a look into wishing well part 6

Pierre had bought some new clothes and that day when he woke up, he had had a long shower, shaved and styled his beard. 

He made sure to use his favourite scent from back in the days - the smell of the sea as Olive used to say.

Though now less popular and considered out of fashion, it didn't matter. He had always known the power of a fragrance is its strength to evoke memory, you remembered things when you came across certain smells. 

He looked different. He was older, slightly tanned from all that time in the sun. He had gained weight but in a good way. 

The appointment was for three in the afternoon. The Hilton hotel roof garden restaurant. But it was only eight in the morning and he was already nervous.

How would she react? Will she walk away when she finds out I tricked her to meet me. I hope she does not come with her husband or else its all for nothing. 

He decided he would wait by the bar before taking a seat in the restaurant. At least he could see her come in and then make a move. 

Drinking his sparkling water the bar offered a vantage point to see all the guests coming into the restaurant. 

Olive came in just after 3:05pm. She wore dark sun glasses and a wide hat. A two piece tailored suit pale blue in colour and tan coloured high heels. 

The waiter led her to the table reservation and offered her a cold glass of mineral water. Olive looked at her watch. 

I walked in and pulled out the chair next to olive. 

'Bonjour mademoiselle. Olive how are you? "

He tried to smile but was tense as he saw the pleasant look on Olive's face change.

She recognised him. It took a moment but she knew it was him. The smell took her back. For a moment she was confused. Should she be happy or angry or both. A part of her still remembered the affection but in truth she did not feel for him. It had been a mistake to fall for him. And so it was. 

"So you are the magazine representative for French vogue? Really? Did you have to use trickery to meet me?? Asked Olive.

" what could I do? I knew you would not meet me under any other circumstance. But please hear me out."

" I didn't come to cause you trouble. I know you have probably moved on with your life. I struggled to and I am not asking for you to feel sorry for me."

"And I won't!" Was Olive's cold reply.

Pierre's heart sank. So this is her now he thought? I better make it quick.

"Right. Olive maybe you do not know why I left in the first place but let me explain.." 

Olive lifted her hand to stop me from carry on and said, " Don't worry I know about the money and everything that happened between you and my husband. You chose the money. I am OK with it.. "

'But what did you want me to do?" Pierre asked

" I didn't for you and for us?" Pierre said

Olive shot back, ' for us? Are you crazy? I was never yours in the first place.'

' But he was going to ruin your life if I had not left and did what he told me!'

'My husband is not that kind of man.'

'So if you will excuse me I will leave now. I was hoping I would never see you again. Please stay out of my life. I will not let my husband know you are around or there will be big trouble for you.' She said.

" Olive you once loved me. You. An act like this..but the heart does not forget. OK. I wish you a happy life. Its the last you will hear from me. You really have become a rich man's wife! "

Olive did not even look back she walked out and Pierre was left trying to gather his senses. It had gone worse than he expected. Seven months he had looked to this meeting. 

Tomorrow he was on the plane and he would leave his sorrows and heartache where it all started.

" Waiter!" He called, " a glass of cognac on the rocks. Make it a double"

George and Olive walked into the clinic a month later. Olive was here for the second attempt at IVF, George had trusted his urologist to find him a high calibre donor with good qualities.  

What George missed was when the doctor said, " and we will keep your dutch heritage going also." 

He had thought that the doctor had meant it literally he would have a donor with part Dutch part Asian ancestry. 

Success! Olive became pregnant. There was jubilation. And as with most IVF treatments, multiple births are likely - Olive was carry triplets. Somehow she managed and it turned out to be not such a difficult pregnancy. She was lucky. She stayed at home, ate well and the best doctors attended to her. 

At 35 years of age Olive finally got her wish and became a mother. It was the start of an incredible period of her life...

Two boys and a girl were born to her.  The boys had dark eyes but strangely familiar, the girl had light green eyes like her. But those eyes from the boys...staring at her reminded her of someone but who? Not George.

In fact the children looked more European than Asian. 

Within the family mumbling and tongue wagging  behind George's back had already started. 

"Those cannot be his children." His brothers said. 

"It must be one of the photographers from these fancy magazines she models for. You know how these Europeans are with our women!"

"Besides Olive is a snob."Their wives said. "She thinks she better than us but she is nothing but a tramp!"

Tension in the family had been simmering for years. The family was in factions. Since George's father was no more, his mother controlled everything and she would decide who controlled what of the family wealth.

She knew it, once the passed away open warfare would break out as each person tried to get the  best parts of the family empire. With or without a Will nothing would stand in the way of the feuding siblings. 

He sons had told her so, " whether you write a will in our favour or against we will decide who gets what. We built this company with our father. So we have a right to decide how it will be run!"

On one side was George, his mother and sisters. On the other side were George's brothers and some uncles. 

As the youngest George's mother felt she had to be on his side. His sisters were close to him because they practically raised him. His brothers cared little for the input of the sisters because they would not inherit any part of the business empire since they would marry and their first concern would be their husbands. 

His brothers also had another reason to fight George. While growing up, they helped their father build the organization into what is was now and George had come much later into a wealthy and thriving organization. 

Besides the problems he had caused ( with that poor girl getting pregnant and his other ways), he was reckless they thought. But George had a natural head for money. 

He made his father make choices which were against his brother's advice and this angered them. And to make matters worse when these choices proved to be correct they seethed with rage as it increased his influence over their father. 

They always held this against George - the child he had with the poor girl. But they had swore in family council never to expose it or bring scandal to the family. They kept their word with great difficulty. 

Now the birth of the triplets was a gift...a perfect gift to bring about the downfall of George. First George himself with his scandal which had cost them a lot of money to cover up. Now his wife and the threat to our reputation. 

One evening George's mother turned up. Her ears were burning from the constant gossiping and rumors. She was a direct and old fashioned lady. 

After tea she said to Olive, " you know these children of yours don't have such a yellow skin why is that? "

" what do you mean yellow, mama?" Said Olive Slightly offended even though she knew what she meant

"Olive we are Asian through and through. George may be slightly pale. And you too but I know your family and I can give you the history of our family for a 100 years. There was never any dutch British French or Arab blood in us."

" Olive I love you like my own child. Has there been another man? "

"Of course not. Speak to George. He has not told you that I had IVF treatment and the doctor helped George and I to conceive. We just did not want people to know?"

" And the doctor was sure it was from George and not anybody else. No mistakes?"

"No mama. Twice we tried."

To be continued