The Red Dress chapter thirty six

     







Lisa couldn't believe how fast the week had gone. Magazines tried to contact her for interviews, reporters started trying to get into the grounds to take pictures of her, and Nick kept sending her flowers. It had all got ridiculously out of control, but it was also incredibly exciting.
 
     The news had obviously reached France, because Lisa’s engagement was mentioned in a letter Veronique received from her mother, and Chloe had an e-mail from her brother in The States suggesting that her classmate should have picked a husband in The Virgin Islands, instead of The Isle of Man. The romance of Nick and Lisa’s engagement had certainly caught the media’s attention.
 
     As the week wore on, Lisa was beginning to feel as though she was living in a goldfish bowl. When she’d accepted Nick’s surprise proposal, she had known he was a millionaire, but she hadn't known just how wealthy and successful he was. It was all a bit scary.
 
     When she first went out with him on the Island, he had never done anything flashy or over the top. Now they were engaged, it was as though he wanted the world to know how much he loved her, and how much he was worth.
 
     Now everyone, including Nick, the school, her parents, and of course, her friends, were dependent on her not to let them down in any way. It was all a huge responsibility for any seventeen-year-old to take on. Even Lisa's popularity with the staff was high, because requests for information on the school flooded in from parents from all around the world. Everyone seemed to assume Lisa had been there for years, and that was where she had been groomed to catch such a wealthy husband. The school was now fully booked for over five years, with a waiting list that went on for ever, so even Sister Newson was delighted.
 
     Lisa realised she was very lucky, and that fate had turned her shattered life without Alan into something resembling a fairy story. Even her mother enjoyed the pressure from the press. One paper actually quoted ‘Like mother, like daughter,’ and showed a picture of her on her husband’s arm looking particularly attractive. It seemed that everyone was happy with the end result, especially Nick.
 
     He phoned her briefly every morning, and after eight every evening. They would chat for ages discussing how their days had gone, and in the process, Lisa learnt to relax completely during their conversations. She felt that it was a bit like an arranged marriage, in as much that their relationship was building up to intimacy, as opposed to the way it had been with Alan, where the physical side of the relationship turned out to be all there was.
 
    When she thought of Alan now, it seemed so long since she last saw him, and yet it was barely five weeks. He kept coming into her mind when she least expected, and when she stopped feeling angry, a huge feeling of loss took over. Lisa knew that deep down she would always love him, but deep down was where she was going to keep her feelings.  It was as though their short time together was just a dream, and existed only in her mind.
 
     As the day rapidly approached, Lisa was beginning to get excited about her birthday. Nick had said he was planning something special, but she had no idea what it was. After his proposal, and their shopping spree in London, she didn't doubt that the word ‘special’ would be inadequate.
 
     When her birthday actually arrived, Lisa received dozens of birthday cards, some from girls at her last school who she could barely remember, and some that she did. It was a strange feeling knowing everyone knew where to contact her. She wasn't sure whether she liked it or not.
 
     The girls all bounced into her room at eight-thirty to find Lisa sitting on the bed with a pile of envelopes in front of her. They all gave her their cards, and then got stuck into helping her open her mail.
 
      They had twenty minutes before assembly, and there must have been forty envelopes to open. Veronique opened a card from someone called Sasha.
 
     “Es this Sasha a school friend you ave?” she asked in her quirky French accent.
 
Lisa looked at her blankly.
 
     “I've only ever met one person called Sasha at primary school, but that was at least twelve years ago,” she replied.
 
Veronique was waving the card in her face.
 
     “Well, now  she is your best friend!”
 
Everyone fell about laughing. It was becoming ridiculous, the number of people claiming to know her. Teddy opened another card, and waved it in the air to attract Lisa’s attention.
 
     “Do you know someone called Alan?” she asked.
 
Lisa stopped in her tracks, feeling the blood drain away from her face. She looked over at the card in Teddy's hand and tried to sound calm.
 
     “Yes - why?”
 
Teddy handed her the card and everyone noticed Lisa's hand shaking when she took it. She stared at the simple 18th birthday card for a moment before opening it and reading the message inside.
 
     Many congratulations on your engagement, I hope you'll be very happy...  Alan
 
     Lisa was still staring at it when the bell for assembly went off, and the others dragged her downstairs to the main hall, the card still in her hand.
 
     All through assembly, Lisa stared down at the card trying to glean the underlying message inside. Alan hadn't signed the card ‘love Alan’ just ‘Alan’, which conveyed some bitterness. Or did it? Perhaps because he knew her date of birth from their trip to Somerset House to get a copy of her birth certificate, he thought he should send it. Maybe he was just being courteous, and didn't want to say love, in case it gave her the wrong impression. During the fifteen minute assembly, Lisa managed to read a dozen possible meanings into the card, none of which made sense. The only thing that was definite was that Alan knew where she was, and he knew she was engaged to Nick. The card told her nothing more.
 
     Lisa decided she was reading too much into it. If he had regretted his decision to choose Carla instead of her, it was too late. She had promised Nick she would never let him down again. If it was sour grapes because she had ended up going back to Nick so quickly, then who could blame her, Alan had, or had not, as was the case, made his feelings quite clear when he’d failed to answer her calls.
 
     All these thoughts went through her head as she stood mouthing the words of the morning hymn and pretended to listen to the assembly prayers.
 
     By the time she went to her first class, she had decided Alan's card didn't really mean anything, except, perhaps he was disappointed in her for going back to someone he regarded himself as saving her from in the first place. There was no question in her mind it had been proved that Nick was the better man. When she got back to her bedroom, she was tempted to put the card in the bin, deciding that Alan's motives were cruel and vindictive, but she couldn't. Apart from the ripped up train ticket, it was all she had left to mark one of the most important times in her life. For that reason, she left it on the desk.
 
     Lisa started clearing up the mess of envelopes ripped open by her friends that morning, and she saw the envelope with Alan's handwriting on it. She picked it up, and was just about to put it in the bin, when she noticed something written on the back.
 
Just in case you've forgotten -07860 863076
 
     Now she was totally confused. Why the hell had he written that? She must have rung the number a hundred times in the space of a week, she knew it off by heart. Now she thought he was playing games with her. Why did he want her to ring him now, after all this time? The envelope was even more confusing than the card itself. She started to feel angry. She cursed Alan for sending the card, and picking it up from the desk, threw both the card and the envelope in the bin.
 
     Later on that afternoon, Lisa was getting anxious. Apart from his usual morning phone call at eight o'clock, when he had wished her a happy birthday, she hadn't heard from Nick.
 
     It was four thirty, and classes had finished for the day. Nick hadn't sent her a card or a present, and she assumed he had taken to heart what she had said about him giving her too much already. But she just wanted something small to remind her of how much he cared. It was as though she needed a constant reminder that it was Nick who loved her, not Alan. It was the only way she could forget him and get on with her life.
 
     Amy waltzed into her room and asked her how it was going. Lisa admitted to her how disappointed she was at not even getting a card from Nick, and asked her if she thought she was being daft.
 
     “Absolutely, you spoilt bitch!” she answered sarcastically. “God knows what's waiting for you in the Isle of Man. He's spent a fortune on you already with that engagement ring. What more do you want?”
 
     Lisa knew she was right. She was just getting too used to Nick making a fuss of her. Amy, who was already eighteen, asked Lisa if she wanted to sneak out to the pub in the village later for her first legal drink. Lisa thought it was a great idea, but was concerned as to how they would get back. It was now getting dark at about nine, which would make walking back impossible. Amy didn't seem too bothered.
 
     “We'll grab a cab to drop us back for ten thirty, don't worry.” she suggested, and they arranged to meet at the front of the school at six thirty after supper.
 
     Lisa got changed into a pair of new jeans and a sweater Nick had bought her in London, and tried to concentrate on her English essay for the next day. By the time she’d finished, it was nearly six and she tried Nick's mobile again. He didn't answer, and she had to leave yet another message.
 
     After supper, Lisa went to the common room to find some of the others. It was empty. Disappointed, she knocked on a few of her friend’s bedroom doors to find the same. Everyone had disappeared, and Lisa couldn't believe how quiet it was.
 
     She made her way downstairs to meet Amy and passed the library where there were usually a few of her year swotting away after supper. There were only a few 4^th and 5^th years there, and they all smiled knowingly at her as she walked past them on her way to the front door.
 
     Lisa was beginning to get the same feeling she'd had on the morning when Nick proposed. When she walked out of the front doors, she could see most of her year crowded around something in the car park. She started walking towards them, and a whisper travelled around the crowd causing everyone to peel off towards the sides. At last she was able to see what they had all been gathered around.
 
     There, in the middle of the car park, was a brand new, bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle, with a huge blue ribbon on the bonnet, and Nick standing holding the driver's door open.
 
When he saw Lisa walking towards him, his face lit up, and he smiled at her, holding up a set of keys. Lisa walked towards him holding her hands up to her face.
 
    “Oh my God,” she cried, realising the car must be for her.
 
Nick was grinning from ear to ear by the time she reached him. The look on her face made all the planning worthwhile.
 
     “Happy birthday, Lisa,” he said, before taking her in his arms and kissing her. He then handed her the keys to the gorgeous car, and she looked back at him in disbelief.
 
    "Is it really for me?" she asked, trying to take it in.
 
Nick burst out laughing. He thought it was pretty obvious.
 
     “It certainly is...”
 
Lisa screamed, and started jumping up and down. When she kissed him it was with total gratitude. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. Now she knew why he'd asked her what her favourite car was in the phone the week before.
 
     Nick handed her two envelopes and looked pleased with himself. Getting the car in time for her birthday had not been easy.
 
    “That’s your insurance for the year,” he said, proudly pointing to the first envelope.
 
     “And that...” he pointed at the second envelope. “Is twenty- five prepaid driving lessons. The rest, as they say, is up to you.”
 
Lisa kissed him again and told him he was crazy. Nick kissed her back slowly and tenderly, before he held her chin in his hand and looked deep into her eyes.
 
     “The only thing I'm crazy about is you...” he replied, his heart full of pride because she looked so happy.
 
She smiled back at Nick feeling more loved than she ever had before. As he showed her the car with its black leather heated seats and CD player, she couldn't decide whether she was going to laugh or cry. She kept running back to Nick and hugging him, telling him how wonderful he was, and how she didn't deserve him. Nick couldn't stop smiling.
 
    Watching Lisa's excitement reaffirmed to him yet again that he had made the right choice. Her young innocent excitement over the car made him laugh, and he wondered if she knew that the car had cost a fraction of what he had paid for her engagement ring, not that it mattered. He would have paid ten times that, just to see the way she was looking at him now.
 
     When the crowd of girls finally went back inside, Nick drove Lisa, Amy and Veronique down to the pub. They were the only ones who could legally drink, and he knew the press might get wind of it if he took anyone that was underage. Since their engagement, they seemed to follow him everywhere he went.
 
     Lisa looked at the interior of the car as Nick drove them to the pub and noticed that there was a small laboratory style vase beside the wheel in which Nick had put a single red rose. It was more romantic than all the bouquets he had already sent her. As she looked over at him driving the car, she felt so thankful, not only for his kindness and generosity, but his thoughtfulness as well. He seemed to take delight in paying attention to the smallest detail.
 
     Nick had also arranged a small celebration at the pub which included three bottles of vintage champagne, and a deliciously wicked chocolate birthday cake. The whole evening was perfect, well, as perfect as it could be for an eighteen year old at boarding school, and Lisa thanked God, yet again, for giving her and Nick a second chance.
 
     At quarter to ten, Nick, who'd had barely anything to drink, ordered a taxi to follow them back to the school and take him to his hotel after the girls had been dropped off. That way Lisa's car could be left in the school car park for her to start driving as soon as she got her provisional license. Yet again he had thought of everything.
 
     As they kissed goodbye in front of the school with the noise of the taxi purring behind them, Veronique and Amy looked on, and Nick consoled himself with the thought that Lisa would be back in his arms in less than a week.
 
    “This is going to be the second longest week of my life,” he groaned, reluctantly letting her go before he got into the taxi. Lisa took his hand through the window, sensing the fear in his voice.
 
     “Don't worry…I'll be there. Nothing will stop me this time,” she assured him.
 
He looked up at her, the concern showing in his eyes.
 
     “I do hope so, Lisa. I couldn't go through that again…”
    
When the taxi left, Lisa linked arms with her two pals, and still giggling from the champagne, they wove their way back to their rooms...