‘I have no idea,’ Gina admitted. ‘Nonno wants me to stay and run his new Ferrelli’s shop but I can’t tell if it’s the right thing to do. I think maybe I need to get tonight’s screening out of the way, and see what happens with the Palace before I make any decisions.’
‘And Ben?’ Carrie asked with a direct look. ‘What if he wants you to stay?’
‘He’s been offered a great job in London,’ Gina said, refusing to allow herself to dwell on her own feelings where Ben was concerned. ‘The last thing he needs is me clouding the waters and making him feel as though he needs to stay in Polwhipple.’
Carrie gave her a level look. ‘I seriously doubt he’ll see it that way.’
‘Even so . . .’ She trailed off, then took a deep breath. ‘I’m not going to stand in the way of a good opportunity for him just because my circumstances have changed.’
Her friend raised her eyebrows. ‘It’s your call – if that’s the way you want to play things then who am I to argue?’ She sent a brisk smile Gina’s way and glanced thoughtfully around the shop. ‘Now, where did I put that violin case?’
Gina’s nerves were jangling by six-thirty. The screening had sold out, everything was in place – including Ferdie’s new Sugar Kane peppermint gelato flavour – and her costume still fitted, in spite of the monstrous amount of comfort food she’d put away since her break-up with Max. But even so, Gina felt an odd sense of disquiet, as though something was wrong, and she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.
The foyer of the Palace looked incredible. Ben had outdone himself, recreating the Mozarella funeral parlour from the film perfectly. Sombre organ music played over the speaker system and Gorran was dressed as the funeral director, Mr Mozarella. Beyond the doors that led to the screen room, the speakeasy awaited; Ben had set up a temporary bar and Miquel was ready to serve up his Sweet Sue cocktails to a swinging jazz soundtrack. All they needed now were some mourners.
Carrie was the first to arrive.
‘I’ve come to Grandma’s funeral,’ she said to Gorran.
‘Right this way,’ he intoned, pointing her towards Bruno, who was checking tickets.
‘Nice wig,’ Gina said, admiring the blonde Marilyn-style hairpiece Carrie was wearing.
Carrie winked. ‘I figured I might as well go all out.’
‘Might as well,’ Gina agreed. ‘Let me show you to your table – I bet you’re desperate for a cup of coffee, right?’
As the speakeasy started to fill up, Gina kept her eyes peeled for Ben, keen to thank him for turning the Palace into everything she’d hoped it would be. Trying not to check the time, she chatted to Nonno and Nonna, who’d come as violin-toting gangsters, and gritted her teeth when she saw Rose. But the clock grew nearer and nearer to eight o’clock and there was no sign of Ben. Something must have happened, she thought. Maybe he wasn’t coming.
She was just about to go to find Gorran to tell him to announce the start of the film when she became aware of laughter echoing over the hubbub of music and chatter. She looked up and immediately understood why: Ben and Davey were wiggling their way through the speakeasy in dresses, high heels and full make-up. An enormous grin spread over Gina’s face as she caught Carrie’s astonished eye. No wonder they were late, she thought with a delighted laugh. It must have taken them ages to put their outfits together.
‘Did you know?’ she mouthed to Carrie.
Her friend shook her head. ‘No idea!’
‘Look at you,’ Gina exclaimed, when Ben stopped in front of her.
‘My name is Josephine,’ he said, in a squeaky falsetto voice.
‘And I’m Daphne,’ Davey added, fluttering his mascara-coated eyelashes.
‘We’re the new girls,’ they said together, causing everyone who overheard to erupt into laughter.
‘You certainly are,’ Gina said, smirking. ‘Well, ladies, if you’d like to take your seats, the performance is about to begin.’
Her eyes met Ben’s and lingered there for a moment. Then, with another amused shake of her head, Gina went to find Gorran.
‘Gina, mia bella, you have outdone yourself this time.’
Elena gripped Gina’s hands tightly, her eyes bright and glittering.
‘Thank you, Nonna,’ Gina replied, squeezing her grandmother’s fingers. ‘It was mostly Ben, actually. He’d exceeded even my expectations.’
Elena clutched one hand to her chest as she looked around the speakeasy. ‘He could get a job as a set designer at a theatre, you know. It really is marvellous. Or as a drag queen.’
Gina frowned. Was it her imagination or was her grandmother’s breathing a little bit laboured? ‘Is everything all right?’ She looked at the older woman more closely, noticing the beads of sweat on her upper lip for the first time. ‘You’re sweating.’
Elena waved her concern away. ‘Being a gangster is hot work,’ she said, lifting up her black Homburg hat and fanning her face with it. ‘I think I just need some air.’
She tried to smile but her eyes rolled back into her head. A second later, she had toppled backwards and landed in a heap on the floor.
‘Nonna!’ Gina cried in horror, kneeling beside her inert body. She placed a hand against her grandmother’s forehead and gasped. ‘She’s so hot.’
She began unbuttoning the jacket of Elena’s suit just as Ferdie pushed through the crowd and reached her.
‘What happened?’ he asked, bewildered. ‘What’s wrong?’
Gina looked up. ‘She’s burning up. How long has she been running a temperature?’
Her grandfather rubbed his ashen face. ‘I – I don’t know. She’s had this cough, I suppose, but you know what Nonna is like. She doesn’t complain.’
Gina patted Elena’s cheek. ‘Nonna. Nonna, wake up.’
Their family doctor appeared and Gina tried not to notice that he was dressed like Osgood Fielding III. He felt for Elena’s pulse, then glanced across at Gina. ‘You’d better call an ambulance.’
Everything moved fast after that. Gina left Gorran and Carrie to reassure the worried film-goers as she left with her grandfather in the ambulance. When they arrived at Newquay Hospital, Nonna was whisked away and they were left to anxiously await news. It felt like an eternity had passed before a doctor came to speak to them, just after two o’clock in the morning.
‘Hello, Mr Ferrelli, my name is Dr Perrett,’ she said. ‘I’ve been looking after your wife.’
‘How is she?’ Ferdie asked, his voice filled with quiet desperation.
Dr Perrett gave him a reassuring smile. ‘I’d say she’s comfortable. We’ve managed to bring her temperature down but her oxygen levels are still much lower than we’d like.’
‘But what’s wrong with her?’ Gina asked. ‘She just collapsed, there was no real warning—’
‘We suspect pneumonia,’ Dr Perrett said. ‘X-rays show fluid on her left lung but otherwise, she’s quite dehydrated, probably from the fever. She’s resting now and we’ve started her on antibiotics and fluids, plus oxygen to help with her breathing.’
A sense of unreality settled over Gina. ‘But she seemed fine. How could she have been so ill without either of us noticing?’
‘Don’t blame yourselves,’ Dr Perrett said. ‘Pneumonia can develop very quickly, often as the result of another infection. It’s quite treatable but I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that this could be very serious, particularly at her age. The next forty-eight hours will be critical.’
Her words caused a stab of panic to Gina’s insides. ‘But she’ll be okay, right?’
Dr Perrett nodded. ‘I hope so. She’s very healthy for a woman of her age – as long as there are no complications, then I’m hopeful she’ll pull through.’
Ferdie let out a shaky sigh. ‘Can we see her?’
She nodded. ‘Of course. Come this way.’
Gina let out an involuntary gasp when she saw her grandmother in the hospital bed. She was in a room on her own and looked much smaller than normal, surrounde
d by a number of machines and drips. Her face was almost entirely covered by an oxygen mask. Beside her, Gina felt Ferdie fumble for her hand. He squeezed her fingers tight, as though drawing strength from her.
‘Mio dio,’ he muttered under his breath.
‘I know it looks frightening but she’s getting the best treatment,’ Dr Perrett said. ‘Would you like a few moments alone?’
Dazed, Ferdie nodded.
‘Thank you,’ Gina said to the doctor as she left the room.
‘How could I have missed this?’ Ferdie asked, turning in confusion to Gina. ‘One minute she is laughing and joking with me, the next she is in hospital.’
She rubbed his arm. ‘You heard Dr Perrett – pneumonia can take hold very quickly. I don’t think even Nonna knew how ill she was.’
His expression settled into a determined frown. ‘I am not leaving her side until she is better.’
‘I’ll stay too,’ Gina began but her grandfather interrupted her.
‘No. You should go home and get some rest. And –’ he hesitated then ploughed on. ‘You need to contact your mother. She needs to get on a plane, now, and fly over. In case – in case –’
He swallowed, blinking hard. Gina felt her own eyes swim with tears as she rested her head on his shoulder. ‘It’s okay, I understand.’
They stood like that for a moment, then Gina stepped back. ‘You’re sure this is what you want?’
Ferdie nodded.
‘And you’ll call me if there’s any change?’
He settled into the chair beside the bed. ‘Of course.’
She watched as he took Elena’s hand in his and her heart ached. ‘Okay. I’ll be back first thing in the morning.’
She bent to kiss his cheek and touched the back of Elena’s hand. ‘Get well soon, Nonna.’
She was almost at the door when Ferdie called her name. ‘Yes?’ she said, turning back.
‘Bring me a change of clothes, will you, please?’ he said, tugging at his black and white gangster suit. ‘I’m not sure this is especially appropriate.’
In spite of herself, Gina smiled. ‘I will. See you soon, Spats.’
Chapter Nine
Gina met her parents at Newquay airport.
Her mother looked the way she always did, like a younger, more tanned version of Nonna. Her father had put on some weight but was basically the same tall, brown-haired bear of a man who’d swung her round as a child until she was sick.
‘How is she?’ Sophia asked, after greeting Gina with a fierce hug.
‘She’s not out of the woods yet,’ Gina said cautiously. ‘But the doctors are optimistic that the antibiotics are doing their job.’
Her father, Paul, pulled Gina into his arms. ‘It’s so good to see you, even if the circumstances aren’t the best.’
Gina managed a smile. He was right, it was good to see them. She never realised how much she missed her parents until she was standing right in front of them. ‘Come on, I’ll take you to the hotel so you can drop off your bags. Then we’ll go and see Nonna.’
They’d checked into the Headland Hotel in Newquay, a grand old red-bricked building that overlooked Fistral Beach. But there was no time to admire the blue skies and golden sands; no sooner had they left their suitcases in their room than they were heading for the hospital.
Gina’s nerves began to screech as they approached her grandmother’s room. Sophia Callaway hadn’t spoken to or seen her father for sixteen years. At best, the next few minutes were going to be awkward beyond belief. At worst, they were going to be explosive.
The atmosphere was thick as Gina opened the door. Ferdie got to his feet, a look of mulish defiance on his face, and Gina knew without looking that her mother’s expression would be almost exactly the same. That was part of the reason they’d clashed so hard when Sophia was growing up, and it had a lot to do with why Gina’s parents had upped sticks and moved to California when Gina was fifteen. The other reason had been Gina herself; things had come to a head when Gina had been arrested, aged fifteen, for shoplifting make-up from Boots while her mother was working in Paris. The ensuing argument when Ferdie found out had been so vitriolic that Sophia hadn’t spoken to her father since. But surely they wouldn’t continue to fight at Nonna’s bedside?
‘Sophia,’ Ferdie said, his tone clipped and wary.
‘Papà,’ Sophia replied, but her voice was not tight or angry as Gina expected. It sounded instead as though it was thick with tears.
Gina glanced sideways and saw that her mother’s cheeks were wet. Stomach tensing, her head whipped back to Nonno. How would he react? Whatever he said next would set the tone for the rest of Gina’s parents’ visit.
The silence stretched as father and daughter looked at each other. Then Ferdie let out a sigh, as though he was letting go of something he’d been holding tight for a long time, and opened his arms. ‘Come here.’
With a half-strangled sob, Sophia rushed towards her father. He wrapped her in a hug and they stood like that for a long time. ‘I’m sorry,’ Sophia said.
‘Ssshhh,’ Ferdie soothed and Gina noticed his cheeks were wet too. ‘There is nothing to be sorry for. It is me who should be apologising to you.’
Sophia shook her head. ‘No. You were right and it took the shock of our argument to make me see that.’
‘It is all water under the bridge now, mia bella,’ Ferdie replied. He drew back a little and smiled sadly. ‘Thank you for coming.’
Gina’s father put an arm around her shoulders. ‘Finally,’ he said, with a rueful smile of his own. ‘It’s only taken them sixteen years to get over themselves.’
She sighed, gazing at Nonna unmoving on the bed. ‘It’s a shame it took something so serious to make it happen.’
Sophia turned her attention to her mother. ‘Has there been any improvement?’
‘Not much,’ Ferdie admitted, stifling a yawn. ‘They say the fever is under control and her oxygen levels are better but she hasn’t woken up yet.’
‘Ciao, Mamma,’ Sophia said, taking her mother’s hand. ‘I’m here.’
Gina held her breath as they all stared at Elena’s face. If this was a movie, Nonna would open her eyes and everyone would know things were going to be okay. But this was real life. Elena didn’t move.
Glancing up at her father, Sophia managed the ghost of a smile. ‘You must be exhausted, Papà. Why don’t you get some rest? We’ll look after Mamma.’
‘No, no. I am fine.’
There was more than a hint of determination about Ferdie’s expression and Gina could sense an argument on the horizon. ‘Nonno, listen to her,’ she said gently. ‘There’s no point in making yourself sick too. What would Nonna have to say about that?’
‘I would tell him to stop being such a foolish old goat,’ a weak, croaky voice said from the bed.
Four heads whipped around as one. ‘Nonna!’ Gina exclaimed, her heart leaping with joy.
‘Mamma!’ Sophia said, at exactly the same moment.
Elena’s lips twisted into a faint smile, although her eyes remained shut. ‘I must be dreaming. It can’t really be Sophia’s voice I hear, can it?’
Hurriedly, Sophia sat in the chair and pulled it close to the bed. ‘It is me,’ she said, gripping her mother’s hand. ‘I’m here.’
Elena’s eyes flickered. She peered at her daughter in wonder. ‘So you are.’ Her gaze wandered blearily around the room, taking in the machines and drips beside her, Paul and Gina next to the door, and coming to rest last of all on Ferdie. ‘And has anyone knocked some sense into you yet or do I have to get off my sick bed to do it?’
Ferdie placed a hand on Sophia’s shoulder and squeezed. ‘No need for that. We both seem to have grown up since we last met.’
‘Good,’ Elena said, her eyes drifting shut once more. ‘That’s . . . good . . .’
The sound of gentle snoring filled the room. ‘She’s sleeping,’ Sophia said, smiling. ‘We should probably tell the nurses that she woke up.’
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br /> ‘I’ll go,’ Gina volunteered.
‘And I’ll come too,’ her father said. He stretched his neck and sighed. ‘I don’t know about anyone else but I could really do with a caffeine hit. Is there anywhere good for coffee around here?’
‘Unlikely,’ Gina said cheerfully, linking her arm through his. ‘Not with Nonna out of action, anyway. But why don’t we go and see what we can find?’
‘Of course,’ Ben said into his phone, gazing up at the rounded ceiling of his living room with a look of pure frustration. ‘No, I completely understand. Thanks for your time.’
Gina watched him from her chair at the small table at the other end of the long narrow carriage, observing his defeated expression as he ended the call. ‘That sounded disappointing.’
He slumped back against the sofa. ‘For what it’s worth, they said it was a close run thing.’ He sighed, and tossed his phone onto the cushion beside him. ‘That’s it. I’m all out of options. I can’t think of anyone else who might be in a position to invest in the Palace.’
It was Tuesday afternoon, three days after Nonna’s collapse, and Gina had finally felt as though she had the headspace to think about something other than her grandmother’s health. Unfortunately, the outlook for the Palace was bleak.
‘I’m waiting to hear from a few people in the City,’ she told him. ‘But none of the investors I hoped for have bitten. It’s almost as though they’ve been warned off.’
Ben threw her a searching glance. ‘Is that likely?’
‘It wouldn’t surprise me,’ Gina admitted. ‘My ex-boyfriend can be very single-minded when it comes to getting what he wants.’
‘Can you chase anyone up?’ Ben asked. ‘Gorran says Max is really piling on the pressure. I think he’s close to breaking point.’
Gina picked up her mobile. ‘I can try.’
The station doorbell chimed, causing both of them to look up.
‘Expecting anyone?’ Gina asked.
‘No,’ Ben replied, getting to his feet. ‘I suppose I’d better go and see who it is.’
He vanished through the door and Gina heard him crunching across the gravel to Platform 1 of Polwhipple station. His home sat in a railway siding, out of the way, and for the first time, Gina thought to wonder what would happen to it when the station opened for business. The converted carriage wasn’t in the way and was clearly marked as off-limits but she wasn’t sure Ben would enjoy being surrounded by people after being used to such peace and quiet.
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