Conversation moved to ice hockey, a sport they’d both enjoyed over the years. Nate had played for a time but preferred to watch it now and shout at the television when things didn’t go the right way for his team, the New York Rangers. Jack liked to rile him up, particularly because he followed the New Jersey Devils … whenever their two teams were up against one another, Julia couldn’t stand to be in the same room as the men. Too much testosterone for her liking, she claimed.
Julia emerged from the bedroom and settled the phone back into its cradle. She perched on the arm of Nate’s chair and he rested his hand on her thigh. ‘The maze is looking great, Jack. And people in town have already been asking about it.’
‘That’s a good sign.’
‘You’ve worked hard, man, we owe you,’ said Nate.
Jack dismissed the compliments. ‘You’re the ones who’ve done me a favour. Working outside, getting rid of my pent-up city frustration has been a godsend.’
‘How’s Kent?’
‘His usual self.’ He knew he wouldn’t get away with the flippancy. ‘He’s hungry to find new premises and open up another retail outlet which apparently will take us to the next level. And he’s still smoking those jerk-off cigars.’
‘They’re not so bad.’ Nate laughed until Julia shot him a look. ‘Don’t get your panties in a twist. I didn’t say I smoke them. Couldn’t afford them even if I wanted to.’
‘He’s always liked the finer things in life,’ Jack went on. ‘But since Mom died it’s as though he can’t stop himself. If he has expensive wine and champagne he needs to know it’s the best, he buys new suits when he has a dozen of them already, he buys pieces of furniture he doesn’t need because they’re “the thing to have”. He even has his fair share of women.’
‘You know it’s better than him moping around.’ Julia sat on the raised hearth by the fire and stretched out her hands to warm them. ‘Imagine if he sat around depressed every day. You’d hate it.’
‘I know. God, I’m awful.’
‘That wasn’t what I meant exactly. It’s just that perhaps he’s coping in his way and you cope in yours, and for some reason neither of you are meeting in the middle.’
Jack grinned and pointed to Julia as he looked at Nate. ‘She’s way too clever for you.’
‘Don’t I know it?’ Nate blew Julia a kiss. Domestic bliss was beginning to feel like a fairy tale to Jack, something in which he’d never play a starring role.
They talked some more about Jack’s mother. Julia’s antennae had shot up at Jack’s negativity about his father, as he’d known it would.
‘Does your father talk about your mother much?’ she asked.
Jack shook his head. ‘Only occasionally, but then it’s the briefest of comments before he’ll change the subject.’ Whenever Cynthia’s name was mentioned, Jack would notice his father’s demeanour change and he’d wonder how much he still hurt inside, how much he’d buried so deep that the surface showed no ripples of grief any more. He longed to talk to his father about his mother, smile about her, even laugh, but his father was closed to conversation about the woman who still meant so much to both of them.
‘Well, you and your father need to somehow get on the same page, Jack, and to do that you need to talk to him, tell him how you feel.’ Julia hesitated. ‘Tell him why you come up here, Jack. That’d be a start. I wouldn’t mind putting money on the fact that you tell him you’re coming to see Nate and he thinks you’re in it for the men’s camaraderie, the bonding, the talk of women and sport. I bet he has no idea you’re really coming for the farm, the setting, the escape.’
‘I can’t, Julia.’
‘Why not?’ This from Nate who shared his fiancée’s opinion, Jack knew.
‘Because it was my mother’s dream. The Diamond Touch was the empire her love and talent started. Without the business, she’s really gone.’
Julia came over to Jack’s chair and crouched down at his feet, looking up at him. ‘And what about your dreams, Jack? What’s happening to them?’ She patted his hand, and as she made her way over to the kitchen area and opened the fridge, said, ‘Just promise me you’ll think about it.’
He agreed and Julia brought dips, breadsticks and torn up pitta breads back to the living room.
‘We’re thinking of starting up the carriage rides and sleigh rides.’ Nate scooped up a globule of red pepper hummus with the end of a breadstick.
Jack sat up. ‘First I’ve heard.’
‘Julia’s sister still keeps the horses in the field closest to town and she’s a whiz at training them. They’ve been at halter, even in the harness, and they’re almost ready.’
‘We’ll need a decent carriage and a sleigh,’ Julia added, a piece of pitta in hand, ‘but it might have to wait until next year. Maybe the maze will raise the profits a bit and we’ll have a good summer with the fruits.’
Jack beamed. ‘Well, if anyone can get there, it’s you two.’
Nate changed tack completely. ‘I forgot to ask. How was last night’s party?’
‘It was pleasant enough.’
