Gemini Rain (23 page)

Several USB keys and CDs
in that file
contained all the details, the methods of importing, distribution, everything, the only piece missing and now it was a vital piece, was who it was distributed to. Was it one person or a group? One thing Lauren was certain of, no way was she handing that file over to Paul or the competent Detective Inspector O’Reilly. When the shit did hit the fan and she knew it eventually would, she wanted that file for protection
albe
it against her mother or the Irish justice system.  

‘
And Paul, bloody hell, why on earth did he tell me last night he was a homosexual? What sort of fool is he, knowing full well what he had planned for today! I could easily hold his little secret as a bargaining point if he tries to force me to stand as a witness,
’
she couldn’t understand his line of thinking.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the telephone, she didn’t want to answer it but Keith got to it before she could say anything. Standing there waiting for Keith to finishing rabbiting on in French, she got curious as to who was on the other end and she gently called his name enquiring if he was going to tell her who he was talking to.

‘Oops, sorry I forgot,’ he giggled, ‘it’s Claude.’ He asked Claude would he like to talk to his mum and disappointedly said goodbye as he handed over the phone. Claude sounded
like his old self -
happily excited
to tell
her of his conversation with both D
avid first and then Jean-Pierre.
‘We’re coming up for the weekend and Papa promised me that under no circumstances would Maman bring up the subject of marriage. He was so understanding, Lauren I
couldn’t believe it. It was
as if he already knew like he was waiting for me to finally tell him, it was a bit weird actually.
But Lauren
thanks for everything.’

‘I had nothing to do with it Claude,’ Lauren insisted. ‘If you didn’t generate the courage to ask my advice in the first place you would still be in a muddle, wouldn’t you?’

Claude disagreed but wouldn’t argue the point; he noticed something wron
g in her voice - ‘is everything okay?’

Lying she said it was a headache but added that she couldn’t wait for Saturday when she would
have the opportunity to meet
Helene
once more, ‘She’s beautiful, Claude.’

‘Thanks
so are you,’
Claude said.

Lauren
felt warmth in his voice.
‘
Boy he wouldn’t believe how much I needed to hear those words,
’
she thought as she felt a
sharpness coming to her throat.
‘A Samedi, Claude’ she was close to tears again thanking God the children were now playing outside.

‘Until Saturday,’ he responded in English as he hung up.

Wondering if David was teaching Claude some English words, she wiped away her tears.

Saturday couldn’t come quicker for Lauren; she needed to be distracted and knew the Corvasieur household with their wonderful debates and
conversations
was the place to forget all her troubles. Gabrielle noticed on Thursday and Friday when they met that something was wrong and enquired but Lauren quickly changed the subject on each occasion not wanting to involve the family, she didn’t want to risk that.

When she entered the house the usual greetings commenced then David entered the scene;

Lauren was surprised and
a bit confused, ‘are you
still not filming in Italy?
’

Claude put his arm across David’s shoulders whispering to her that his quick visit was for moral support.

‘Brotherly love, eh!’ she whispered back to him
as she kissed David’s cheek
.

The night was exactly as she hoped it would be and soon feeling relaxed she joined in the discussions of the night, laughing and teasing.

‘I believe,’ David looked across to Lauren, ‘our baker boy has taken a liking to you,
Mon
Amie
.’

Jean-Pierre interrupted him saying that Lauren should not be teased about it but she reassured him that she was getting used to David and his little attempts at trying to embarrass her. With that comment there was a cheer from everybody at the table.

‘Well I’m glad you refused him,’ David continued as he scratched his head
and
grinning.

‘Oh yeah, why?’ Lauren didn’t know what he was going to say next while at the same time she gave Gabrielle a soft disapproving look for telling tales.

‘Why? You mean you didn’t tell her Maman? Oh La La!’ he leaned across the table whispering in Lauren’s ear, ‘he’s married.’

Everybody knew exactly what David said and burst out laughing. With
Emma
and Keith the only ones left out they barraged Lauren with questions, she just covered her eyes with her hand knowing David
once again
had one up on her.

‘
I’ll find a way to get my own back,’ she pointed her fin
ger at him and smiled saying, ‘o
ne day mister, one day.’

Helene
was as beautiful as Lauren thought noticing how Gabrielle w
as pleased with Claude.

Lauren was also delighted when
Helene
started talking English to her, ‘it’s essential for m
y work being in the travel agency
business, I deal with the executive sec
tor,’
Helene
informed her.

‘You’ll be handy to know for flights back to Ireland and maybe you can help me with my French!’ Lauren laughed nodding over in David’s direction, ‘he won’t help at all, teases too much.’

As the evening ended Lauren was in the hallway putting jackets on
Emma
and Keith and then stood up to get her own, David was standing there wearing his and holding Lauren’s.

‘And where do you think you’re going at this hour?’ she sternly asked him in English.

He was taken aback not expecting her to say anything like that, ‘I thought I would walk you home, it’s very late
Mon
Amie
.’

‘Yes, I know it is and you have a flight back to Italy at 10am. I think its bed you should be thinking about not walking me home and take that grin off your face David Corvasieur, your own bed!’ she blushed.

The children went back into the dining room to say their good-byes, David put his arm around her waist, serious for a chan
ge, ‘Maman is concerned for you
she said you haven’t been yourself the past couple of days, is everything alright?’

‘Yes of course I’m alright!’ she snapped, pulling away from him.

David
held his hands up in resignation saying ‘okay, okay,’ but insisted he was walking her home, determined that he was going to get to the bottom of it before the night was out, t
his was not the Lauren he knew and he had a feeling it was her dead husband causing this mood, it was similar to the night before he left for Italy.

As they walked up the hill, he made small talk but Lauren only responded with the odd word or two. When they got to the house he invited himself in for coffee as Lauren didn’t extend an invitation. Getting the coffee, he heard her snapping at the children as they were getting ready in their bedrooms. ‘Yep, something’s definitely up,’ he said aloud as he flipped the spoon in the air.

‘There is nothing wrong, David!’ Lauren was standing at the kitchen door and looking extremely tired and annoyed. He was ruining her plans and the last thing she wanted to do was talk to him, fearing she was going to
gi
ve in telling him everything.  H
e was developing a
talent for worming information from her
it would’ve been easier to refuse him any details over the phone
. Walking across to the fridge, she informed him that she didn’t want coffee
or tea
and lied saying ‘I’m getting a few headaches lately, nothing more.’

Not looking at him as she spoke, David knew she was lying and
was now
losing his patience, he hated secrets feeling that if he could share everything with her why the hell couldn’t she do the same. Why did she have to be so bloody independent! What was so wrong with sharing, she thrived on interacting with people and yet now was acting so self-contained, so bloody cautious.

Attempting to persuade her to talk a
gain he got nowhere, Lauren
casually shrugged repeating she was tired
as she pottered around the room tidying up and simply moving items from one corner to another
.

David
lost his cool, ‘right if you’re not prepared to accept my help; I’m not going to keep offering.’ Throwing the coffee cup in the sink, he stormed out not even saying goodbye.

As he stomped down the road he concluded that she would never open up to
him, it wasn’t worth the chase
after all he could have any pick of the crop. ‘It’s not as if she was the only woman left in this world, why should I continue!’ he shouted to no one in particular. As usual he entered his parent
’
s house through the back door, this time both Jean-Pierre and Gabrielle were waiting for him. By the surprised look on their faces he knew they weren’t expecting him back so quickly.

‘Well?’ Gabrielle asked.

‘Well what!’ he sounded frustrated and pointed in the direction of Lauren’s house, ‘That woman, that
crazy
Irish woman…
’ he turned back to his parents
they were staring at him astounded. 
‘
What am I doing, what am I going to say to them? Admit defe
at!
’
H
e thought for a second, there was an awkward silence, in the end he threw his hands up in the air telling them to forget about it, promptly leaving the kitchen for his bed.

Gab
rielle and Jean-Pierre stared
after him then at each other and burst out laughing. He was in love again they knew, but this time and probably for the first time he had a challenge on his hands, they were going to enjoy watching him do the chasing for a change.

‘Maybe this will make him appreciate their relationship more,’ Gabrielle was wiping away tears of laughter.

‘If it ever gets off the ground,’ Jean-Pierre chuckled.

‘It will,’ she replied, ‘I know it will.’  At first Gabrielle didn’t want anything to develop between David and Lauren, but now knowing how good they were for each other, how they were thriving, she changed her mind and would do anything to encourage it.

Jean-Pie
rre knew his wife’s thoughts, ‘n
ow Gabriell
e, you should know better I hope there
are
no plans running around in that mischievous mind of yours
.’

‘What? I haven’t done anything!’ she responded indignantly.

‘Not yet,’ Jean-Pierre got in the last word on the subject.

David began to strip off, flinging his clothes and shoes on the floor, with each item thrown he cursed. What do
they all take me for, a fool! R
egretting now that he lost his temper so quickly with Lauren he took it out on his
clothes,
then
he heard Claude and
Helene
gi
ggling in the bedroom next door
he threw one of his shoes at the wall.

‘Are you having a problem finding
your wardrobe, my dear brother?
’ Claude shouted.

David plopped down on the edge of his bed bursting into embarrassed laughter, how he loved returning home, being with his family.  Having the elite choice of living in Paris and here, two totally different lives and he enjoyed the variety. It suited his character both public and private, although he admitted that while in Italy he missed everybody so much he was considering making the Colombian film his last.

Lying back on his bed he thought about retiring, working on the farm with his family maybe writing his autobiography, Lauren could help him. Working with Lauren now that was an option he would greatly love, but now he didn’t know where he stood with her.  Was she leaving, who was this ex-boyfriend from Ireland? Did he give her an opportunity she couldn’t resist and now she felt guilty because of her friendship with us?  Ea
rlier he heard her comment to
Helene
about flights back to Irel
and.  M
aybe he should phone her abruptly
he sat up ‘Shit! My jacket!
My phone!
’ realisi
ng he left his jacket and cell
phone in Lauren’s. He thought for a minute,
‘
ahh well,
’
as he lay back down,
‘
I’ll just have to call to the house very early in the morning, maybe she won’t have a headache then,
’
he chuckled, his temper now abated and his mischievous sense of humour returning.