Islands of Sunset Valley – Chapter 9: Reunions
“You didn’t bring Deborah and Roland?” I asked, greeting mum and my sisters with a kiss on their cheeks and my father with a firm handshake before he pulled me into a hug.
“No, they’ve had a long flight,” dad said, “We left them at Chris’s place with the babysitter.” Dad, Lucy and Rosalie all took turns hugging Diana and Joshua. Julian stood back and watched the St Clair horde take over, so I introduced him.
“Mum, dad, Lucy, Rosalie, Chris this is Faith’s son, Julian Kalamia, Julian this is my mother Audrey, your mother’s cousin, my father Alastair, my sisters Lucy and Rosalie and my brother Christopher who you met earlier but I didn’t get the chance to introduce you.” I watched amused while Julian bowed low to my mother and sisters and shook my father’s and Chris’s hand. Then it dawned on me that Julian probably had the proper trait. The appreciative looks my sisters bestowed on the handsome teen fairy were not lost on my father.
“Come and meet Faith?” I said to my family guiding them through the front door. “Now don’t be surprised, this house is the Casa Blanco design but with Faith’s style.”
My mother looked at me curiously, “Chris has given us a quick run through on just about everything, but why are you glowing?” mum asked.
“It’s a fairy blessing called Flight of Felicity. I don’t know how long it’s going to last."
“It lasts for 24 hours,” Julian said.
My mother turned to me “I want a quiet word with you later.” That sounded ominous. I knew I was still in trouble for hanging up on her.
“I promise mum, we’ll have ample time to talk before the wedding. Come through to the kitchen, Faith and Jamie were there moments ago”, I said hoping she’ll cut me some slack.
Mum looked around and tears welled in her eyes. “We had this wallpaper in our house when I was growing up. Aunt Deb came to stay after the fire and she helped dad fix up the house. He said Aunt Deb loved this wallpaper. So Faith really is my Aunt Deb’s daughter?” mum asked. “Dad always said I looked like my aunt but I was too young to remember her. Will Faith like me?”
“Everybody loves you mum,” I replied. “Wait till you see her. She really is your Aunt’s daughter.”
“I feel terrible that I’d forgotten all about Aunt Deb. Dad said she met a fairy and eloped with him. We never heard from her again. When dad died I should have tried to make contact with her to let her know, but I was newly married and I had other priorities.”
“Mum I don’t think Faith will hold that against you.” I reassured her.
Just then Faith and Jamie walked into the hall and the blond and red-haired mirror images met for the first time. Faith and mum stared at each other then hugged for the longest time.
Faith was the first to speak, “You look just like mum,” she said tears of joy clouding her voice, “I wish I had her blond hair but instead I got Grandma Kalamia’s mop of red hair.”
“Oh don’t wish for blond hair,’ quipped Jamie. “The continuous eyebrow and eyelash tinting gets old really fast.”
Mum laughed and hugged her daughter-in-law too. “Oh Jamie, it’s so good to see you. Mitchell and Shelly are adorable. They must be a handful to balance along with your career.”
“Hey I need that career. With three kids and a husband underfoot all day, I need something to keep me sane.” She said with a laugh.
My dad couldn’t wait to hug my bride-to-be, “Oh Faith, I am so delighted to meet you. I do recall the Bakers, but sadly I never met your mother. Obviously my loss.”
“Thank you, that’s sweet of you to say so.” Faith blushed.
“All right then, people” Chris said, “I’m hungry, let’s eat.” Jamie lent over and whispered to her husband, “Were you able to get one?”.. Chris mouthed a reply which I interpreted to be ‘in the car’. What were those two up to?
Faith and I carried the prepared food out to the back patio. I looked around for Keith but he didn’t appear. “Faith, would you like me to find Keith?” I asked.
“Keith is very shy,” she said, “He will meet you all in his own time.”
The family sat down at the two tables. As we ate, Chris told our parents of our little scare with Diana and Joshua going missing and finding them here. “How did you know they were in the barn?” Chris asked me.
“Faith’s son Keith told us.” I answered. I turned to Faith, “How did he know?”
“He can feel their presence,’ she said matter-of-factly as if everyone could.
“Is he psychic?” my mother asked.
“He can’t read minds, if that’s what you thinking.” Faith replied. “He can feel the presence of others which is why he won’t share dinner with us tonight. So many people would overwhelm him.”
“Speaking of overwhelming. I want to know how Brandon went from spending every waking moment trying to resurrect his late wife’s ghost to asking Faith to marry him.” Chris interjected.
Everyone looked at me except Faith who looked at her plate and my sister Lucy who was engrossed in something on her Multitab. “I’ve given Agnes six long years to come back to me if she wanted to, but she hasn’t. Agnes was the love of my youth. That’s a part of my life I will cherish and never forget, but I can finally accept that it is now over. I’m alive and fate has given me a second chance at love. I’ve now found someone who makes me glad to be alive and I want to spend the rest of my days alive with her.”
“For some obscure reason, Faith loves me and I love her enough to take that chance and build a life together. Also,” I said ruefully, “If I’ve learned anything in my life, it’s never to underestimate the power of a determined woman.”
I obviously said the right words because everyone smiled.
“I’d like to propose a toast to Faith and Brandon,” Jamie said. “May you find happiness in your own fairytale romance and may all your troubles be little ones.”
Chris walked away after Jamie’s toast and eyed the wedding arch. I couldn’t guess what he was thinking but I didn’t need to. When I came back from putting away the excess food in the fridge, he nailed me coming out the door.
Chris said “I didn’t think you had it in you. Just so you don’t chicken out, I brought your suit. How about you two get married tonight with all the family gathered here so Joshua can have his birthday party tomorrow as planned?"
“I will if Faith wants to, but she may not have a suitable dress.” I replied.
“Nothing wrong with what she’s wearing. Why don’t you ask her?” Chris said.
“I have to face the Spanish Inquisition with mum first.” I said, “Do you know where she is?”
“She was sitting with dad in the terrace a few minutes ago.” he replied.
I found mum sitting alone in the small arched terrace off the dining room and sat beside her. “Oh Brandon,” she said. “I’m very happy to see you move on and find somebody to love again but are you really sure? You haven’t known each other long and you both have such a lot of baggage to clear. You obviously haven’t spent your time together talking much. You didn’t even know she was your cousin until after you proposed for heaven’s sake?”
“Mum, you once told me that dad had you at hello and you married dad the day after you met him. Well, Faith said she fell for me from hello and it took me only a while longer to realise how I felt.” I replied calmly. “Say what you want mum, but I love her and I’m going to marry her, no matter what.”
“Well I should hope so. I was worried when Nick Alto told me what you got up to in the theatre. I thought I raised you better than that, but I’ll forgive you that indiscretion when you marry her. You do know that fairies live more than twice your lifetime, and any children with Faith have a 50% chance of being fairies too, don’t you?"
“Yes, mum, I do and we’ll cross those bridges when we come to them. I’m sure we’ll meet a lot of challenges along the way but so long as we meet them together I’m sure we can make it.” I said.
“Good for you son,” dad said joining us. “Enough with the Spanish Inquisition Audrey, give the boy a break. Men in love do the daftest things, especially when they don’t realise it.”
“Thanks dad. I have one issue to raise with both of you. If neither of you have any objections, Faith and I will take the name Baker."
Dad said “I have no objections, Audrey?” dad looked at mum who shook her head, “Good that’s settled. I have a question for you. When you marry, are you moving here or will Faith and the children move to your house?”
“Diana’s keen to have a pet and there’s the barn here, so I think not moving here is no longer an option.” I replied.
“That’s good because your mother and I would be happy to take Sunny Point cottage off your hands.” Dad said. Chris joined us all on the terrace and looked pointedly at his watch.
“Are you going to stay in Sunset Valley now,” Chris asked.
“If we left Sunset Valley now, I’d have a mutiny on my hands. And I don’t mean just Julian. I’ve never seen the girls fuss and coo about Deborah and Roland the way they’re carrying on about Hope and Leon.” He nodded towards my sisters who I last saw chatting to Julian. I looked across to see Rosalie holding a small boy and Julian carrying the prettiest little fairy toddler. She was adorable with pink wings and blond hair tied up in yellow hair ribbons.
So this was the Hope that Faith spoke about. I thought she had been referring to the daughter we were going to have, not one she already had. I really don’t remember her saying anything about the toddlers but I probably wasn’t paying attention when she talked about them. But I recalled that yesterday she had needed a babysitter, which logically, she wouldn’t have needed if Keith and Julian had been her only children because they were both school age. Judging by their age they had to be Elias’s children. Mum’s right, Faith and I hadn’t talked all that much.
Suddenly I paled. An awful truth hit me. Those toddlers were probably right next door in the nursery when I woohooed with their mother this afternoon.
Twice! Moreover, while I may have been unaware of the toddlers’ existence, I knew of the existence of Keith and Julian who had probably been in the house or at least somewhere on the lot. What was I thinking? I know certain friends would admonish me for thinking with the wrong part of my anatomy and they would be right.
I don’t ever recall feeling so totally out of control with Agnes the way I have been with Faith. They are two very different women and Faith’s earthiness will take some adjustment. I’m also acutely aware that it takes two to tango. It didn’t matter to me that Faith knew her children were there. I’m the one who has to look at myself in the mirror every morning when I shave and I need to be able to at least tolerate what I see. So right now, I needed to marry Faith before I commit any further acts that would endanger my belief in my own moral code.
I looked for Faith but couldn’t see her. She wasn’t anywhere on the back patio. I last saw her in the kitchen so I headed indoors.
She was playing the grand piano. I listened to her play. She was playing the Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore which reflected the inner turmoil I was feeling. She looked up at my approach and stopped playing. I said, “Will you marry me right now, I can’t wait another second?”
“I thought you’d want to wait until tomorrow but, yes,” she replied, pressing her lips to mine. “I’ll marry you in a heartbeat. Do you want to change?” she asked.
“If you want me to?” Faith nodded and I asked, “Do you have something suitable. I guess I can wait until you go shopping or...”
She put her fingers to my lips “I have a dress that means a lot to me that I never thought I would ever wear.”
“Can you change in five minutes?” I asked
“More like fifteen” she replied.
“Make it ten” I countered
“Deal,” she said and went upstairs.
I went back out to Chris, “Okay where’s my suit?
“First bedroom up the stairs on your right,” he said.
“Our old room?” I said.
“The location is the same, the room is not,” he replied. “I’ll gather the family.”
Chris was right; this house is not Casa Blanco. Faith calls it Quantum. I read the Latin on the lintel and I’ll google it later to find its exact meaning.
I went into the room and saw it had a white and silver dandelion pattern which was very un-Casa Blanco. Also it didn’t have twin beds as our old room did but one double bed. The suit Chris had chosen was not my old red jacket suit that I worn since I aged up from a teen but a suit Agnes choose for me the day before she died.
I put the suit on feeling like a fraud. Chris can’t have known why I’d never worn this suit. Standing alone in the neat aesthetic room, I felt nearer to tears than I imagined. I looked skyward and said, “Agnes, if you’re listening, you will always be my first love. Thank you for loving me and thank you for giving me Diana. I will cherish your memory all the days of my life. But I am going to marry Faith. I love her and I will try to make her happy. I hope you will understand. Goodbye my dearest. Rest in peace."
And somewhere, maybe it was just my imagination, but I swear I heard the sound of someone running water into a bath and a deep sigh. Maybe it was the ocean behind the house or perhaps the rustle of leaves in the trees, but I’m sure I heard Agnes’s voice say ‘good luck and goodbye’. Feeling unnaturally calm and confident, I went downstairs to meet my bride.
Author's note: Vale Agnes. May you always rest in peace.
