else’s shit get all over you. I asked you to marry me because I’m ready, I’m ready for that…damn it I love you Toni."

Toni looked up sniffing and snubbing, "I love you too Richie, more than anything…" He silenced her lips with his.

"I want you Toni, right now." He kissed her again deeply

"We’ve got a house full of people," she said weakly

Richie stood up and took her hand pulling her behind him, "come on." He turned at the fork taking her to the grassy clearing they had found before and pulled off his shirt laying it on the ground. "Right here and now Toni," He said and took her in his arms laying her down on the ground.

Later they lay with each other gazing up at the stars of the southern hemisphere, he turned propping on his elbow and traced the out line of her lips with his finger, "don’t ever think I will let you go…ever." His lips touched hers, "don’t ever think I can’t take what you throw at me and not come back for you. This is you and me Toni, today and tomorrow, here and now."