Marcus casts one last look over his shoulder.
‘Oh yes. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’
35
Tobias arrives back at the hotel to find the staff laying out tables and chairs in the grounds; white cloths, gleaming cutlery, glassware that sparkles in the late afternoon sunshine. A couple of separate gazebos have been erected and additional fairy lights and paper lanterns are being strung about the place. It all looks very ostentatious to his mind but he expects his wife and many of the other guests will appreciate it. As long as they’re serving something good and properly chilled tonight – none of this Prosecco nonsense.
He strides across the lawn, paying no heed to the designated gravel walkways, and ploughs his way through the staff who are busy up ladders or carrying laden trays. In desperate need of a long shower, and perhaps something stiff to get him in the mood, he continues on into the hotel foyer and up the main staircase. Idly, he wonders where Olivia and the kids are, whether he will be first to claim the bathroom. He nods at a couple of familiar faces as he scales the stairs, breathing noisily.
‘See you tonight,’ he calls with his usual bonhomie and realises he has forgotten their names. Not to worry. They all know him in this hotel. It is why he has been staying here year in, year out. He briefly considers whether it wouldn’t be more fun to venture out into the streets tonight, down by the harbour, to watch the fireworks with the rest of the hoi polloi. They are going to be living here soon – after a fashion. But then he thinks about the pristine tablecloths, the private view, thecomplimentary champagne on ice and dismisses the idea out of hand entirely.
Once inside the suite, he is relieved to find it empty. Livvy and the kids must still be out somewhere but he is happy to have first dibs on the shower without anyone else pestering him to cut it short. Divesting himself of his sweaty clothes – he gingerly holds his shirt to his nose for a second before throwing it into the corner of the bathroom – he steps in and braces himself against the fierce cool jet of water. It occurs to him that he was supposed to be doing something, some admin or other, and he racks his brains. It has been quite the day already and he finds his head is spinning after the heat of the sun and the noise of the site, not to mention the run-in with the local man, Ted, and the bamboozling revelation about Livvy and her plans.
Soaping himself down, scrubbing at his head and inside his ears, he tries to remember what he was meant to be doing. Finally it comes to him. He was going to find a spare minute to go through the footage on his phone, see whether his hidden camera has picked up anything interesting at the site. Find out what the hell his daughter has been up to and where those missing tools have gone. He lodges this thought, promises himself he will prioritise it when he is clean and dressed and rested. Later on tonight. If not, definitely first thing tomorrow. On Sunday morning, in the calm after the storm, when the dust of the fireworks has settled.
With that, he finishes rinsing himself and shuts off the water. The sound of his family piling into the suite drifts through to him. They are all back; Liv and Drew and Belle. He hears their voices rising and falling, recounting the events of the day, their anticipation of the evening to come, the fact that they are hot, tired, ravenous. His family. He does love them, though he might not always show it in the best of ways. He pauses for a moment, extending this final moment ofpeace, and tugs at his belly fat a little, wonders if he should make a bit more effort to be healthy, fit, and attractive for them all. Then he resolves to start the diet on Monday. Shame not to enjoy himself this last weekend. This is the big finale, after all. What they have all been waiting for and he, for one, intends to enjoy himself.
36
Olivia has drenched herself in a combination of sprays and unguents, smothering her limbs with moisturisers and cooling rose water. She also finds patchouli oil is quite a good deterrent for most things; mosquitoes, midges, even her husband. She has piled her hair up into a loose, insouciant bun, skewered in place by a pair of wooden chop sticks. Her shoulders are bare, revealing her old peacock tattoo; the one that Tobias hates and which she has often covered up over the years. Her freshly manicured toenails are peeking out from gladiator sandals. From now on, she is determined to be, and please, only herself.
Across the table from her, she regards her family. Bella has made an extra special effort tonight, she sees. Her daughter’s skin is glowing with a deeper shade of tan, her fiery mane quelled into a smoothly ironed sheet. Olivia wishes she would learn to love herself, allow the gentle curls she was born with to spring forth, the freckles on her cheeks to bloom like the petals of a lily.
Drew, in comparison, is looking positively dishevelled but relaxed in his own skin, happy and confident. His blond hair is naturally streaked from the last few days, his arms and legs sun-kissed and strong. He pushes his hair off his face in his usual way and Olivia notices a wink of silver; he has had his ear pierced in two places. She lets out a soft gasp but then beams with pride. That’s her boy, after all. So what if this is the recent influence of the Taco Lads. He wears it well and a small bubble of pleasure rises in her at the thought of how much it will infuriate Tobias.
Right on cue, her husband, who has been perusing the menu like a rapt student, slams his glass down.
‘What in the blue blazes is that in your ear, Drew?’
Their son pauses his conversation, his face momentarily freezing, before he brazens it out.
‘Ooh, get you, little bro,’ says Bella, her interest lifting above the parapet of her usual ennui. She raises her right hand and Drew meets it with his own in a congratulatory high five.
‘Take it out now,’ commands Tobias.
‘Which one? There are two, Dad,’ clarifies Bella with a snigger.
‘Oh, for God’s sake. I ask you.’
‘I rather like it,’ chimes in Olivia. ‘It suits him actually.’ She is enjoying herself finally and takes a sip of her cold, creamy champagne. Tonight feels like a triumph and she won’t allow Tobias or anyone else to spoil it.
‘You would,’ says her husband, rounding on her with a look of disdain.
‘Leave him alone,’ she says, an edge to the normally soothing cadence of her voice.
‘He’ll have to remove them when he gets back to school,’ warns Tobias.
‘Actually, both girls and boys are allowed to wear small ear piercings now, Dad,’ says Drew.
‘What?’ his father splutters in response.
‘Equal opportunities, innit? Gender equality.’
As Tobias snorts in disgust, Olivia is relieved to see Marcus’s lithe figure weaving through the field of tables towards them. He is wearing a tailored linen suit, which fits him like a glove, and she feels her stomach give a little flip of desire. Hopefully he will be a welcome distraction to the incendiary argument that is smouldering between her husband and son.
Tobias looks up.
‘Ah, Marcus. Good of you to join us. Finally.’
