Lucy sat across the desk from John addressing invitations. “How many do you have to mail out?”
“I have eleven. That’s Mum’s side of the family plus Dad’s sister. I can get most everyone else at church. And you?”
Lucy took the pile and counted. “Sixteen. Five of the cousins from Boston plus my west coast cousins. But only the ones I’ve met. Grandfather was the fourth of seven kids and he’d be ninety-six if he was still with us. He was eighty-nine when he passed away.”
John nodded. “I forgot. Your mother was what… forty-three when you were born?”
Lucy shrugged. “Just past her forty-fourth birthday. She just turned seventy-three.”
“So the cousins?”
“I expect that only Harry will show up. She’s pretty eccentric.”
“Harry?”
“My youngest aunt’s youngest girl. Harriet. She doted on Grandfather and I lived with her when I went to Queen’s for first year. She got an artist in residence position in Utah before I started second year. She’s an iconographer by training but she uses it mostly to do Picasso school abstracts with lots of gold leaf and bright colours. She’ll love the basement although she’d probably ask if she can spruce up the columns with gold leaf or something.”
John asked the question that was bothering him. “And from the Wilkinson side?”
Lucy shook her head. “I only have one actual name and that’s my half-sister. I got sixteen different possibles for a Ginny Wilkinson in England, if she’s still there, and none for Lady Regina Wilkinson. Just Lady Regina comes up with pages of hits from all over and I don’t know enough to filter it. She might be married and using her husband’s last name.”
“Why don’t you send her an invitation care of your favourite English lawyer?”
Lucy huffed. “I got a notarized copy of the marriage license. It was very strange to see my father’s signature on the license application and in the marriage registry book. Charles Rupert Peter Lansdowne Wilkinson. I did find a few newspaper articles from the time period around his death where he’s referred to as Lord Peter Wilkinson, but I couldn’t find a long form obituary that listed the names of his next of kin.” She paused. “I’ll send the invitation and ask that they forward it to Lady Regina. I’ll include the copy of the marriage certificate and my short form birth certificate. The Nova Scotia registry office says it takes three to five weeks to get a copy of the long form certificate. I only have the short form because I only needed that one for my passport.”
John reached into the bag from the post office. “Okay then. Time for stamps.”
They made quick work of attaching the stamps then John said, “Thanks for starting to sort the paperwork. Diana will be very pleased.”
“You’re welcome. I have to speak with her myself. I’ll need some advice on my landscaping contracts.”
“She’s very good at that sort of thing. I expect that it would be the same as the consulting contracts I get. Until you’re ready to hire other people or set up your own operation it should be pretty simple.”
“Walt seemed happy to get the design for the big lawn.”
“I think the next year, five year and fifteen year sketches really sold the design. You have a real talent for that sort of thing.”
Lucy felt a flush of pleasure at John’s praise. “I know how things grow and what they ought to look like at various stages.”
“His wife gushed when she saw the sketches of the rose gardens. And Walt is excited to have a flat area close to the dock where he can build a gazebo and patio to entertain clients.”
“And I’m happy because the amount of lawn is cut by more than two-thirds and what’s left will be much flatter so Colin won’t have to use very much fertilizer.”
“I thought you said that mixing sand in will also help.”
“That’s just me being sneaky. Fortunately Walt isn’t balking at the extra cost. Adding sand to the clay will help lighten everything so that more of the fertilizer goes into the soil not the lake.”
John looked serious. “How does it feel to put some of your training to use?”
Lucy thought before answering. “I’m going to have to interview my clients to see if they have the same concern for conservation that I do or at least an open mind like Walt and his wife. But it does feel really good to know that I can design something beautiful that helps conserve our waterways at the same time.”
“You should get some more calls soon. Walt has been singing your praises to other cottagers in the area.”
“Colin can only do a couple of big projects at once.”
“But some of the cottagers love to garden. It’s possible that they’ll pay you for a design where they can do the work themselves.” John looked out the window. “Speaking of which, you should probably consider a garden design for the house. I haven’t done very much with it and it will be good advertising for you.”
Lucy stood. “Then let’s go, husband to be, and look at our garden. Maybe I’ll try for a heritage look given that we don’t have to be so concerned with run off.”
“I’m certain that whatever you design will be almost as lovely as you are.” John came around the desk to give her a hug.
Lucy rested her head on John’s shoulder conscious of the strong arms surrounding her and the firm bulge containing her daughter resting against his belt buckle. She sighed and relaxed into the embrace feeling warm and protected.
“Hey, Lucy. How about a refill?” Dick Fogerty held his cup aloft and the rest of the gang followed suit.
Lucy walked over to the coffee maker and checked the clock. 9:58. “You’re cutting it fine this morning, Dick.”
“That clock is fast, anyway.” One of the other men said, “My watch says it’s 9:35.”
Dick said, “Stu, that watch has said 9:35 since Diefenbaker was Prime Minister. You should get it fixed.”
Lucy poured the coffee for the gang and asked, “Any of you need dessert?”
“Naw, we just wanted an excuse to call you over and look at that ring on your hand.”
Dick said, “Is it that big man who came by a few weeks ago? He was sure looking at you like you were the best thing that ever happened to him.”
“John? Well, I don’t know about that but he’s the best thing that’s happened to me.”
Barry said, “Sounds like a Gladys Knight song to me.”
Stu snorted. “Aw don’t get all sappy there, Barry.”
Jessie came wandering over. “Are you done flirting with the help, you old geezers?”
Frank said, “Not by a long shot, Jess. But now that you’re here I can flirt with you. You still stuck on that loser in the kitchen?”
“You better behave yourself. Alec has a whole rack of sharp knives in there.”
“And you have a sharp tongue. I don’t know which is scarier, Jess.”
Dick looked at the now noticeable bulge pushing out the front of Lucy’s uniform. In a serious tone he asked, “Your man. He’s okay with the baby?”
Lucy smiled and patted her bulge. “He says yes. And I believe him. You should see him with his sister’s twins. He’s a dad in waiting.”
Lonnie asked, “And he’s a good provider?”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “When did you guys appoint yourselves to be my grandfathers?”
Dick looked sheepishly at Jessie. “Did we do something wrong?”
Jessie grinned at the gang. “Work it out among yourselves. Lucy, take a break and entertain these guys. I’ll bring you some tea and breakfast.”
Stu asked, “Still can’t eat fatty stuff first thing in the morning? Like me?”
Lucy sighed. “I don’t suppose there’s any secrets around here.” Then she walked around the table and kissed each of the four men on the cheek. “Thank you all for caring about me.” Then she pulled up a chair and told them about her very successful master mason fiancé and invited them to the wedding.
On Monday evening Lucy checked her email while John was makin
g supper. There was an email from Friday with an attached ‘No Prejudice’ .pdf letter from a law firm.
She opened it and read it then joined John in the kitchen.
“You look pensive. Is everything all right?”
“No. Not really. I just got a ‘no prejudice’ offer from Gillian’s lawyer asking to meet to see if we can clear up our ‘misunderstanding’.
John frowned. “It’s more than a misunderstanding.”
Lucy sighed. “I know. She’s apparently offering to reinstate me, recognize my ‘co-authorship of the published papers and fast track my thesis defense.”
“What’s your gut feel?”
“I think she’s panicking. Unless she’s been made head of the department she has no authority to reinstate me and the rest is just ludicrous. I’d have to write a new thesis because the bulk of the work is already published and even on a fast track I’d need to come up with a new topic and spend two more years doing the research. I’d rather defend my original thesis.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to forward this to my lawyer and tell her to say no thank you for me. My first reaction was to write a two word response but I’m trying not to use that kind of language anymore. Natalie will be much more polite.”
John’s eyes crinkled. “I see. Have you received any other word about the investigation?”
“Only that the university has to make a decision by tomorrow afternoon. If Gillian is let go they need to have someone ready to teach her sections by next Monday. It will be a scramble for them to cover her schedule.”
“Enough talk about serious stuff. What movie am I taking you to tonight to finish off our most interesting long weekend?”
Lucy walked up to John and pulled his head down for a kiss. “It has been a good long weekend even if we didn’t get very much time alone. Between your sister and Phyllis on Saturday and the church picnic yesterday I think I’ve only gotten about five kisses from you in almost three days. I’m feeling deprived.” She gave him another kiss then she reached into the pocket of her smock and pulled out a Blu-ray disc and held it up for his inspection.
“The A-Team? Are you serious?”
“You have popcorn and Seven Up and a really comfortable sofa.” Then she put her arms around his neck. “And the most kissable lips it’s been my pleasure to encounter.” She looked meaningfully at him and said, in a low voice, “And a really comfortable sofa.”
His eyes grew wider and a look approaching panic crossed his face.
Lucy took pity on him. “I’m not looking to have my way with you tonight. And I’m sure my daughter will remind us if we go too far.”
John said, in a light but serious tone, “Our daughter.”
Lucy pulled his head down and kissed him while tears of joy began to streak her face. “Oh, John…”