Chapter Twelve

W ith the tray now filled with fresh teas, coffee and juice, Robyn made her way back to Lizzie and Terrence’s table. Great. Jasper had seemingly made himself comfortable having taken her chair next to Tom, Lizzie and Terrence’s son, which left only one remaining, which was right next to Jasper himself.

She glanced around the room, trying to search out anyone who might need her help or a bit of company but with the room was filled with residents’ friends and family members and the other tables and sofas were full, volunteers flitting about fetching drinks and chatting to anyone who didn’t have visitors.

Robyn sighed. She guessed it would seem rude if she just disappeared after promising to fetch the drinks, anyway. There was no escape. She’d just have to suck it up and face the music. Or more aptly, the scowls and long silences from Jasper.

As she reached the table, she frowned. Was Jasper laughing? Yes, at one of Terrence’s jokes, too. Kicking the empty chair back, she laid the tray on the table and began handing out the drinks.

‘Ah, there you are. Thank you, dear.’ Lizzie picked up her teacup, taking a sip before nodding towards Jasper. ‘You came from Penworth Bay with Jasper then? He was just telling us.’

‘Oh, right. Yes. That’s right.’ After passing the drinks around, she looked at the coffee she’d brought over for herself and placed it in front of Jasper. ‘Sorry, I didn’t realise you were joining us. Here’s a coffee if you like.’

With a slight flare of his nostrils, which only Robyn could probably notice, Jasper slid the mug towards Robyn, his voice clipped as he answered her. ‘Thank you, but no thanks.’

Nodding, Robyn slipped into the chair and pulled the mug towards her, wrapping her hands tightly around the hot ceramic.

‘Go on then, tell us why you decided to give up your afternoon off from the bakery to come and spend time with us lot.’ Lizzie raised her eyebrows. ‘I’m sure a young lass like you could have found a more exciting way to spend your time.’

‘Oh, I...’ Robyn shifted in her chair. She couldn’t very well tell them she was strong-armed into volunteering by Gerald, could she?

‘Gerald coerced her into it.’

Thanks, Jasper. Robyn narrowed her eyes at him.

‘Oh, really? Tell us more.’ Terrence looked between them both. ‘Why would Gerald have made you come, Robyn?’

Scrunching up her nose, Robyn could feel her cheeks flush as the whole table turned towards her, waiting for her to answer.

‘She doesn’t believe in happy families or true love.’ Jasper shrugged as though he were relaying the latest bargains to be had down at the local corner shop rather than disclosing her secret beliefs. ‘Gerald thought you guys could prove her otherwise.’

Thanks again, Jasper. Robyn kept her eyes fixed on her coffee.

‘You don’t believe in happy families?’ Lizzie tilted her head. ‘What do you mean by that, dear?’

Letting out a long sigh, Robyn lifted her head, first glaring at Jasper before looking at Lizzie. ‘That’s not quite it. I was in the pub, and I just happened to mention that all the families laughing and chatting over dinner wouldn’t be doing that if they were at home.’

‘Oh, right.’ Lizzie nodded. ‘You think they’d be sitting on the sofa, their attention on the TV?’

‘No.’ Robyn shook her head. She couldn’t nod and leave it at that. If she did, Jasper would just correct her, repeat what Gerald had told him. She shrugged. ‘Most families argue, don’t they? That’s all I was referring to. People pretend to be happy when in public, to like each other. It’s not the same at home.’

Looking at her, her forehead furrowed, and her eyebrows twisted in concern, Lizzie reached out and placed her hand on Robyn’s. ‘You don’t really believe that, do you?’

Robyn glanced around the room, people still chatting and smiling at the tables, as she squirmed in her seat. Everyone knew it was for show. Each laugh, every story told, each fascinated listen, a social dance to cover up the cracks in relationships, to portray the perfect family dynamic to any and all potential onlookers.

‘She does. According to Gerald anyway.’ Jasper spoke to the table.

‘I just think people put on a pretence. Pretend everything is okay when it’s not.’ Robyn breathed out.

‘Oh, dear. You can’t believe such a thing.’ Lizzie’s voice softened. ‘People don’t have to put on a show. Not everyone anyway.’

Terrence cleared his throat, his voice gruff as he spoke. ‘I understand. My parents argued too.’

‘They did?’ Taking her hand from Robyn’s, Lizzie looked across at her husband, a look of shock on her face. ‘No, your parents never argued. Not once and I visited enough times.’

‘Oh, they did. Of course, as Robyn here has just said, they never would have wanted anyone else to know. To everyone else, they were desperate to portray this perfect front, but at home...’ Terrence shook his head, his face clouding with memories before turning to Robyn. ‘Not everyone understands, you see. Those people who grew up in families where the evenings were filled with playing board games, listening to the radio or now, the television, they assume everyone else’s lives are just as simple. It wouldn’t occur to them that the so-called happy family who you see joking as they walk the dog together has a completely different life behind closed doors.’

‘Well, I know not every household is happy.’ Lizzie fiddled with her cards, which were still lying face down in their fan shape. ‘But your parents? I’m shocked they were able to cover it up so easily.’

Terrence lifted his cup. ‘And therein lies the problem: people covering something up such as an unhappy marriage or other such worries are often so adept at putting on a show to people, at essentially living a lie in public, that the act becomes easy.’

Pushing her chair back, Lizzie slowly walked around to her husband and hugged him from the back. ‘Why didn’t you ever say anything?’

Jasper shot Robyn a look, an expression flashing across his face, one which she couldn’t quite make out. Was he angry at her for exposing the truth about Terrence’s family? For highlighting a past he’d repressed? Or was it pity in his eyes she could detect?

Terrence twisted in his seat. ‘Honestly, my love, I didn’t not say anything, it just never came up. By the time we met, most of the arguments had stopped and were instead replaced with a silence. They rubbed along for years like that until my dad passed away.’

‘I wish you could have spoken to me about it.’ Lizzie rubbed his shoulders.

‘I would have done if I’d wanted to, love. I can talk to you about anything and everything. Both of us can, but I didn’t need to.’ Terrence squeezed his wife’s hand and met Robyn’s eyes. ‘And I can hand on heart promise you that not all families are the same. We’re not putting on a show to anyone. What you see is what you get with us.’

Robyn nodded slowly. It was sweet of him to say, but on the other hand, he would just say that, wouldn’t he? He wouldn’t just come out in the middle of the lounge here and admit if they argued, anyway. She bit down on her bottom lip. She may only have known Lizzie and Terrence for a few hours now, but they seemed sincere. Still...

‘And one other thing. Your belief that true love doesn’t exist? In short, that’s a load of codswallop.’ Lizzie ran her finger down Terrence’s cheek before leaning down and kissing him.

‘Oh, Mum.’ Their son, Tom, frowned. ‘There’s a time and a place for that.’

Straightening her back, Lizzie waved her hand, dismissing his comment. ‘As if you and Lucy don’t ever kiss in public.’

‘But...’

‘No, buts son. Me and your mother have the real deal, true love, and if my wife wants to kiss me in public, then that’s what we’ll do.’ Terrence chuckled.

Laughing, Tom reached his arm around his wife’s shoulders and pulled her close, kissing her on top of the head. ‘Fair enough. That’s me told.’

As she slipped back into her chair next to Robyn, Lizzie squeezed her hand. ‘And you, dear, will find love just likes ours one day and then you’ll know that not everything you witness is a fabrication.’

Robyn looked at Lizzie before pulling her mug towards her again, a flash of self-consciousness flushing across her cheeks. Is this what Gerald had in mind when he’d insisted she join Jasper here?