Page 72 of A French Affair
A Year Later
Belinda returned to Devon the week after the party and official reopening of Camping dans Le Fôret. Before she left, Alain took her as promised to the cemetery and she said her goodbyes to her dad. As well as placing two white potted roses on his grave, one from her and one from Chloe, she also put a pot of daisies in the middle for her mami. Now Belinda lives in Brittany, she visits the grave once a month and tends the flowers.
Nigel told her not to worry about working a month’s notice, just empty her flat and get organised for her new life in Brittany with Alain.
Chloe received the news that her mum was returning to Brittany and Alain with a grin. ‘I knew that was going to happen. You looked so right together when I was there. I’m so pleased for you. And when we get to the Vendée, you’ll both be just up the road.’ Belinda didn’t point out that it was in fact a couple of hundred miles up the road, but at least it would be the same country.
Alain had the first group of children to stay at the campsite in September at the end of the season. This year, there are plans for at least six group visits.
Bernie still lives on the campsite and there are no plans for him to move. In fact he is helping Belinda with her Breton language skills.
Enzo’s cottage now belongs to Belinda. Currently it was standing empty. The plan was for Belinda and Alain to renovate and decorate it during the coming winter when the campsite closes, and live there out of season. A plan Belinda is surprisingly happy about.
Helena died within nine months of Enzo. Just a week before she passed away, Belinda was surprised to receive a short letter from Helena asking her to visit. ‘There are things that need to be said’ was the cryptic sentence at the end of the letter.
Belinda agonised for hours over whether she should go to see Helena. What could it possibly achieve? In the end she’d gone out of the kindness of her heart not knowing what to expect. It had been a strange feeling driving up the lane to the smallholding and parking outside her former home.
The door had simply been pulled to and Belinda pushed it open and walked in, calling out ‘Hello’. Helena had been sitting at the kitchen table waiting for her.
‘Good of you to come,’ she’d said, indicating a chair. ‘I wasn’t sure you would.’
Belinda had sat and waited for Helena to speak.
‘Although he knew he was dying, Enzo was a happy man for the last weeks of his life,’ Helena had told her. ‘Your mother was the love of his life, not me, and he adored you. Seeing you again meant everything to him.’ She’d taken a deep breath then. ‘I’m ashamed to say it was me who kept the two of you apart. I was the one who lied and convinced him you didn’t want to have any contact with him.’
Belinda had nodded. ‘I’d finally worked that out for myself. Sadly your actions made three people desperately unhappy and I’m not sure you were particularly happy either. Life could have been so different. I hope you aren’t asking me to forgive you, because I can’t.’ She’d given Helena a compassionate look before she stood up to leave. ‘But I do feel truly sorry for you.’
There was nothing more she could bring herself to say to Helena, who was clearly an ill woman, and she’d quietly left, closing the door behind her.
BREAKING NEWS:
Earlier today, Belinda and Alain, with Chloe, Max and the twins, joined Fern’s daughters and their families, Anouk, and four cousins of Scott, to celebrate the marriage of Fern and Scott in the village Mairie.
Their reception is now underway in the newly refurbished campsite restaurant. Fern insisted it was the only place she wanted to hold it. Fabian, Carole and their family have joined them with other local friends.
Scott is soon going to whisk Fern away on a secret honeymoon, and Anouk and Lady are going to stay in the cabin next to Bernie so that Alain and Belinda can keep an eye on them both. The newly-weds have had their first dance together and are now planning on slipping away and leaving everyone to party, but first Fern is determined to throw her bouquet.
Her aim is good and Belinda catches it easily. Alain leans in and whispers something in her ear. She turns and is heard to say, ‘Maybe next year.’
