The Gift of a Charm Read online

  Karen’s mouth dropped open.

  ‘Greg…’ she said breathlessly.

  ‘I wanted to do something special for you, to show you just how dedicated I am to us, and how committed I am to our relationship. I know that there have been some big changes recently, but we have been through so much together already – this year especially – and I know we can weather anything. Karen, if that crossword didn’t spell out the message clearly enough, let me. Will you please do me the honour of becoming my wife and making me the happiest man on the planet?’

  ‘Greg,’ she said softly, shaking her head, ‘I’m sorry but no, I can’t marry you.’

  ‘Wh-wh-what?’ he stuttered, his face falling.

  Karen reached out for his hands, helping him to his feet.

  ‘Greg, please sit down. We need to talk.’

  Chapter 29

  Holly was readying the table for Christmas dinner. It was set with all her mismatched china and mismatched glasses and, she thought ruefully, there was no denying it looked more like a rummage sale than the height of elegance. She lit the candles in the middle of the centrepiece: a small holly wreath with a few red berries on it. She felt Danny sidle up next to her. ‘Wow, it looks great, Mom!’

  She hugged him. ‘You really think so?’

  ‘Yeah, it looks cool, like a real Christmas table!’

  Holly squeezed him tightly; her little man, he saw the joy in everything.

  ‘Thanks, honey.’

  There was a knock at the door and he rushed to answer it.

  ‘Mom!’ he called out from the living room. ‘Nana’s here! And some strange lady.’

  ‘OK … here we go,’ Holly mumbled to herself, going to the door to meet her Christmas guests.

  Eileen had Danny enveloped in a bear hug, and then she quickly pushed her friend into the apartment. ‘This is Madame Vera Treynovitch,’ she said proudly. ‘Vera, meet my lovely family.’

  ‘Nice to meet you,’ Holly said, her eyebrows rising.

  She graciously extended her hand to a very old, grey-haired lady wearing glasses with huge lenses that made them look more like goggles. She wore a short black skirt over leggings and a purple wrap stole beneath a short fur coat, which looked barely enough to keep her warm. Her hands were shrouded in long leather gloves as she took Holly’s hand.

  ‘Thank you so much for inviting me.’

  Holly looked quizzically over the woman’s head at her beaming mother. ‘No problem. Can I take your coat?’

  Vera happily gave up her coat and peeled off her gloves. As she did, her bare hands briefly touched Holly’s. ‘Thank you again … Oh!’

  ‘What is it?’ Holly asked anxiously. ‘Are you OK?’

  ‘Yes – it’s just…’ She looked at Eileen. ‘I am clairvoyant, and when I feel the naked flesh…’ She clutched her chest dramatically.

  Eileen hid a smile as Danny led his grandmother away to show her his new iPad.

  Perturbed, Holly gently tried to slip her hand away, but Vera clung on.

  ‘You are going to meet someone tall … dark—’

  ‘And handsome, I’ll bet?’ Kate interrupted from where she sat on the sofa, trying not to laugh.

  Vera suddenly gripped Holly’s hand tighter. ‘Yes,’ she gasped. ‘Yes, handsome, but … I know him … I know him and he believes he is bound for another, but…’

  Holly looked helplessly at Kate, who shrugged and made the universal sign for crazy behind Vera’s head.

  ‘With another … but there is a puzzle…’

  ‘I’m sorry. I really have no idea,’ Holly said politely.

  ‘Yes, a puzzle – literally!’ Vera enthused. ‘A crossword puzzle.’ Still grasping Holly’s hand, she then spotted the charm bracelet and stroked it with her fingers. ‘Is this yours?’

  ‘That’s right,’ Holly said, feeling slightly unsettled at the mention of the crossword puzzle, especially in view of the one she’d been working on earlier that morning.

  ‘I’m sorry … the vision is lost. Or perhaps I’m just confused, and tired…’

  Finally Vera released Holly’s arm and dramatically raised her own to her head. ‘Do you have any wine?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes, of course. Kate, would you, please…?’ Holly pleaded, desperation in her eyes, and Kate duly led Vera to the couch, promising to fetch her a glass of red, while the older woman continued to stare at Holly as if she made no sense.

  ‘So, Mom, how did you two meet?’ she asked her mother brightly.

  ‘Well, not only is Vera a dancer but she’s also an usher at the Lincoln Center. We’ve known each other for years, isn’t that right, Vera?’

  Vera took a big gulp of wine. ‘Yes, years. We first met when your mother tried to sneak from standing room to a free seat during a Wagner opera. I let her, of course. I mean, it was Wagner … it goes on for ever … no one should have to stand through that.’

  ‘So, anything we can do to help?’ Eileen asked Holly.

  ‘Maybe you could start lighting the candles.’ Holly gestured to the expanded kitchen table and the old-style candelabra she’d also picked up from Frank’s.

  ‘No problem. Oh, and I almost forgot…’ her mother said, thrusting a medium-sized box into Holly’s hands.

  ‘What’s this?’ she asked, surprised. Lifting the lid of the box, her breath caught, as the scent evoked a million and one memories. Tears came to her eyes. ‘You made Irish Christmas pudding?’ It was perfect. Just the perfect addition to Holly’s first Christmas dinner here and tasting it would no doubt evoke memories of the wonderful Christmases of her childhood back when Seamus was still alive.

  Eileen smiled bashfully. ‘It’s been so long, I was worried I’d forget the recipe.’

  Her mother duly began the task of lighting the candelabra, ably assisted by Danny, and feeling much calmer now, Holly went back into the narrow kitchen to check on everything. ‘Cranberry sauce … ham … cloves…’ She held a wooden spoon to her head and tapped it as she went down the list. Kate followed her into the tiny kitchen.

  ‘Well, that was a little weird,’ her friend commented.

  ‘Who – Madame Vera? Tell me about it. Anyway, she seems quite old, and obviously doesn’t have any family around.’

  Kate looked at her. ‘You’ve got family on the brain lately, haven’t you?’

  ‘At the moment, I’ve got Christmas-dinner nerves on the brain…’

  ‘Can I help with anything?’

  ‘Yeah, pour more wine – for me.’ Holly gestured to the bottles on the counter.

  ‘No problem.’ Kate uncorked a merlot and passed a glass to her. ‘Do you know, maybe you should show the bracelet to Vera, seeing as she’s a clairvoyant and all?’ she teased.

  Holly said nothing, but kept the idea in the back of her mind, unwilling to dismiss the idea out of hand. Oddly, the strange old woman had been right about the crossword puzzle, so maybe she could pick up on something random about the bracelet that might help? But as far as tall, dark and handsome went … well, that just sounded like the usual guff those types pulled out to make a buck.

  Soon afterwards, Holly announced that dinner was ready, and they all crowded around her table, which had been extended with the help of a card table – another donation of Frank’s.

  Kate brought out the ham and vegetables, and Holly followed with the turkey, stuffing and berries to applause. When the table was full and they were all seated, everyone hesitated, as if unsure what to do next.

  As it was her first time hosting Christmas dinner, Holly wasn’t sure what to do either.

  ‘A prayer?’ Eileen suggested, smiling encouragingly at her daughter.

  ‘Yes.’ Glancing around briefly, Holly scrunched up her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Let us … let us always be happy…’ she stumbled. ‘Let us always…’ she started again ‘… be grateful for the wonderful things in life – family, friendship and good health.’ Feeling stupid, she opened her eyes, but everyone was smiling. No, actually – Danny wa
s beaming.

  ‘Amen!’ he cheered along with the others before digging in and eating.

  Kate slipped away from the table to put on some festive music, and before Holly knew it, the whole table was laughing and talking and devouring everything faster than she could put it in front of them.

  She glanced again at her son and felt happy tears spring to her eyes. He had a mouthful of ham and was laughing at something that Vera had said. His nana was on his other side spooning roast potatoes onto his plate, while Kate was trying to balance a paper hat on his head. This was it, Holly thought, realising that this was what she’d always wanted for him. Danny was surrounded by people who loved him, wanted to protect him … everything he deserved. She hoped against hope that Nick understood that too, and would go on to give him the same thing.

  When dinner was over (and Eileen’s Christmas pudding devoured), Holly cleared the table while Kate made coffees. Everyone else collapsed in the living room to watch TCM.

  ‘Ah yes,’ she heard her mother exclaim, ‘An Affair to Remember … Cary Grant.’

  ‘Nineteen fifty-seven,’ Danny said factually.

  ‘Deborah Kerr is so—’

  ‘Beautiful!’ Kate called out.

  ‘Annoying,’ Vera said sourly at the same time.

  Holly and Kate glanced at each other and smiled as they cleaned up.

  Her friend poured her a cup of coffee. ‘Get out there and spend time with your family. I’ll finish up here.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ Holly took the cup gratefully.

  ‘Of course. You’ve done enough.’

  She walked out into the living room and looked at the small crowd gathered around the TV.

  ‘Come on, Mom,’ Danny ordered. ‘Sit.’

  ‘Yeah, Holly,’ said Eileen. ‘Hurry up, they’re about to meet at the Empire State Building.’

  As there was no more room on the couch, Holly sat on the floor in front of the glowing screen, and watched as Cary Grant waited patiently for Deborah Kerr at the top of the Empire State Building. As she watched, something tickled in the back of her brain – but what she didn’t know.

  Frustrated, she got up and went back into the kitchen.

  ‘What’s up?’ Kate asked.

  ‘I dunno … it’s weird, but remember the bracelet – that charm…?’

  ‘Which one?’

  ‘The “Date to Remember” charm, the one with the New Year’s Eve inscription: Same Time, Same Place. What if…?’ She trailed off, shaking her head as if the idea was too absurd for words, yet …

  ‘You think it might be referring to a meeting place – like in the movie?’

  Holly grimaced. ‘It sounds stupid, I know.’

  ‘But if it is, then the owner of the bracelet should show up at the meeting place, just like Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr – or Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan! Oooh exciting. Do you think it’s the Empire State Building?’

  ‘Kate, I’m not even sure if it’s anything like that, but the charm does suggest…’

  ‘And even better, this is supposed to happen on New Year’s Eve, only a week from now!’ Kate had dropped her tea towel and was getting seriously carried away by the drama of it all. ‘Oh, Holly, you’re right – that has to be it. The charm must be referring to a romantic meeting spot for the bracelet owner, and the love of her life, here in Manhattan!’

  Holly bit her lip, wondering if her imagination was running a little too far ahead of her this time. ‘Like I said, it’s just a thought…’

  ‘So all you have to do is figure out the meeting place, then go there on that night too and find the owner.’ Kate was shaking her head with wonder. ‘But where could it be? I wonder. In Manhattan alone there must be hundreds of—’

  ‘Actually,’ Holly admitted hesitantly, thinking back to the conversation she’d overheard Jessica having with Margot Mead, a few days before, ‘I think I already have an idea.’

  Chapter 30

  Lying on the couch, still in his pyjamas at five o’clock on Christmas evening, Greg had his arm over his eyes, as if nursing an almighty hangover.

  He couldn’t believe how the day had turned out and was completely flabbergasted by what had happened with Karen.

  After pulling him up from his prone position on bended knee, Karen had, in a very businesslike manner, outlined all of the reasons why she couldn’t marry him. Greg had listened with an open mouth, aghast at her level-headedness, and at how flawlessly she had been able to provide her reasons. He had pleaded with her, and told her that he would wait for her to get accustomed to the idea. And then he had foolishly suggested couple’s counselling, to which Karen had simply shaken her head no, explaining that counselling of any sort was for weak-minded people, individuals who had no control over their lives.

  That was a slap in the face itself – had she really called him weak? Or even alluded to the fact that he had no control over his life?

  No, Greg reassured himself, he was none of those things, but he felt that if you wanted something to work, that if you were dedicated to making something work, you took the necessary steps. But Karen had replied that there was no longer anything to make work, before adding something that cut him to the quick.

  ‘Greg, it wouldn’t be worth it. To either one of us. It would be like putting a Band-Aid on a broken arm.’ Then she frowned. ‘That’s weird, I have no idea where I got that saying from.’

  But Greg knew. It was one of his mother’s expressions. And, just like that, it had all come full circle. It was a sign. He and Karen were finished.

  Which was reinforced tenfold when she simply stood up and said that she thought it best if she went to a hotel, in order to ‘create some distance’.

  As she went back to the bedroom, Greg had stared numbly after her, looking around the room like a shell-shocked war survivor. That is, until something buzzed on the couch. Karen’s iPhone had fallen out of her robe pocket. He picked it up, meaning to call after her, but then he read the text message displayed on the screen.

  Think you can get away for a while today? I’m at the Plaza and I have nothing to do but think about you.

  From someone named Jack – who was at the Plaza. Probably the same hotel Karen was headed to now for her ‘distance’.

  He had simply laid the phone on the coffee table, and when Karen re-entered the room, resplendent in skinny Versace jeans and a pair of Manolo Blahniks, he motioned towards it, stating, ‘Jack says he’s at the Plaza.’ Karen’s cheeks pinkened a little until she regained composure. She didn’t even attempt to explain; she simply picked up the phone, offered a quick ‘thank you’ and left.

  She was so calm and cool and collected about it all. But really, was it any surprise? Karen would only get upset if she wasn’t prepared for something. It wasn’t in her nature to have emotional outbursts.

  Which was so unlike him. And his family. They laughed, they cried, they argued, they talked about their dreams and hopes, they disagreed, they loved, they lived.

  Greg wanted to be mad, and he was sure that there was a part of him that would fume and be angry later, but right then, after all that had happened, he simply couldn’t. He was exhausted.

  ‘Here you go, kid. I thought you might need something stronger than the wine.’ Jeff handed him a crystal glass filled with Scotch, which he had brought over for what he had believed would be celebratory drinks.

  Greg uncovered his eyes. ‘Thanks, Dad.’ He took the glass and threw the majority of the liquor back in one gulp.

  Jeff grimaced. He had to admit that, when he arrived, he hadn’t been altogether shocked that Karen had said no. What had struck him more deeply was the realisation that he was happy she had done so.

  Not that he wanted to see his son hurt; no, not by any stretch, but rather, he realised now that clearly Greg and Karen just weren’t right for each other. There should be no second-guessing when it came to a marriage proposal and, if anything, he admired Karen’s honesty in the matter. Her bluntness would probably save his son from a wo
rld of hurt later.

  Plus, if the tart was cheating, which it appeared that she was, then so long, farewell and don’t let the door hit your skinny ass on the way out.

  Jeff turned his attention to Greg as he struggled to sit up on the couch. He was sure that he had a nice little buzz on, if he wasn’t completely drunk. But no matter, a break-up was a break-up and the guy was entitled to a couple of drinks.

  Greg groaned. ‘I’m such an idiot. That stupid proposal. How could I have thought that was a good idea? I’m a laughing stock.’

  ‘No, you aren’t, and besides, save for you, me, Karen and your buddy at the Times, no one knows that it was from you. There are probably a hundred, if not a thousand Karen Bennets in this city. At least you didn’t work your full name into the puzzle.’

  Greg shook his head. ‘At least.’ He paused. ‘I just don’t know how I could have been so blind. Why couldn’t I see that there were cracks?’

  ‘Because you are your mother’s son. As savvy as your mom could be, she was always a sucker for romance. You get that from her. Plus, well … you like to see the best in people.’

  ‘But Mom always had reservations about Karen…’ he ventured questioningly.

  Jeff exhaled. ‘Perhaps. But she also resolved to accept something – or rather someone – who apparently made you happy.’

  Greg put his head in his hands and ran his fingers through his hair. ‘She said that if we stayed together, it would be like putting a Band-Aid on a broken arm. I swear to God, when she said that, I was convinced Mom was in the room, standing right behind me.’

  ‘To all things there is a purpose,’ Jeff said. ‘More Cristina words of wisdom. And indeed, and maybe you don’t know it right now, but maybe that purpose will reveal itself to you soon, Greg. Your mother always had a canny knack of knowing what’s best for you and me both. Even before we knew it for ourselves. I always teased her of having a secret crystal ball, the way she could always work out what the future held.’

  Greg chuckled. ‘OK then. Maybe part of that purpose was making sure we didn’t have to eat any of Karen’s cooking today.’ His laugh grew. ‘You know, she really was completely terrible in the kitchen, and completely beyond cooking anything remotely edible.’