by Chris Curran
These past weeks had been a nightmare. Having to manage without Mark while he kept an eye on that wretched girl was bad enough, but Pamela was no use to him either. All she did was talk about it. How to stop the interfering little cow from going any further.
The mother, Stella, had been a big enough nuisance, but Pamela thought she’d dealt with that.
It wasn’t until the other night that she told him the truth. ‘What were you thinking?’ he shouted at her. ‘It was bound to come back and bite you.’
Of course that gave her the chance to go on her usual rant about how it was all his fault. He started it. And he couldn’t disagree.
But why, oh why, had Simon got himself involved with the daughter? He had always been a bloody idiot, but this beggared belief. Ben had asked him over and over what he thought he was playing at. ‘I’m trying to help her, Dad. She’s suffering and she’s a complete innocent in all this.’
Sentimental rubbish. Ben knew he’d been besotted with the girl, but that was when he was a kid. He was a grown man now and thanks to inheriting his father’s looks he could probably have any woman he wanted.
Ben said they should tell him the truth, but Pamela, wanting to protect her darling boy as usual, begged him to go along with her story. The less Simon knew the better.
But then Pamela heard from that silly woman Jill – just as well they’d kept in touch. Apparently the daughter was planning to meet Maggie (or so she thought). Jill had tried to persuade her not to go, but wasn’t sure it had worked.
Mark was watching her movements, but what could he actually do?
So finally Pamela agreed they needed to tell Simon everything. It had taken days to get in touch with him. At one point Ben nearly said it in a voicemail, but stopped himself just in time. Wouldn’t do to let that go on record.
When Simon finally picked up Ben had launched right in. ‘You’re still seeing this Stella Carr’s daughter, aren’t you?’ No answer, but he could just imagine the mulish expression on Simon’s face. ‘Well she’s been in contact with Maggie de Santis and they may be going to meet.’
‘So what?’
‘You need to try to persuade her out of it.’
‘I couldn’t even if I wanted to.’
‘You’re not still convinced she’s your sister, are you?’
‘If you say she isn’t, I have to believe you. And I’m fine with that because it means I can be her friend.’
Ben took a deep breath. ‘There’s something I have to tell you. It’s something your mother should never have kept from us. At the very least she should have told us about it when that girl turned up asking about Stella.’
‘What are you saying?’ Simon’s voice had changed and Ben wondered if he’d guessed what was coming.
When he told him, Simon had said nothing and rang off without a word.
Ben poured another drink wondering if he’d made a serious mistake.
Stella
Light. A window. Red flowers in a vase, the clear water around their stems glinting in the sunlight.
Thirsty. She was so thirsty.
A voice said. ‘Maggie?’
She squinted. Too bright. Her eyes hurt. She blinked the tears away and the man came into focus. Grey hair, smiling face.
‘Hello, Maggie. It’s all right. You’re quite safe. You were in an accident. A fire. Do you remember?’
A bolt of panic. ‘No.’ Help me. She stared at the man. White coat: a doctor. Italian accent. For some reason she was pleased she had recognized that. He told her to relax. Called her Maggie and, yes, thank God, the name meant something to her. Maggie.
She must have slept because there was a lit lamp beside her bed and the window was dark. A woman was holding a cup to her sore lips. The water cool and soothing. ‘Thank you.’ It was a croak. The woman said something she didn’t understand, but the kindly tone made tears run down her cheeks. The woman dabbed them with a tissue, then smoothed her bedclothes.
The man with grey hair again. ‘Do you know where you are, Maggie?’
A tiny thrill of pleasure at knowing the answer. ‘Italy. Hospital.’
‘That’s right. Well done.’
‘How long?’
He touched her shoulder. ‘Quite some time, but don’t worry about it now.’
‘What happened?’ The words came out more easily and clearer this time.
‘There was a fire.’ A flash of a room with a big window, but her mind flinched. Didn’t want to see that.
‘But you’ll be all right. And your friend, Pamela, will be here to see you soon. Just rest now.’
Rest, yes. She closed her eyes, giving in to the huge weariness that swept through her and slipped back into the lovely dark.
Eve
She had to catch up. Had to find out if she was right. If this woman calling herself Maggie was really Stella. Her mother. No time to think why she had deceived everyone all these years or to wonder why she would want to meet Eve now.
A pause at the lifts. Trying to look through the glass partitions to see if Maggie – Stella – had reached the foyer. It was no good; she couldn’t see. But the lift was here and if Maggie was using the stairs again Eve might beat her. Inside she pressed the button. Still looking down.
Her phone rang from her pocket. Dad. She had to answer. ‘Have you found Mum?’
‘No. Oh Eve, I’m so scared.’
‘But it’s not like last time. She’s in the car. She’ll be all right.’
Out of the lift, phone still to her ear, she ran outside. Scanned the bridge. The walkways. Even the other side of the river. No small black-coated figure.
David was still talking. ‘She left a letter,’ he said.
A sickening realization. She walked slowly back inside. ‘What are you talking about?’
His voice was so choked she was sure he was crying. ‘She’s terrified at the thought of you meeting Maggie. Says she’ll tell you all kinds of lies and you’ll end up hating Mum.’
She’d come to a few steps just before the lifts and the doors to the stairway and her legs were so weak she had to sit on them. It was hard to catch her breath, let alone speak. ‘What kind of lies?’
‘About what happened when Stella was living with us.’ A choked gasp.
‘Dad?’
‘She’s afraid Maggie will say that the story about Stella trying to hurt you wasn’t true.’
What had Maggie – Stella – said? They tell so many lies about Stella. Eve forced herself to stand and head for the stairs. ‘Tell me the rest, Dad. Everything.’
She started walking up again. Phone still tight against her ear. The stairs seemed to have grown steeper.
‘She admits she gave Stella some of her own tranquillizers and sleeping pills. Put them in her food or drink because Stella refused to take the ones the doctor prescribed.’
Oh God! She paused to breathe, leaning against the wall, as he carried on.
‘They did advise her to take something, Eve, that’s true. But of course it was wrong to do it without her knowledge.’
She had to ask. ‘And the other thing? Do you think Mum was lying about Stella trying to kill me?’
Another gasp. ‘I don’t know. Don’t know what to think. But Jill loved you so much, Eve. Wanted you so much. And really believed we were the best parents for you.’
It was all the answer she needed.
After a minute she began to trudge up the stairs again. It was probably too late to catch Stella if she’d run away, but maybe she’d really gone back to the balcony. ‘When you find Mum …’ she just stopped herself from saying, if instead of when, ‘don’t say you’ve told me about the letter. We can sort that out later.’
‘Yes, you’re right, but I had to tell you. There’ve been too many lies.’
There was nothing to say to that. ‘I’ll get home as soon as I can. And it’ll be all right. Mum wouldn’t do anything silly.’
She stopped on the landing of the third floor. The same spot as on the way u
p – so long ago. And looked down into the infinity mirror. A tiny movement flickered in its depths. In Hell. But of course the flicker wasn’t really coming from below, but from high up. She craned her neck.
Two people were standing on a landing above her. And she recognized them both.
Stella
Looking out from the balcony and seeing Simon Houghton walking across the bridge to the Baltic had been such a shock she could only think about getting away before he spotted her. She ran down the stairs telling herself it should be all right. He’d probably come up in the lift and go to the Stella Carr room. She couldn’t let him see her. She might have been able to fool Eve for a while, but she couldn’t hope to fool him. And she mustn’t let him tell Eve. Had to do it herself. Explain properly.
She’d made a complete mess of it so far. Should have come out with it right away, but she’d been so scared. Wanted to know what Eve had heard about her, what they’d told her, first.
Eve must have met Simon when she talked to Pamela. He could have no idea she was alive and Maggie dead, but she knew he would recognize her immediately.
Footsteps below her on the stairs. She stopped. Peeped over the side. Someone tall with dark hair. It had to be him. Go back up. Her shoes had soft soles and she was small enough that he might not spot her if she kept close to the wall.
Up, up and a pause to listen. The footsteps had stopped. A moment to breathe and then on again. As far as she could. To the top landing. Floor five. One flight above the balcony floor where she’d asked Eve to wait. She came round the last corner.
And there he was. Leaning on the balustrade.
He must have glimpsed her when she looked down at him, then left the stairs and taken the lift the rest of the way. At least Eve wasn’t likely to come up here.
He was taller and even more handsome than Ben had been. But his smile and bright eyes were still those of the boy she remembered.
‘Hello, Stella,’ he said. He didn’t sound at all surprised.
She carried on up, her legs suddenly heavy. ‘Hello, Simon.’
When she got to him he bent to kiss her cheek just as if this was an ordinary meeting. He smelled fresh, of shampoo and washing powder.
‘How long have you known?’ she asked.
He laughed. ‘Just a few hours. Can you believe that? My dad finally told me what my mother did. All this time I thought you were dead. Do you know I cried for you night after night for months afterwards?’ He tapped his knuckles against his mouth. ‘You were my first love.’
‘I’m sure there have been plenty more since.’
His voice was suddenly different – hard. ‘I’m not my father. Nothing like him.’
‘I didn’t mean that.’
Then he said, ‘Your daughter is just as lovely as you were, you know.’
Take care. Something was wrong.
‘It’s just a shame about the husband,’ he said. ‘You wouldn’t like him.’
She moved slightly away. Best not to respond to that. But he wasn’t paying attention anyway. He was looking down the stairs.
‘And here she comes. The beautiful Eve.’
Eve
When Eve was a few steps from the landing she stopped. ‘Simon? What are you doing here?’
‘Can you believe it? My dad has had someone following you. And I followed him today. Had to make sure you were safe.’
The footsteps. The silver Audi. Ben must have posted the Instagram comments as well.
Before she could say anything he waved his hand in an introductory flourish. ‘Have you met your mother?’
So he knew as well. His tone was odd. Didn’t sound like him. But he didn’t matter for now. She could only look at Stella.
Their eyes met for a long, long, moment and Eve whispered, ‘I know.’ Even in the low light of the stairway she could see Stella’s eyes were glassy. With tears? She wanted to ask so many questions, but this wasn’t the place for them. She focused on her mother’s face. Her mother. This was her mother. ‘Shall we go back to my hotel and talk it through properly?’ Her voice wobbled. ‘You owe me that at least.’
Stella stepped forward as if to come to her. ‘Yes, let’s do that.’
But she stopped because Simon had taken her arm. ‘I hope I’m invited.’
Eve could see Stella trying to pull away, but Simon didn’t let go. What was wrong with him?
‘I think my mother and I need some time alone first,’ she said. She took a step up.
But Simon put his head to one side, looking almost like the young boy he must have been. ‘That’s hardly fair. After all I’ve known you both much longer than you’ve known each other.’
A shout and a teenage lad ran up behind Eve and into the gallery spaces on this floor. He was chased by another, calling in some language she couldn’t identify.
When it was quiet again Simon laughed and carried on as if nothing had happened. ‘In fact, I haven’t just known you both. I’ve loved you both.’
This must be some kind of weird joke. Eve said, ‘Simon?’ But he either didn’t hear or ignored her.
‘And I need to be there to protect you. Because I know how Stella treats people who love her. What she makes them do.’
Stella said, the tiniest tremor in her voice, ‘You go on, Eve. I’ll meet you in the café in a few minutes.’
Simon was still holding her arm, and Eve felt a slow curdling in her stomach. This was all wrong. ‘No, I’ll wait for you.’
Stella made to move again, but Simon pulled her back.
Eve swallowed hard. ‘What’s the matter, Simon? Why are you being like this?’
A headshake. ‘You know why. She must have told you by now.’
Stella’s voice was very quiet. ‘I haven’t told her anything about you.’
He ignored her. Sky-blue eyes gleaming behind those black lashes as he stared down at Eve. ‘What she won’t have told you is that everything I did was because of her. She made me do it.’ Now he sounded like a teenager too.
Stella spoke fast. ‘It’s all in the past, Simon. It doesn’t matter.’
But he was only talking to Eve. ‘What I did to my dad was because I couldn’t let him treat her like that. I wanted to help her, but she was going to tell him I pushed him downstairs. There was no need for that. To make my dad hate me.’
Eve’s heart stumbled as he turned back to Stella, grabbing her other arm and twisting her towards him. She ran up the final steps, but Stella said, ‘It’s all right, Eve. Go down.’ Then very quietly to Simon. ‘I would never have told Ben it was you. It wasn’t my place to do that.’
He bent to talk into her face. So close he might have been about to kiss her. But his voice was harsh. ‘You’re lying. In Italy you said you were going to tell about everything. Didn’t care what harm it did.’
Eve was frightened now. She touched his arm. ‘Simon, you’re hurting her.’
He shrugged her hand away, swinging Stella round so that her back was against the balustrade. ‘And all these years I thought you were dead. That I killed you. I never wanted to do that. Just to scare you. Destroy your paintings. Never wanted to hurt either of you.’
Eve froze. Oh God.
But Stella sounded icy calm. ‘All right. All right. Let’s go somewhere and talk. You were just a young boy. I understand.’
He shook his head so that a lock of black hair fell across his eyes, and with a sudden thrust Stella was in the air. For one unreal moment it looked to Eve as if they were dancing. He lifted Stella so high her feet dangled helplessly and her head was over the stairwell.
‘Simon, don’t, for God’s sake.’ Eve scrabbled at his jacket trying to find something to grab on to, as Stella shouted, ‘Get away, Eve.’
A thunder of footsteps behind them and the two boys from earlier rushed back and then down. One cried out as they stopped, ‘Jeez, man.’
Simon wasn’t moving. Still holding Stella aloft so they seemed like some terrible statue. Eve couldn’t see the boys, but she heard t
hem breathing. One of them said, ‘No, man, no.’ It was enough to make Simon look at him and for Eve to reach out and grasp her mother’s leg with one hand and Simon’s arm with the other.
Her face pressed into his back, nose and mouth smothered in the rough cloth of his jacket, she yanked so hard she heard Stella scream, but didn’t dare let go.
For long nightmare moments the three of them swayed back and forth gasping and grunting. Then a brutal kick to her knee. Searing pain. Her hands dropped and she stumbled to the edge of the landing.
Unable to turn, she was toppling backwards down the metal stairs. She clutched the balustrade. Thank God. But her hand slipped and she was falling, falling. Slamming into something.
Too warm and cushioned to be the landing. She’d collided with the boys. She fell to her knees, pain shooting through her body.
Stella. Had to get up to her. Jerking the boys’ hands away she was half running, half clambering back up. Saw Stella kicking out wildly. Simon struggling to hold her.
An agonized moan.
He doubled over. Hands on his knees. And Stella was on the ground crawling away.
Eve reached out for her, dragging her close. Thank God. Oh thank God. They clung together reeling back and almost falling. Managed to stagger down to where the boys were standing. One of them kept saying, ‘Jeez, man, jeez.’
She looked up at Simon. He was upright again but wasn’t moving. Panting and staring ahead as if in a trance. ‘Simon, come down. It’s all right.’ Her voice trembled and she could feel Stella shaking too.
Stella said, ‘Don’t, please don’t.’
For a moment Eve wondered what she meant. Until she saw Simon hoist himself to sit on the balustrade.
One long look towards them, blue eyes glinting. A little smile playing on his lips. Then he stretched out his arms. Like a bird. Or an angel.
And was gone.
The crash came almost at once. Although the infinity mirrors made it appear to be an endless drop, it wasn’t that far after all.