The Errol Flynn Family Ch. 4 Lalique’s Back Pt 1

Errol and Olivia Flynn were thrilled; Lalique had returned to Pleasantview and was renting a small house across from the park.  She really loved it and since she was renting with an option to buy, she had gone ahead and done a little decorating before she moved in. Actually, the very first day she was in town, she went shopping and then decided to check out the Galaxy Arcades, under new management. 

She ran right into her father, Errol, who had stopped by to talk to his friend and the owner, Bob Blackford. Errol hugged her and asked when they would get to see her new home. She said “As soon as I get unpacked and know where my dishes are, you and Mom and Melanie can come for dinner!” Errol was on his way out but took time to introduce her to Bob before he left.

Lalique struck up a lengthy conversation with Bob. He seemed to her to be knowledgeable on diverse subjects. He’d been an architect until he retired recently when he bought the arcade. His two older sons, Jeremy and Jesse, were grown and married with children, his younger son Chandler, was about 21 and still lived at home. About a week later he called Lalique and asked her if she’d like to go out for dinner and a movie. She decided to accept and Lalique had a wonderful time with Bob who treated her like a lady and had a love for dance like she did. After phoning each other all the following week, Lalique invited him over for a home-cooked dinner. She was attracted to him physically and by the end of the evening they indulged in some kissy-face on the love seat. When she thought about it, Lalique realized she had only cared about one other man in her life, despite dating frequently, and that was Devon. She wondered if this romantic interest in Bob meant she was finally getting over Devon.

She didn’t have long to wait for a comparison because three nights later, Devon showed up on her doorstep, smiling and apologetic. He obviously hoped to renew their relationship.

As if nothing had ever happened; just as though he had not left town for a year. Left without letting me know why or where he was.

Ten months after Devon took off, Lalique had left town, too. Only now, 18 months later, was she able to come back without breaking down every night.  So it was nearly three years since they had seen each other.

And he just waltzes in like I’m going to take him back gratefully. He’s got a lot of nerve.

The thing was; Lalique still felt an enormous pull toward Devon; both emotional and physical. So many memories going back to her early teens were connected to him. And they were mostly good memories until the last part which had been painful; filled with sadness and anger over the careless way he had treated her. Briefly she considered just slamming the door in his face, but she was curious as to what he would say, what he COULD possibly say to justify his actions.

In fact, Devon did not try to justify himself. He knew he could not and he really couldn’t say for sure why he had run off like that. He’d been so preoccupied with the publishing of his book and the notoriety, he told her; that he guessed he’d became totally selfish at the time. Then, after a while, when he moved back home, he’d been too embarrassed to call her. When he finally got up the nerve by then Lalique had left town and he had no idea where she was. When he’d tried to find out from her parents, they’d declined to give him her whereabouts. He couldn’t really blame them. Lalique was surprised her parents had not told her this. She would have to find out about that later.

In the meantime, Devon devoted himself to persuading her once more they were meant to be together. He looked so much older and perhaps even a little more sophisticated to Lalique with his hair cut differently and the beard. She still found him nearly irresistible, but she let him charm her to the love seat and no farther. He didn’t press his advantage at first, trying to convince her he was an absolute gentleman now.

When she found herself in danger of being seduced further, however; Lalique gently, but implacably, maneuvered him to the door, making no promises about when, or if, she would see him again. She had a lot to think about.

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She was unpacked and as settled as she hoped to be at this time, so Lalique invited her parents over for dinner a few days later.

“This is so lovely right across from the park here, dear,” Olivia exclaimed.

“I know I was lucky to get this place. No pool table, Dad, but you can attack the Atari if you want.”

Olivia and Lalique sat at the dining table and talk a bit, about what was the latest in Pleasantview, about their family, and so on. Errol was on the other side of the room shouting at the T.V.; but there was a white silk screen between that end of the room and theirs that helped keep them from getting distracted.

Lalique got up once to start making dinner for her parents. She no sooner set the blackened catfish down on the dining room table, than her father dove into it. He had a very healthy appetite for everything in life, including food.

At one during dinner point Olivia started talking about how Nicky Ferguson has just moved back to town, too and bought a house. Lalique recognized her mother was trying to be offhand, but had an agenda behind this.

“Mom, I knew Nicky in school, remember? But there was never any romance. I was with Devon and Nicky was one year younger.”

“One year, that's nothing,” sniffed Olivia and then smiled to take the sting out of it, “People change, Lalique.”

“Not that much, unfortunately,” Lalique said, remembering Devon.

“Nicky is a very good looking man now—“ Olivia turned wide brown eyes on her daughter and Lalique had to laugh,

“Who says, Madeleine Ferguson?”

“I saw him myself for just a moment. His mother and I ran into each other two days ago at Goth Apparel.  He was there and then he left and she and I went for coffee…”

“Ugh, no,” Lalique could picture the two beautiful and hopelessly romantic women planning some sort of “reunion” for her and Nicky. Probably he didn’t even know about it.

“Mom, look, Nicky was sarcastic and funny, and yes, he was nice-looking in an odd way, but I always thought he was kind of cocky.”

“How does she mean that?” Errol finally emerged from his eating frenzy and looked at Olivia.

“Ha ha. Go back to your food, dear, or did you just need to take a breather?”

"Dad, I only mean he had a rather rakish sense of humor and that, well, even though you knew he was basically a good guy, you just felt he was a little devilish, a little dangerous in some way."

“Sounds like I’d like him,” Errol remarked. He rose from the table and ever so slightly bowed to both ladies, saying, “I shall retire to the game room if I’m not needed.”

Lalique giggled while Olivia said with a wry smile, “Do that, darling.”

Lalique and Olivia cleared the table and washed the dishes and then Lalique showed her mother through the very small remaining rooms, the (one) large very modern bathroom, her “music room” with a battered upright piano, a synthesizer, a ballet barre and exercise equipment and then her tee-tiny bedroom.

“But, dear, how do you do your ballet exercises with this nautilus thingy here?”

“Well, mostly, I don’t. But I don’t have time to run, I need the exerciser. I could put the ballet barre in my bedroom but every time I stretched my leg out I’d smack into the bed.” She looked at Olivia and they both laughed.

“Maybe “option to buy” won’t work for me, but I really love this place otherwise.”

“It’s  a lovely bedroom even if it is small. Remember your father and I ended up with the smallest bedroom in the house until you moved out!”

“Yes, and he said a bad word every single time that he stubbed his toe, which seemed to be a couple times a week.”

Olivia and Lalique laughed again.

She and her mother went out to the side yard to talk some more and enjoy the sunlight and the view of the park. They discussed so many things; it was really quite wonderful for Lalique to have time alone with her mother. Errol was still inside yelling and cussing at the TV screen. Without a pond to fish in, lake or ocean to sail in, or a pool to swim in, he really did not know what to do with himself. At home when it rained he worked on his latest book.

“Well, I’d better take your father home before he loses his voice completely,” Olivia smiled, “Thank you so much for having us over, Lalique, we enjoyed it.”

“If I ever get a pool Dad can actually come out of the house! So you’ll have to come again often, maybe the landlord would let me get an above-ground pool or something”

“We don’t need a pool, we’ll be happy to come.”


It was only just before she went to bed that Lalique realized she forgot to ask her parents about their refusal to give Devon her address or phone number while she was gone. 

Next update: The Errol Flynn Family Ch. 4 Lalique's Back Pt. 2