What say you? We know each other well enough to be completely honest, so if your reaction is – Are you out of your mind? Bugger off, you daft old idiot, then say that. But if any of this appeals, let’s get together and discuss practicalities. I’ve given it a great deal of thought. I think it could work.
I’ll call in a couple of days.
Yours respectfully and hopefully,
Lawrence
X
PS: If nothing else, if we did shack up together, it would at least put a stop to my friends trying to pair me off with their single/widowed/divorced friends. I really cannot do another one of those awkward dinner parties.
His letter made me smile. He was one of my oldest friends, as well as Michael’s. I’d always liked him, not fancied him, nor he me, but I did enjoy his company, his dry sense of humour. Like Michael, he had a fine mind, was kind and was a true gentleman. He’d make a great travelling companion.
Two days later, I picked up the phone and dialled his number. ‘Deal,’ I said. ‘Friends who live together.’
I could feel him grinning at the other end of the phone. ‘Friends.’
For the first time since Michael had died, I felt a glimmer of hope for the future. I went into the kitchen to make a celebratory coffee and there on the floor was a large white feather. OK, so yes, the wind might have blown it in but, as with the kamikaze pigeon, the timing was uncanny. I smiled as I picked it up. I felt Michael was nearby, watching over me, urging me to go ahead.
Chapter Fifty-One
Sara
Present day, May
The aeroplane landed at Cape Town International Airport to a cheer from the passengers, and soon we were up, gathering our belongings and filing towards the exit sign. As the door opened, we were hit with a blast of heat as if someone had opened a hot oven.
‘Sunshine, yay!’ said Jo as she got out her sunglasses and we began to alight onto the tarmac where a bus was waiting to take us to the main building.
After the usual queues for passports and luggage, we were finally on our way into town. Lisa had been very quiet on the flight out and was now dozing in the back of the taxi. Despite her confident mask, I could see the vulnerable little girl inside, unsure about how meeting Mitch would be and what she’d feel.
After dumping our bags and a quick shower at our hotel, Jo and I headed off to Mitch’s. She’d wanted to come and meet us at the airport, but Lisa wanted to meet her in a more private space, so the plan was that Jo and I would go out in the first instance and Ally and Lisa come out later.
Our journey from the hotel in Constantia took us through the most stunning countryside, away from the coast and mountains towering behind us, and it felt wonderful to have the car window down and a gentle warm breeze blowing through. I wondered how to be and whether to bring up our past, or would it be inappropriate? Today was all about Mitch meeting Lisa. All the same, it felt as if a lot needed to be said and the air to be cleared.
We’d been in the car about an hour when Jo pointed. ‘There it is.’ We looked to our left to see a sign saying ‘Rainbow’s End’. Our driver turned into the drive and soon we could see through trees in front of us, an old white board house built in the Dutch style with a veranda at the front. There, at the top of the steps, was Mitch, dressed in a simple blue linen dress, her hair caught up at the back.
As soon as she saw us, her face lit up. ‘There you are!’ she said as she came forward with a big smile on her face. She looked more relaxed than last time when we’d had our FaceTime call. Understandable. We’d sprung a lot on her. Jo embraced her first, then it was my turn to give her a long hug.
‘Look at you two, you’ve hardly changed.’
‘Hah, well that’s rot for a start, but you?’ said Jo. ‘You look fantastic.’
‘So do you. Come in. God, where do we start? How are you? How was your journey? I’ve been counting the days, the hours.’
‘My lord, you landed on your feet,’ said Jo as she took in the tropical garden and fields stretching out behind, mountains in the distance. ‘This is like Out of Africa.’
Mitch laughed. ‘Well, we are in Africa so that’s hardly surprising. I know. I’ve been very lucky – mainly in meeting Rob and his family, who embraced me as one of their own. This has been a fantastic place for the boys to grow up. Rob will be back later. He took himself off into town with the dogs to give us some space. Want to look around?’
‘You bet,’ I said.
As we walked around the grounds, we did a bit more catching up. It was great to see Mitch in her environment, clearly happy, clearly self-sufficient, but I sensed that there was still a tension between us and, despite Mitch’s warm greeting, part of her was reserved.
‘Strange,’ she said, after showing us a large vegetable and herb garden, ‘after growing up in a city, as we all did, I found I love the countryside and don’t miss the urban life at all. I’ve become a real country girl. My days here are tending the land, walking the dogs, reading, swimming, horse riding.’
‘Sounds idyllic,’ I said.
‘A girl after my own heart,’ said Jo, ‘though not the horse riding part. But back home I have some land, nothing like
