Alice remembered the family she had watched move into the town house in Cascais earlier that day, hopeful and happy, planning their new life. Then she conjured up another family in her mind’s eye – a mother and a father, a baby in a pram and a little girl with curly blond hair, walking up the narrow path of red roses and lavender to the front door and into her house. Inside were toys and mess and laugher and warmth, a teapot on the kitchen table, a dog barking in the garden.
The baby’s room was blue with a stencil of yellow and green birds on the walls, a mobile of clouds hanging above the cot. Next door, his sister’s room was strewn with dolls and dresses around a bed with a bright pink duvet covered with rainbows. The walls of the study were covered in books and nick-nacks and the main bedroom, pale and tranquil, lavender and cream.
‘Enjoy the house I built,’ she said to her imaginary family. ‘It’s for you to make your own now.’ Then she clicked the computer off and left. She looked at her phone. Four missed calls from Luis and a voicemail.
‘Alice, Alice, please,’ he said. ‘I know why you’re angry, but I couldn’t tell you how bad things were. I thought I was going to lose everything. But when she told me she wanted to knock the house down it all came into focus. I spent today sorting things out. It’s all okay now.’
Another voicemail pinged into the phone. ‘I wanted to sit in the foyer of your apartment building. I would have done all day, but I had to sort out the houses. It’s for us. For us. I left messages with the porter for you. Oh Alice, where are you? I’m at the apartment block and you’re not here.’
Then a text arrived. I have to go to see my solicitor and the estate agent. I need to sign some paperwork urgently. I’ll be back. Luis xxx
All the emotions Alice had ever felt seemed to be coursing around her body. She knew she should call him, but she didn’t have the words. She was being forced to sell her home and being thrown into an uncertain future and she was scared. No amount of sending in happy imaginary families on google could stop her feeling that. As she wandered aimlessly around the backstreets she noticed something. Someone had sprayed green graffiti over the dilapidated ‘for sale’ sign hanging wanly in front of a little yellow house. Alice paused in front of it and felt a pang of sadness. That house needs someone to love it, she thought.
‘Yes, well, I’m leaving aren’t I?’ she said brusquely out loud, beginning to hurry up the hill and onto the sea road. ‘So not me. I’ve got to get back and book a flight home. And let Mary know. She’s got to find someone else to look after Aphrodite.’
Red, white and green fishing boats bobbed on the crystal blue sea, a school of tiny yachts skidding over the white crested waves in the bay. Alice tried to ignore it. ‘Stop being so beautiful,’ she muttered. ‘Stop making it so difficult to leave. Just. Stop. It.’ Cutting through the shade of the park to escape from the seductive ocean views, the scent of rosemary and lavender gently calmed her. So she began to breathe through her nose to block it out, running, trying to ignore the calls of the peacocks amongst the trees and the happy laughter of children skipping along the grass.
Alice threw the mobile phone into the bathroom because she didn’t want to see any more messages or hear any more excuses. Her heart was breaking and she had to go. She closed the door as Aphrodite trotted towards her.
‘Hello you,’ she sighed. She switched on the computer and as she was waiting for it to connect, took the bowl she’d bought from her house in London out of her backpack and put it on the table. ‘I think it’s just you and me kid,’ she said to it sadly.
The intercom buzzed.
‘No,’ she said, trying to ignore it.
‘Alice,’ said Luis, buzzing again. ‘I know you’re there. The doorman told me.’
Aphrodite jumped onto her lap, purring.
‘Alice, I know you’re angry. But nothing happened. Nothing. I was stupid. Please.’
Logging onto her e-mail, she tried to work out how to tell Mary and Frank that she couldn’t stay any more. Should she ask to take Aphrodite back with her to England?
I have to leave because I have to sell my house because of my ex, she typed. Then she deleted it and started again. I have to leave because I have to sell my house because of my ex. I have to earn money to pay the solicitors because I know he will try to get more of it than he is entitled to … I have to leave because I have been stupid over a man … I have to leave because although I love it here, I can’t stay …
She opened a new e-mail. It was from the work contact her friend had told her about. I’ve heard great things about you, it said. We’re expanding in the new year and could have some consulting work for you. Could you let me know when you’re available to meet up in the next month or so?
There it was – a message that only three months ago would have made her jump up and down with excitement and relief. But now … she sighed … but now she needed to earn some money, even if she was going to sell her bracelets. The redundancy would run out soon enough.
The buzzer went again. ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ said Luis. ‘I will keep buzzing until you let me in.’
A new e-mail flashed up. ‘From Mary,’ said Alice, clicking it open. ‘A bit of a coincidence.’
In Australia at last! it said. Our granddaughter is beautiful. We are both in love. Staying here for a couple of months then we are off to New Zealand. You are obviously loving it there. My friend sent me this. We used to drive past the farmhouse and imagine ourselves owning it. It’s such a beautiful spot. She found this photo print in a shop in Sintra and scanned it in to send to us. You look so content.
Alice opened the attachment.
The intercom buzzed again. ‘Don’t go, Alice, please. Talk to me. Don’t run away. Please.’
She stared at the screen for a moment, then stood up and walked backwards towards the door, not taking her eyes off the computer. Everything was suddenly clear, and relief washed through her. She began to cry.
The photo was taken of Luis’s farmhouse from an outbuilding. The overgrown bushes and plants in the garden sloped down to rolling hills dipping towards the sea beyond. On a step next to a tangle of bougainvillea and clematis sat a woman examining some broken shards of tiles, a paint palette and mounting board next to them. Her reddish blonde hair glowed in the sun, her golden-brown bare arms were dotted with paint. She was part of the landscape.
She pressed the button to let Luis in and opened the door moving back towards the photograph, mesmerised. It was her. She was the woman in the photograph, happy and relaxed, like she belonged there.
Luis almost ran through the door.
‘Alice, Alice, I am so sorry.’
‘That’s me,’ she said, eyes still fixed on the photograph.
He stood next to her and took her hand. ‘Yes, it is. Do you mind?’
She looked up at him. ‘I look happy,’ she said.
‘You were happy.’
‘You’re not going to sell the house, are you?’
‘No, never.’
‘Things have been going on, Luis. I have to sell my house. I have to fight Adam for what’s mine. I have to go back to do it.’
‘Don’t go,’ he said.
‘That woman you were with. I needed you. He was there. In the square. On my birthday. And you were with her.’
‘I am a very stupid man,’ he said. ‘Alice, all the time I was there I wanted to be with you. I wanted to get away. But in my mind was the fear I was going to lose everything. This past month I got myself into a real mess. I couldn’t think straight.’
She stared at the screen.
‘You can fight him from here. Just go back when you need to,’ he said. ‘Don’t go Alice, please. Stay. Stay with me.’
‘With you?’
‘Yes. I love you.’
‘Do you?’ Alice turned towards him.
‘Yes of course I do.’
Alice began to smile even as the tears continued to fall. ‘I love you too.’
Luis cupped her face in h
is hands and kissed her gently, then gathered her in his arms and held her.
‘I felt so alone,’ said Alice. ‘Like I had to do it all myself.’
‘I’m here now. We will do it together.’
‘I still have to pay the mortgage until it’s sold.’
‘We will work it out. We will. Don’t worry.’
‘But …’
Something hit the balcony shutters with a clatter.
‘What’s that noise?’ said Alice.
The intercom buzzed. ‘It’s Kathy. Go onto the balcony now. NOW!’
Alice and Luis looked at each other, puzzled. There was another clatter. ‘Better do as she says,’ said Luis, unlocking the doors and stepping out.
‘What are you laughing at?’ said Alice.
‘You better come here.’
She walked onto the balcony and looked down into the garden.
Kathy, Stephano, Ignacio and Carlos stood under a tree, along with Alice’s birthday busker and Ignacio’s nephews. ‘So you two have finally sorted it out then?’ shouted Kathy. ‘Thank goodness for that.’
‘I told them you were going,’ shouted Carlos.
‘But we don’t think you should go. It’s Paradise!’ shouted Ignacio.
He nodded to Felipe and his nephews, who began to play.
‘What’s that?’ whispered Luis.
‘“Daydream Believer”,’ laughed Alice. ‘He played it last night in the square.’
As her friends began to join in the singing, two children climbed out of the swimming pool to watch and the people lounging on the sunbeds stood up, smiling.
‘Don’t go,’ said Luis, kissing her ear. ‘You belong here.’
‘Don’t go,’ shouted Kathy above the noise. ‘I need you, Alice. You have to help me run the spa when baby here comes. I’ll do whatever paperwork is necessary. I need you Alice.’
‘But what about real life?’ said Alice quietly to Luis. ‘The house and earning money? I can’t just stay …’
‘Real life? You are standing on a balcony in the blazing sun, with the sea glistening in the distance, the birds chirping in the trees, standing next to a man who loves you, and your friends and what looks like a newly formed boy band and some random strangers singing to you. And apparently that’s what happened last night too. What’s not real life about that?’
Two silver birds swooped down to the water, their chests catching the blue of the pool as they rose and rested on the trees beyond. Alice kissed Luis, to cheers from the small crowd below. Then she shouted ‘are you coming up then?’
‘Of course we are. Stephano’s got a few bottles of chilled champagne in the car.’
Stephano turned to Kathy. ‘But not for you darling. I also have lemonade.’
After a while everyone began to drift off back to their lives, smiling and happy, leaving Alice and Luis alone again.
Luis stood up. ‘We have something to do Alice,’ he said. ‘Come.’ He held out his hand.
‘You look serious, all of a sudden,’ she said. ‘Is there anything else I should know?’
He looked into her eyes. ‘Will you trust me?’
They held each other’s gaze for a few moments, still and calm, and just as he was about to turn away, Alice noticed a sudden fire in Luis’s eyes.
‘I trust you.’ she said.
‘It’s around the corner, not far,’ he said, leading her down towards the gates.
They walked in silence, Luis’s face stern and tense.
‘Are you going to tell me what’s going on?’ asked Alice.
‘What you said to Adam yesterday was brave. You were stronger than I’ve ever been. And because of you I’m going to put the past to rest.’
They continued, Alice in a muddle of thoughts, hoping there wasn’t going to be yet another argument, but understanding she had to allow Luis to do what he needed to.
He turned and kissed her gently. ‘Here we are,’ he said squeezing her hand at the doors to a dingy bar. ‘Antonio uses this as a kind of office sometimes.’
They walked in hand in hand and saw Antonio and Marcella deep in conversation at a small table in the corner. They didn’t notice Alice and Luis until they were standing next to them.
Antonio looked up, surprised. ‘What do you want?’ he spat. ‘We had all this out the other day. You’ve left the band. I get it. Have you come for another fight?’ He stood up aggressively. ‘We can go outside and carry it on if you want.’
Marcella stood up. ‘I don’t want to be here with him or her. They’ve made enough of a fool of me, and as for my aunt …’
Alice saw something shine and shake on her wrist. ‘That’s a nice bracelet,’ she said.
Marcella looked down. ‘Oh, this little trinket. My father bought it for me from one of the stalls.’
‘I thought you were angry he wouldn’t let you work with the band any more?’ said Alice calmly.
‘He says things like that, but then he forgets. I’ll walk around wearing it for a few days to keep him happy.’ Marcella almost smiled, defiant.
Alice squeezed Luis’s hand. ‘It’s nice to see one of my bracelets actually being worn.’ She beamed at Marcella, who looked down, shocked.
‘This is yours?’ She paused. ‘I’m only wearing it because I have to. I’ll throw it away in a few days.’
‘I’ve got something to say to you Antonio,’ said Luis.
Antonio looked down and started to write on a pad, ignoring him.
‘We were more than cousins once, Antonio, we were great friends. I’m grateful for all the help you gave me when I moved here from Australia.’ Luis walked over to him.
Antonio stopped writing but didn’t look up.
‘The band was great for a while, but it stopped being fun. I stayed for you. We all did. But you drove us all away. You’ve chewed over the lost record contract for so many years. Move on or find another dream or someone else to help you. Now you drink, you gamble, you lie, you bully and you’re a mess, and you’ve used our friendship as a way of making me stay for too long.’
Antonio sat in silence for a moment then looked up. ‘You always thought you were better than me. But you weren’t. You weren’t.’ He turned to go and Marcella began to follow him.
‘Don’t get caught up in these games, Marcella,’ said Luis. ‘He’s been using you. And you’ve been bullying Alice too. Both of you owe her an apology.’
She stopped. ‘An apology? I haven’t bullied anyone,’ she said. But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, the bar door flew open.
‘Marcella!’ A middle-aged man in a smart suit and sunglasses stood at the door, the light behind him casting his body into shadowy darkness.
‘Daddy, I…’
‘I told you not to get involved with this. I told you. And yet you are still here, making a fool of yourself.’
He stepped forward into the light.
They all stood in silence for a moment.
The man took his sunglasses off. ‘You won’t remember me, Antonio, but I remember you.’
Luis examined his face. ‘You look familiar,’ he said.
‘I auditioned for the band years ago. I didn’t get in. You said I was a good bass player. Antonio was very rude about my abilities as I remember.’
Alice looked at them all. ‘Every man in Cascais seems to have been in the band, or wanted to be in the band,’ she said without thinking. ‘Bit like Spartacus ... you know – I am Spartacus … I am Spartacus …’ she trailed off realising the room was silent and she was sounding like her film-obsessed mother again.
The man laughed. ‘You’d think it was the only band in town!’
Marcella looked at her father. ‘You mean you wanted to get in, and you couldn’t?’
‘Yes. I was cool once you know. Obviously not that cool – like I said I didn’t make it in.’
‘You mean I’ve been helping a band you wanted to be in when you were ...?’
‘Young?’ he cut in. ‘Yes.’
Marcell
a’s face curled into disgust. ‘That’s embarrassing,’ she muttered. ‘I can’t believe I…’ She stared at Antonio and then at Luis. ‘You are so much older than I thought. She glanced at her father. ‘Did Aunt Susannah know?’
‘Oh, your aunt?’ he laughed. ‘Your mother says her little sister is having a mid-life crisis – revisiting her youth by hanging around these two again. She’s old enough to know better. You’re young enough to learn. Now, get in the car and we’ll talk about this later. If you still want your allowance that is.’
Marcella stomped towards the exit. She turned around as if she was about to say something, but simply spluttered ‘I can’t believe it.’ Then pushed the door open and left.
‘Well, I’d best go. Don’t let me see you anywhere near my daughter again, Antonio.’
‘It wasn’t like that,’ stuttered Antonio. ‘She was helping the band. She wanted to help.’
He smiled at Luis. ‘My name is Duarte – Duarte de Silva, by the way. I’ve heard that Latin band you play with sometimes is pretty good.’ He took a card out of his wallet and handed it to him. ‘I book some bands for my restaurants and bars. And the hotel I’ve got some shares in. Get one of the guys to give me a call.’ He shook Alice’s hand. ‘Nice to meet you. I hope we’ll meet again.’
‘Nice to meet you too, Duarte,’ she said. ‘I’m glad you like my bracelets. You bought one for Marcella.’
‘You made them? I like them a lot. I bought ten. My wife has so many aunts, sisters and nieces I like to keep stocks of little presents for them just in case!’ He took another card out of his wallet and passed it to her. ‘Send me your contact details. If I need any more I’ll come to you direct.’
As he walked towards the exit he paused and said, without looking back. ‘I thank my lucky stars I didn’t get in the band you know. It would have distracted me. My father owned two bars and I took that and built his business up to what I’ve got now. I’ve just bought a small record label too.’
Then he pushed the door open and left through a flash of sunlight.
The House That Alice Built Page 27