Loving Alex (26 page)

“At the end of this week, hopefully Thursday or Friday.” He
concentrates on the road.

I giggle, “Fine. Shall we get one of these as well, you know
a family car and a fun car?”

“A
family
car?” He questions.

“Well you know what I mean, for when there’s more than just
us two.” I clarify my meaning.

He looks at me, taking his attention from the road, “Could
do. There’s no rush though, is there?”

I laugh, he must have thought that, “No, no. Just thinking
out loud that’s all. Although I bet your kids will be adorable!”

He looks at me and smiles before calling Benito as we drive
along. He tells me that someone called Lee will be coming to babysit me and
Anna this evening. I grumble again.

James pulls up outside of our home and comes in with me. He
waits with me for the half hour or so until Lee arrives. Another strapping man,
about the same age as Jake. Is he ex-military as well?

I check on Anna before James goes, she’s fast asleep, it
doesn’t surprise me, it’s late and she’s still trying to get her body clock
into British time.

James hugs me and kisses me goodnight before he leaves. Lee
checks the front door as apparently, or so it would appear, I’m not capable of
locking it myself and securing the chain. No, this big bloke has to check that
I’ve done it right.

I show him where the kettle is, coffee, tea and the like. I
leave out a loaf of bread to defrost and tell him that he should feel free to
use the toaster. There’s low fat spread in the fridge and a variety of
preserves, in case he needs to eat in the night. He thanks me as I go to my
room.

I slip on my t-shirt and climb straight into bed. Despite
being a little drunk I lie awake contemplating the day’s events. Lewis, the
bastard must have been married already when he married me! Two bloody wives,
how many people could pull that off?
And
two families no wonder he was
always so cash hungry. Did he keep Muriel on a tight budget too? I thought she
was off the other day, asking where I was going, what I was doing – of course
she would,
I’m the other woman!

What the hell am I going to tell Anna? I know she hates her
dad now, but she grew up idolising him. Shit Lewis, you really have messed up,
big time. Destroying my life is bad enough but potentially ruining Anna’s,
that’s unforgiveable.

The alarm wakes me early. I’ve a
major headache, probably the Cognac, maybe just the stress from yesterday or
most likely a bit of both! Who knows? It’s six, Jake will be here at seven
giving us a few hours to get to Birmingham, allowing extra for early morning
traffic.

I climb out of bed and use the bathroom, then through to
Anna’s room to wake her before going downstairs for tea and painkillers.

I forget about Lee and wander into the kitchen looking
dishevelled in my t-shirt and knickers, my hair an absolute mess.

“Oh, I forgot you were here.” I say as I put the kettle on,
rubbing my eyes and to be honest feeling ill!

“It’s not long boiled Mrs. Drake.” He says looking away.

“Do you want another?” I ask him.

He points to his black coffee. “No, still drinking this.”

I start to make tea, clicking a sweetener into my mug and
reach for head-ache relief from the cupboard, pressing two out of the blister
pack I fill a glass full of water and swallow the pills. Give it twenty minutes
and the headache should be gone, I should start to feel human again.

“Do you want toast, I’m making some?” I ask Lee.

“Please.”

I fill the toaster with four slices and add milk to my tea
as the toaster does its stuff.

I look at Lee as I sip the hot tea. “So you work with Jake
and Benito?”

“Yeah, have done for a few years now. Since I got out of the
forces.”

I don’t question him again, just simply state, “And don’t
tell me, you can’t discuss your time in the British Army with me!”

“You got it Mrs. Drake.”

The toast pops up and I spread mine with the low fat spread.
I pass three slices to Jake who uses the spread and adds some marmalade. Once
I’ve eaten mine I go back upstairs, shower and dress for the day. Smart and
comfortable, the black dress with the zipped front and a pair of flat pumps.
Headache, on its way out, thank God!

By the time I’m downstairs Anna is ready to go. Jake picks
us up and
drives the Range Rover out of London.
We head north towards Birmingham using the motorway network.

Sitting with Anna on the
journey, I hold her hand and tell her about last night, what I found out.

 “Anna, I’ve something
really important that I need to tell you, really important. I want you to
listen carefully. Okay?”

“Sounds serious mum.” She’s a
dead pan face.

“It is. Listen. You remember
on Sunday when Benito came around and told us about the fingerprints? We then
went to Muriel’s?”

“Yes.” She nods.

“Well when we got there Lola
was with Muriel, Lola from the hotel, the restaurant.”

She’s surprised. “Lola?”

“Yes, well it appears that
Lola is Muriel’s daughter…..” I recount the events of last night, how James and
I sat with Lola, the bombshell that she dropped about her parents, her dad
being Lewis and the bigger surprise that apparently Lewis was married to Muriel
before he married me!

“You’re joking?” Anna
cringes, “The bastard!”

I frown at her, listening to
my daughter using language makes me wince!

“I know. But it means that if
what Lola says is right then legally I was never married to him, I don’t think!
That the wedding we had was a complete farce.”

“Well didn’t anyone check
when you married him?” She asks.

“No, they didn’t then, in
fact I don’t think they actually check even now, you just have to declare that
you’re free to marry. I suppose that’s one of the reasons they ask the
congregation if anyone knows of any reasons why you can’t marry, in case one of
the couple is already married!”

She then asks the question I
was dreading “So where does that leave me?”

“I was thinking about that.
Clearly, you’re not illegitimate because you know who your dad is, his names on
your birth certificate, you have his name. But if Lola is right it just means
that your dad and I were never
legally
married! Not that it matters
because lots of people don’t marry. The biggest issue is for your dad, it’s a
criminal offence!”

“As in go to prison?” She
asks.

“Potentially yes, I think, I
don’t know? Anyway, it was a real shock last night Anna, a real shock. I think
Lola was really upset too. She knows what’s been going on and moved out of the
family
home about three weeks ago, they were trying to get her involved. She
confessed to letting Lewis know where we were the day I received that phone
call, you remember? Then he turned up at the hotel.”

“Oh mum. I’m surprised,
shocked, but not upset. You know I haven’t spoken to him for weeks. I have no
intention of speaking with him again. Like I said to Katie, the day I found out
about your back was the day he stopped being my father!” She looks down,
fiddling with the strap of her handbag.

We sit for the rest of the
journey in silence, each with our own thoughts and eventually reach Edgbaston,
the area around Birmingham University.

We look at two apartments in
the area neither of which we care for. Our next stop is a complex in Brindley
Place in the city centre.

Jake pulls the car into the
gated car park and into a space reserved for visitors. “Why don’t you come in
with us?” I ask him.

“Not my place to Mrs. Drake.”
He replies.

I glare at him, “Alex, we
discussed this yesterday, my name is Alex!”

“Sorry, Alex.” He mutters.

“Oh, go on Jake, live a
little. Come on in!” I insist.

He relents and follows us
into the modern purpose built complex. We've only two to see in here, one being
a top floor corner apartment which we look at first. It’s stunning and very
spacious, two good sized bedrooms, a sitting room with an archway leading to a
small dining area, well equipt kitchen and luxurious bathroom, floor to ceiling
windows.

Anna says as we wander
around, “I like this mum.” The agent gives his sales patter and we view the
other one in the block but I think that both Anna and I are sold on the top
floor suite.

“What do you think Jake?” I
value his opinion.

“It’s good. Good security
system, access is easy enough and there's a full time concierge all add up to
good points.” Of course Jake is looking at it through the eyes of a security
professional, but none the less, they’re good points he’s raised and I think
I’d be happier knowing that my daughter is living somewhere that has this level
of security.

I have a brief chat with the
agent and after discussing it again with Anna I make an offer based on a cash
sale for a quick completion which he agrees to put forward to his client,
although he believes they will accept.

We stop for lunch before my
meeting with Shauna, calling at a little bistro near the solicitor’s office.
“Please join us Jake?”

“Sorry Alex. I can't. More
than my jobs worth!”

“Oh Jake - it’s a sandwich
and a cup of coffee, not a full blown a la carte lunch. Surely you’re allowed
to have a bite to eat?”

“Sorry I can't.” He’s firm,
“I’ll grab something while you’re in your meeting.”

Once we’ve finished in the
bistro Jake walks us to the solicitor’s office. We make our way to the
reception area and announce our arrival. The receptionist asks us to take a
seat and lets Shauna know that we’ve arrived.

We only wait for a few
moments before Shauna emerges. A tall thin lady with a mass of tight red curls
and a very fair complexion. She’s wearing a black blouse and a grey skirt,
neutral tights and red patent heels, looks very professional until you get to
the heels!

She extends a hand and we
shake. “Mrs. Drake. Good to see you again.”

“This is Anna, my daughter.”
I introduce Anna, “Anna, this is the lady that’s been dealing with my divorce.”

“Come on through to my
office.” She leads on and we follow her down a narrow corridor.

Once in her office she offers
drinks, which we both decline and sit in two comfy chairs.

“So, how are you Mrs. Drake?”
Shauna asks brightly.

“I’m fine.” I look at Anna,
raising a eyebrow and taking a deep breath. “Have something I need to discuss
with you urgently, so I was pleased we’d already had this appointment arranged.
Something I only found out yesterday. But also, Anna will be moving to
Birmingham for university at the end of this month, we’ve just looked at an
apartment and put and offer in, assuming it’s accepted we’ll need someone for
the conveyancing. I’ll use this practice of course, but if you would perhaps
make an introduction for me?”

“We can certainly handle that
for you. Before you leave I’ll introduce you to one of the conveyancing team
then, when your offer’s accepted we can pick up from there. So, what’s urgent?”
She sits back in her large swivel chair and rests her hands on the padded arms.

I sigh deeply, “Yesterday I
found out that Lewis is possibly married to somebody else, I also found out
that he may have been married to this other person before he married me!”

“No!” Shauna gasps. “How did
you find that out? Who told you?”

I recount the story, the
conversation I had with Lola last night. I tell her about Muriel, about the
photographs I received in the post, the underwear going missing.

“Oh, Mrs. Drake. Well, I
don’t know what to say, I’m stumped! Totally. Umm, I’ve never had one of these
before! I suppose the first thing we should do is take some details from you.”
She opens her notepad and picks up a pen from the pen pot on her desk. “So, who
did this Lola say Lewis was married to?”

“She said that Lewis is her
dad and her mum is Muriel, that’s factual we know that because Lola has her
birth certificate and her dad’s name is on it as well as Muriel’s!”

She looks up from her notes,
“Right, and you said that Lola has an older brother?”

“Yes, he’s called Josh. I assume
he’s really a Joshua? He’s older, from what she said I would think he’s
twenty-one now?”

“So the
other
wife is
Muriel?” She confirms.

“Yes.”

“But we don’t know her maiden
name?” She asks.

“No, but if Lola is at work I
could always ring the hotel and ask her.” I offer.

She thinks for a moment,
“Could you, then we can just put the details through the Birth, Deaths and
Marriages database, as a starting point anyway.”

I pull my phone from my bag
tapping the screen the call connects and is answered quickly by one of the
girls in the office. I ask to be put through to Marcus.

“Hi Marcus. Is Lola in
today?” I ask.

“She’s not Mrs. Drake. She
didn’t turn up today? I’ve tried to call her but got no answer. She’s marked as
an unauthorised absence.”

“No worries Marcus.” I clear
the call and shake my head at Shauna, “Not in today, we’ve a phone number for
her but they’ve already called and she’s not answering.”

She thinks again, “Okay. Well
let me get one of the girls to run this through the BMD anyway, see what we can
find. Okay? Do you know where Muriel comes from?”

I shrug my shoulders, “North
I think, she always called me “
pet”
a Geordie expression I think, so the
Tyneside area I’m guessing.”

“Okay.” She stands, “Let me
see what I can dig up. Are you sure you wouldn’t like a drink?” She asks as she
leaves her office.

“No, I think we’re both
fine.” I look at Anna who shakes her head, “No thank you.” She adds.

Shauna leaves the office and
takes the piece of paper with her leaving us waiting.

“What will happen mum, if he
did marry her before you?” Anna looks at me, a look of concern on her face. I
knew
my
family was dysfunctional, with skeletons and secrets hidden.
Maggie giving me away and nobody telling me but this, this just about takes the
biscuit. Any more secrets like this revealed and they’ll be carrying me off to
spend the rest of my life rocking in a corner.

We sit, waiting, it must be
half an hour before Shauna comes back with papers in her hand. “Right, Mrs.
Drake. You married Lewis in 1991 right? I have a copy of your marriage
certificate here.”

“Yes, that’s right, out of
university and married.”

She waves one of the papers
around. “Well, we’ve a record of a Lewis Arnold Drake marrying a Muriel Bird in
1990, just like you thought in Newcastle. The area fits with your assumptions,
Lewis’s name fits exactly and Lewis person married a Muriel. Mrs. Drake, if
this is your Lewis then I am so sorry, it does mean you were never legally
married to him and, unfortunately I will need to notify the police as it’s a
criminal offence. You cannot be married to two people at the same time. The
girls in the office can’t find any record of a divorce either.”

Despite the revelations of
last night I stunned, it’s real now. “So Lola was right, they
are
married!” I feel empty, hollow and totally foolish. Relieved a little maybe,
but my marriage, or non-marriage, has been a sham a complete and utter charade
and all that I’ve gone through I needn’t of.