Page 58 of A French Adventure
Back at the villa, they said goodbye to Olivia and Thierry, wishing them good luck with the farm and they both gave Topsy a cuddle before making their way up to the terrace and a last glass of rosé.
Sitting there talking through her plans for the Valbonne villa and her future, Vivienne felt full of optimism and enthusiasm. ‘I’m so sorry Maxine was too busy with Leonie’s unexpected arrival to take us out to show you the Valbonne villa,’ Vivienne said.
‘No worries, I’ve seen the photographs and it looks wonderful. I can see why you’ve fallen in love with it and I’ll see it for real as soon as you move in,’ Natalie said. ‘Mum, I’ve had a lovely holiday, thank you. I’m so sorry for the way Dad has treated you. I’m going to find it very hard to forgive him. As for Sadie…’ Natalie shook her head. ‘There are no words.’
Vivienne nodded ruefully. ‘I know. Who’d have guessed even four months ago that my life – our lives – were going to change so radically. But…’ she took a deep breath. ‘I’ll get through this. I know it will be hard saying goodbye to everything I believed to be entwined in, and fundamental to, my existence, but I’m looking forward to a new life in the South of France in a few months’ time. It will be a challenge because it’s a life that I’dnever ever considered before, but I shall do my utmost to make it a good one.’
Their flight wasn’t until four o’clock the next day, but Vivienne had suggested they spend the morning in Nice, see the famous Cours Saleya market and have a quick walk along the Promenade des Anglais. They’d drive out to the airport after that and have lunch in the restaurant there once Natalie had handed the hire car back.
As the time got closer for them to board their flight, Vivienne could feel herself getting more and more depressed at the thought of returning to the house that had been her home for so long. Even though she knew she was coming back to France soon, all the optimism she’d started to feel about her new life was slowly dissipating as the problems facing her at home gathered pace in her mind. Could she really do it? Leave everything behind in England and return to make a new life for herself in the South of France?
40
The evening they arrived back in the UK, Vivienne and Natalie, both tired from the journey, walked into a silent, empty house. Vivienne was profoundly relieved when she realised that Jeremy was not home, even if Natalie thought he should be there. Vivienne wanted a night’s sleep before she faced him. There was a brief note written on a scrap of paper and placed on top of a large envelope on the kitchen table.
Thought it better if I wasn’t here when you arrived back so I’ve moved out to Sadie’s. I’ll contact you tomorrow. Jeremy.
Wearily, Vivienne moved across the kitchen and filled the kettle. ‘Cup of tea? I suppose it’s too much to hope there is anything to eat in the fridge.’ A fridge that she had left stocked with food so that Jeremy wouldn’t have to worry about shopping for at least a week. Tonight it contained half a dozen eggs, a couple of tomatoes, a few dried-up mushrooms and half a bottle of long-life milk. The bread bin on the work surface held a few slices of a white loaf. ‘Scrambled eggs for supper okay?’ Vivienne said. ‘I’ll have to do a supermarket shop tomorrow.’
The food and a glass of wine revived them both somewhat, and afterwards, while Natalie loaded the dishwasher, Vivienne took her suitcase upstairs into the main bedroom. Thankfully, there was no sign that Sadie had stayed here during her absence. No feminine products in the bathroom, no lingering perfume smell in the bedroom. But Vivienne stripped the bed and remade it with fresh linen just in case. Natalie’s bedroom along the hall, when she checked it, didn’t look as if it had been disturbed since Natalie’s last visit a couple of months ago.
Vivienne took the bed linen downstairs and put it in the washing machine, setting the timer for early morning, before going into the sitting room, which was curiously tidy. No books or papers on the coffee table. Cushions neat on the settee. TV remote on the book shelf. The house felt strange. Like it already belonged to someone else, her tenure of it over. Vivienne suppressed a sigh. Feeling like a stranger in what had been her home for so many years was horrible.
Natalie, sitting at the kitchen table scrolling through her phone and checking emails, glanced up as Vivienne walked in.
‘Does the house feel different to you?’ Vivienne asked. ‘Not like home anymore? Or is it just me?’
‘It has a sort of empty feel to it, if that’s what you mean, even though it’s full of furniture,’ Natalie said thoughtfully.
Vivienne nodded. ‘Yes, that’s it.’ She reached out and picked up the large envelope from the table. ‘I’ll put this up in the study and then I think I’ll go to bed. I’m shattered.’
‘Me too,’ Natalie said, jumping up and giving her a hug. ‘It’s all going to work out, Mum. You’re going to live in the South of France and have a wonderful new life. Hang on to that thought for the next few weeks.’
Vivienne returned the hug. ‘Thank you.’
Before placing the envelope on her desk in the study, Vivienne finally opened it. Divorce papers from Jeremy’ssolicitors. She took a piece of paper out of the desk drawer and began to make a to-do list: contact her own solicitor; telephone the literary agency; pack up her personal stuff and the study; check with Jeremy about the contents of the house; sell her car. The list was sure to grow as the weeks went by. She blew out a breath. Vivienne had no doubt the next few weeks were going to be difficult ones.
She was in bed when her phone pinged with a text from Gilles.
Just wanted to make sure you were home safely.
Quickly she typed a reply.
Thanks. Yes, home safely. Hope all is well with you.
She pressed send, placed the phone on the bedside table and snuggled under the duvet. Within minutes she was asleep, her dreams filled with thoughts of Gilles and the South of France and the future that awaited her down there.
The next morning after a breakfast consisting of the last of the sliced bread toasted and a mug of coffee, Natalie left to drive home to her flat. ‘I’m happy to stay for a day or two, Mum, if you want me to.’
‘Don’t be silly, you’ve got your business and your own life to live,’ Vivienne said. ‘Dad and I are grown-ups, I’m sure we can behave civilly around each other.’
After Natalie had left, Vivienne unpacked her case, emptied the washing machine of the clean bed linen and reloaded it withher clothes. After making another mug of coffee, she carried it upstairs to her study and, sitting at her desk, she looked at the list she’d written last night. Time to start dealing with things that would end her old life but kickstart a new one. Which to do first? Engaging a divorce solicitor, preferably a woman, would be a good start. Half an hour later, she had an appointment with a Michele Roberts for eleven o’clock Friday morning.
Two hours later, she regretted not asking Natalie to stay when a belligerent Jeremy slammed his car door and marched into the house. Slowly, Vivienne went downstairs to meet the husband who to all intents and purposes was now a stranger to her. She’d half expected him to look different but no, he still had the careworn look of a stressed middle-aged man. And thankfully, she felt no lingering affection for him, just a stab of resentment for the way he’d treated her.
‘Hello, Jeremy.’
‘You’re back then. How was your holiday?’
