TB B

by SJ

  ‘It always strikes me as strange that when something bad is happening in your own life, the lives of others go on uninterrupted,’ he said quietly. ‘Those people, those kids—they don’t know about Rupert…what his parents are going through…’

  Emily smiled and moved slightly closer to him. ‘I do know what you mean, Giovanni,’ she said softly. ‘Ideally, we’d like everyone in the world to suffer at the same time as us, wouldn’t we? It doesn’t seem fair that they’re not sharing the burden.’

  He stared at her for a long moment. ‘Exactly that,’ he said. ‘That’s exactly what I was getting at.’ He paused. ‘Thanks for understanding,’ he said. ‘Thanks for not thinking me a complete idiot.’

  Emily opened her bag to take out her mobile. ‘I’ll ring Coral,’ she said, trying to inject a lighter note in her voice. ‘To let her know there’ll be three of us for dinner tonight.’

  It was gone seven o’clock by the time they got home and Coral met them at the top of the stairs, her face flushed—either from cooking or from one or two predinner drinks, Emily thought instinctively. Giovanni greeted her in his normal attentive way, but Emily was struck by his reticence, the unusual lack of unnecessary compliments.

  ‘Giovanni,’ Coral said, without waiting for anyone to say any more, ‘I’m so sorry about your friend…How did you find him? Is he going to be OK?’

  They all went inside and Giovanni explained the situation. ‘So—apparently things may become clearer in fort-yeight hours,’ he said. ‘It’s a waiting game at the moment, I’m afraid.’

  ‘Well, there’s nothing more you can do now,’ Coral said practically, ‘and I always say, look on the bright side.’ Goodness only knew she’d been trying to do that for the last month! ‘And I’m already halfway through a good bottle of wine—so come on, help me finish it, Giovanni. It’ll do you good. Then we’ll have something to eat—there’s nothing like a good meal to sustain you and, even if you don’t feel like eating it, food always comforts the body and cheers the soul! Well, that’s my theory.’ She glanced up at him and Emily spotted the telltale signs on her friend’s eager face—she was fascinated by him, as usual, by his overtly masculine persona.

  Giovanni seemed more than ready to comply with her suggestion and in a few minutes he’d seated himself comfortably on the sofa, a drink in his hand, while Emily laid the small dining table with cutlery and glasses.

  As she went into the kitchen, Coral caught her eye and raised hers extravagantly. ‘He’s such a dish,’ she whispered, and Emily nudged her, a warning look on her face.

  ‘All this looks good, Coral,’ she said, loud enough for Giovanni to hear. ‘Anything I can do—though it looks as if you’ve done it all anyway?’

  ‘You can’t, and I have,’ Coral replied, shooing her away. ‘Just open another bottle, Ellie.’

  Later, with every scrap of food—including a mouth-watering crème brulée for pudding—having been consumed, they were sitting together in a semi-doze, sipping the last of the wine, when their front doorbell rang, bringing them out of their torpor for a second.

  ‘I’ll go,’ Coral said without much enthusiasm, but Emily stood up at once.

  ‘No, I’ll get it,’ and she left the room, going out into the tiny hallway. As she opened the door, she was surprised to see the owner of the flats standing there.

  ‘Oh—Andy…’ she began, and the man cut in apologetically.

  ‘I’m really sorry to encroach on your Saturday evening, Emily,’ he said, ‘but I need to tell you about some new regulations regarding the properties—and I’ll need your signature. Can you spare me a few minutes?’ He paused. ‘It’s so difficult to find people in during the week—or indeed at any time,’ he said, ‘and I’m sorry to intrude.’

  Emily smiled at him quickly. Andy Baker, a short middle-aged man with grey hair and a permanently worried expression on his face, was a very good landlord, always willing to sort out any complaint they might have.

  ‘Of course I can spare you a few minutes, Andy,’ she said, ‘but we’ve got someone with us at the moment…’ She paused. ‘Look, I could pop upstairs to your place instead, if that’s all right? It would probably be more convenient for you anyway, wouldn’t it?’

  ‘Oh, thanks, Emily…yes, of course.’ He turned to go. ‘It should only take us ten minutes to go through the stuff—more safety regulations, I’m afraid,’ he added.

  Back inside, Emily explained what it was all about. ‘Sorry about this, Giovanni,’ she said, ‘but I shouldn’t be long…Coral, make some coffee, will you, while I’m gone?’ she added, thinking that it was time her friend diluted some of the alcohol she’d been drinking so freely.

  Andy occupied the top flat of the four-floor dwelling, and Emily followed him up the stairs thinking how lucky she and Coral were to rent in the building, and to have Andy as their landlord. He never bothered them and was always businesslike in his dealings—and tonight was no exception as he showed Emily the several sheets of paper which she needed to study.

  ‘And your signature here, Emily, please,’ he said, ‘and take this form with you so that Coral can add her signature as well. Any time will do. Just post it through my door at your convenience,’ he added.

  Well, that was painless enough, Emily thought as she went back downstairs.

  As she’d followed Andy, she hadn’t bothered to close their door properly behind her and, almost silently now, she went back into the flat to join the others, when, to her utter amazement, she saw that Coral had left her armchair to sit next to Giovanni on the sofa and was locked in what looked like a passionate kiss. And the worst of it was—Giovanni seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it!

  ‘Am I interrupting something?’ Emily asked coldly, trying to subdue the unreasonable feelings of resentment which had overtaken her with the force of an unexpected tidal wave. What Giovanni Boselli did—with Coral or anyone else he happened to be near—was nothing to her! It was surely what she might have expected, after all. Staring down at him, she could see that he was totally relaxed from enjoying their good food and wine, and now the bodily nearness of an all-too-available female was just what was needed to complete his pleasure. And he obviously was not going to pass up the opportunity. Did she need any further confirmation of her opinion of the man—and his compatriots? Easy come, easy go. Here today, gone tomorrow. She tried to swallow a painful lump in her throat—and failed miserably.

  With a muffled screech, Coral pulled herself away and rose hurriedly to her feet, rushing past Emily and going into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Her sobbing was clearly audible and Emily stared down at Giovanni, who returned her gaze, his expression unfathomable.

  ‘Well?’ Emily demanded.

  ‘Well, what?’ Giovanni replied, apparently confused for a moment.

  ‘Well, thanks for taking the first opportunity to…spread your favours around,’ she began, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

  ‘Does it matter to you, Emily?’ he asked seriously.

  ‘It matters that you took advantage of my friend while my back was turned!’ she said hotly, suddenly realizing how that must sound. That she might be jealous!

  He shrugged. ‘I can only apologize,’ he said casually. ‘Especially after you’ve been good enough to show me such kindness and hospitality this evening…and spending some time with me today.’ He paused for a long drawnout moment. ‘You must have a very low opinion of me, Emily,’ he said quietly.

  She looked back at him squarely, her eyes suspiciously moist. He was dead right, she thought-she did have a low opinion of him. And, at this moment, it couldn’t possibly go much lower! Then she regained control of her feelings.

  ‘It’s of no consequence,’ she said evenly. ‘After all, it’s a free world.’

  After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Giovanni moved across to stand close to her. He paused, hating the situation he was in and not being able to do anything about it. He looked down into her upturned, flushed features, longing t
o close his mouth over hers. Then, ‘Can I ring you—as soon as I know more about Rupert…what his chances are?’ he asked hesitantly, and Emily replied at once.

  ‘Of course…I would like to know how he is,’ she said, ‘just as soon as you hear anything.’ She paused. ‘I’m spending tomorrow with my family, so I shan’t be here, but you’ve got my mobile number.’

  He nodded gravely, then left without another word and after he’d gone Emily stood alone in the room, trying to stop herself from bursting into tears. How could Coral have allowed him to do such a thing? To kiss her like that? After all…Giovanni was her friend, not Coral’s!

  CHAPTER TEN

  ‘DAD-your cooking is getting better all the time,’ Emily said as she helped her father to load the dishwasher. ‘I think you’ve been going to lessons and not telling us!’

  Hugh Sinclair, a tall, handsome, rather spare-framed man with iron-grey hair and eyes to match, looked down at his daughter and smiled. ‘Ah, well, I don’t tell you everything, you know,’ he said. ‘But I’m glad you enjoyed it, Emily—and it’s good to have a family to practice on.’

  Together they took their coffee cups into the sitting room, where Paul was lounging on the sofa, idly turning the Sunday newspaper. Paul was a younger version of his father and, glancing at him fondly, Emily couldn’t help wondering why he hadn’t succumbed to the attentions of the women he came in contact with every day. She knew he’d had several girlfriends, and at least one serious relationship, but so far nothing had come of any of them.

  ‘It says here,’ Paul said, jabbing his finger at a page in front of him, ‘that apparently we’re all going to be living for ever. Medical science and high standards of living are going to ensure that it’ll be the norm for everyone to reach one hundred and fifty, or even more. What do you think of that?’

  Emily glanced at her father quickly. She knew that for a long while after the death of his wife he had not wanted to go on living at all…had told Emily, privately, that he didn’t see the point now. And she’d tried to convince him that there was every point, that he was still loved and needed by his two children. She wondered what was going through his mind as he handed Paul his coffee. And his response to what Paul had said surprised her.

  ‘Well, just so long as we can stay fit, mobile and in our right minds, I don’t suppose that being one hundred and fifty will seem any different,’ Hugh said. ‘Just more of the same, though boredom may be the main adversary,’ he added. ‘I mean, how many more rounds of golf will it take to eventually cheese you off? Or how many more spring and summer plantings in the garden will finally get too much? Someone will have to invent other diversions.’

  Emily looked at him as he stirred his coffee. His remarks were much more positive than she’d imagined they’d be…She might have expected him to say that he’d be happy to call it a day any time. In his darker moments, hadn’t he told her that? But, after all, it was four years since the death of his wife. Perhaps time was doing its healing, after all, she thought.

  Presently, sitting opposite his children, he looked at each of them in turn and cleared his throat. ‘I’m glad you were both able to be here with me today,’ he began, and immediately Emily put down her cup. Something in her father’s voice alerted her sensitive intuition that there was something important coming…and she held her breath. Dad wasn’t ill, surely? she thought, searching his face for telltale signs that something was wrong.

  In his usual direct way, Hugh came straight to the point. ‘You said you thought I’d been having cookery lessons, Emily,’ he said, ‘and in a way I have been.’ He paused. ‘I’ve met someone called Alice who’s been showing me a few tricks of the trade, so to speak…We met at the garden centre some time ago and got talking and, well, you know…she’s in much the same position as me, and we’ve been kind of helping each other out with things now and again. I dug over a patch of garden for her earlier on, and helped her with some tax return stuff she didn’t understand.’

  For a moment there was complete silence as the others quickly put two and two together. Then Emily said slowly, ‘You mean you have a…lady friend, Dad? Someone…special?’ Even as she spoke the words, Emily could hardly believe it. Her father had always maintained that no one woman would ever—could ever—take the place of his adored wife…that he would never want another woman in his life. Yet he was several years off retirement age and still an attractive man…

  Emily smiled a rather shaky smile. This was news indeed! ‘Go on, Dad,’ she said. ‘Give us all the details.’

  ‘Well, we’ve been seeing each other for about ten months,’ Hugh replied slowly. ‘Once or twice a week at first, then it became more frequent because Alice introduced me to her bridge-playing friends and we have regular card evenings…’ He paused. ‘I’m beginning to get the hang of it, but it’s a fiendish game—mostly to do with being able to remember things—but it’s very good for the brain-box, so they keep telling me.’ He put down his cup. ‘They’re a great crowd, and I’ve been invited to one or two drinks evenings at their houses.’ He glanced across at each of his children in turn. ‘It’s been very…pleasant…to be out and about with folk of my own age again, and to…have someone by my side. If you see what I mean,’ he added quietly.

  After her initial astonishment at this revelation, Emily felt a rush of warmth towards her father and, putting down her cup, she got up and went over to hug him.

  ‘Dad, that’s lovely—wonderful,’ she said, smiling quickly. ‘But…why haven’t you told us before this? Why have you kept it to yourself all this time?’ They had never been a secretive sort of family.

  ‘Because for a long while I didn’t think there was anything to tell,’ Hugh said slowly. ‘I didn’t think our…friendship…was important, in that way.’ He sighed. ‘In today’s language, I suppose you could say I was in denial. But I should have recognized my feelings sooner, admitted them.’ He looked away for a moment. ‘If I’d waited much longer I might have lost her.’

  For the next few moments, the three of them stood with their arms wrapped around each other in mutual delight and understanding, with Hugh hugging his children so close they could hardly breathe. ‘I was…worried that you might not approve…’ he murmured and Emily held him away from her for a second.

  ‘Dad,’ she said softly, ‘we only want what’s best for you but…it all sounds rather serious—when are we going to be allowed to meet Alice?’

  Hugh grinned, clearly relieved at the reception his news had received. ‘Sooner than you might have thought,’ he said mildly. ‘She’s coming over to have tea with us this afternoon.’

  Much later, Paul walked Emily to the station to catch her train home. ‘Well,’ he said, looking down at his sister, ‘I never expected to hear an announcement like that—did you? Good job I was sitting down at the time!’

  Emily smiled happily. ‘I’m delighted—for them both,’ she said. ‘Wasn’t Alice lovely? I know Mum would be happy for someone like her to keep Dad company.’

  Paul was quiet for a moment, then, ‘It’s probably my own fault, but I have felt as if I’ve been in a kind of noman’s-land since Mum died,’ he confessed. ‘As if my own life has been on hold. But Dad’s news frees me up to pursue some special plans of my own now…’

  Emily stopped in her tracks. ‘What? What’s this all about?’ she demanded. ‘No more shocks today—please!’

  ‘Oh, well, it’s just that I’ve been given the chance to have a sabbatical for a year—to do some real travelling. Australia and New Zealand, for starters. You know it’s been my ambition for some time, but I never felt I could leave Dad. He’s not getting any younger.’

  ‘Paul—that’s brilliant!’ Emily exclaimed, looking up at him eagerly. ‘Will you go alone?’

  ‘Not sure yet. Maybe, maybe not,’ Paul answered, looking away.

  ‘Hmm,’ Emily murmured, deciding not to probe any further.

  ‘Well, just let me point out that you’re not getting any younger, either,’
she said, ‘so don’t waste any more time—go ahead and spread your wings before they start to wither!’

  ‘Thanks for the reminder,’ Paul said drily, ‘though I suppose I’ll have to be prepared to fly home for the family wedding!’

  Presently, as she sat in the train, Emily went over and over her father’s news, admitting to feeling really surprised about it. Even though she was delighted for him, she’d never expected him to even consider the thought of another woman in his life—that that part of his existence was over. But…he’d obviously changed his mind, Emily thought pensively. A long-term single state was not for him, after all. She bit her lip. If her father could trust his life with someone again, perhaps there was hope that she, Emily, could do the same one day…

  During the following week there was no message from Giovanni about Rupert, which didn’t seem very optimistic and, although she was kept busy enough at work, Emily felt restless and on edge. The worst thing was, she and Coral had had a real showdown and she couldn’t get it out of her mind. After hardly speaking to each other for a couple of days, everything had come out in a rush.

  After a late-night shower, Coral had come into the sitting room where Emily was watching something on TV. ‘I think we need to talk,’ Coral had said, and Emily had immediately turned off the TV, looking up.

  ‘I couldn’t agree more,’ she replied. ‘Go on—enlighten me,’ Emily said.

  ‘I think you have a pretty good idea what I’m getting at,’ Coral went on, and Emily frowned.

  ‘I assure you, I have no idea at all.’

  ‘Let’s talk about our Italian friends, shall we…? Giovanni…and Nico? Remember Nico?’

  Emily stood up, totally mystified. ‘Who could ever forget Nico?’ she said flatly.

  ‘I surely don’t need to spell it out!’ Coral cried. ‘He told me all about it, Ellie, how you were here together that evening and how you came on to him…almost begged him to make love to you! I mean, how do you think that made me feel? I would have trusted you with my life—never mind my boy-friend-and to say I was shattered is an understatement!’