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“Audrey.” He waves me over. I climb out of my car and with two high pitched bleeps from my remote-control fob, I’m at the door. His goatee beard scratches my skin as he pecks my cheek quickly. We exchange a few preambles on the doorstep. He looks different somehow, younger, fresher. At 42, Gerry’s only a year older than Louise but he’s always looked much older than her. However, today he doesn’t look a day over thirty-five. His pale blue eyes seem brighter, and he’s lost a bit of weight too since I last saw him. Although still quite chunky, his tummy seems to have shrunk, giving his navy suit a looser fit. It must be the excitement of expecting a baby.
“You just caught me,” he says, “Lou’s not back yet, had some errands to run.” He holds the door open for me and I step inside, all the time staring at his curly, dark hair. Where have all the greys gone?
“Yes, I know, she said. I’m early, actually, didn’t think anyone was in. What’re you doing home?”
“Just popped in to pick up some paperwork.” He waves a yellow folder at me. “Listen, help yourself to tea or coffee, you know where everything is. She shouldn’t be long. Anyway, gotta dash, lovely to see you.” And he’s gone.
I close the door behind me, shrug out of my mac and drape it over the banister. A ritual of mine and Nick’s whenever we visited. My mac would go on first then he’d hang his denim jacket over it. Nick only ever wore a blue denim jacket, even during winter. I close my eyes. I can almost hear our voices, the clatter of plates in the kitchen, the laughter from the lounge, the hum of music drifting down the stairs from Jess’s room. There’s a thrash at the door. I open my eyes wide, snapping out of my reverie. It’s the postman. Oh, God, why am I daydreaming about the past? I need to speak to Daniel. Fast. He answers on the second ring.
“Hey, sexy,” he murmurs.
“Hi.” I sit on the stairs grinning down the phone. “How are you?”
“Great. Where are you? At the office? I thought you had the day off.”
“No, I’m at Louise’s.” I stand up and walk along the corridor into the kitchen, closing the door behind me, drowning out some of the street noise. “Listen,” I say hesitantly, I’m not usually spontaneous with men but here goes, “I was just wondering if you were free this afternoon.” I pause for a response but he doesn’t answer. “You could come over or I could come to you. We could go out for a coffee or a walk, perhaps.” I’m blabbering, but I can’t seem to stop myself. “Or catch a movie if you prefer, that’s if….”
“Audrey, I’d love to.”
“Excellent!”
“But I can’t.” My shoulders slump and my bag slides onto my forearm. “I’m running with Connie after work.”
“Oh, Daniel,” I plead, “I really want to see you.” I flop onto a kitchen chair, chucking my bag by my feet.
“Aw, Cinders.” His new pet name for me, because of the shoe incident, which is quite romantic, I suppose. “Connie and I always run together once a week in Hyde Park, it’s a regular thing. I’m sure I told you.”
He didn’t but I don’t argue the point. “I could jog alongside you,” I suggest, hopefully, “get to know her a little better?”
“Well, the thing is, we’re training for a charity half marathon. You’d never be able to keep up with us. We need to do a PB.” There’s a moment of silence. “Audrey? Are you still there? Hello.”
“Yes, I’m still here,” I groan.
“Aw, I feel awful now. You do understand, don’t you?” In a huff, I tell him that I do but that I’m disappointed, and he promises to make it up to me later this evening. “Get your gorgeous self around here at eight o’ clock, and I’ll have dinner ready and a bottle of fizz on ice.” I smile into the phone. He’s got such a sexy voice. “Oh, and Audrey, Audrey, wait, before you go…you left your purse at my flat this morning.”
“Oh no, did I?” I thought my bag felt lighter. It must’ve been when I paid for the takeaway last night. Daniel and I fought at the door but I managed to persuade the delivery man to take my money. “I’ve got all my cards in there, Daniel.” I say, panicking, “I’ve got no access to any money now.” I hold my head worriedly, get to my feet and start circling the kitchen. “What if there’s an emergency?”
“Hey, hey, calm down. You’re at Louise’s, aren’t you?” he says coolly. “I’m sure she’ll lend you a fiver if you need it and you can pick your purse up tonight.” Great, I’m now penniless as well as dateless. But he manages to calm me and we end the call on the promise of dinner at eight.
There’s a jangle at the front door.
“Hello,” Louise calls out. “Anyone home?”
“In here,” I yell.
“Oh, hi Audrey. Did Jess let you in before she left for uni?” Louise plonks several shopping bags onto the huge rustic table, looking frazzled. “I’m not late am I?” Her eyes flick to the clock above the door. The aroma of the fresh baguette poking out of one of the grocery bags wafts under my nose, reminding me that I missed breakfast.
“No. I was early. Gerry let me in.” Louise frowns as she slides off her black wool coat and bends down to kiss me. Her cheek is rosy and warm despite the chill outside. “Said he had some paperwork to pick up.”
“Oh, right,” she says in a short tone, pulling the baguette out of the bag, and I get the feeling things are a bit tense between them.
She fills a tall glass from the filter jug, downs it in one, then turns to me with a wide grin. I know that look, it means she’s been up to mischief. I brace myself and within a blink of an eye, she whisks out a woolly garment from a colourful paper carrier bag with the words Mamababa strewn across it in the colours of the rainbow.
“Look,” she enthuses, holding up a tiny baby’s cardigan, “isn’t it adorable?”
“It’s lovely,” I smile, standing up to examine the lilac cardi. “But what if it’s a boy?” It feels incredibly soft, well made, expensive. It’s probably cashmere. I glance at the price tag and the room spins.
“A hundred and twenty quid? For this tiny thing?”
