Miranda - The Visit

Miranda stood there aghast, and really didn't know what to say or do, the children's action making it very clear where their affections lay. But Karen sensing the delicacy of the situation, after kissing both children hello, promptly sent them back to their mother. Eda quickly then stepped in by suggesting to Denise that she took her mother on a tour of the gardens etcetera. Reinforcing the message with a few words in Dutch that I didn't quite catch. My Dutch is nothing like as good as the children's.

With a resigned expression on her face, Denise took her mother's hand and led her out of the walled garden.

Then something really odd happened that I wasn't expecting, well odd to my way of thinking anyway. I was still looking at the door in the wall that Miranda and the children had left by and by the time I'd I turned back to speak to Karen, she was no longer standing beside me. She and Eda were standing on the patio hugging each other, whilst chatting excitedly.

"Well I was going to introduce you two but you appear to have beaten me to it." I said when I joined them.

"Oh Eda and I are old friends!" Karen laughed. But then sensing my astonishment she went on to explain that though they had never actually met, they'd just got into the habit of talking to each other on the telephone every other week or so.

I have no idea what expression I had on my face, but Karen took it as a question.

"Oh Harry! You didn't think that I could leave it go, after you told me about your housekeeper Eda here, did you. And you had mentioned an engagement ring. Well I rang Alana..."

"Alana?"

"Alana Carter?"

"Yes, who else could I call down here?"

"You know Alana Carter, Karen?"

"Well kind-of. I needed someone to make sure that you and the children were all right when you first moved down here, and well... I'd met Alana and Ben at a party you and Miranda threw years ago. Denise's christening I think! It took me some time to find out Alana's phone number and then I asked her to tip me the wink if she thought you needed anything special."

An odd kind of smile came over Karen's face and I had to wonder what she defined as special. However, I also noted that she and Eda were looking directly into each other eyes and they both had similar expressions. I suppose what I can best describe as knowing expressions on their faces.

"Anyway Harry" Karen went on, "Alana told Eda who I was and we've sort-of kept in touch ever since." Karen grinned and then lent over and kissed Eda on the cheek. "God, you can't 'alf pick Harry, you've got yourself a wonderful wife here!"

"Thank you." Eda said then added to me. "I really can't understand how you let such a beautiful woman as Karen get away from you Harry?"

"Well, there was the problem of Miranda..." I started to say, but Karen interrupted me.

"What Harry's trying his hardest not to admit to me, Eda, is that he'd already been to Holland and seen you."

"That's not strictly true Karen and you know it!" I retorted. I had the feeling I'd lost all control of this conversation and it was going in directions I'd rather it didn't. I was getting a little embarrassed and flustered.

But suddenly both Eda and Karen had their arms around me and each of them, giggling as they did so, kissed me on the cheek at the same time.

"We're winding you up lover boy, remember we've both sampled your charms at one time or another." Karen whispered, so that Eda's children wouldn't hear.

Once again I had no idea what expression I had on my face, but whatever it was, Karen went on.

"And if you're wondering, no, I'm not jealous of Eda. You and I talked that one out a long time ago. I'm damned sure that if push came to shove, you... and Eda, would be there to offer me assistance if ever I need it in the future. But I'm well aware, and so is Eda, that I had my chance with you and Eda has your heart now. Eda's my friend, possibly a better one than you know who! Anyway, I'm here for both of you if you ever need me.

There followed a few moments silence of until Eda's son asked for a drink of squash. Him doing so, sort of broke the spell and Eda served up drinks for all of us.

About thirty minutes must have passed before Miranda and my children returned. I gathered they had given her an extensive tour of the house as well as our two and half acres of land. The children, with relieved expressions on their faces, almost immediately returned to splashing around in the pool with their stepsiblings.

Miranda refused Eda's offer of a soft drink or coffee, but accepted one of tea. I might be being unfair here, but Miranda had taken a very close look around when she'd returned. And well... I somehow suspect that she asked for tea purely because it had to be specially made. I could be being vindictive here, but I really do believe that Miranda enjoyed the idea that Eda had to get up from her seat and actually make the tea for her.

However she did manage a strangled "Thank you!" to Eda, when my wife handed the drink to her. Then the four of us sat in embarrassed silence for a considerable period of time. That's until Karen asked.

"So do I get a tour of the stately manor?"

Before I had a chance to move or even say anything, Eda was on her feet and literately started the grand tour, by describing the mess that the walled garden had been in when we started on it. Very soon - after stopping so that Eda could explain to Karen my plan to eventually rebuild the derelict greenhouse that stretched along one whole wall of the garden and then attempt to grow exotic fruits in it - the two women disappeared through a different door to the one the children and Miranda had used.

"I can't understand you, Harry! Why marry that Dutch tart? You were furious with me because I went with Sven, yet you said yourself that she did exactly the same as I did!"

"Wow hold up there Miranda? Don't you dare try to paint Eda with the same brush as yourself. Yes she did have a... short romance with lover boy, but what she did cannot be confused with your actions."

"Why not?"

"Well because for a start, Miranda, Eda and her husband were already in the final throws of their divorce, before she even met Sven! And what's more, Eda's husband walked out and deserted her and their children; somewhat similar behaviour to someone else's selfish actions who I could reach with a very short stick. And unlike that wife and mother who I could reach with that very same short stick, Eda let no one down, she hadn't resorted to having a sordid affair with a gigolo whilst she was still married."

"Now my wife and I have welcomed you here into our home today so that you can visit our children Miranda. But if you say one more word against my wife, I'll ask you to leave immediately, do you understand me?"

"You can't stop me from seeing my children!"

"Unlike you, I wouldn't dream of doing any such a thing, unless you tried to put silly ideas into their heads that is. But I could insist that you do not enter my home; you would have to take them out somewhere for a few hours. Oh and by the way, according to the court order you are only allowed to take them from this house, or out of my sight, for a maximum of four hours at a time."

"Only four hours?" Miranda gasped.

"Yeah well, you were hooked up with a foreign national, and well... my solicitor was watching my back for me. If you care to recall, you weren't exactly interested in the children at the time, your interests were more centred around money, so your legal people didn't bother to argue the point. And, just as a side point, my legal advisors tell me that as you've shown so little interest in seeing our children in the ensuing three years, that I could very easily have had your parental rights revoked! Something I haven't done or even contemplated by the way; well, up to now anyway."

"But if you don't show up to see them more often than you have done... Well, I do believe that Denise at least might start refusing to see you in future. She has her own legal representative now, you know."

"Why in heavens name would she need her own legal representative at her age?" Miranda demanded.

"To look after her welfare should anything happen to me. If I died suddenly then Denise and her brother with the court's assistance can effectively decide who they wish to live with. They've bonded very well with Eda so I imagine they'd want to stay with her. But I didn't want anyone to get the idea that by taking custody of the children that they would get their mucky little hands on any more of my money."

"Harry, you really don't think I would do that, do you?"

"In a word Miranda, yes! Karen might be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but personally I wouldn't trust you as far as I could throw you. Now for the rest of the day I want you on your best behaviour. Just one more word, one out of place comment and I "will," throw you off of my property, do you understand me?"

"Yes!" Miranda replied. And much to my amazement, she suddenly turned back into the sweet – if not exactly loving towards me – woman that I'd married all those years before.

Epilogue

When she shows up nowadays, which isn't exactly what you could describe as often. Miranda arrives with presents for all of the children, Eda's two as well, she apparently dotes over the new baby and sort of plays kindly aunt Miranda to everyone. As I said though; not that I'd personally trust Miranda as far as I could throw her.

Karen brings young Benjie down to stay as regularly as clockwork, even more so lately because one of the guys at Carter's appears to have taken quite a shine to both of them. Eda and I are hopeful that things are going to go right for Karen and Benjie this time.

From what Karen implies, Miranda has shacked up with some guy, not that she's ever mentioned him to me or brought him down to meet the children yet. I'm not sure whether I should be jealous or pity the guy.

Life goes on.

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