by Mandy Baggot
He watched her lips shape into the most radiant, whole-hearted smile that lit up her whole face. ‘You’d really do that for me?’
‘I think it’s the very least I can do for Lemur Girl.’
Then suddenly she was almost in his lap, her arms around his neck, a sweet scent of cotton candy, mulled fruit and notes of pine flooding his senses as the warmth of her body melted into his.
‘Thank you,’ she breathed. ‘This means so much.’
‘You’re welcome, Lemur Girl,’ he replied, holding her close. ‘You’re welcome.’
Eighteen
‘They’re gone!’ Kossy exclaimed, her hand on her forehead. ‘Not that I don’t like and respect every last one of them, but when they started playing Jenga with the empty beer bottles I knew it was gonna be testing.’ She slumped down onto one of the garden chairs and it collapsed beneath her, sending her sprawling onto the snow-kissed ground.
‘Mom, are you OK?’ Seth asked, jumping up and going to her aid. He took her hand.
‘Ted!’ Kossy scrabbled to her feet with Seth’s help. ‘Are these the chairs I asked you to fix in the summer?’
Ted bent his head a little as if he was analysing the seating before he made any attempt at answering. He scratched his now-hat-covered head. ‘I’m not sure.’
‘Don’t you lie to me, Ted Hunt. You and I both know these are the chairs you were supposed to fix this summer.’
‘And I did,’ Ted answered.
‘With that freaking glue gun! Not with nails or screws like any sane person who wants a repair to last more than a freaking New York minute.’
‘Have you been drinking tequila?’ Ted asked.
‘What?’ Kossy bit back. ‘Why would you ask that?’
‘You said “freaking” twice in that last sentence.’
‘So freaking what? Oh, that means I’m drunk on tequila now, does it?’
‘Usually, yes.’
Seth laughed out loud, watching the face-off between his parents like he had so many times before. This back-biting was like a constant courting ritual, part of the fabric of their relationship he knew neither one of them would be without. He was almost glad his dad never mended things well. If everything in his parents’ life was perfect, there would never be anything for his mom to get crazy about.
‘I don’t know what you’re laughing so hard about, Seth. You’re on toilet-cleaning duty and you know how the shelter-goers love a proper toilet.’ Kossy smiled, carefully sitting down on another chair before picking up her mug of hot chocolate. ‘You think it’s only food and drink they come here for?’
‘Mom, jeez … didn’t I do toilets last year?’ Seth asked.
‘I’ll do the toilets,’ Ted said, putting his hand in the air before sitting down next to Kossy and passing Seth another bottle of beer.
‘I want them done properly, Ted, with products. Not just water and a wave of the toilet brush,’ Kossy ordered.
‘I’ve got some industrial-strength bleach in the garage.’
Seth smiled. His parents were like many in NYC, non-car owners. His dad’s garage was only ever filled with tools, products he had bought from TV shopping channels and books Kossy had banished from the house that he couldn’t bear to part with.
‘So … I think your father and I need to hear a little more about Lara,’ Kossy said, sitting back in her chair and blowing at her hot chocolate. Steam rose into the air and mingled with the light snowflakes still dancing around in the dark.
‘I like her,’ Ted added. ‘She likes beer.’ He sucked in a breath then looked into the middle distance. ‘What was the name of that girlfriend you had who would only drink carrot juice?’
‘God, what was her name?’ Kossy interjected.
‘Rosie,’ Seth said. ‘And we only had a couple of dates.’
‘You brought her here.’
‘I knew you would have a lot of carrots,’ Seth replied.
‘So,’ Ted said, thoughtfully. ‘Did you bring Lara because you knew I would have a lot of beer?’
‘I didn’t bring Lara. She came here in a cab.’ And she had left the same way too, dismissing his offer of escorting her back to the apartment she was staying in in East Village. They were meeting up tomorrow afternoon, at the Empire State Building.
‘You’re being evasive, Seth,’ Kossy said. ‘Don’t you think, Ted?’
‘I’m losing the eye contact too,’ Ted answered.
Seth shook his head and pointedly looked at both his parents. In that moment he realised exactly how lucky he really was. To have been taken on by this wonderful couple, just like half the needy in the city, except that he had been kept for life, not just for Christmas.
‘Thank you, guys,’ Seth said softly. ‘You know, for not freaking out when I asked about my mom.’ He cleared his throat. ‘My other mom.’
‘Wow, there’s a whole lot of use of the word “freaking” tonight,’ Ted commented. ‘It almost feels like I’m back at school.’ He put a hand to his nape then took a drink.
‘Have you decided?’ Kossy asked, somewhat tentatively. ‘If you wanna …’
‘No … I mean … I wanna know more about her, like I said earlier, see what she looks like, see if she looks like me … I don’t know. Is that stupid? To wanna know about someone but not know if you wanna meet them?’
‘No, sweetheart, of course it isn’t.’
‘And it might not be just her,’ Ted said. ‘There’s the whole maybe you’ve got a brother or sister aspect too. It’s a lot to take on.’
‘Ted …’ Kossy said.
Seth took a breath in, drawing the cold night deep into his lungs. ‘I know there’s a possibility she’s got a whole new family. I mean, why wouldn’t she?’ He sighed. ‘And I’m not into Disney enough to think she ended up marrying my blood father and I’m gonna be reunited with this perfect family. I mean, I have the perfect family right here. I don’t need anyone else. I just …’
‘No,’ Ted said. ‘I meant the other hat next to you in the box.’
Kossy got to her feet in a hurry. ‘Shall I make more hot chocolate? Seth, you’ll have one, won’t you? Start curdling up that beer and smoothing over the cancer-causing carbon that was all over half the meat on the grill.’
‘Have I missed something?’ Seth said.
‘You didn’t tell him about the hat, did you?’ Ted said. ‘Kossy, you said you’d told Seth everything.’
‘I did. I was going to … when the time was right.’
‘Kossy, he’s twenty-eight years old and he came to you with this. For answers. For the honesty you’ve always promised him and usually given him.’ Ted shook his head. ‘This isn’t who we are at all.’
Seth watched his mom sink back into her seat, now unconcerned for the stability, her head down, eyes on the smear of snow on the ground. ‘Could one of you please tell me what’s going on?’
‘Kossy?’ Ted said.
His mom just shook her bowed head, white flakes collecting in the middle of her dark and grey crown.
‘Seth, when you were left at the shelter, there were two little hats. One on your head and one right next to you.’ He sighed, then reached for Seth’s hands, holding them in his own. ‘Now, it could well be that it was just a spare hat meant for you, or, it might mean … you weren’t the only baby.’
Seth swallowed, his heart pounding against the wall of his chest. This was not something he had been prepared for. This was almost unbelievable.
‘I always thought … we always thought … that maybe there’s a chance you were a twin,’ Ted said.
Nineteen
Lara and Susie’s Airbnb apartment, East Village
With the window of the apartment wide open, Lara sat on the ledge, filling her lungs with the new morning air New York City was serving up. From her vantage point, past the three snowmen she had named Harry, Ron and Hermione, she could see right into the heart of East Village.
Already it seemed to be filled with the world’s most on-trend indivi
duals. There were coats of all varieties – long and leather, pink and fluffy – coupled with an eclectic mix of clothing peeking out underneath – ripped jeans and plaid, shorts and trainers, business suits and leather shoes, a Santa Claus on a skateboard … All were buzzing into coffee shops, talking into their mobile phones, commuting any way they could on bikes, buses or rollerblades. It was noisy, nothing like Appleshaw, but Lara found if she closed her eyes, the constant hum was almost soothing and just watching this new world going by was making her feel part of something bigger.
‘Morning.’
‘Buenos dias.’
Lara turned around to greet Susie and David, having seen nothing of them since they’d left for dinner the evening before. She wouldn’t have known they were in the apartment at all, except someone used the toilet in the night and she had assumed it was one of them and not an intruder. Her dad would probably have plumped for intruder if he were here. He believed the Big Apple was just like it was portrayed in the movies.
‘Morning,’ Lara replied, spinning out of the window seat she’d made and standing up.
‘Aren’t you cold?’ Susie asked, taking hold of the window and pulling it closed. ‘It’s cold in here. I’m not sure the heating’s working and they definitely promised heating on the Airbnb description.’
‘Hey, baby, are you trying to say I didn’t keep you warm enough last night? Because that would put a real dent in my pride after not having seen you for so long.’ David hung himself over Susie almost as if she were a clothes horse and he was a dressing gown, slightly damp and in need of airing.
‘I wasn’t warm last night,’ Susie said softly, turning around in his tangle of arms, legs and bare chest. ‘I was hot … scorching hot … chestnuts-roasting-on-an-open-fire hot … rich-thick-gravy-being-poured-over-the-Christmas-turkey hot …’
‘OK,’ Lara said. ‘Can you stop because I don’t want to know what you’re going to say when you get to Christmas pudding.’
‘Brandy butter,’ Susie said, licking her lips. ‘Poured all over—’
‘Shall I make more coffee?’ Lara asked, making for the kitchen area. ‘They might not have proper heating but they have a really good coffee machine.’
‘Never mind the coffee,’ Susie said, extricating herself from her dark-haired Latin lover and following Lara to the kitchen. ‘How was the party with Dr Mike last night?’
‘You would have known if you had actually turned up.’ Lara sniffed a little like she was put out. She wasn’t really put out, because the party had been so much fun, and given that her best friend hadn’t seen the lust of her life for months she hadn’t truly expected they would leave dinner early and slip out of their cosy couple bubble. ‘And don’t keep calling him Dr Mike. He has done other stuff you know.’ He’d told her a little about the films he’d been in, some of them she thought she had heard of, but didn’t think she’d seen. She was sure she would have remembered if he had graced her Friday nights in front of the TV wearing something other than his Manhattan Med white coat.
‘That was my fault.’ David stretched his arms in the air, elongating his lithe torso. ‘We found this little Spanish restaurant in West Village and they served pisto like my grandmother makes and I got talking to the owner and he brought us pigs’ feet and—’
‘Pigs’ feet!’ Lara exclaimed. ‘And I thought some of the burgers on the barbecue last night had sketchy origins.’
‘They were quite nice.’ Susie sat up on one of the bar stools. ‘I hadn’t tried them before.’
‘It’s not even something Mrs Fitch has had on the menu at the garden centre cafe and she’s had some odd stuff,’ Lara said.
‘But her tortillas! They were so good!’ He smiled. ‘Anyway, I completely, totally take all the blame. Am I forgiven, Lara? For taking your gorgeous, sexy best friend away from you for an evening?’
Within seconds, David was lolling over Susie like he was performing a contemporary dance routine. Lara had forgotten how hands-on he was. It was nice, if you didn’t need to breathe.
‘Go and have a shower,’ Susie ordered, palming his cheek and giving him a playful push. ‘Don’t you have clients this morning?’
‘Not until ten thirty,’ David answered. ‘I moved them back a little, so we could have time together while you’re here. And, my first client today is my prince.’
‘Go and have a shower,’ Susie ordered again.
‘What?!’ David announced, hands going down onto slim hips. ‘I tell you one of my clients is a prince and you don’t want any more details?’
‘I want to hear about Lara’s party. I’m sure the prince can wait until after you’re showered.’ Susie smiled. ‘Aren’t princes meant to be dutiful?’
‘He is beautiful. Because I style his hair,’ David answered, beaming.
‘Shower,’ Susie ordered. ‘Get yourself on-point.’
‘I love the way you boss me around. I have missed that, baby.’ David blew Susie a kiss before galloping from the living space in the direction of the bathroom.
Lara started up the coffee machine and it began to fill up the mug she’d set under it. The delicious smell of dark roasted beans permeated the air. Just the thought of another cup of coffee was making her feel warm.
‘So, tell me all about the party and Seth. Leave nothing out because I was starting to worry when you didn’t tweet or Facebook any photos. I mean that’s what you’re supposed to be doing to wind up Dan,’ Susie reminded her.
Lara didn’t want to wind up Dan. She wanted to do the very opposite of winding up Dan. She wanted to make him see that she was here in New York with the world at her feet and a gorgeous someone by her side, because she was interesting and fun and so much more than just previously untravelled Lara Weeks who drove a truck in Appleshaw. But perhaps Dan announcing he was single had changed the game-play a little. Had he posted any photos since he’d altered his status? Perhaps he was somewhere with the world at his feet and a gorgeous someone at his side … Cleavage Chloe. ‘It wasn’t a photo opportunity kind of party,’ Lara answered, swapping mugs over and putting the full one in front of Susie.
‘Every party is a photo opportunity kind.’
‘Not this one.’
‘Well, who was there? Anyone else famous? Affleck? Tatum? Diesel?’
‘Earl was there and a cool girl with dreadlocks called Felice.’
‘What shows have they been in?’ Susie asked, sipping at her coffee. It was only at that moment that Lara realised her friend was wearing David’s animal print shirt, leopards with pink roses between their teeth.
‘They weren’t actors. They were homeless.’
‘What?’
It took Lara only as long as the second mug of coffee took to fill to tell her about Kossy’s shelter and the Christmas party she laid on every year for the people living on the streets she tried to aid.
‘So,’ Susie said as Lara sat on the bar stool next to her. ‘Seth was there looking all dark and dreamy serving up hot dogs to the vagrants of NYC while the paparazzi took lots of heart-warming shots for the papers this morning? Did you get in any of them?’ Susie waved a hand in the air, mouth full of hot coffee. ‘Did you know everyone’s calling you Lemur Girl.’
‘I had heard.’ And she had seen a few tweets. Someone had been less than complimentary about her breasts – or lack of them – and she hadn’t read any more. She took a sip of her drink, letting the foam coat her top lip. ‘But it wasn’t a paparazzi kind of party. Although there were apparently some press in disguise. It was kind of like … the barn dance we had in the summer. Casual, everyone enjoying the food and drink and the music …’
‘And Aunt Flora’s summer fruits punch … that has nothing on the mince-pie whisky though.’
‘Agreed.’
‘So, how did you get on? If you didn’t take any photos is it a no-go with creating a bit of a social-media stir? Did he get cold feet?’ Susie asked. ‘Did you?’
Lara shook her head. ‘I just told him it was all a
stupid idea, and really all your idea and I had somehow entered into an alternate universe, like that German show I watched on Netflix … and after I’d finished going on and on and on some more about what a pillock I’d been he said …’
‘Yes?’ Susie said, looking like she was waiting for news of a Love Island contestant pregnancy announcement.
‘He said he was between jobs and he had a bit of time if we wanted to be shown around the city, taking a few snaps here and there, if I thought it would help.’
‘Oh my God! Dr Mike is going to show us round New York! Lara! This is huge! This is the hugest news ever! It’s going to blow Dan and his stupid, super-cold, super-silly Scottish lodge out of the Hudson River or whatever one of the rivers in Scotland is called.’ Susie stopped talking and looked at Lara who was hugging her mug with both hands. ‘Why aren’t you excited? This is what we wanted! This is more than what we wanted. He’s giving up time to tour us around his town. There will be oodles of opportunities for photos.’
‘I know,’ Lara said quietly. Last night she had been under the influence of beer and the cinnamon and nutmeg smells from Kossy’s baking and the scented candles, feeling she wanted to strike back at Dan’s status change. Today, she was more reserved. Today she was wanting this trip to be very much about her rather than anyone else. Was that selfish? She wasn’t sure she had actually ever been selfish before. Was this what it felt like?
‘Listen.’ Susie put down her coffee and slipped an arm around Lara’s shoulders. ‘This is Fate. This is deity-given karma falling into your lap and it’s my job to not let you waste it.’ She tugged at a strand of Lara’s hair. ‘We should get David to put in some lowlights or he could let me into his workspace and I could give you a makeover. We could Christmas it up a little. What about some silver streaks? It’s really in at the moment.’
Lara pulled a face. ‘When people do that it just makes them look old.’