Poison in the Water

by Marissa de Luna

  ‘Sorry.’ He took Celeste’s hand in his. ‘I thought you should know before you see her.’

  ‘Since our wedding? You’ve known all this time and you’re telling me now.’

  ‘I only recently found out.’

  The buzzer sounded. Celeste stood up.

  ‘I know how the whole Bonnie episode got out of control. I wanted you to hear this from me.’ He stood up and picked up her bags. He followed her downstairs and out of their front door where he called the lift.

  The news was shocking, but she was glad it was only about Alicia and not about them. It made her realise that something was amiss with their relationship, something severe that she needed to resolve. Previously, she’d never had the courage to think they had a serious problem, worried she was expecting too much from a husband who was trying to make their lives perfect, working so that she could have diamonds and business class flights. She wondered if she should cancel her trip and spend time with Alex instead, try and work out what was going on with him, why he was working later and later each night, creeping into bed just before sunrise. He was taking on the lion’s share of the work at Renshaw; why wasn’t he getting another consultant on board like he did when they opened the Hong Kong branch? Her thoughts were fleeting. What good would come of her cancelling her trip? Alex was flying out to Shanghai, plus she needed a break from Cross and also needed to renew her visa. Toby Cain had told her to take a break now before she had to start working on the summer collection. He had also confided in her that profits were down. Even though her designs were selling out, company overheads were high. They were thinking of making cuts; he even mentioned closure of the store, which didn’t make sense, and this worried her. But there wasn’t anything she could do. Speaking to Maryanne would help and she was in London. The trip would be worth it. She kissed Alex goodbye and stepped into the lift when the doors opened.

  ‘Love you, Heavenly’ Alex said, passing her bags to her.

  Celeste smiled. Alex always knew how to make her feel better. She put her hand on her neck, looked at her soulmate and blew him a kiss as the doors to the lift closed.

  35

  19th November 2011

  Mayfair, London

  ‘Bad day?’ Angela asked.

  Celeste opened her eyes. ‘I found out my best friend is having an affair with a married man. And she’s married too.’

  ‘I hate men who cheat,’ Angela said nonchalantly.

  If Angela knew that Bill was cheating on her she wasn’t giving anything away. But this wasn’t about Angela. She had considered what Alex had told her about Bill and Alicia for fourteen hours – from the time her flight took off to the time she landed. What was going on in Alicia’s mind to have slept with a married man? Had she cheated on her husband, Tom? Alex hadn’t implied that the affair had ended. But what galled her was that Alicia didn’t trust her enough to confide in her.

  Alicia had confided about her brief fling with another woman back in university, and she had confessed her battle with bulimia. Celeste had been the one to make sure that she had got the right help at the time. And she too had told Alicia things even Alex didn’t know. Alicia was the only one that knew of her shame walking into school with clothes too small for her and shoes with the soles falling off because her parents couldn’t afford to replace them. Alicia even knew about the brief encounter she had with a man who liked to cross-dress on the occasional weekend. Now, Celeste wondered if, after their spat in London, things had not gone back to how they were, like she had foolishly thought.

  Alicia was a talker. Celeste could confidently say that. She wore her heart on her sleeve and her secrets didn’t stay buried for long. She was the opposite of Celeste and Bonnie who could bottle up emotions for months. So whom had Alicia confided in? One of her new friends, Rachel or Sophia? Although she rarely spoke to them these days, or so she said. Or perhaps it was Bonnie? Only recently Alicia said that Bonnie had ditched Matt and that she had taken up with another married man. Had they talked about their adultery and sniggered behind her back? Bill was her friend and Alicia sleeping with him felt like a double betrayal.

  Celeste took another sip of her drink. She was tempted to tell Angela, if only to hurt Alicia. But she was better than that. And Alex had validated Bill’s actions by telling her about Angela’s violent streak. Although looking at Angela now, with her kind smile and soft brown eyes it was difficult to imagine her being violent towards another person, smashing a glass figurine sure, but a person... Celeste sighed, she didn’t know what to think anymore.

  ‘I hate men who cheat too,’ she said, raising her glass to Angela’s. ‘And I suppose it’s not my problem. I shouldn’t get involved.’

  ‘That’s the safest bet. If I were you I’d stay out of it.’

  There was an awkward silence between the two that Angela soon filled. ‘So how’s work? I hear that you are going from strength to strength – I almost bought that fabulous backless dress you designed the last time I was in the store, but they had sold out in my size. I should have gone straight to the source and called you.’

  ‘You should have.’

  ‘The London store isn’t well stocked. And is it true what I hear – that Cross Hong Kong isn’t doing well?’

  Was there anything that Alex didn’t tell Bill? The news had come as a shock to Celeste when Toby had given her the news. ‘We have a recovery plan in place. But times are tough. The finance director is looking at making some changes. I’m going to see Maryanne tomorrow.’

  ‘I’ve heard rumours that they want to close the store. Is that true?’

  Celeste swallowed the contents of her glass. She hadn’t breathed a word about that to Alex for fear of one of his “told you so” remarks.

  Angela must have seen her surprise because she was quick to explain herself. ‘Bill mentioned it. Business, eh! Hong Kong isn’t a big place. Oh, I am sorry. I hope I haven’t upset you.’ Angela reached out for Celeste’s hand. ‘Don’t worry I am sure things will be okay. This recession has taken its toll.’

  Celeste’s mind was racing ahead. If Bill knew, so did Alex, but he hadn’t mentioned it. Was it because he was too busy with Renshaw? Or just indifferent to her career? She looked up and as she did so Angela smiled. There was no malice there.

  ‘I’m looking forward to catching up with Maryanne,’ she said, moving the conversation along. ‘I seem to have lost touch with her since the move to Hong Kong. The occasional email isn’t quite the same. And you? Are you working again as you had planned?’

  Angela laughed. ‘I wanted to, but with Bill being away so much I just don’t have the time. As Bill says, it’s best that I deal with the running of the house and the children. It’s a full time job in itself.’

  ‘Sounds like something Alex would say.’ Celeste silently hoped she would never be as naive as Angela. Her husband was having multiple affairs, and Angela was dependent on him – so much so, she failed to see what was happening around her. Although Celeste could see how having children didn’t help matters. Alex was against the idea of having children and she had been too, but as her biological clock had started to tick she often found herself thinking about starting a family.

  For now and the foreseeable future Cross would be what defined her. She couldn’t let them close the store. She imagined Alex would take some joy if Cross closed its doors. Not only would it prove him right, but he would have a good argument that she no longer had to work. He never came right out and said it, but she knew her working at Cross made him feel like he couldn’t provide. It was ridiculous. Everyone knew just how rich the Renshaws were. It was so typical of Alex. She wasn’t just one of his office hands, he couldn’t control her like he did them. Then she smiled, thinking about him. Despite his flaws, she already missed him terribly.

  ‘And the children, how are they?’

  Angela started to tell her about Tristan and Seraphim’s latest school play. Celeste’s eyes wandered over to the other side of the room. Standing near a marble stat
ue of a wild boar stood a woman with vibrant red hair. It was similar to Alicia’s. She wished she were chatting to Alicia instead. There would be no pretences and superfluities. It was easier talking to someone who knew everything about you including your faults, instead of speaking to a socialite like Angela – someone who only knew you on a superficial level and valued their friendship with you less than their Prada handbag. The woman with the red hair walked out of Celeste’s line of vision. She couldn’t help but wonder if Bill had brought Alicia to The Emerald Rooms.

  She should have asked her when they spoke this morning, when they had that bitter row. She could have made Alicia squirm, but she hadn’t. She had been too angry for that.

  *

  ‘You’re here!’ Alicia had said into the receiver. ‘I’d’ve picked you up from the airport. You were going to call.’

  ‘I just wanted to get home and sleep,’ Celeste lied. She couldn’t face seeing her friend after what Alex had told her.

  ‘Come over. Tom’s dying to see you. Aren’t you Tom?’

  Celeste could hear Alicia’s husband mutter something in the background.

  ‘Tom is absolutely the most perfect husband,’ Alicia whispered into the phone. ‘I suppose after all those frogs I finally found my prince.’

  ‘You certainly changed your luck.’ How much longer was Alicia going to keep this up? ‘Heard from Bonnie?’

  ‘She is besotted with her new man. This time it’s love. He plans to leave his wife soon. But don’t they all say that?’

  Alicia had walked into Celeste’s trap. ‘You would know about that, wouldn’t you?’

  Silence.

  ‘Tom doesn’t know about Bill, does he? You’ve not been married long. You should still be in the honeymoon phase, not screwing Bill.’

  ‘You know.’ The joy from Alicia’s voice disappeared.

  Celeste could hear Alicia moving around. Into another room, probably, so Tom couldn’t hear her.

  ‘Who told you?’

  ‘Who told me? The whole of Hong Kong is talking about it.’ She wasn’t going to let Alicia off lightly. ‘I’ve been your best friend for years. Why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘It was on and off. I stopped after things with Tom got serious. We only met once after I married.’

  Celeste was silent.

  ‘Tom and I were just married and I don’t know... it’s not an excuse, but I was worried that I was going to be with the same person for the rest of my life. And it was like the fear of commitment caught up with me after the wedding. I freaked out and I went shopping to calm my nerves. I stopped in Harrods, at the Dress Circle, for something to eat and Bill walks in. The connection re-kindled. It was so silly of me. I know that.’

  ‘Silly is buying a top two sizes too big, not something as big as this.’ Celeste hated Alicia’s naivety sometimes; her need to make light of everything; the way she used the word silly all the time. It was childish. She thought back to her wedding. She remembered Bill talking to Alicia, placing his hand on the small of her back. How he leaned in to speak to her. She could see why her friend had been attracted to him. She herself had felt that attraction, albeit briefly, before Alex had claimed what was rightfully his. Bill could be persistent – she knew that. But there was a difference between her and Alicia. Alicia had acted on her feelings. Celeste had been grown up enough to walk away.

  ‘Let’s meet up and talk about this face to face.’

  ‘You let me pour my heart out to you about Alex whenever I have doubts and you never told me a thing.’

  ‘I would have told you, but it got complicated with Tom.’

  ‘You know all my insecurities.’

  ‘Let’s just meet.’

  ‘I need to think about it. ‘

  ‘I haven’t seen you for years. I need you right now. You did this to Bonnie and now you’re doing it to me.’

  ‘I did this to Bonnie? I regret what happened with Bonnie. Maybe we shouldn’t have been so quick to judge her. We were young. Clearly, everyone is screwing around. But this is different. Bonnie told us what she did. She trusted us. You don’t trust me.’

  ‘So you’re going to spend a week in London and not see me?’

  ‘Yes,’ Celeste said, although she already doubted her snap decision. People made mistakes. Alicia was right, she should have learnt from the mess she made of her relationship with Bonnie. But before she had the chance to take the words back she had already slammed the phone down.

  36

  19th November 2011

  Mayfair, London

  ‘Madam,’ the head of house said. His eyes narrowed as they looked at the computer screen in front of him.

  Had her membership lapsed? Of course it wouldn’t have. William was sure to have paid the subscription for the year. He never forgot things like that. Plus, she was known at the club as William’s other half – a title she relished. The staff loved his big tips. They wouldn’t let a lapse in membership get in the way.

  ‘Welcome,’ he said eventually. ‘I haven’t seen you here in a while. Can I take your coat?’

  Rachel shook her head.

  ‘Oh,’ Sophia said, lifting her eyes from the guest book.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Someone I know has signed in here. Someone I haven’t seen for some time.’ Sophia shared a wicked smile with the head of house. One that said she knew something Rachel didn’t.

  Rachel wondered why, after all these years, she was still hanging around with this old has-been who was clutching on to her youth, like a sailor to a wreck. Then she remembered. Recently, all her friends had deserted her, or had she deserted them? Her friend Suzie had hinted that William was not treating her right, because she had overheard a conversation between them on a day when William was being awkward about taking her away with him to his country estate. Not that Suzie could talk. At least William didn’t ask her to split the bill like her partner did. Jo was mad because they missed her baby’s christening because William had to suddenly fly off somewhere on short notice, and Bella, well Bella didn’t say anything. But Rachel could tell she was jealous because she was still single.

  Through all her friends’ criticism though, Rachel knew the real reason as to why her friends didn’t want to know her anymore. Quite simply they were jealous – jealous of William’s wealth and her elevation in society. How many times could they say they were gifted Gucci handbags and taken to dinner at London’s finest?

  ‘In fact,’ Sophia said, hesitating, ‘why don’t we get some cocktails and I can tell you all about her. I think you’ll find her very interesting.’

  ‘Two cosmos,’ Sophia said to the passing barman. ‘We’ll take them upstairs.’ They climbed the mahogany staircase to the bar, took off their coats and found a cosy sofa in the corner of the room.

  ‘I’m not sure if I should have a drink.’

  Sophia’s eyes widened. ‘Our Willy hasn’t got you pregnant has he?’

  ‘No!’ Rachel laughed nervously, putting the scare to the back of her mind. ‘It’s just I have a bit of a hangover.’

  ‘Being in The Emerald Rooms without alcohol is like being in hell without having sinned. I don’t suppose poor Willy has had the chance to get you pregnant has he? How many days has he been in London this year? I mean we never see him anymore. He’s up and down like a yo-yo. Wouldn’t surprise me if he has citizenship somewhere else!’

  ‘He comes down for a couple of nights here and there.’ Rachel said, but truthfully he she had not seen much of him at all.

  ‘You’ve done well to put up with his baggage for so long.’

  ‘This has got to be the worst seat in the bar. Let’s move over there,’ Rachel said, trying to change the subject. She stood up and pointed to the armchairs by the large window. Sophia always had to say something to make her feel insecure about her relationship. So what if William had been away a lot. At least she had a relationship. Men in London were hard to come by. William was a far better option than what Sophia had – sitting in The
Emerald Rooms every night drinking her body weight in alcohol and doing a couple of lines. With William there was a chance to settle down once he had earned enough money to stop flying here, there and everywhere.

  ‘No,’ Sophia hissed. ‘Trust me. You don’t want to be sitting there.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Here look our cosmos have arrived. Get this down you and I’ll explain.’

  Rachel sat down and took a sip of her drink. No doubt this was one of Sophia’s usual games. Inevitably this would be about William. All Sophia ever did was talk about William. ‘When are you moving in to his country house?’ she would ask or ‘has he taken you away again? Have you seen his house? The one in the country?’ Sophia thought she knew all there was to know about him, but she was wrong. And the way she said ‘our Willy,’ made Rachel want to slap her across her haggard face. As far as she could tell Sophia was full of shit. Just an attention seeker wanting to create drama wherever she went. Sophia had almost guaranteed her that William would never take her away with him and that he would never show her the inside of his country house. Well ha! She had done both on more than one occasion. And she had moved into his flat in London. But she had to admit he wasn’t around much anymore, and things between them had not been so certain of late. The bloody pregnancy scare hadn’t helped, and after their awkward meeting with Bonnie things definitely seemed to have cooled.

  *

  She had been late. Eleven days late to be exact and she had missed a couple of pills so it wasn’t completely impossible to be pregnant. In fact, a quick search on Google told her it was highly likely. She wasn’t worried about it. A baby on the way excited her, but she should have taken a test before she blurted out her suspicions to William. He had been distant with her for some time now, cancelling dates at the last minute without a decent excuse. She could feel him losing interest and at he back of her mind she wondered if a baby in their lives would draw him back in. How wrong she was.

  ‘I think I’m pregnant,’ she blurted out in between courses at William’s favourite fish restaurant.