A Summer of Discovery

Chapter Twenty Six

At eleven thirty aunt Caroline arrived with Sidney and Marie followed by Jane's best friend Claire who had brought Mrs.'s Clayton from her nursing home, I met them at the door with a tray of drinks in hand.

"Hey Aunty Caroline" I said kissing her rosy cheeks as she passed. "I have questions Emery about that engagement party so don't be hiding away from me" she trailed off as she entered the lounge. Sidney threw me a smile and Marie didn't look up from her cell phone. I rolled my eyes and returned my attention to Mrs's Clayton as Claire helped her up the steps to the front door. As soon as she clocked me in the door her face lit up, she had come in a beautiful cream trouser suit with a salmon pink scarf around her neck.

"Emery Randolph do my eyes deceive me or are you home for the holidays?"

"I'm home Mrs.'s Clayton" I say placing down the tray of drinks and reaching out to hug her. She smelt of roses, her favorite scent. I inhaled the sweet notes and released her from my arms.

"I'm so sorry about the engagement party you were so kind to let us use your home and then I messed it up"

"Oh honey don't worry these things happen. It ended up being an amazing farewell to the Manor and to the Forrester estate."

"It was a riot" Claire piped up behind her. "Best party in this town in decades...ooh is that wine" she asked gesturing to the tray beside me.

"Yes here take a glass" I said lifting the wine by its stem and releasing it into Claire's pinched grip. "Go make yourself a home"

She pushed on past leaving me standing with Mrs.'s Clayton who was listening to the voices coming from inside the lounge.

"Do I hear my dear Lilly?" she asked resting her eyes on mine.

"You do. She's here with the kids and her date, Karli. Although don't mention that part maybe...I don't think she's out yet"

I looked down as I felt the squeeze of Mrs.'s Claytons hand on my arm "That just won't do. Why on earth aren't you two together? Emery dear I'm allowed to say this as I'm old and it can easily be put down to dementia but you two need your heads banging together. You are both so scared that it's too late or worried how it will affect everyone else that you are...excuse my language...fucking the entire thing up. Why is Lilly with someone else?"

I took a deep breath. "I chose Lucy...then everything turned to crap and I went back to New York alone." I blurt after a brief pause.

"Why didn't you call Lilly?" She asked leaning back on the door frame.

"I couldn't. I was in love with Lucy. I couldn't just get over Lucy that quickly like she was nothing to me and to be honest why would Lilly want to be with me now? After I picked Lucy? It's clear she's finally moving on and she's even admitted her sexuality to herself. I don't want to come back into her life and take away all that progress. Mrs.'s Clayton I love her...enough to let her go if it means she's finally living her life out and proud...and happy...she's happy."

Mrs.'s Clayton removed a hankie from her pocket and wiped the tears that had fallen down my cheeks without me knowing. "I understand Emery, I really do but you underestimate yourself dear. You underestimate Lilly and how much she adores you and most of all you underestimate your ability to complete her, to complete each other. The problem with this girlfriend of hers is that she's not you and that will be evident to Lilly the longer she's with her and she won't be happy. I'm old I know this stuff. Now let me in so I can get a good look at this girl"

"Go ahead" I say moving aside to let her pass.

The bright red of Pops truck catches my eye as I'm about to shut the door, I push it back open and move down the steps watching the truck as it mounts the drive way pulling to a stop at my feet. Pops opens the passenger side door.