Jonathan caught Derek’s attention and pointed at their two mugs. The delivery of the refills prompted Anna to ask about his shop.
“Do you own your shop?”
“Own, no. But I’ve paid a four year lease on it. To be honest, I struggle to compete with the big boys, but at least I know my endeavours are for my benefit and not just to line someone else’s pocket.”
“You are very young?”
“What? To own my own business, you mean. If I teach you one thing tonight Anna, it will be this. You have to wheel and deal in this city if you want to survive. You mark my words.”
“I will do that. I will mark your words.”
“We’ll have you speaking cockney rhyming slang in no time at all.”
“It has been good for me to talk with you. Can I go now?”
“Finish your coffee first and then I’ll untie you.”
“You tease me again?”
“Yes, I tease you again. Sorry. But do finish your coffee before you go.”
“I will finish it. Thank you for the coffee. Thank you for the meal, also.”
“We should do it again sometime.”
“We should. Next time I will pay, when I am working.”
Jonathan responded with a wry smile.
Felicity admired her new raspberry coloured cocktail dress in the mirror. Ideal, she thought, just above the knee, and a glimpse of cleavage. Tempting, enticing, yet still conservative enough to be coy.
It was as she started to apply her lipstick that the telephone rang.
“Hello.”
“Felicity, it’s me.”
“Oh Phillip, not again, how many times have I…”
“Just tell me what the problem is. What was all that shotgun business about on Saturday? My ears are still ringing.”
“Oh, don’t exaggerate. And don’t you for one minute think I don’t know.”
“Know what Felicity?”
“One word: Sarah.”
“What about Sarah?”
“Look Phillip, for all I moan about Rosemary, we went to school together, we are friends, we still talk. Are you getting my drift?”
“If you are talking about what I think you are talking about, it was before you and I became intimate.”
“Became intimate! Say it Phillip, just say it,” fumed Felicity.
“Say what?”
“Repeat after me. Before I started shagging you, I was shagging Sarah.”
“Before I started… No Felicity, I can’t say it. All I can say is that before I fell in love with you, I had a fling with Sarah.”
“And you shagged her in the back of your Range Rover, with a bloody horse’s bit in her mouth. Did you want to put a bit in my mouth when you shagged me in the same place? I knew you were a kinky bastard, but not a bloody sadist. Tell me, were you pulling on the reins as you humped her from behind?”
“It was just a bit of fun. To be honest, I don’t regret it, but I do regret you finding out.”
“So it would be okay for you to shag other women behind my back, just so long as I did not know about it, would it?”
“You shag behind Daniel’s back.”
“Goodbye Phillip.”
“I’m sorry; I should not have said that.”
“Goodbye.” She slammed the phone down. “Now look what you’ve done, my bloody mascara is smudged because of you, you bastard.”
In the space of a few minutes, Felicity’s mood had changed from one of excitement and anticipation, to one of tears and regrets. She went through to the bathroom, locked the door, and sat on the lid of the toilet. It took ten minutes for her to cry those emotions away.
She emerged from the bathroom with a determination to put her make-up straight and to meet Andrew for lunch as planned. The idea of shagging him, just to spite Phillip, bounced in and out of her head several times.
By the time she was driving towards the restaurant, her temper had faded. All she was going to do was to have lunch with the man, and a couple of drinks.
It all went to plan. The meal was delicious and the conversation intelligent. They adjourned to the bar.
“Just a pineapple juice for me,” said Felicity.
“Surely you can have something stronger than that, why not let me order another bottle of wine?”
“Andrew, if you order another bottle of wine, you will be drinking it on your own. We both have to drive home.”
“I passed a hotel, not two miles from here. We could get a taxi and leave our cars here.”
“A bit presumptuous, I think.”
“Did I get it wrong, were you not sending out the signals over lunch?”
“I am a flirt, but I am not a whore.” Felicity was working hard to maintain her resolve and stick to the decision she made as she pulled into the car park. “Besides, you have not apologised to me yet.”
“And for what should I apologise?”
“Why did I agree to join you for lunch?”
“Ha, I remember now.”
He gestured to the barman, who obediently walked over.
“A pineapple juice for the lady, and a Perrier for me.”
“Would you both like ice, sir?”
“Of course, it goes without saying.”
The barman nodded courteously.
“My dearest Felicity, all I can say is that I apologise wholeheartedly. I know not why I allowed you to drive your car into mine.” He struggled to hold a straight face.
“Apology accepted. Now, after my drink, I must be getting back home.”
“That is such a shame. Will you not even accompany me on a short walk by the lake?”
“No, I have other more pressing things to attend to. I hope you do not feel it was a wasted trip?”
“No, no, not at all, I welcome the opportunity to get out of the dusty city now and again. And you have been simply delightful company. Perhaps another day we can go for that ride we spoke about?”
“I will keep in touch. But please do not phone me again. Even though our relationship is purely platonic, my husband may not see it that way.”
“I understand.” He dropped his head.
Felicity knew that underneath his charming exterior, Andrew was seething inside over not getting into her knickers. It started to worry her. What had Katherine said to him? Was she developing a reputation as an easy lay? In that millisecond of thought, she took a vow of celibacy.
Late on Friday morning, Anna was back inside the mobile phone shop.
“Hello my lovely. I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away from me.”
She smiled nervously. “Good morning. Do you know how to find the money on my phone?”
“Check the balance, you mean?”
“Yes, check the balance.”
“Pass it here.”
“I would like to do it.”
“At least let me see what network you are on.”
She passed the phone to him.
“One-five-zero,” he said as he handed it back.
Anna held the phone at arm’s length and tapped in the three numbers. She put it to her ear and listened.
Jonathan watched the expression on her face change.
“Bad news, I take it.”
“Two pounds ninety-four, that is all I have left.”
“Don’t cry girl, it’s only a mobile. How much were you expecting?”
Anna was fighting back the tears. “Angie said there was about sixty pounds on it.”
“Well, it seems Angie was wrong.”
“No, I telephoned my mother last night.”
“You telephoned your mother! On a mobile! I assume she still lives in Latvia?”
“Yes. I telephoned to only say hello. I knew she would be at my uncle’s on a Thursday night. He has a telephone. I could not stop her talking and asking questions.”
“Well, at least she knows you’re alive and well.”
“I go.” She wanted to do her crying alone.
“It’s Friday, it’s fish and chip nigh
t,” shouted Jonathan. “Be here at six thirty if you want some.”
The door closed itself.
There had been many depressing days, but this was the most depressing Anna had experienced. She could not concentrate on her book, she knew how it ended and improving her English was becoming a chore. She had tried to adapt her sleep patterns to fit with Anton’s, but he worked such long hours, and needed to sleep so they still had very little time together. The bedsit seemed more like a prison cell than a home. At least back in Riga she had friends and family to meet with, even though they were poor. Her sanity was ebbing away.
I came here to live, not to exist, she told herself.
The final decision was not made until the small alarm clock beside the bed told her it was ten-past-six. She washed quickly and put on her black dress.
Feelings of unfaithfulness flooded her body as she approached the shop. Riding in tandem with them were feelings of guilt, taking advantage of Jonathan’s generosity seemed no better than begging. Neither made her turn around though, she was desperate for some social interaction.
After buying Anna some fish and chips which they ate in a small restaurant area at the back of the chip shop, Jonathan talked her into joining him in the pub. He failed in his attempt to make her stay for a third drink.
The pair of them stepped out into the drizzle at nine twenty-five.
“You don’t need to walk me home,” said Anna.
“Come on, you haven’t got a coat, but you’ve got me.” He put his arm round her shoulder.
She let him keep it there, grateful for the partial shelter his jacket was affording her. “I thought you wanted another beer?”
“I’ll see you home and then I’ll go back for a couple more beers.”
“I hope you meet someone in the pub tonight.”
“Don’t you worry about me, Samir and Tony will be in later.”
“Good. It is good to have friends.”
“What time does your chap get in on a Friday?”
“Anton?”
“Hah, you have more than one bloke on the go, do you?”
Anna smiled, despite the drizzle blowing into her face. “Only Anton. He will be home by one-thirty.”
“That’s one hell of a shift, that is. I don’t envy him that. Whoops, I thought we would go left there.”
“No, it is the next road.” They stepped down the kerb in unison.
“We would say turning, the next turning.” He squeezed her shoulder.
“Turning, the next turning.”
“Is London really the place for you, Anna?”
“You like living in London, yes?”
“Ah, but I was born and dragged up here, that’s different. And I don’t mean to be rude, but at least I can afford to do things here and don’t have to live in a grotty bedsit.”
“It is not grotty, if grotty means dirty. I clean every day.”
“As I say Anna, no offence, I’m sure you do your best to make it a home. But it’s not Riga, is it?”
“No, it is not Riga.” She dropped her eyes to the pavement.
“Tell me if I’m wrong, but I got the distinct impression in the pub that you were homesick. Every time you spoke about Riga, there was a twinkle in your eye. Every time you spoke about your life here, you looked more miserable than this bloody weather.” Jonathan looked up to the sky.
“We will go back to Riga. First we must earn enough money to buy a restaurant for Anton. Anton will be the chef, I will be the waitress.”
“Sweet, you are so sweet. Come on; let’s turn down your turning.”
“You should move your arm now.”
He deliberately played dumb. “But it is still raining?”
“Anton has friends in the house. They must not see us together.”
“Blimey girl, I’m just being friendly. Besides, if they’re his friends, why don’t they look after you while he’s at work?”
Anna moved her shoulder forward to encourage him to take his hand away. Jonathan did so very reluctantly.
“And I suppose you don’t want me to see you to your door?”
“No. Thank you for a nice evening.”
“And here I was hoping to help you out of that wet dress.” He quickly raised the palms of his hands. “I was only joking, Anna. You get yourself indoors.”
“Goodnight Jonathan.”
“Goodnight Anna, look after yourself.” He smiled and waved, before adding, “No one else will,” under his breath.
As Anna unlocked the main door, she looked back up the street. She was not surprised to see Jonathan still standing on the corner. He gave her a final wave before turning to walk away.
Having thought about Jonathan a lot for a few hours, Anna’s thoughts had firmly shifted to Anton by two in the morning. He was not home and she was starting to worry about him.
The worry grew and grew as the night drew on. When he had missed his bus once before, he was only half an hour late. There was no logical explanation for him being more than two hours late.
The sun was starting to rise when Anna put her dress back on. Ignoring the fact that it was still damp, she put her coat over the top of it.
At first Anna just stood in the sheltered doorway, staring down the street, hoping to see Anton turn the corner. Five minutes passed until desperation drove her aimlessly onto the street, not with any real plan, but with a strong desire to do something.
The drizzle had turned to rain. Anna stood on the corner considering her options. Her knowledge of London’s night-bus routes was non-existent; she had no idea where Anton got off the bus. Angie knew where he worked, but to contact her, Anna would have to phone the only number she had; Kevin’s number. After considering how he would react to a phone call at that time in the morning, she decided not to do it.
Her feet started walking down the high street. When she was at the nearest bus stop, Anna stopped under the shelter and looked at the map attached to it. Step by step she carefully worked out the route to Shepherd’s Bush.
With regular checking at other bus shelters along the way, Anna made it to Shepherd’s Bush in slightly less than two hours. After spending another twenty minutes searching for La Farola, she finally found the restaurant. It was closed.
Anna was once again standing in the rain with absolutely no idea of what to do next.
Fighting back the tears, she looked for somewhere to get out of the rain. There were a few doorways and a bus shelter. In the end she walked back to The Shepherd’s Bush Empire and took refuge under the canopy over the main entrance. Waiting for the restaurant to open seemed a better option than walking all the way back home to see if Anton was there. Thoughts of him being there, panicking because she was not, bounced around her head. She held her resolve and waited.
An hour and a half later she returned to the restaurant. It was still closed but there was someone inside laying out the tables. Anna tapped on the window.
The middle-aged man looked up, but then carried on with his duties.
Anna tapped on the window again.
This time the man mouthed, “What?”
She pointed to her chest and mouth in quick succession, and then at the man.
He pointed towards the back of the restaurant and lifted his arm to make a semi-circular gesture with a downward pointing finger.
The nearest side turning was twenty yards down the road. Anna scurried towards it, turned right and right again down a narrow alley. By the time she reached the back of the restaurant, the man was waiting for her. Without speaking, he stepped back a little to give Anna enough room to get herself out of the rain.
“Is Anton here?”
He shook his head.
“I am Anna, girlfriend of Anton.”
“He’s not here.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“No, they took him away with the others. You could ask at Hammersmith police station, they will know.”
Anna’s whole body froze.
“I am sorry.�
� He invited her to go by putting his hand on the door.
“Who took him away?” she asked, struggling to speak.
“Immigration.”
That single word hit Anna like a dagger being thrust into her heart. She repeated it, as if she didn’t believe it. “Immigration?”
“They raided us last night. Sorry, I have to work.”
“Did you say they took him to Hammersmith police station?”
“No. I don’t know where they took them. I said Hammersmith police will know. Though if you do not have papers, it is better that you do not ask them.”
“No…” Anna stepped back out into the alley. Tears streamed down her face. Every muscle in her body tightened. All she wanted to do was drop down onto the filthy ground and curl up into a ball. Instead, she walked in a daze back to the shelter offered by the Empire theatre.
“Are you okay dear?” An old man peered out from under a large black umbrella. “Sorry, stupid question, you’re obviously upset about something.”
Anna looked at him with glazed eyes.
“Look, your business is your business, but if there is anything I can do, let me know.”
“Hammersmith police station.”
“What about it?”
“Where is it?”
“It is down Shepherd’s Bush Road.” He pointed over to the traffic lights to Anna’s right. “If you keep to the pavement on the right, you can’t miss it. Carry on past Brook Green and after the road curves to the left, you’ll see the fire station. It’s about two hundred yards past that.”
“Thank you. Do you…” Anna could not bring herself to finish the question.
“Do I what dear?” He stepped a little closer.
“Have some money for the bus?”
“It’s not that far.”
“No… I am sorry, I should not have asked.”
“Look dear, take this.” He rummaged in his coat pocket. “I only have two more journeys to make today. Your need looks greater than mine.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a day travel card. It only covers zones 1 and 2 mind.”
She took it from him and looked at it dubiously.
“You can use it on all the central trains and buses. Where are you from?”
“Latvia.” Anna immediately regretted telling him that.
“Well it won’t get you that far,” joked the man. “Sorry the weather’s so bad. It has been an absolute pig lately. It is usually better than this at this time of year.”
Down in the Woods Page 15