by M Howson
****
Following breakfast and a read by the fire, Jack set out to explore the house. The butler of course was ready to show him around.
‘Can I help you Mr Harvey?’ He inquired politely.
‘I don’t know, what can you offer me?’
‘May I suggest a relaxing time in our Spa?’
‘Sounds good man, show me the way!’
After a short walk followed by winding stairs, he stopped in front of a pair of heavy oak doors. He opened the door and indicated to Jack to go inside.
The place was definitely a health Spa. There was a vast, glittering pool in the centre bordered with a wall of full length windows overlooking the distant snowy hills. The ceiling was an artwork of pure stained glass cupola.
On both sides of the pool were massive palm trees leading to little private bays for relaxation. Wooden loungers were dotted around with small tables full of magazines and books. A wrought iron staircase led to a balcony and to the treatment rooms.
A pretty, young brunette greeted Jack and offered him a brochure listing the treatments available.
‘Please,’ she smiled at Jack. ‘Let me know when you are ready for a treatment Mr Harvey, my name is Csilla, I will be at your service today.’
‘Thank you! How about starting with a massage?’
‘Of course, please follow me.’
She led the way upstairs to a small treatment room with a glass wall overlooking the pool.
‘Whenever you are set, Mr Harvey.’ She handed Jack a brilliant white robe.
Csilla was an expert masseur as Jack soon discovered and he finally began to unwind.
Amy was also in the Spa, relaxing on a lounger after a long swim. Jack joined her after his massage.
It was a quiet, lazy morning as neither of them needed to go anywhere. Amy didn’t know how, but the conversation turned to Jack’s family.
‘I didn’t love my father Amy,’ - Jack was saying. ‘He was a nasty, brutal and weak man. When he had a drink, like every day, he became arrogant and violent. My mother didn’t have it easy. I left home when I couldn’t stand it anymore. I was lucky, it didn’t take me long to get a job, and even make money. When I had made enough, I bought a house for my mother who had the courage to leave my father – eventually. She died some years ago.’
‘Jack, there isn’t any mention of your father’s temper in the screenplay!’ Amy stated.
‘He died, Amy and if you can’t say anything nice about the dead, say nothing at all.’ Jack said, unconcerned. ‘A drunk is one thing but violence is another.’
‘I see...’
‘I never knew what love meant Amy, I know my reputation isn’t the best, but I don’t hurt women. I give them what they want. In the early days, maybe … some got attached to me, yes. Now at my age, they want my money or what I can do for them.’
‘You must've been in love before?’
Jack didn’t reply immediately, he slowly turned a page in the magazine he was reading. ‘I thought I was, once, a long time ago.’ He said quietly.
‘Your character in the movie is perfect. Jack, the heartthrob, the kind but none committing celebrated movie star.’
‘Oh Amy, you make me laugh! Justin needed to lighten up the story – so he put me in it!’ Jack said indulgently.
‘You and Monica are good friends… I mean love has many faces.’
‘She's lovely Amy and knows how to handle me. I’m too old now to fall in love, if that’s what you mean.’
‘I understand...’ She said, accepting a soft white blanket from a girl.
Justin stood by the door watching Amy and Jack. He felt a slight irritation, was Jack hitting on Amy?!
One way to find out, ask!
‘You two look very relaxed.’ He said with an edge in his voice.
‘Jealous are we?’ Jack commented.
Justin considered his answer carefully. There was Amy in a sleek swimsuit and there was Jack with a strange look on his face.
‘Yes, I think I am. You two look very pleased with each other.’ He glanced at Amy appreciatively and hoped she didn’t see it. She had an amazing body.
Amy saw the look but ignored it, she’d spotted Justin as soon as he walked in. ‘Good morning Justin, how did you find your bed last night?’
The girl can play a game! She wanted to know if he expected her to knock on his door. All right, - he could play her game too.
‘Empty and cold!’
‘Oh…’ That wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear. ‘The bed was heated in my room.’
‘Yes, it must've been. You didn’t come knocking on my door.’ He said, pacing up and down.
‘Am I missing something here, kids?’ Jack detected tension.
‘What do you think it is Jack?’ Amy asked, picking up a book from the table.
‘It’s nothing Jack, don’t start analysing!’ Justin needed a diversion, as this little chat was going the wrong way. ‘I am actually looking for Frank. Have you seen him?’
‘No, he must've gone out for a drive. He will be back later.’ Jack twitched nervously. Could he tell them what Frank was up to?! ‘Anything I could help you with?’ Jack volunteered.
‘Maybe, Frank mentioned he wanted to add a dialogue between him and his friend Jani. You think he still wants that?’
‘He approved it?!’
‘Yeah, we ran through it last night in the car, remember – he was ok with it. I’m double checking.’
‘About the money! Do it kid! He wants that line in there.’
‘Decided then.’ Justin kept his eyes on Amy while he was talking to Jack but she didn’t seem to pay much attention.
Pretending to read her book, Amy heard every single word Justin said.
Justin finally sat down. ‘Good, now tell me about last night Jack.’
‘What about last night?’
This was the moment Amy chose to stand up, informing them both that she was going to the sauna. Jack and Justin stared! She was aware of their stare.
‘Anything wrong?’ She asked innocently.
‘Nothing.’ They answered in unison, still staring at her.
Amy laughed out loudly. ‘Come on you two, stop staring - you’ve seen me before.’
‘Not like this darling...’ Jack answered with a grin.
‘OK.’ She picked up a robe wrapped it around her shoulders. ‘How about this?’
‘Now you are spoiling it for an old man.’
Amy disappeared from sight. Jack wanted to find out what was happening. ‘Out with it!’
‘She is killing me Jack!’
‘Sweet suffering, Justin! In my time …’
‘Still?’
‘Never eases, gets harder in fact. Amy is … different.’
‘Tell me that again!’ He stood up. ‘Better go, got work to do.’
‘You can’t run away forever Justin.’
‘You should talk Jack!’
The filming was going well considering they had only done a day’s work but everyone seemed to be getting it right.
Justin surprised himself how much he enjoyed being part of this movie. It was wonderful watching his screenplay coming to life. Of course without Monica it wouldn’t work. His sister had talent and maybe an interest in Jack Harvey?!
Last night he hadn’t been able to sleep. He played with the idea of knocking on Amy’s door but it wasn’t right – not now. He wondered why he was apprehensive making a move, usually he managed his dates all right. With Amy, it was a challenge. He was interested but she wasn’t going to let him in easily – and Justin didn’t want her to.
He’d decided to explore the house without bumping into anyone. To his surprise he saw Monica coming out of a room at two in the morning. Interesting! He went downstairs to check the board displayed on reception for who had which room. What a revelation! Jack Harvey and Monica Blakes!
Chapter Twenty
Frank and Don set off shortly after breakfast. Don, a confidant of Frank’s for years,
had organised the trip. They drove in silence, passing sleepy villages under a thick fog. Frank had a plan; he had left this country many years ago, even so, he kept up to date with its progress.
With the fall of the Iron Curtain the Soviet Occupation had ended, and since then things had been moving fast. Not fast enough for some, the rich were able to make more money and the middle class had to work even harder to keep up with the ever increasing cost of living.
People scrutinised what their neighbours and friends had, and wanted to buy something bigger or more expensive, simply to show they could.
If he showed up in this Range Rower, he wouldn’t get far.
Don had planned what Frank needed. The driver pulled up in a sheltered lay-by on a deserted country road. Frank’s plan was to visit the small village his family lived in. What was it like now? – he wondered, not for the first time. Don and the driver tactfully left the car; it was time to get changed. Frank pulled on a pair of worn jeans and serviceable brown boots, a shirt, a sweater and a bomber jacket. He ruffled up his hair under a flat cap.
When he was ready, he exchanged a few words with Don who had instructions to stay close by. Frank opened the door of a battered, red, four-door Skoda, jumped in and set off on his mission.
Driving through the small village he didn’t recognise much at first. Then he passed the cemetery where he pulled over. Frank lit a cigarette and walked into the deserted graveyard with his head down. The fog was thinner; the crunching snow under his quick steps evoked the memories of cold winters.
He spotted some familiar names on the old headstones. When he arrived at his parents’ grave, sadness swamped in. His sister’s and brother’s graves were also nearby.
He was desperate to find Eva’s grave but he couldn’t see it anywhere nearby, when a small, old woman emerged from nowhere.
‘Keresni tetszik valakit?’ She asked in Hungarian.
Frank was taken aback; he wasn’t expecting anyone to be around on a cold day like this.
‘Orban Eva?’ He managed to say.
The woman scrutinised him from under heavy eyelids. She looked him up and down, not missing a thing. Finally, she said there was a woman by that name she used to know during the war. She moved away with her husband Jani when the Germans started to bomb around the village. They had a boy with them. When they came back to the village, Jani bought a house at the end of the cemetery road. They were quiet people didn’t mix much with their neighbours. Their son emigrated to America in 1956, and Jani’s wife died shortly after that. They say, she was heartbroken and missed her son.
Frank thanked her, there was nothing here for him anymore, but where was his sister buried? Walking towards the gate, he heard the woman shout something. Frank stopped.
‘Nem mondtam, hogy a Jani is meghalt.’ She said, keen to retain his attention.
‘Koszonom.’ Frank was shattered, for one moment he thought his friend Jani was still here in the village, now the woman revealed that Jani was also dead.
‘Ott van eltemetve.’ She pointed to a grave, by a small chapel.
Frank found what he was looking for, he hurried to where the woman pointed.
When he saw his sister’s and best friend’s names beautifully engraved on the marble headstone, his eyes welled up with tears. It was a double gravestone with a short inscribed line;
The memories that never fade,
The love that never dies.
Frank felt miserable as he sat in the car. What to do now? His world was slowly falling apart, he should’ve known what was waiting for him, but he didn’t think the discovery of the truth would affect him this much. He started the engine numbly and decided to drive around the village. It seemed a quiet place, same old houses and narrow roads; not much had changed. He drove past the old inn he used to go to. On an impulse he pulled over, parked up and went inside.
He saw a crackling fire and a group of locals sitting around a black and white television set. The men put their beer down and openly stared at him. The landlord also surveyed him suspiciously from behind the bar, but offered him a beer and a cigarette. Frank accepted, paid for his drink and moved to sit down by the fire. From the corner of his eye he saw an old man sitting alone in the corner. He looked at Frank and murmured something, he then stood up and began walking towards Frank supported by a walking stick. The man didn’t waste any time introducing himself; he started openly asking Frank what he was doing in the village as it was obvious he didn’t belong here.
Frank told his story and, on the off chance, he asked if he knew the people he was looking for. The man did.
He spoke of Jani’s move from the village, which Frank had already heard. Eva and Jani loved each other very much. It was obvious to everyone, but in those days embarrassing as well. A husband and wife were not supposed to show much affection in public but they did. Jani was a good fellow the man said, his son learned a good trade. He had repaired houses in the village many years after the war, for no payment. During the war, many houses were damaged by the bombing, but people had no money to rebuild them for years.
Frank asked the man his name. He said his name was Nagy Gabor. He went on talking about old times, when Frank questioned him, he informed him he had lost his leg in the war.
Listening to him, Frank realised that he knew the man – they had been at school together and used to go fishing on the nearby lake. He encouraged Gabor to talk about his life, which was a sad story.
Gabor lived on his own now. His children left to live with their aunt in Austria after the revolution and his wife died shortly after from a stroke. He talked about the government, the changes and the lack of money. Frank was fully aware of the life here, what Gabor was saying underlined the facts Frank had read in a file, compiled by Don long before this visit.
Frank extracted a bunch of notes from his pocket and gave it to the old man. He regarded Frank with a suspicious expression, not taking the money. Frank didn’t want to look like a big shot waving a stack of notes but he was able to help this man who was too proud to take money. Frank introduced himself to Gabor. He stared at him for a long time … and then spoke.
‘Orban Feri?’
‘Igen, en vagyok.’ He reassured the man. Frank thrust the money into his hands and wished him good health.
He was ready to leave. Outside he inhaled the fresh winter air, - he thought, he had reached closure.
Gabor was speechless, he assumed Frank had died many years ago. Before he could thank Frank, he was gone.
Gabor sat still for a while looking around. Nobody seemed to notice him or his chat with Frank. He stood up, murmured a goodbye and left.
He had money, a lot of money, he will put central heating in his house, end the cold days. That’s what he will do, and he will put the rest away for his very old days, - the years he didn’t want to think about. He thought about where he would put the money for now, and decided to stuff it in the mattress – safest place. He couldn’t take it to the bank; people would start speculating.
****
A few miles down the country road, Frank was back in the lay-by. Don looked anxious but never said a word.
‘No problems Don, relax!’ Within minutes, Frank had changed back into his clothes. Don handed him a glass of whisky, Frank drank it without delay.
‘I am ready Don, let’s go.’
He picked up a magazine to focus on something else. As much as he wanted to concentrate, he found his mind was wondering.
Where would he be today if he had stayed here? Would he still be alive? What would his life be like?
The visit troubled him, there were people out there living an ordinary life, working for nothing, struggling to exist.
What can he do for his people? Giving a bunch of banknotes to one man wasn’t going to change much.
Don sat in silence, knowing Frank was building a plan.
‘Have you considered the possibilities here?’ Frank enquired.
‘I have, Frank.’ Don said, focusing his attenti
on on Frank. ‘The population of the village isn’t great, around two thousand. There is a small grocery shop, a bakery and a village hall. The hall serves as a social club, events venue and library. The building is unfortunately outdated and the roof is in danger of collapsing.’
‘I remember, it is an old shack.’ Frank stated.
‘Yes, built after you were born Frank, there is no money to replace it.’
‘I understand.’
‘There is a larger village about five miles away, well stocked with shops and even a small picture house. Yet, to get there is a problem as public transport is non-existent and cars are a rarity. To sum it up; a bigger grocery store, small shops and a new village hall are needed. I would recommend a banqueting hall with fully equipped kitchen for weddings and other occasions.’
‘Nursery, schools?’ Frank asked.
‘They have two small rooms in the old Manor House. The village’s committee also has a room there. The house belongs to a Mr Daniel Darvas, who charges a high rent.’
Frank clenched his fists, he knew precisely who Daniel was, - the bastard who’d got his sister into trouble. He’d never actually found out the true story, Eva refused to tell him. There was nothing he could do now; it was all in the past.
‘The old shark, I remember him well. He was the one people would go to for a loan. He charged a high rate of interest.’ Frank felt anxious.
‘Playground?’
‘On my list.’
‘Good work Don, will you set up the meeting?’
‘Yes, when and where?’
‘Invite them to the house.’
‘Frank,…’
‘What else?’
‘The Manor House is for sale, are you interested? He's keen to sell, rumour has it, Mr Darvas is in need of money.’
‘He is!?’ Frank put the magazine down, he was intrigued. The one family that everyone worshipped through fear and tolerated their cruelty was strapped for cash! ‘Wait for the meeting Don, let the village decide what they want.’