Mom was devastated when Dad left, but I thought it was for the best. It had not come as any surprise to me that he'd been playing away, and I'm pretty sure Mom suspected he was cheating on her for some time. I knew he'd been seeing his office manager because I had seen them together on at least three occasions. When I saw them leaving a motel at four in the afternoon, I did not tell Mom; I knew she'd find out soon enough.
When Mom finally caught Dad red-handed, she told me, then hugged me so hard it took my breath away. With tears in her eyes, she asked me if I'd stay with Grandma for a while so she could sort things out.
"What do you mean 'sort things out'?" I asked.
"To be honest, I don't know. I'm unsure if it will be reconciliation or divorce; I suspect the latter.
"I'm sorry it's come to this, but he's done it once, Mom; he'll do it again."
"Yes, I guess so." Mom burst into tears and almost collapsed. I held her to me until she steadied herself, then helped her to a chair.
Eventually, Mom's tears eased off and her shoulders stopped trembling. When I asked if I could do anything to help, she said she wanted to be alone, and it was then she suggested I visit her Mom for a few days. I agreed and asked if she could call Grandma to explain the situation and the reason for my extended visit.
Grandma Vicky had lived in the city for over three decades with Grandpa, but when he died, she sold the property and permanently moved into their house at the beach. Of course, Grandpa had left everything to Vicky; hence, she had more than enough to modify the place how she wanted: A large tennis court, a vast swimming pool, and magnificent landscaped gardens. It was hardly a 'little cottage by the sea' any more.
If Jamie Lee Curtis had a twin sister, it would have been my grandma Vicky. Undoubtedly, one of her best features was the short salt-and-pepper hairstyle. She was slim, fit, and always dressed impeccably. I'm unsure if Jamie Lee is good in the kitchen, but Vicky is a great cook.
When the door opened, the unmistakable smell of Chanel Five hit me. It wasn't that she had applied too much of the perfume; it was because it was the same scent my mother used. "Hi, honey," Vicky said, hugging and kissing me on both cheeks.
I hadn't planned to talk about home but could not help saying, "I take it Mom's brought you up to speed about her and Dad?"
"She did. I hope your Dad's happy with that pregnant little tramp."
"Pregnant?"
"Yes. Didn't your Mom tell you?"
"No." I was stunned; it hadn't dawned on me that the girl was pregnant. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Wow," I replied, not knowing what else to say.
"Your Dad is such a fool; that girl he's banging is half his age."
"I didn't know that either. I've only seen her from a distance."
"Let's hope your Mom can escape from him soon. In the meantime, you can stay with me as long as you want to."
"Thanks, Gran."
Vicky released my shoulders and stepped back. "If you keep calling me Gran, it will make me feel old. Please, call me Vicky."
"Okay, Gran... sorry, Vicky."
She looked at me from head to toe like she hadn't seen me for months. "I'll make dinner while you clean up. I've made up the guest room. The wardrobe and drawers are empty, and there's everything else you might need in the bathroom."
After showering, I changed into clean jeans and a fresh T-shirt and joined Vicky in the kitchen. The smell of frying garlic and onions made my mouth water. "What are you making?"
"I'm making a spicy tomato sauce to spread on the spinach and ricotta cannelloni I prepared earlier. I hope you like Italian food?"
"Yep, I love it."
"In that case, pop into the wine cellar and select a nice Chianti to go with the meal. Leave it on the table after you've opened it, and let it breathe."
I disappeared into 'the wine cellar' β also known as 'a large cupboard under the stairs' in other homes. When I stepped through the doorway below the stairs, I scanned the long rows of wine along one wall: the top row held a variety of Chardonnays. The second was a selection of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Gewurztraminer. The third, fourth and fifth rows were all reds, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Chianti and various blends. There were over a hundred bottles of wine along the shelves, plus several unopened cases toward the back where I could see the underside of the stairs.
After picking a Chianti with the oldest date on the label, I returned to the dining room, placed the bottle on the table and called out, "Where can I find a corkscrew, Vicky?"
"Top drawer, right-hand side of the free-standing prep table."
After a quick rummage through the drawer, I found the corkscrew, opened the bottle and left it on the table with the cork alongside. The smell of garlic mixed with tomatoes and mushrooms made me hungry. "What's next?"
Vicky picked up the frying pan and stepped over to the preparation table. She smothered the cannelloni by pouring the sauce directly from the pan into the oven-proof dish that held the pasta tubes. They were soon submerged in the thick red liquid.
"You can make yourself useful, Ray. The grater's in that drawer; I need about two cups of Parmesan to cover this." Vicky pointed at the drawer below where I'd found the corkscrew.
As I grated cheese, Vicky retrieved two glasses from a glass-fronted display cabinet and then the bottle of Chianti from the table. "Have you tried Chianti before?"
"No, never."
"You're in for a treat."
Vicky poured two generous helpings, handed me one and said, "Cheers."
"Cheers," I replied, sipping the best wine I'd tasted for some time. Blueberry and chocolate flavours struck my tongue and made me drool, my mouth awash with saliva. "This is fantastic, Vicky."
"Yes, I thought you'd like it."
When we finished our wine, Vicky said, "Okay, Kiddo, dinner's ready." She opened the oven door, and the smells intensified. The Parmesan had melted across the cannelloni and formed creamy lines between the spinach and Ricotta-filled pasta tubes. We grabbed our plates of pasta and sat at the table.
Vicky looked at me as she was about to fork food into her mouth. "Tell me what's happening in your life, apart from your Mom and Dad splitting up."
"Well, I finished college a few weeks ago and started looking for employment. So far, no luck. I'll keep sending out my resumΓ©; maybe my luck will change."
"What about girlfriends? Are you sowing any wild seeds?"
"Vicky, please." I felt the warmth flush my cheeks.
Vicky smiled; she seemed so excited for a moment, and then what appeared to be disappointment crossed her face. "You're not gay, are you?"
"No," I said impatiently.
"Hey, take it easy, Tiger. I've nothing against gay people; I'm only asking to find out if you're sexually active or in a relationship. Please don't take offence."
"I'm sorry, Vicky. I haven't taken offence. And, to answer your question: Yes, I have an occasional girlfriend, but nothing permanent. I'd like more, but they're not always available. I like sex. There you go, I said it." I couldn't help it; I laughed, and Vicky laughed even harder.
"What about tennis?" The speed she changed subjects made me shake my head and smile again.
"We were talking sex and girlfriends; what does tennis have to do with it?"
"I'm only asking you if you still play tennis; if you do, maybe we can play in the morning?"
"There's nothing I'd like better than a set of tennis with my very fit, good-looking Grandma." Vicky grinned like a teenager.
When we had finished the cannelloni, Vicky stepped over to the refrigerator and returned with a bowl of fresh fruit salad. She placed it on the table before retrieving a tub of ice cream from the freezer.
"Wait till you try these raspberries, Ray; they are to die for."
I tried the raspberries, the ice cream and all the other fruits on the plate, which were delicious. When our spoons returned to the table, I said, "That was fantastic; thanks for a great meal."
"Yeah, I enjoyed it too, and before I forget, I should mention that you're my favourite grandson, too."
"I'm your only grandson."
Vicky reached across the table and touched my hand. "I know; that's why your my favourite."
The wine had made me feel a little dizzy, so I returned Vicky's smile and said nothing.
"I guess we'd better clean up and have an early night if we're going to play tennis in the morning. Agreed?"
"I'd like to try more from your wine collection, but I suppose an early night is sensible."
The following morning, I woke up to the sun and wandered around Vicky's house and the surrounding area. I found a bar I'd never seen before, hidden behind a double doorway in the lounge's back wall.
Obviously, I'd been to Grandma and Granddad's beach place many times but never looked around in any detail. While Vicky slept, I thought I'd check out the garage. It had internal access, enough room for two cars, and plenty of storage around the walls.
I saw a bright red Honda four-wheel drive motorbike against the furthest wall. Granddad had been a keen fisherman and installed a wooden tackle box above the rear mudguard for all his fishing gear. I sat on the bike to try it out. The seat was much wider than I expected, and a smaller second seat behind this finished where the tackle box began. I looked around the rest of the garage and saw Vicky's new Audi. It was white and shiny, but I liked the Honda better.
Vicky eventually caught up with me as I returned from the beach. It had been windy down by the water, and I felt sure my hair was sticking up like a cockerel. As I broke the tree line and walked over the lawn toward the house, Vicky called, "Are you ready for breakfast, Ray?"