by Lynne Shelby
‘Did it bite you?’ Alex said.
I grinned. ‘I’m sure I’ll survive.’
‘Sorry, Anna.’ Rob tossed the offending dinosaur into a brightly coloured toybox. ‘We do try and tidy up after Jonah, but he only gets his toys out again.’ He turned to Alex. ‘Beth tells me that you’re a photographer.’
‘Yes,’ Alex said. ‘I’ve been based in Paris, working freelance, travelling wherever the job takes me, but now I’m in London on a six-month contract.’
‘Are you a famous photographer? Should I have heard of you?’
‘No, you really shouldn’t. I’m well enough known in Paris to make a living from my photography, but I’m not famous.’
‘He’s being modest,’ I said. ‘He’s more than a jobbing photographer. He’s an artist. People hang his photos in art galleries.’
‘That has happened only once,’ Alex said. ‘As you know very well, Anna.’
To Rob, I said. ‘One of Alex’s photos won an extremely prestigious competition, and I wrote to congratulate him. Unfortunately, my French vocabulary let me down. Instead of telling him I was excited to hear of his success as I thought I’d done, I’d told him I was turned on by it. Je suis excité … In French, excite has a sexual connotation.’
‘I was flattered,’ Alex said.
Beth came into the living room and threw herself down in a chair. ‘Jonah went out like a light, thank goodness. Some nights, I have to read him his favourite story over and over again for about an hour before he drops off. I’ve been known to fall asleep before he does.’
‘Looking after small children can be very tiring,’ Alex said.
‘Not everyone realises that.’ Beth gave Alex an appreciative smile. ‘Anyway, enough of the joys of parenthood, what were you talking about before I came in?’
‘Alex’s work,’ I said. ‘He’s photographed ever so many well-known people, politicians, actors, writers … and not just in Paris. He’s worked in New York, in LA, Japan …’
‘Anna, you are embarrassing me,’ Alex put in, although he didn’t sound particularly embarrassed.
I put my hand on his arm. ‘I’m proud of you, mon ami.’
‘I used to travel for work,’ Beth said.
‘What do you do, Beth?’ Alex asked.
‘I gave up my job when I had Jonah,’ Beth said. ‘But I was a buyer – a trainee buyer – for a chain of department stores. Knitwear. I got to go to fashion shows in Milan.’
‘Not Paris?’ Alex said.
‘No, I never made it to Paris.’
‘Paris is top of my list of cities that I’d like to visit,’ I said.
‘I hoped to come back to London after my first visit,’ Alex said, ‘but my life took me to other places.’
Rob frowned. ‘Can I smell burning?’
‘Oh, no!’ Beth said. ‘The lasagne!’
At that moment, the door to the living room swung open to reveal a pyjama-clad Jonah holding a teddy bear.
‘Story?’ he said, hopefully.
‘Not right now, sweetheart,’ Beth said. ‘You take him back to bed, Rob. I need to rescue our dinner.’ She hurried off to the kitchen.
‘Come on, you.’ Rob swept Jonah up into his arms. ‘You two go through to the dining room. Help yourself to more wine.’ He went out, and I heard him telling Jonah he needed to ‘be a good boy and go to sleep now’ as he carried him up the stairs.
I showed Alex the way to the dining room, and we sat down opposite each other. He poured us each another glass of wine. There were candles on the table, and as Beth had left out a box of matches, I lit them.
Alex said, ‘I will show you Paris one day, Anna.’
‘I’m holding you to that. It’s ridiculous that I speak French and I’ve never been to France. Not even a daytrip to Calais. When Beth and I used to go on holiday together, before she was married, we just chose somewhere hot with lots of nightclubs.’
‘My beautiful city just couldn’t compete with Malia or Ayia Napa.’
‘Exactly.’
‘There’s something I’m going to hold you to.’ Alex leant forward, and put his hand under my chin.
‘What’s that?’ I said, suddenly conscious of the touch of his cool fingers on my skin.
‘Your promise to let me photograph you.’ As he had done on his first night in London, he turned my head from side to side.
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
‘Good. So am I. These candles have given me an idea for lighting –’ He broke off as Beth and Rob came into the room, and took his hand away from my face.
‘Dinner is served,’ Beth said. ‘The bits of it that haven’t been incinerated.’ She and Rob set down plates of lasagne (unburnt, but miniscule portions), hunks of bread, and a huge bowl of salad, and joined us at the table.
‘Can I fill your glass, Beth?’ Alex said, holding up the wine bottle.’
Beth shook her head. ‘No wine for me, I’m afraid. I’m still breastfeeding Molly.’
As if she’d heard her name, Molly started crying, her heart-breaking sobs relayed from her cot to the dining room by a baby alarm.
Beth shovelled a mouthful of lasagne into her mouth, and stood up.
‘Leave her a few minutes,’ Rob said. ‘She may go off again.’
‘No she won’t. And she’ll wake up Jonah if I don’t go to her. Excuse me, Alex, Anna.’ Beth swallowed another mouthful of lasagne and left the room.
The baby’s cries continued for a few moments more, and then Beth’s voice came over the alarm, hushing her, and telling her ‘It’s all right, Mummy’s here.’ Molly stopped yelling.
Alex, Rob and I carried on eating (even if the portions were tiny, the lasagne was delicious). Rob (just like Izzy and Georgina) expressed amazement that Alex and I actually wrote letters to each other. Alex asked Rob what he did for a living, and then asked a lot of intelligent questions about his work as a solicitor, and the differences between the English and French legal systems. Rob opened another bottle of wine. The remains of Beth’s lasagne grew cold and congealed on her plate.
Rob said, ‘Alex, do you have any recommendations on what might be a good camera for an amateur? I have a very basic model, and I’m thinking of upgrading. I’d really appreciate your advice.’
‘It depends on the sort of pictures you want to take,’ Alex said.
I sensed the conversation might be about to get very involved. ‘Beth’s been a while. I’m going to go and see if she’d like some company.’
‘Oh. Yes. Right. Good idea,’ Rob said, distractedly.
I left the two men talking photographic equipment, and went upstairs.
The door to Molly’s bedroom was open, so I put my head around it. Beth was sitting in a rocking chair, cradling Molly, who was blissfully suckling on her left breast.
‘Want some company?’ I whispered.
‘Oh, yes, please,’ Beth whispered back. ‘The childcare books never tell you this, but breastfeeding is incredibly boring.’
‘Isn’t it supposed to help you bond with your child?’
‘Molly and I are plenty bonded, thank you. I’d like some adult conversation.’
I sat on the cushioned window-seat.
‘This room is so pretty,’ I whispered, my gaze travelling over the delightful wall mural of fairies, elves, and unicorns, the bluebird mobile, and the white cot with its stencilled pink flowers. ‘I don’t know how you found the time to decorate it so beautifully.’
‘Neither do I.’ Beth looked down at her daughter. ‘She’s asleep again. At last.’
She shifted Molly onto her shoulder, gently rubbing her back.
‘She’s getting so big,’ I said.
‘She is,’ Beth said. ‘It’s time I gave up feeding her myself.’
‘Is it?’ I said. ‘I mean, I wouldn’t know anything about it.’
Beth laid Molly down in her cot, and buttoned her shirt. I went and stood next to her, and we both gazed down at the sleeping child.
‘I c
an’t imagine what it must be like to have kids,’ I said.
‘Do you want children, Anna?’
‘One day,’ I said. ‘Maybe. Not right now.’
Beth stroked her daughter’s mop of brown curls.
‘So what do you think of Alex?’ I asked.
Beth put her finger to her lips. For a moment, I thought I’d spoken too loudly and she was worried I’d disturbed Molly, but then she pointed to the baby alarm. Which was carrying my whispered words downstairs. Where Alex and Rob were still sitting at the dining table.
I put my hand over my mouth. Beth grinned, and gestured towards the door. She blew a kiss at Molly, and went out onto the landing. I followed her, closing the door behind me.
Still grinning, Beth said, ‘What do I think of Alex? Oh, my goodness, it can’t be legal for a man to be that attractive.’
I laughed. ‘He does have a certain Gallic charm.’
‘And he’s living in your flat! I don’t know how you can keep your hands off him. Nick had better watch out.’
‘I’d never cheat on Nick,’ I said, more sharply than I’d intended. ‘I’d never hurt him like that.’
‘I was joking, Anna.’
‘Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just that Nick’s not too happy about Alex staying with me. We had a row about it.’
‘But you and Nick are OK now?’
‘I think we are.’ The morning after we’d argued, Nick had been a bit subdued, but he’d kissed me when he dropped me off at my flat on his way to the motorway, and he’d texted that he’d arrived safely at his hotel. And signed his text, ‘Love Nick xx’. ‘We’ll be fine once he’s back in London.’
‘After all, what possible objection could your boyfriend have to your moving a hot guy like Alex into your flat?’
I rolled my eyes.
‘Seriously, Anna. I can understand if Nick’s feeling a little insecure.’
‘He needn’t be.’
‘Well, maybe make sure he knows that – when he gets back to London.’
‘He tries to tell me which of my friends I can invite to my flat, and you think I should be extra nice to him?’
Beth laughed. ‘If you want a successful relationship, then you have to be prepared to make sacrifices.’
I said, ‘Nick and I are good together. But Alex’s friendship is important to me. And Nick needs to understand that.’
A small voice said, ‘Mummy?’
Jonah came out of his bedroom, clutching his teddy bear, a toy elephant, and a toy dog.
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Jonah,’ Beth said. ‘You’ve been charging around the house since 6 a.m. Why aren’t you asleep? You go on downstairs, Anna. Tell Rob to make some coffee. I’ll be down in a minute.’ She led Jonah and his menagerie back to his bed.
I went downstairs and being familiar with Beth’s kitchen, made the coffee myself and took it through to Alex and Rob. Beth joined us just a few minutes later. Suddenly, she looked very tired, which was, I supposed, unsurprising, if she’d been up since six o’clock running after Jonah. I wondered what time Molly woke up in the mornings. I knew very little about babies, but I suspected that they started the day fairly early.
‘Both of them sleeping now?’ Rob said.
‘Finally,’ Beth said, picking at the remains of her lasagne, before deciding it was no longer edible. She yawned, and then smiled at Alex. ‘You know, it’s remarkable how you and Anna have become such good friends through your letters. It makes me wish I’d kept writing to Fabienne, my French penfriend. I don’t suppose you know what she’s up to these days?’
‘No, I don’t,’ Alex said. ‘As far as I remember, she wanted to become a doctor, but I’ve no idea if she went to medical college. I’ve lost touch with most of the people I was at school with. Though, I do hear from Gérard occasionally.’
‘Gérard?’ Beth said.
You must remember Gérard,’ I said. ‘He was arrogant and wild, and I fancied him like crazy. Whatever happened to him, Alex?’
‘He went into the gendarmerie.’
‘That bad boy became a policeman?’
‘He’s been promoted several times,’ Alex said. ‘He’s very respectable these days. He’s engaged to a teacher.’
‘It’s so strange how people’s lives turn out,’ Beth said. ‘I never expected to become a stay-at-home mother in my twenties. More coffee, anyone?’
‘Not for me, thank you,’ I said, aware that Beth was having difficulty keeping her eyes open. I looked pointedly at Alex. ‘You and I should probably make a move.’
Alex nodded. ‘I’m on a shoot tomorrow, and I have an early start.’
‘Me too,’ Beth said. ‘An early start, I mean. Not a photoshoot.’
We all stood up, and made our way into the hall. Alex helped me on with my coat.
‘Thank you so much for tonight, Beth.’ he said. ‘It’s been wonderful to see you again.’ He bent down and kissed her on both sides of her face. ‘Au revoir.’
‘Au revoir, Alexandre,’ Beth said, smoothing her hair. Alex’s goodbye kiss appeared to have left her rather flustered.
Alex shook hands with Rob. ‘Good to meet you. Call me if you have any more questions about that camera.’
‘I will,’ Rob said. ‘And I’ll email you the contact details for my gym.’
I hugged Beth and Rob. With promises that we’d all meet up again very soon, (and with Nick too, of course), Alex and I left the house, and headed off to the station.
We were on the train, hurtling homewards along the Piccadilly line, when Alex said, ‘So what does Beth think of me?’
I groaned. Stupid baby monitor. ‘You weren’t meant to hear that.’
‘But I did.’
‘She thinks you’re an attractive guy.’
‘Good to know.’
‘As if you didn’t know that already.’
Alex’s teeth flashed in a grin. ‘I had a good time this evening, although I think we were right to leave when we did. Beth looked exhausted.’
‘That’s exactly what I thought.’
‘It’s only just gone 10.30. Do you fancy getting off the train and going for a drink?’
‘Don’t you have to get up early?’
‘Not that early.’
‘OK, then.’
We jumped off the train, and went out of the underground into the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus. Even though the night was chill, the area was thronged with people staring at the illuminated advertising screens, and taking photos of the statue of Eros on their mobile phones. In front of the statue, a crowd had gathered to watch two boys perform a gravity-defying breakdance. Further along the pavement, a busker was playing a saxophone.
‘I like London at night,’ Alex said. ‘There’s so much going on, so much energy.’
‘Where shall we go?’ I said. ‘Is there a particular bar you want to try?’
‘Not really. Shall we just wander for a bit until we see somewhere we like the look of?’
‘Sure.’
We linked arms, crossed the road, and started walking down Shaftesbury Avenue, stopping now and then to examine the posters outside the theatres. Turning a corner into a side road lined with bars and restaurants, we almost collided with another couple coming the opposite way. And I found myself face to face with Mr and Mrs Cooper. Eight million people in London, and I had to run into Nick’s mother.
‘Hello,’ I said. ‘This is a surprise.’
‘Indeed,’ Mrs Cooper said.
Mr Cooper cleared his throat and said, ‘Good evening, Anna.’
‘Is Nicholas not with you?’ Mrs Cooper said.
‘No, he’s away this week,’ I said. ‘A work thing. He won’t be back ’til Saturday.’
‘I see.’
There was an awkward silence, during which I realised, to my horror, that what Nick’s parents were seeing was their son’s girlfriend out on the town with another man.
Quickly, I said, ‘Mr and Mrs Cooper, this is Alex, my flatmate
. The penfriend who I’ve been writing to since we were children. We’re looking for a bar – to have a drink –’ I broke off. Why did I sound so guilty? I’d not done anything wrong.
Mrs Cooper frowned. ‘I was under the impression that your penfriend was a girl. Alexandra.’
‘It’s an easy mistake to make’ I said. ‘I made it myself. Alex’s full name is Alexandre. It does sound like Alexandra.’ Rather desperately, I added, ‘He’s French.’
Mrs Cooper drew in her breath.
Alex chose that moment to put his arm around my shoulder and say, ‘I’m taking very good care of Anna while Nick’s away.’
Thanks for that, Alex. Spotting a theatre programme in Mr Cooper’s hand, I said, brightly, ‘Have you been to the theatre? Which show did you see?’
‘A Tale of Two Cities: the musical,’ Mr Cooper said.
‘Now that’s a show you and I should see together, Anna,’ Alex said.
‘Oh, yes, the two cities being London and Paris,’ I said.
Mrs Cooper said. ‘Well, we do have a train to catch, so …’
‘Er, yes, we must dash,’ Mr Cooper said.
‘Goodnight,’ I said.
Mrs Cooper was already striding around the corner. Her husband hastened to follow her, his customary wish that he would see me ‘very soon’ for once unspoken.
‘So that’s Nick’s mother,’ Alex said. ‘She’s just as I imagined her from your letters.’
‘Those things I wrote about her,’ I said. ‘They’re all true. Her default mode is disapproval.’
Mrs Cooper would no doubt take great delight in telling Nick how she’d met me out with Alex, and exactly what she thought of girls who hung around West End bars with attractive Frenchmen. She was probably on the phone to him already.
Nine
‘Anna, are you awake?’ Alex rapped loudly on my bedroom door.
I opened my eyes and raised my head from my pillow.
‘Anna, it’s half past seven.’