Page 73 of The Summer Swap

Todd shook his head, as if he was trying to reconcile this version of his grandfather with the version he knew. “You fell in love.”

“Yes. Deeply in love. I was willing to sacrifice anyone and anything so that we could be together. I imagined us living this life forever. I didn’t imagine anything would ever change. I had unrealistic expectations of relationships I think.” She turned pink. “I can’t believe I just said that aloud to my grandson.”

“I’m pleased you did. I want to understand,” Todd said. “You don’t have to sugarcoat things for me. I’m old enough to know that all relationships, even good ones, can be complicated.”

“Still, he was your grandfather. And I did love him very much. I don’t want you to think I didn’t. Many relationships hit bad patches and of course there are some circumstances when it’s probably best to walk away, but the danger of giving up is that you miss the good. And there was so much good. The truth is our years together were extraordinary. I was lucky to have him in my life. Talking to Seth reminded me of that. And I needed reminding.” She paused. “And Cameron was lucky to have me. And he knew that.”

Todd nodded. “Were he and Seth friends?”

“They knew each other, but friends? No.” Cecilia shook her head. “That was partly because of me of course, but also because they were so different. Seth was everything Cameron aspired to be. Confident, sure of himself. He didn’t have Cameron’s burning need to prove himself to everyone.”

“If Seth hadn’t ended it, do you think you would have stayed together?”

Cecilia was silent for a long moment. “I don’t think so. Not back then. We wanted different things. We were different people. The person I was then needed Cameron. I admired his ambition. I respected his desire to be the very best he could be.”

Lily swatted an insect away from her arm. “And this is the first time you’ve seen Seth in ages?”

“Yes. After all this time it felt like something I needed to do. I have no idea why. Maybe I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t been trying to work out who I could show your paintings to.”

“Was it difficult?”

“The idea of it was more difficult than the reality. I wasn’t sure what his response would be, but he was just Seth. In some ways he hadn’t changed at all.” Cecilia gave a half laugh. “But of course we both have. None of us can stay the same person we were at twenty. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say we’re a different version of ourselves.”

Lily was intrigued. “You were gone all day.”

“We went for a picnic on the beach. It was delightful.”

Todd frowned. “Should Lily and I be worried? He broke your heart once before. Should we be asking him his intentions?”

Cecilia smiled. “You should not. I can handle this.”

“In that case you should invite him over,” Todd said. “Lily and I can occupy ourselves somewhere. We will take a long walk on the beach. Or we can go out for a meal and give you the run of the place.”

Lily nodded. “Definitely. Or we could just hide in the closet. Not make a sound.”

Todd grinned and Cecilia turned pink.

“I don’t know what you’re both thinking, but—”

“We’re thinking that you deserve some fun and happiness, Nanna.” Todd eyed the flowers. “Did he used to come to the cottage?”

“No. This was our place. Cameron and mine. In the early days of our relationship, we lived here. And it was a blissful, perfect time.” Cecilia was distracted. “Then Cameron was discovered and our lives changed. Suddenly he was in demand. And as his career took off, I became pregnant. After the children arrived, we used this place as a weekend escape occasionally.”

“But then you stopped coming here altogether.” Todd frowned. “I suppose you were busy.”

“We were busy, but that wasn’t why I didn’t come here.” Cecilia paused. “The place ceased to be special.”

There was a long silence.

Lily caught Todd’s eye.

She sensed they were close to getting an answer to the question that had been nagging at her since before Cecilia had arrived at the cottage that night. Why had such a special place been empty for so long?

Cecilia put her hands on the table. “Cameron had an affair, you see.” Her voice shook slightly and the look she gave them was uncertain, as if she wasn’t quite sure that she was doing the right thing by telling them. “Here. In our special place. In the bed that had been ours alone. And after that it ceased to be special. I never came here again.”

There was a tense silence.

“Nanna—” Todd reached across the table and took her hand.

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