Time Changes

Part Nine

Alexis hated that she was living back at home; she had no option now but to wait patiently for her father to come home from Stockholm. Her anger at him hadn’t dissipated, if anything if was now merging with her anger at Peter and her father was slowly becoming enemy number one. She knew it wasn’t rational, and that everything wasn’t his fault, but she also knew if he hadn’t pulled her back from her trip, then she’d be overseas completely oblivious to Peter Marlow, and quite likely still a virgin. Whenever she thought like that her mind flashed to that turbulent night with him.

It was full of sensual and beautiful moments, then tinged with his rejection, his anger, him not wanting her. He’d promised her nothing, if anything he’d been perfectly honest that what was between them was transient. She was the one who’d rose tinted everything. She knew that. But it wasn’t the ultimate end to their fling that upset her; it was his childish behaviour, his reluctance to acknowledge her, deal with things. It was childish, and he was the preaching about being the adult in the situation. Oh the irony!

As usual, her mother was distracted. Rosa Carmichael was a beautiful woman, from her Mediterranean colouring to her indulgent curves. She was a homemaker, taking pride in creating a home that was welcoming, there was always the smell of something cooking, and she was as adept with pies and casseroles as she was with paella or fish. But her mother was also an idealist, she believed in the sanctity of marriage, she also was the last person that Alexis felt able to confide in at this time. Thankfully she had Henrietta.

Her Dad finally waltzed into the kitchen as she was making a sandwich; her mother was at church meeting and had as usual left the fridge well stocked.

"Lex!" he acknowledged her, heading for the fridge and a cold beer. "Can’t believe you didn’t hang around to see me! Bob said you held up the side! Nice one! I owe you."

When she turned on him, he was drinking gratefully from the bottle, his head tipped back, and she could see he looked tired. But she couldn’t process that, instead fury dropped like a red cloud over her vision, "see you? I should be in Acapulco, relaxing after a trek along the coast. Tomorrow I should be heading to the Yucatan peninsula, to visit Mayan relics. Instead I’m in my parents’ home, alone, as my father forced my hand over this holiday, pleading desperation, no one could save you but me! Then you turn up anyway!"

He shrugged, uncaring, "things change, I dealt with a crisis."

His disinterest only fired her anger even more; he had no care that he’d orchestrated her personal torment. "You could’ve told me, phoned me and told me that my ‘assignment’ was over. Instead you waltz in like that!"

"God Alexis, this is just life, get on with it! You stepped in; I was able to relieve you. Hell you had four days in Sweden for free!"

“Free? Do you have any idea how much the Mexico trio cost me? EVERYTHING I’d saved! That’s gone!”

Oliver laughed, “come on! You have to get over it! I’ll buy you another holiday; just let me know where you want to go!”

He made to leave the room, but she rushed to grab his arm, "get over it? How can I? Well this is the final straw. I thought that if you showed some remorse, apologised, then I might forgive you..." He guffawed loudly as a response, so she continued. "So that’s it, I’ve had it with you. I should’ve done this when you ruined my eighteenth birthday by cancelling my party so we could go to a conference in Paris, on what was it now? Economic trends in sport?"

He shrugged, her anger, disappointment, barely registering, "I’ll be in my office if you need me!" He was dismissing her like a child. The man who had insisted that she was the only one who could replace him at that conference was now dismissing her as a child. Just like Peter had. What was it with men and their contradictions?