"Ok, look, but don't get mad."
"why would I get mad?, I don't like the sound of this?"
"trust me its nothing bad, just gonna involve a little change..."
Mara eyed me suspiciously, and so far I was not making a good job of explaining and I was making it sound shady and unappealing... I took her arm and led her to a seat, and sat beside her.
"thing is, you know when Joel rang me when we were back home before the wedding?," she shook her head "yeah what of it, your doing that movie right?, no biggie I said I was cool with that..."
"yeah, look that was not all."
"why? what else did he say?"
"well he asked me if I wanted to work on a project with him, and spend the next two years here in the Uk, all expenses paid, a fabulous house, and I jumped at the opportunity and agreed."
Mara sat with an expressionless look to her face, and remained quiet. I took her hand in mine, "say something baby?"
"what can I say its all agreed, what perplexes me is that, we are a couple, now I'm your wife and you never even thought enough of me to tell me about it?"
"I wanted to surprise you, I thought you'd be happy cause you love England."
"mmm not sure its a surprise, its more a shock, Jon, I have my mom back home, you have your family, we cant just leave home and stay here, there's things that all need organising, this is such a bad idea.... Oh god I am over whelmed and really I'm lost rambling and don't know what to say, or think?"
"baby, your reading way to much into this, look, its a work opportunity, simple, we get to go to the realty agent to find our home, and were not staying forever, and anytime you want home we get on a plane and go, no questions asked, that's a promise..."
She still sat looking straight ahead and not focused on me. "Mara, baby?"
she turned her head and spoke, "Jon, you make it all sound so easy, but in reality its a life change," she managed a meek smile, "but I need time to digest it all and think, can you give me that time please?"
this time I shook my head, what else could I do....
"Do the kids know?"
"erm not yet..."
"don't you think they should know the plans too?, they have school after all and friends back home Jon...."
"we will tell the kids together when you have taken time to take in what I've said... ok?" she shook her head, now I'd delivered the bombshell, I felt flat, "what would you like to do this afternoon?"
"Go back to the guest house and have a coffee and think, if that's ok?"
"sure, I hailed a cab and we got in and in silence drove back to the guest house, the kids were unusually quiet too on the journey, and all went straight to their rooms as we entered the house. I followed Mara up the stairs to our room after saying hi to our house keeper, inside the room a large sigh escaped Mara's lips... "I just don't get it Jon, Why could you have not told me about it before, we could have discussed it and planned things you know?, and its not that I'm not grateful I am, but I need to organise things and get it all right in my head.... I have clients too from my business,?"
she turned to look at me, and stood quiet letting me know this was my opening to try and figure this out with her and win her over.
"Look, honestly, I get I'm a jerk, but believe me when I say I just wanted to give you your dream, for as long as I can remember you have always talked about living in the uk, how it excites you and how much you love it... when Joel asked me the question, I didn't hesitate and said yes, I guess in hindsight I should have told you, but I wanted it to be a surprise not a shock.... which I can see has totally back fired and I'm sorry..... I paused.... Look its no biggie, Ill contact Joel and tell him I aint doing the project...." I took my cell from my pocket and went to dial his number, ""no wait, Jon lets talk this through together and lets see what we can arrange ok?, and if it don't sit right then you can call Joel..." she smiled at me giving me hope.
"so where you wanna start?" I asked, she looked at me with wide eye's and answered, "At the beginning of course, I want to know the whole conversation you have had that led to you making this decision..." sitting on the arm chair by the window, she crossed her legs relaxed her arms on the arm rest and added, "I'm ready?"
For some reason I felt like a school boy about to be interrogated by the head teacher for banging erasers around in class... but swallowing hard I moved and sat on the edge of the bed opposite where Mara was in the chair and began.
"two weeks prior to our wedding Joel rang me, I thought he was calling to confirm the movie and start date, but he was so excited and told me about this music project he was working on with Elton John, and that when he had mentioned to Elton you and me would be in England on honey moon and the movie he asked if Id like to join the project as he loved my song writing, as did Bernie his writing partner. babes, Elton John right?"
Mara shook her head, "go on"
"I told Joel I was interested, and he said he'd sort it out and come back to me with more details.
"so at this point nothing was confirmed?"
"Right?, then two days later Joel rang me back and said, if I wanted to do this with Elton he would pay for me to buy a forever home in England as a thank you"
"so where exactly did me and the kids fit in too all of this?"
"Baby, we were here for our honeymoon and me working on the film, which you already knew about, I just didn't think this would be that much of a bigger deal and that as you said you wanted to live in the uk, you'd love the idea too..."
"but two years Jon?"
"yeah two years, but were here for eighteen months anyway, what's the stress about 6 months more, and a house too?, can you see where I'm coming from baby? its a win,win situation"
Mara digested the information "but you still should have told me Jon, I do get your thinking, but this is my life and the kids life too, don't you think we have the right to decide what we want as well?"
How is it that women can do that? turn a positive into a negative and still make you feel bad even when you think your doing the right thing? I guess that was something I was never gonna understand... I tried again, "yes to all of what you said baby, but can you at least now see where I was coming from?"
she softened her look, "yes I can see, and Ill go with it, providing you get the kids in and tell them and if there ok you have your deal, we will live in the uk for the extended six months, if they don't, you do your movie and we head back home deal?"
I had no option I had to agree and as Mara held out her hand I shook it, before grabbing her to her feet and pulling her in for a kiss and holding her real tight....her lame protests fell on deaf ears and as I kissed her deeply I felt her melt into my arms...... I knew id gotta tell the kids but right now my mind was else where and Mara was coming along for the ride and without to much of an argument so far.... anyway
