‘My sister Tara said thingy … he who must be named … has been to my parents’ house with his girlfriend who has a moustache.’
‘I’m not sure I understand. But okay.’
‘I wish it would all just bugger off!’ shouted Alice into his shirt. ‘Not you. I mean it all. Oh dear.’ She sighed. ‘This isn’t going very well, is it?’
‘Um,’ whispered Luis into her hair. ‘It could be better.’
‘Bugger,’ sighed Alice.
‘Right, it’s time for you to go to bed. Alone,’ said Luis. ‘Because I think you have had just a little bit too much to drink and I don’t want to take advantage of you.’
‘Too much sun,’ corrected Alice.
‘Of course,’ said Luis. ‘Now,’ he said firmly. ‘You need to go to sleep and I need to work on the house.’ He picked up the glass of water and handed it to her. ‘Drink this,’ he said.
Alice sipped it obediently.
Then he took her hand and guided her to the bedroom. ‘I’ll let myself out. Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight,’ whispered Alice sleepily climbing into bed.
But he had already gone.
Alice slowly awoke to the sounds of children playing happily in the pool. Her eyelids felt like they were welded together, and her mouth was dry as sawdust. Rolling over onto her back she felt her head. ‘No headache,’ she muttered. ‘Amazing. But so thirsty …’ She got out of bed tentatively and padded to the kitchen to put the kettle on. Aphrodite was sitting by her food bowl, waiting patiently. ‘Don’t make me feel so guilty by sitting there all quiet. I know you’re hungry,’ said Alice. ‘Why didn’t you yowl in my ear like you usually do? To make me feel bad, that’s why.’ She spooned the cat food into the bowl and took her tea to the living room. She took her first sip and then stopped. ‘Oh no. Oh no. Oh. No.’ Fuzzy images of dancing on a bar, falling into Luis’s arms and the call from Tara about Adam flew into her mind. And suddenly with absolute clarity she remembered everything she had said to Luis when he brought her home. ‘Oh, God, he’ll never speak to me again. He’ll think I’m desperate.’
She took another sip of tea, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. Aphrodite trotted into the living room and began to purr around her feet. ‘I’ve got to do something to take my mind off this,’ she said to the cat. ‘All of it, Adam, the bar, Luis, me ... God I feel so stupid.’ One of the children in the pool screamed with laughter. Alice couldn’t think of anything else to do. ‘Aphrodite, I’m going outside to paint. Don’t look at me like that. Have you got a better idea?’
Alice showered then gathered her paints, brushes and easel, pulled her sunhat over her head firmly and hurried outside, settling herself under a tree. She began to paint and for a little while managed to forget everything except her task.
‘You’re up and about very early, all things considered,’ said Kathy, walking across the garden towards the pool, swigging from a large bottle of water.
‘Didn’t want to sit in the apartment thinking about things,’ muttered Alice from under the very large sunhat, ‘so I thought I’d finish the painting.’
Kathy settled herself on a sunbed next to where Alice was sitting and watched her move the brush across the canvas, scattering a trail of red buds behind it. ‘How do you get the flowers to look like that? Like if you touched them they would feel real?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Alice, not wanting to talk about what she knew Kathy was about to talk about. She assumed Tara had told her already.
Kathy sighed. ‘Alice, do you think you should contact a solicitor now he’s starting to cause problems for your family? Tara messaged me last night too.’
‘Yes I should,’ said Alice angrily, putting her paintbrush down.
‘And?’
‘When I’m ready. Not when he’s ready.’
‘Right.’
‘He can stew in it. I’ve spoken to Mum. She agrees. Lockdown.’
Kathy took another gulp of water. ‘Do you not think you ought to be more proactive?’
‘I am being proactive. I’m deliberately not doing anything.’
Kathy peered closely at Alice’s head. ‘I think I can see steam coming out of your ears.’
Alice smiled weakly. ‘He can’t just click his fingers and get what he wants, Kathy.’ She sighed. ‘And I’m not even ready to give him a reaction let alone a house.’ She looked up at her friend and decided to change the subject. ‘So, what happened with you last night?’
‘Hans and his wife dropped me off at home. I’ve known her for years. Although Stephano got wind of me getting in a car with a tall, handsome man and got the wrong idea. Honestly, even beach bars have ears. And what difference does it make to him all of a sudden? He sent me a very terse text. I have no idea what’s going on in that man’s head.’ Then she leaned forward and held Alice’s gaze. ‘The real question is, however, what happened to you?’
Alice pulled her sunhat down over her eyes and put her head in her hands.
‘Not that I’m an expert in body language,’ said Kathy, ‘but my instincts tell me that looks quite negative.’
‘I sort of indicated to Luis that I was keen to go to bed with him,’ said Alice quickly. ‘And he said no because I was too drunk. I wish I couldn’t remember, but I remember it all. I want to hide. I just want to crawl under the bed!’
‘Oh dear.’ Kathy giggled.
‘That’s not very helpful.’
‘I think it’s rather sweet. Have you heard from him this morning?’
‘No.’
‘Oh.’
‘Exactly.’ Alice pulled the sunhat back slightly and looked at Kathy. ‘I’m so embarrassed. I don’t know what to do.’
‘He’s probably busy. You said he was getting that house ready.’
‘He seems obsessed with that house to me.’
Kathy laughed. ‘Pot. Kettle. Black.’
‘What?’
‘You. Your house. You know.’
Alice sighed. ‘Can’t argue with that.’
‘Look, in Portugal, the rules with buying houses are different to in the UK. You said he had another house on the go, didn’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well maybe something happened – there could be money issues, or a buyer has dropped out, or problems with a deposit. Or he may have to sell it quickly and so he’s finishing it off. ’
Alice sighed again. ‘Common sense as usual. What would I do without you?’
‘I really don’t know,’ said Kathy, taking another gulp of water. ‘But on that note I have to go. My first appointment is at half eleven.’
‘What should I do about Luis?’
‘Nothing. All will be fine.’
‘And Adam?’
‘Ah, well,’ she said, standing up. ‘I have no idea about that one.’
Alice picked up her paintbrush. ‘Please don’t ask me to go paddle boarding again.’ Then she remembered Luis pulling her to him as he helped her off the bar, and she smiled.
Alice dozed a little fretfully in the afternoon, and after a swim, which refreshed her slightly, she wandered restlessly into town, trying to push her concerns about Luis and Adam and the house to the back of her mind by taking photos as she went. Walking into the square she paused and examined the patterned cobbles at her feet.
‘Hey!’ shouted Carlos the waiter. ‘Are you in disguise today?’
She looked up, confused.
‘The hat,’ he said, walking over to her. ‘It’s very wide.’
‘Ah well, it’s starting to get hot, isn’t it?’ Alice said. ‘So I thought extra coverage would be a good idea.’
‘It’s nearly seven o’clock in the evening. I think the sun is not so hot.’ He smiled. ‘I can’t see your eyes.’ Carlos bent his knees and peered up under the brim.
Alice pulled it to the back of her head.
‘Much better. Now I can see your lovely face.’
‘I can see where I’m going too, which is much better as well.’ She smiled back at
him.
‘Is there a problem with the floor?’ he asked curiously, looking closely at the cobbles too.
‘Oh, no. I was just looking for inspiration.’ She held the camera up as if that would explain it.
‘Right. I see.’
‘I think I’ll have a coffee then,’ she said after a while.
‘Of course,’ said Carlos. ‘Sit please.’
Alice pulled the hat back down to mask her eyes and waited for her drink.
‘Are you in disguise?’ Luis threw his phone down onto the table and sat next to her. Alice laughed and tried not to think about the previous night.
‘Did I make you jump?’
‘Yes,’ said Alice. ‘Actually you did.’
‘That’s because you can’t see out from under your hat.’ He looked tired and unshaven, and she wanted to touch his face and lace her fingers through his unkempt hair ‘Are you okay?’ he asked her.
‘What? Sorry,’ said Alice. ‘The hat’s so big it must be affecting my hearing too.’
‘Have you recovered from yesterday?’ he said, looking into her eyes and smiling.
Alice pulled the hat down even further. ‘That’s why I’m wearing the hat. I’m so embarrassed,’ she said quietly. ‘And I didn’t want to get a headache earlier, so I wanted to keep the sun off just to make sure.’ She glanced up again at Luis and smiled. ‘Although as Carlos pointed out, it is beginning to get dark. But mainly I’m wearing it because I am hideously embarrassed.’
‘Don’t be.’ Luis put his hand on hers. ‘It was actually very endearing.’ He smiled again. ‘Who is “thingy”? You mentioned them last night. And who’s the woman with the moustache?’
Alice sighed. ‘One is from the past. And I think the other one is his girlfriend.’ She took off her hat and put it on the table.
‘Ah, the past,’ said Luis.
‘Yes, and I wish he would stay there.’ Alice could feel a fission of anger shoot through her temples. She changed the subject. ‘Anyway, have you finished the house?’
‘Nearly finished. Worked through the night and most of today. Then I got interrupted and decided to give in and have a rest.’
Carlos bought the coffee over.
‘Luis,’ he said. ‘Diga.’
‘He means speak,’ said Luis
‘Sim, diga!’ said Carlos.
‘Um Imperial. That’s a beer. And here endeth the Portuguese lesson for today.’
Alice laughed. ‘You’ve not had much sleep then?’ she asked.
‘I intended to have some. But you know – life!’
Alice sipped her coffee.
‘I only live five minutes’ walk from here,’ he said.
Alice glanced up at him. Luis was staring at her, a playful smile on his lips.
‘Um Imperial.’ Carlos set the glass on the table dramatically. ‘I hear Antonio is causing problems again at the casino,’ he said.
‘That was less than two hours ago,’ said Luis irritably. ‘How did you know about that?’
‘Ignacio was outside waiting for a client. He told me Antonio was drunk and aggressive again. Drinking all day, I heard.’
Luis picked up the beer and drank half of it in one gulp. ‘I had to get him out and drive him home before they called the police.’
‘Again.’
‘Again.’
Alice could sense the weariness in Luis’ voice. ‘Does he do this often?’ she asked.
‘Recently, yes,’ sighed Luis.
‘He gambles in the casino,’ said Carlos as he walked towards another table, ‘loses his money. Doesn’t like it. Drinks.’
Luis sat up and put his glass down on the table. ‘But that’s him,’ he said. ‘What about you Alice? It was your sister that called you last night?’
‘Yes, Tara. Her middle name is Scarlett. My mum was really into escapism when Tara was born. She watched Gone With the Wind a lot at the time. Probably because she couldn’t pay the mortgage on the house and had been at war with our father. Not that we had clothes made out of curtains or anything. We did get evicted though.’ She looked down and took a sip of her coffee. Said too much, she thought.
‘Sounds like you had a hard time,’ said Luis. ‘And I assume that your name was inspired by films too?’
‘I’m the eldest and at the time I was born Mum was having a hard time too.’ The words tumbled out of Alice and she was unable to stop them. ‘Mainly because my dad kept disappearing and she had no money and so she watched a lot of films which made her feel that you could escape somewhere even if it was a little bit odd. So, I’m Alice off of Alice in Wonderland and my middle name is Dorothy – from The Wizard of Oz. I do have a pair of red shoes actually.’
Luis smiled at her. He leaned forward. ‘So, you are really in Wonderland now? Or the land of Oz? Not Australia. That’s where I come from. But the one with the wizard and the munchkins?’
Alice thought for a moment. ‘I suppose it is very vibrant and colourful and home had become very grey and static.’
Luis took another gulp of his beer. ‘Be careful of the Wicked Witch of the West,’ he said. ‘Or the north, or the south. I don’t know. Just remember—’ he was suddenly serious ‘—this is real life too. It may be beautiful and fun and exciting, but things aren’t always as they appear on the surface.’
Alice felt a little uneasy. What did he mean? ‘No, I know,’ she said. ‘But for me it’s an escape.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I’ve ruined the mood. That’s what having no sleep does for you.’
Alice smiled. ‘No, you haven’t ruined the mood at all,’ she said, still not sure how to take what he’d said.
He caught her gaze and for a moment she forgot what he had said and where they were. All she could see was him.
‘Oh, sh—!’ Luis grabbed his buzzing phone and put it in his pocket. ‘That can wait,’ he said. ‘So you enjoyed the paddle boarding yesterday?’
‘I did actually. It was difficult, but invigorating.’
‘It suited you. You looked happy.’
His phone buzzed again and again. Taking it reluctantly out of his pocket, he read the messages, irritably. ‘Now this is what I mean about real life,’ he said, exasperated. ‘Sorry Alice, I’m going to have to go. I don’t want to but I have to sort out something I thought I had already sorted out. Bloody Antonio.’ He leaned forward and kissed her gently, cupping her face gently in his hands. Then he kissed her again, more forcibly, pulling her closer.
Alice felt a warm glow encase her and her heart began to beat more quickly.
‘I don’t want to go,’ he muttered. ‘But his mother keeps ringing me. He’s drunk and he’s trying to drive his car back to the casino. I have to help. She’s been good to me.’ He stood up. ‘Are you free tomorrow evening? I’ve got to visit the solicitors to sign the paperwork for the house then I’m celebrating.’
‘Yes I’m free,’ said Alice
‘Great. I’ll call you tomorrow,’ he said, striding off towards the old town.
‘Be careful of him,’ said Carlos sharply, appearing out of nowhere to clear the table. ‘He has a reputation.’
There it was again, thought Alice. That word. The niggle that was Marcella and Antonio raised its head. But she reminded herself that she was not in Cascais for long, so what did it matter? When she was with Luis, he made her smile.
She meandered up the hill back to the apartment, smiling at everyone and everything. Making herself a cup of ordinary tea when she got back she sighed and sat down. Aphrodite climbed onto her lap and stretched herself out on it. ‘What exactly does having a “reputation” mean? I mean I know what it means but Luis doesn’t seem like that to me.’ Aphrodite dived off Alice’s lap in pursuit of a fly. ‘You’re no help,’ said Alice standing up and walking to the bathroom. She began to wash off her make-up, breathing on the mirror and staring at her reflection through the misty glass. ‘Why do I care? Isn’t this an interlude? Aren’t I learning to just go with the flow and take things as
they are? Real life can wait till I get home.’
‘And when will that be?’ said the reflection.
‘Soon. Soon. But just leave me alone. For a little while. Please,’ said Alice, turning and padding out onto the terrace, the tiles still warm underfoot. The moon hung over the sea, orange and heavy. She watched it for a long time, mesmerised, lost in thought. ‘Adam didn’t have a reputation, but he still turned out to be a complete bastard,’ she said to Aphrodite, who had finally given up on the fly and sat purring at her feet. ‘Oh bugger. I said his name. Bugger. Christ! He knows how to ruin a moment and he’s not even here.’
Clumsily banging the shutters closed, Alice walked into the bedroom, wishing that Luis could somehow extricate himself from his real-life distractions, reputation or not. Then she picked up the camera, opened the shutters again and photographed the moon.
Chapter Eleven
Alice blearily awoke to see the clock on her dressing table pointing to 6.30 a.m.
‘Oh early morning, how pleased I am to see you. Not. Thank you, cat.’ Aphrodite nuzzled into her arm, purring loudly, bored with repeatedly jumping on and off the bed. Alice absent-mindedly checked her mobile phone. One message received at 12.30 a.m.
Are you still awake?
It was Luis
Alice sat up, surprised. ‘Aphrodite, why did you decide to do this now and not at 12.30? That would have been much more helpful.’ The cat purred on, oblivious, as Alice replied to Luis.
I wasn’t. But I am now. I suppose you are asleep?
She lay down and closed her eyes, not expecting a response. The phone buzzed.
Wide awake.
Her heart fluttered.
The cat woke me up.
Are you dressed?
Alice’s heart flipped a bit. Where was this going?
No …
I’ve got to meet my architect at my new house. – the project. Want to come? I’m meeting him at 7.30. That’s morning, not evening! I can pick you up at the hotel at 7.15.
‘Strange feeling,’ she muttered to Aphrodite. ‘Being disappointed and not disappointed at the same time.’
Okay. See you there.
Pressing send she leapt out of bed and headed to the shower. Twenty-five minutes later, she ran out of the apartment, excited for her early morning date, and intrigued to see the house. Luis was waiting for her in the car with Elvis in the back and turned the engine on as soon as he saw her turn the corner. She jumped in, smiling, and he kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘Sorry to be in such a rush,’ he said, ‘but my friend has to go to work after this and I want to get as much advice from him as I can.’ Elvis barked as they drove off and nuzzled in her ear.
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