‘You lied to me!’ Florian shouts from house, the words echoing through the doors to the terrace. I see the open doors, spy their heads a few metres in front of us and brave the floor, leaving a trail of pool water in my wake.
‘I didn’t lie. You assumed she wasn’t here,’ The American protests, her voice laboured from the exertion.
‘You didn’t say she would be!’
They turn to me when I come into view, both looking as exasperated as the other but it’s hard to shake the look of sheer hatred in Florian’s eyes.
The American breaks first. ‘I wanted you to be here. I wanted you to both be here.’
‘Did you know?’ He looks at me with a ferocity that stings. The first thing he has said to me since that night.
‘Know what?’
‘That I’d be here. Was this some plan to…’
‘What – to get you back?’ I scoff, furious at his self-assurance. ‘No, Florian, I wasn’t made aware that I would be playing the starring role in my own shitty rom-com tonight.’
The American hangs between us, arms out on either side as if we might draw swords. ‘Neither of you knew. Things just got out of hand. I didn’t know things were as bad as they were when I ran into you and I thought you needed cheering up, Florian. I… knew that Rupert would be here and I genuinely thought it would be a good opportunity to connect.’
‘And her?’
‘I saw Ava after I saw you… You hadn’t said whether you would come and she’s my friend, Florian. I wanted her here.’
‘Well, have her here, I’m going.’
‘Stop it!’ A soggy Crispy careers into the room. ‘All of you stop it, you’re acting like children. There is no reason on God’s green earth that we can’t all be here at the same time enjoying this wonderful weekend. This place is big enough for the both of you to avoid each other all day if you want to, we don’t care. Doris is eighty-three years old for goodness’ sake and she wants you two to both be here. So, grow up and get over yourselves.’
We stand there staring at each other in a kind of stalemate until Florian breaks. He kisses his teeth, throws his hands in the air. ‘I need a drink.’
We watch him go without moving ourselves. I feel their eyes turn to me, waiting for me to explode.
‘Ava…’ The American starts but I wave my hand to get her to stop.
‘I’m sure your intentions are completely honourable but right now I need a drink and to be on my own.’
I take a bottle of wine from the side and disappear up the stairs leaving the party and the dancing and the fun behind me.
Chapter 33
Breakfast is a simplerand more subdued affair. Despite the strict start time of nine, only four of us, including The American, have managed to make it. I didn’t exactly care whether I was going to be punctual or not, in fact I am pretty sure I would have a free pass this morning to sulk, but the truth was that I had woken up at three in the morning to my neighbour crashing around and been unable to go back to sleep. Therefore, to at least have somewhere to go and something to do was a more savoury option than stewing in my room on my own for the rest of the morning.
The American is uncharacteristically quiet, averting her eyes from mine whenever she can. Crispy has not materialised and neither has Florian, although I don’t begrudge him that.
I pick at pastries whilst the other guests filter in, in dribs and drabs, clutching their heads and turning a little green at the sight of the sausages on the side.
‘Remind us of what’s on the agenda today?’ Rupert asks The American. He is one of the only people who looks like he normally functions at this time of the morning.
‘Well, there’s some free time in the morning and then the opportunity for some art after lunch followed by lawn games and then dinner at seven,’ she replies.
I can’t help but roll my eyes at the quaintness of it all, how it feels both like a retreat and a place for extreme exposure therapy at once.
‘What time are we contractually obliged to meet?’ I ask, my voice carrying over the table. I sound pissed off. I am pissed off.
‘Uh, does one o’clock work?’ The American has switched her fascist party-planning techniques to something much more libertarian. I know it’s entirely for my benefit, to try to demonstrate that I have some control of the situation.
‘See you then.’ I don’t look at her as I gather my things, down the last of my coffee and clamber up the stairs to see Florian emerging from the room next to mine.
My noisy three o’clock neighbour. The only other guest here apparently capable of doing stairs.
