Cecelia Ahern - If You Could See Me Now

A movement in the distance caught his eye and he sat to attention like a guard dog. A woman ran toward him, long brown hair floating behind her, her image blurring as the rain hit against the window and streamed down the glass.

It was her.

He dropped his cup and saucer to the floor and stood up, knocking his chair backward.

“Gráinne,” he whispered.

He grabbed his cane and moved as quickly as his legs would take him to the front door. Pulling the door open, he strained his eyes in the stormy night to see his wife.

He heard the sound of distant panting as the woman ran.

“Daddy,” he heard her say. No, she couldn’t be saying that, his Gráinne wouldn’t say that.

“Daddy,” he heard her sob again.

He was taken back twenty years by the familiar sounds. It was his little girl, his little girl was running home in the rain again and she needed him.

“Daddy!” she called again.

“I’m here,” he called quietly at first and then he shouted louder, “I’m here!”

He heard her crying, saw her opening the creaking gate dripping wet, and just as he did twenty years ago, he held out his arms to her and welcomed her into his embrace.

“I’m here, don’t you worry,” he soothed her, patting her head and rocking her from side to side. “Daddy’s here.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Entering Elizabeth’s garden on the day of her birthday was like entering the Mad Hatter’s tea party in Wonderland. She had one long table set out in the middle of the garden, decorated by a red and white tablecloth. Adorning the cloth was a huge array of plates, full to the brim with cocktail sausages, crisps, chips and dips, sandwiches, salads, cold meats, and sweets, covering every inch of the table. The garden had been pruned to an inch of its life, new flowers had been planted, and the air smelled of freshly cut grass mixed with the aroma of the barbecue in the corner. It was a hot day, the sky was an indigo color with not a cloud in sight, the surrounding hills were a rich emerald green, the sheep upon them like snowflakes, and Ivan felt the pain of having to leave such a beautiful place and the people in it.

“Ivan, I’m so glad you’re here.” Elizabeth came charging out of the kitchen.

“Thank you.” Ivan smiled, swirling around to greet her. “Wow, look at you.” His mouth dropped open. Elizabeth was wearing a simple white linen summer dress that contrasted with her dark skin beautifully; her long hair was lightly curled and hung down past her shoulders. “Give me a twirl,” Ivan said, still taken aback by her appearance. Her features had softened and everything about her seemed gentler.

“I stopped twirling for men when I was eight. Now stop gawking at me, there’s work to be done,” she snapped.

Well, not everything about her was gentler.

She looked around the garden, hands on her hips, as though she were on patrol.

“OK, let me show you what’s happening here.” She grabbed Ivan by the arm and dragged him toward the table.

“When people arrive through the side gate, they come over here first. This is where they collect their napkins, knives, forks, and plates and then they move along here.” She moved on, grabbing him by the arm and speaking quickly. “When they get here, you will be standing behind this barbecue, where you will prepare whatever they choose from this selection.” She displayed a side table of meats. “On the left is Soya meat, on the left is regular, do not confuse the two.”

Ivan opened his mouth to protest, but she held a finger up and continued. “Then, after they take their burger buns, they move on to the salad here . Please note that the sauces for the burgers are here .”

Ivan went to pick up an olive and she slapped his hand, causing it to drop back into the bowl. She continued, “Desserts are over here, tea and coffee here, organic milk in the left jug, regular milk on the right, toilets through the door on the left only, I don’t want them traipsing through the house, OK?”

Ivan nodded.

“Any questions?”

“Just one.” He grabbed an olive and popped it into his mouth before she had a chance to steal it from his grasp. “Why are you telling me all this?”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Because”—she wiped her clammy hands in a napkin—“I’ve never done this whole hosting thing before and seeing as you got me into this mess, I need you to help me.”

Ivan laughed. “Elizabeth, you will be fine, but my barbecuing food will clearly not help.”

“Why, don’t you have barbecues in Ekam Eveileb?” she asked sarcastically.

Ivan ignored her comment. “Look, you don’t need rules and schedules today, just let people do what they like, roam the garden, mingle with everyone, and choose their food themselves. Who cares if they start at the apple pie?”

Elizabeth looked horrified. “Start at the apple pie?” she spluttered. “But that’s the wrong end of the table. No, Ivan, you need to tell them where the queue starts and ends, I won’t have time.” She rushed toward the kitchen. “Dad, I hope you’re not eating all those cocktail sausages in there,” she called.

“Dad?” My eyes widened. “He’s here?”

“Yes.” She rolled her eyes, but Ivan could tell she didn’t mean it. “It’s just as well you weren’t here the past few days, because I’ve been up to my eyes in family secrets, tears, breakups, and makeups. But we’re getting there.” She relaxed for a moment and smiled at Ivan. The doorbell rang and she jumped, her face contorting into panic.

“Relax, Elizabeth!” Ivan laughed.

“Come around the side!” she called to the person at the front door.

“Before they get here, I just want to give you a present,” Ivan said, removing his arm from where it had been hiding behind his back. He held out a large red umbrella toward her and her forehead crumpled in confusion.

“It’s to protect you from the rain,” Ivan explained softly. “You could have done with this the other night, I suppose.”

Elizabeth’s forehead cleared as the realization set in. “That’s so thoughtful of you, thank you.” She hugged him. Her head shot up suddenly. “But how did you know about the other night?” She looked at him quizzically.

Benjamin appeared at the gate with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine.

“Happy birthday, Elizabeth.”

She spun around and her cheeks pinked; she hadn’t seen him since that day in the building site when Ivan had splattered her alleged love for him in large red letters across the wall.

“Thank you,” she replied, leaving Ivan’s side and making her way to him.

He held the gifts toward her and she struggled to find a way to take them with the umbrella in her hand. Benjamin spotted the umbrella and laughed. “I don’t think you’ll need that today.”

“Oh, this?” Elizabeth reddened even more. “This was a gift from Ivan.”

Benjamin raised his eyebrows. “Really? I’m beginning to think there’s something going on with you two.”

Elizabeth tried to keep on a brave face and didn’t allow her smile to waver. She wished.

“Actually, he’s somewhere around here, maybe I can find him.” She twisted herself around and scanned the garden, wondering why it was Benjamin found her so funny all the time.

“Ivan?” I could hear Elizabeth calling my name.

“Yes,” I replied, not looking up from helping Luke put on his party hat.

“Ivan?” she called again.

“Ye-es,” I said impatiently, getting to my feet and looking at her. Her eyes passed over me and she continued scanning the garden.