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We turn into the High Street, and my heart does an unexpected jig in my chest. Daniel and Connie are already here. They’re hovering over a shop window about fifty yards past McDonalds. I’m not surprised they’re early, Daniel’s super-efficient, but this means I won’t have time to buy Connie a present. Damn.
“Oh, look, they’re already here, Florian. Come on, hurry up.”
We scurry towards them. The brisk wind blows in my face, whipping my hair back like a top model on a fashion shoot. I open my mouth to call out his name, but it catches in my throat. I watch in horror as he stretches his arm across a woman’s shoulders. What’s going on? I halt suddenly and my Jimmy Choo jams in- between the paving. I wriggle my foot, trying to release it. They’re laughing now and she’s digging him playfully in the ribs. Oh, shit, I think it’s Aliki. My heart picks up speed. He’s bloody well brought his ex-wife along! I rock my shoe back and forth. Talk about being laid back and easy going. I wonder if they’re a couple of swingers. No wonder he’s so bloody keen. He’s probably been grooming me for weeks.
“Why have we stopped, Auntie?”
“Shhh…Florian, just a minute.” I crane my neck to get a better view, all the while rocking my heel. They’re chatting now. Connie is skipping on the pavement next to them.
“But I’m hungry.”
Connie’s tugging at her mother’s sleeve. Aliki looks down at her and then opens her handbag and pulls out a colourful bottle. Oh, my God, I’ve got to get out of here. This is a complete nightmare. I should’ve trusted my instincts. I knew I shouldn’t have come today.
“Come on, Florian, we’re going. I’ll take you to a McDonalds nearer home.” And with a final jerk, I dislodge my heel from the gap and spin round.
“But there’s no McDonald’s near your flat, Auntie,” Florian whines, “you promised.”
“Just hurry, Florian, please. I’ll buy you lots of treats.” Florian stops dragging his feet and we pick up speed.
“Audrey!” Daniel’s voice bellows in my ears, a middle-aged couple sidestep as we tear up the street. My step quickens. “Audrey,” he whistles loudly as we continue to power-walk up the hill, heart in my mouth. “Over here. Audrey!” His whistle is louder this time and I know he’s in close range. I slow down. It’s no use; he’s caught up with us. “Audrey,” he pants, hands on hips, catching his breath, “didn’t you hear me calling?”
19
“Come on.” Daniel grabs my hand quickly, “They’re waiting.” He can’t be for real? I know I told him that I’m open minded and not the jealous type but this is ridiculous. I don’t know what to say. I open my mouth to speak but the words seem to be glued to my tongue.
“Yay,” cries Florian, punching the air, “McDonalds!” Daniel smiles down at him as he practically frogmarches us down the road.
“Daniel,” I manage breathlessly, my heels clattering against the pavement trying to keep up, “wait…I.”
But he ignores me. “Come on, Audrey, look, there they are. Connie!” He waves frantically at them. They clock us and start waving back. Oh, bloody hell.
“Who’s…what’s…” I can’t seem to string a coherent sentence together. Each step feels as if I’m descending to the bottom of a pool, everything seems blurred, out of focus. Florian is trying to wriggle free from my clasp, whining - my grip is too tight, let go, it hurts. Daniel is firing questions at me - how was your journey, are you hungry, what shall we do afterwards. I can’t concentrate. It’s all happening so fast.
And then I’m face to face with Aliki. I look at her in a haze, blowing a strand of hair off my hot, sweaty face. Her red lips are moving but I can’t seem to take in what she’s saying, something about burgers and her waistline. Having only seen her from a distance, she’s even younger than I imagined. All fresh faced and unlined, how on earth can I compete with that? Her hair is short, wavy and blonde, possibly bottle blonde, with a large, wave curl at the front like a 1950’s pinup girl, very Monroe-esque.
I can tell right away that she’s bold, fearless and quirky. I can see it in her heavily made up green eyes as she regards me inquisitively, thumbs resting in the slit pockets of her retro leopard print faux fur coat. Next to her, Connie is zipped into a pink quilted jacket, shyly looking up at me. I gaze at them stupidly, wishing I could be teleported back to Dukes Avenue. Now. Daniel takes his place behind his daughter, feet wide apart, hands gently resting on her narrow shoulders.
“Right,” he says in a regimental tone, “enough about weight- watchers. Introductions. Connie, this is Audrey and her nephew, Florian.” Oh God, I can’t believe this is happening to me. Swallowing hard, I crouch down to Connie’s eye level. She has Daniel’s deep blue eyes and her mother’s soft, wavy, blonde hair, tumbling over her shoulders like a little cherub. Her lips are bow shaped and pink, like her dad’s.
“Hi, Connie,” I coo, holding out my hand, “lovely to meet you.” She frowns up at Aliki and then turns her head away, burying her chin into her shoulder. Not the response I expected from a child who was dying to meet me today. I was right – she hates me. Probably because I haven’t come bearing gifts. Shit.
“Ahem…” Daniel murmurs. I look up and he gestures towards Aliki with his head.
“Sorry. Where are my manners?” I stand up and straighten my dress, which has somehow managed to crawl up to the top of my thighs. I can’t believe that Daniel has put me in this awkward position. I knew he was too good to be true. Wait until I tell Louise and Tina that my new boyfriend brought his ex-wife along on a date. They’ll think he’s a psycho. “Aliki.” I hold out my hand, my breathing has steadied, my composure regained. “Pleased to meet you.”
There’s a stillness in the air, an eerie anticipation. A car horn beep, beep, beeps. A man’s voice calls out in a foreign language. The knot in my stomach tightens. Why is she ignoring me? It’s not as if I’m out to steal her husband. They’re divorced, for goodness sake!
Aliki looks at Daniel, raising a brown, drawn-in eyebrow. A small, wry smile is starting at her scarlet lips. Great, this is all I need, an ex-wife who’s out to score points. She’ll be telling him I’m not good enough for him next and denying him access to Connie.
My eyes flick from Aliki to Daniel nervously and then it suddenly dawns on me - that’s why she’s here, to check me out, to make sure I’m good enough to be left with her daughter. Well, this is a first. I’ve never been out with a man who puts me through a childcare examination. My face tingles as I wait for her to respond but she’s still looking at me as if I’m unhinged. I bet she’s a model. She’s certainly tall and pretty enough. She’s probably a cordon bleu chef and runs charity marathons too. Oh, Christ. I don’t need this. I knew it was too soon to get involved with another man. What am I doing here?
“Audrey,” Daniel says quietly, breaking the tense silence, “this is Connie.” He puts his arm around the young woman and she rests her head briefly on his shoulder, smiling. “And this is Lily.” He rests a hand gently on the little girl’s head, “Connie’s daughter. We were going to leave her with Aliki but as Florian was coming we thought it’d be nice for her to come along too.”
His words swim around in my head. Have I misheard or did he just say that this grown woman standing before me is his daughter? It takes a while for it to all sink in, and then all I can say is, “Oh!” I stare at the three of them in amazement. It’s a few moments before I can speak again. “So.” I clear my dry throat, shifting my weight on to one leg. “Let me just get this straight. She,” I quite rudely, but unintentionally, point at the young woman with the 1950’s hairstyle, “is your daughter Connie, and this,” I point down at the little girl who’s now peeking at Florian from behind her mother’s waist, “is your granddaughter?” There’s a brief moment of silence and then Connie bursts out laughing, bending over double and slapping her thigh.
“You thought that he and I …” she can barely speak from laughter, “were an item? Ahahahaha.” Connie holds her chest as tears of mirth spill from her green eyes, and then Lily joins in, jumping up and down and squealing. “Hey, Dad,” she dabs at the corner of her eye with the back of her finger, “you’ve still got it, you old dog.” She grins, pinching his cheek. Daniel’s face is red, embarrassed.
“Connie,” he warns, “behave.”
