Losing Juliet: A gripping psychological drama with twists you won’t see coming

by June Taylor

  Suddenly she was gripped firmly in his arms. It happened so quickly, she wasn’t really sure she wanted this, but as she tried to break free he pressed his mouth over hers. Then she found herself kissing him back.

  She stopped, pulled away from him, holding onto the towel which had loosened slightly.

  He gave her a moment, then said: ‘I should go.’

  ‘Yes. You should. You should go.’

  Nico broke into a smile. ‘Come like that to the party.’

  ‘I don’t think so!’

  ‘It’s up to you, Eloise. Of course.’

  This time he did go. But immediately ran into Chrissy and Juliet.

  Eloise hung back. She saw him wave, heard him say, ‘Ciao.’ Juliet raised her sunglasses, checking him out. Her mother stormed inside.

  ‘Is that who I think it is? Close the doors, Juliet.’

  ‘Depends who you think it is,’ said Eloise, retreating.

  ‘Do not play games, Eloise. You know exactly what I’m asking. Is it?’

  ‘If you’re asking is he Marianna’s son, then yes. That’s Nic. Or Nico. He likes both,’ she added, sarcastically.

  Chrissy wanted to know what he was doing here, with Eloise in only a towel. Was she okay? She hated her mother for thinking along those lines. Did she think he would automatically be like his father? Juliet agreed she was being unfair.

  ‘Well, just don’t get any ideas about him, okay?’ said Chrissy.

  ‘Your mother’s right,’ Juliet pitched in. ‘If you were to let anything slip—’ She chewed one arm of her sunglasses. ‘He’s cute, though, I have to admit.’

  ‘Juliet, for god’s sake,’ said Chrissy.

  Eloise could see where her mother’s fear was coming from, but she couldn’t stop her hanging out with him. They would probably only stay one or two more days in Tuscany and then she would never see him again.

  ‘Look, Mum, give me a break. He only came to drop off a card to invite us to his bar in Florence. If you don’t believe me, it’s on the table.’ Eloise marched into her bedroom and shut the door harder than she intended. She opened it again. ‘And he’s got a girlfriend. Sylvia.’

  She pulled on the cord above her bed, waiting for the ceiling fan to begin its whirring. The heat of this place. The storm could not come soon enough.

  ***

  They had gone their separate ways again to cool off. Eloise was down at the pool, distracting herself by staring at the photo on her phone of her and Nico. She wished it was still only yesterday, when things were different. Before any of this happened. Then she sent a text to Anya to say that she had met someone. Sharing it with her best friend might just take away the awful reality of who Nico was. Almost immediately, a reply came back asking: ‘who, what, where, when’ and ‘Send me a pic.’

  Eloise put down her phone, shoving it away.

  She would never be able to share any of this, not with anyone. Like her mother, she would spend the rest of her life with a secret locked up inside her. A secret which had to be buried right now, covered with earth and sealed up with concrete. Never dig it up.

  Ever.

  She texted Anya back to say she was joking and that she had gone off him already.

  ***

  ‘Pack your bags, Eloise,’ she heard her mother’s voice over the loud banging on her door. Eloise had come inside for a siesta about an hour earlier to get some relief from the heat. Dazed, she got off the bed and stumbled to the door. Chrissy was standing there with her arms folded.

  Eloise stepped into her face. ‘If you leave now, Mum, you’re on your own.’

  She slammed the door and it went quiet for a while. Or at least, just muffled words from Chrissy and Juliet, which she couldn’t even be bothered to decipher.

  Not until their voices were raised. Then she couldn’t fail to overhear.

  ‘Don’t blame me, Chrissy.’

  ‘I don’t. I blame myself for being swept along by you. And for what? A few good parties and a disastrous trip to France.’

  Eloise shot out of her room. ‘Mum. Please don’t.’

  ‘Get back in your fucking room, Eloise, and stay there.’

  ‘Don’t speak to her like that,’ said Juliet.

  ‘I’ll speak to her how the hell I like, she’s my daughter. Don’t think I haven’t seen what you’ve been up to either, manoeuvring your way in, trying to steal her away from me.’

  ‘I only want to help, Chrissy. More than ever, now I know the truth of it.’

  ‘You know fuck all, Juliet. And that’s not what this is about, you know damn well it isn’t. This is about you. It was always about you. And actually, I do blame you for what happened. I didn’t, but I do now. You take and take and take and you ruined my sodding life.’

  ‘I just want us to be friends again, Chrissy. Best friends – maybe, one day.’

  Eloise could hear her mother’s mocking laughter. ‘Really? So why now? Tell me. The glitz and glamour wearing a bit thin, is it? Hm? Oh, and I know about Luca. I know he wants to abandon you as well. Divorce number four, is that? I’ve lost bloody count. Is that the reason? Poor Juliet feels lonely again. He told me about the divorce when we were in Rome so you needn’t look so innocent.’

  ‘I only want to help you, Chrissy.’

  ‘By making me confess to the wife of the man I killed? You took a fucking risk there, even for you.’

  Eloise was afraid of her mother’s anger, where it might lead, but still didn’t dare show her face.

  ‘So I take risks,’ said Juliet. ‘That’s who I am.’

  ‘Or were you hoping to get me out of the way? Is that it? I confess to my crime and get carted off to prison.’

  ‘No! I did it to save you, I swear.’

  ‘But this is about saving you, Juliet. Not me. You’re trying to fill a void in your life that’s always been there. It always will be there.’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Well, let me make this clear; I am done saving you. Christ knows, I’ve done it enough times.’

  There was a silence, and Eloise wondered whether to make an appearance but Juliet piped up again.

  ‘I’d have done exactly the same for you in that motel room, Chrissy. If it had been the other way round. You know I would.’

  ‘Now that is something I’ve wondered over the years,’ said Chrissy.

  ‘I’d do anything for you,’ said Juliet. ‘Anything. You should know that by now.’

  ‘Well, let’s see, shall we?’

  Eloise didn’t like her mother’s tone. She was calmer but there was a menace to her voice.

  ‘Right. I am going to call the police, and you, Juliet Ricci, are going to tell them that in 1989 you murdered Marianna’s husband.’

  ‘No, Mum! You can’t do that.’ Eloise rushed out. She had to intervene before it was too late.

  Chrissy was holding Juliet’s phone out to her. ‘Do this for me, Juliet,’ she said. ‘Do it now.’ But Juliet could only stare at it. ‘No. I thought not.’ Chrissy threw the phone against the glass doors. It bounced off, shattering into tiny pieces.

  Juliet sank to her knees. ‘I’d give my life for you, Chrissy,’ she wailed.

  ‘You’re so full of shit, Juliet.’

  ***

  Eloise wasn’t sure which one to go to first. Loyalty prevailed, and she went to find her mother. Reluctantly, Eloise was beginning to see some of those things for herself about Juliet. Yet this was not the outcome she had hoped for.

  ‘You know she doesn’t really think things through properly, Mum.’

  Chrissy was in her room, tossing more things into the suitcase. ‘We’re going home, Eloise, and that’s that.’

  Eloise swallowed. She didn’t want to say it, and yet she had to. ‘You can’t make me.’

  Chrissy stopped what she was doing and pushed her fingers deep into the grooves across her forehead. ‘No. No, you’re right, Eloise. I’m asking you to come with me.’

  ‘I can’t though, Mum. I just can’t do this any mor
e.’ Eloise could hardly speak, choking on her sobs. ‘I need you to be okay, to put all this behind you now.’ She was coming towards her, but Eloise put her hand out to stop her. ‘If Marianna can forgive you, I don’t see why you can’t forgive yourself. It’s awful that you were raped, it makes me so angry and sad and I cannot even imagine what that must have been like for you. But for me that’s even more reason to kill the person who did that to you.’ She paused. Because this was the most important thing of all she had to say to her. ‘Juliet is the only friend you have, Mum. You can carry on running if you like, but don’t expect me to.’

  Chrissy didn’t respond. Her mother looked so wounded, and she hated having to heap even more onto her. But she had to, because this also needed to be said. ‘In any case, you can’t go.’

  ‘Why can’t I?’

  ‘Because I promised Dad.’

  ‘Promised Dad what?’

  ‘He made me say that I’d always look after you, never leave you on your own. I was eleven years old and it wasn’t fair.’ Eloise broke down again. ‘I just can’t do it any more. I need you to be okay, Mum, otherwise what’s the point of my life? You may as well never have had me.’

  ‘I told you, don’t ever say that. Don’t you dare.’

  ‘Well, it’s true.’

  ‘I’ve given up my whole life for you. I’d do anything for you.’

  ‘Seriously, have you heard yourself? You sound just like Juliet. I am begging you, Mum. Just put on Juliet’s dress, say you’re sorry, and come to the party tonight. You have to draw a line under all of this now. Please, for my sake.’

  ***

  The party was in a couple of hours. Eloise slid down the bathtub blowing clouds of white foam into the air with a sense of satisfaction. Clearly, they still had a long way to go – many hurtful things had been said which would not be forgotten in a hurry – but Eloise had managed to persuade Chrissy and Juliet to make a fresh start. She had even got them to shake on it.

  With this all behind her now she could allow herself to daydream, just for a little while, about Nico. Distant rumblings of thunder brought her back to reality. Her head was telling her to steer clear of him. And what if her mother should catch them together this evening? But the rest of her body was screaming that it simply couldn’t survive without him.

  Then there was Sylvia. Who was Sylvia? Would she be at the party? What then?

  As she stepped out of the bath she became aware of the darkening sky. It seemed to be getting lower, like a lid coming down on a box. The breeze had got up, too, and was mischievously trying to blow the window off its stay. Eloise went to close it, noticing the drop in temperature. Another roll of thunder clattered into the hills, lighting up the sky in the distance. She didn’t mind the storm heading this way, just as long as they could get to the party without getting caught in it.

  ***

  Chrissy avoided parties. She much preferred to lose herself in a crowd rather than engage with anyone in it. They had been waiting for her for over an hour. Juliet checked her watch again, looking anxiously at Eloise. She had chain-smoked at least four emergency cigarettes, and that was to Eloise’s knowledge. Eloise noticed, too, that she had dispensed with the cat brooch and no longer wore it.

  At last, Chrissy appeared.

  ‘Mum, you look gorgeous!’

  Juliet popped the champagne, rushing towards her with a glass. Then she stood back to admire, forcing Chrissy to unfold her arms. ‘I hardly recognize you,’ said Juliet, tearfully. This was the first time she had worn the Fifties-style black dress. It seemed so long ago now that Juliet had presented them with gifts on that first evening in Manchester. Everything about the dress was perfect. Chrissy’s skin was tanned and toned, and it hugged her curves beautifully. A hint of cleavage was just visible through the V-shaped lace panel. The pinched in waist with full flowing skirt had a swirl of net underskirt beneath the hem, drawing the eye to her shapely, bronzed legs. Eloise recognized the familiar Ricci fragrance, too, which Chrissy had been refusing to wear until now.

  Her mother was alive. She was finally being Chrissy.

  ‘Both of you look stunning,’ said Juliet, dabbing her eyes. With a sniff, she raised up her glass. ‘To us. As long as we live.’

  ‘As long as we live,’ said Eloise, chinking glasses. She recognized those words from somewhere. Then she remembered. Her mother had written them in Juliet’s twentieth birthday card.

  ‘I’m not sure how long I’ll stay tonight,’ said Chrissy, fiddling with the dress.

  CHAPTER 40

  Tuscany: 2007

  The storm held off until all the guests were safely under cover, as though politely waiting for everyone to arrive. Drinks in hand, they stood and watched a curtain of rain billowing across the hills. They could almost hear the trees and bushes sigh, holding out their leaves for their thirst to be quenched at long last.

  A hundred or so people were milling about. The hippest crowd, from Florence presumably, were dressed in Ricci, according to Juliet. Others were distinctly rustic-looking from the neighbouring villages, but everyone seemed to mix and most people knew each other. There was a large screen set up at the far end showing a firework display to make up for the real thing being rained off.

  Marianna came over to greet them. She made a point of holding onto Chrissy’s arm. ‘I’m so glad you’ve come,’ she said, smiling at Chrissy as she spoke. ‘You must enjoy yourself.’ They were ushered to a long table where members of staff were serving drinks. ‘Help yourselves to a glass of something.’ Then she moved on to greet her other guests.

  A man with a video camera was circulating through the crowd. Eloise noticed that her mother didn’t dodge out of his way. She also recognized the fornicating couple whose privacy she had trampled on that first evening. It seemed a long time ago now. The woman nodded, and Juliet struck up a conversation. Chrissy tapped the side of her glass, unable to join in as they were speaking German. Eloise searched for Nico among the crowd; she couldn’t see him anywhere. When she turned back to her mother she was in conversation with a rather handsome Italian.

  Eloise stepped away.

  Chrissy seemed relaxed, smiling. Every now and then she would push her hair behind her ears, listening intently to what he was saying. She looked so lovely tonight and Eloise felt nothing but pride, especially when she considered how far her mother had come, after all she had been through. As she retreated further, confident she wasn’t needed, she felt her arm suddenly forced up between her shoulder blades. She knew it was Nico even before he let go. He was so close she could feel his breath on her neck.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said, stepping backwards when he had released her. ‘I just need to go and … I just need to go.’

  Eloise spotted Juliet’s beehive over the sea of heads. She made for that, weaving her way through the crowd. ‘Talk to me, Juliet,’ she said, reaching for her arm. ‘And if Nico comes, just blank him.’

  ‘Oh. You had a fall out?’

  ‘She doesn’t want me to go near him.’

  ‘It’s okay, he’s talking to someone.’ Juliet made the words come from the side of her mouth; another party game she had played before.

  ‘What is she like?’ asked Eloise. ‘It doesn’t matter. What do you think I should do, Juliet?’

  She laughed. ‘Don’t ask me about men. I’m good at catching them, hopeless at keeping them.’ But there was an underlying sadness to her words.

  ‘I’m sorry about Luca,’ said Eloise. She didn’t know what else to say. The rain was still hammering down. She went to get herself another drink and then hid behind the Ricci lot from Florence to avoid the man with the camera. She just wanted to be alone and watch the storm. How different everything looked in the wet, like someone had turned the page to a totally new landscape.

  Later in the evening people started dancing. It was Juliet who got things going, dragging Chrissy and Eloise with her. Once or twice, Eloise caught Nico staring at her. He had the video camera and was filming them at one
point. She smiled briefly, trying not to look his way again. When her eyes wandered back to him he was kissing someone at the side of the bar. A pretty girl. Petite. Probably called Sylvia.

  Eloise dropped out and went to sit by herself. Juliet and Chrissy were dancing to some Eighties’ tunes. Her mother’s Italian admirer seemed very keen. She was making out that she was more into the music but every now and then she would acknowledge him with a twist of her hips or a shake of her shoulders. Eloise smiled to herself. Seeing her mother happy was far more important. She had to forget Nico.

  ‘Eloise, this is Sylvia. Sylvia, Eloise.’

  ‘Oh.’

  The pretty, petite girl was hanging onto his arm. ‘Ciao,’ she said, coolly.

  ‘Your mother seems to have made a good recovery,’ said Nico.

  ‘Yes. She’s feeling much better now, thank you.’

  Sylvia excused herself. Eloise stood up, about to say that she was going back to dance, when Nico grabbed her hand and kissed it. After a few seconds she pulled it away again. He was much quicker though. ‘Got you,’ he said, gripping her wrist. ‘Now there is no escape.’

  Whatever fantasies she may have in her head about him, she knew they could never be together. The terrible truth would never go away; she could never share any of it with him. Least of all with him. Eloise loved her mother too much to risk it; he loved his father too much to accept it.

  ‘So what did I do?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You didn’t come to my bar in Florence. I call you many times.’

  ‘My phone was on charge. Look, can we go somewhere less crowded?’

  He didn’t understand at first. The rain clattering down onto the roof and the rumble of thunder overhead made it difficult to hear. Every so often a flash of lightning would illuminate the sky. They needed to get out of sight. Eloise began to lead him in one direction but he somehow ended up guiding her to a secluded corner. He indicated to a low bench tucked away.