‘Ah, I don’t want you to feel you owe me anything. It’s been enough having your company,’ says Albert.
‘No, you’ve been so nice to me.’
‘Then will you please stay to have dinner with me?’ asks Albert.
‘No, thank you. I have a lot to do back at the hotel. As I said, I leave early, but I just want to give you a little something later.’
I would love to spend a last evening with Albert, but I don’t know that I can face seeing Tomas walk in if he showed up. I would be a bag of nerves every time there is the slightest creak of a door within the building.
‘Well, that’s very nice of you. I told Tomas how you are very kind.’
‘Thanks. Well, I’d better get going anyway. I’ll be back around 7 p.m., okay?’
I rush out of the apartment and head back into the centre of Prague and out to the markets. On the way, I pick up a fancy-looking bottle of Czech wine at a nearby supermarket.
Since it is my last day, I search for some other bits for myself at the market. I also should look for something for Dewi.
The aroma of food being cooked on the stalls hits me as usual as I wander around the market. Oh, I could just fill my case with all the fantastic fresh food, but sadly, it would perish. However, a stall selling sweets attracts my attention. The stallholder hands me a sample, and so I suck on a fruity hard-boiled sweet and feel obliged to buy something. I look at the selection they have and see sweets that look surprisingly like Smarties, but I end up opting for two bags ofHašlerkyliquorice. One for me and one for Dewi.
Before I leave the market, I pass the stall where I bought Tomas’ Christmas bauble. I can see they have some of the items reduced, and the little robin is one of them. I pick it up and look at it. Can I bear to put him back down? I decide he needs to come home with me. After all, I have decided that I will be putting up a Christmas tree next year. After this year, Christmas is no longer banned, even if it is just me celebrating alone. I could even invite Dewi and his family around for a mince pie.
The stallholder carefully wraps my Christmas robin up, and I pop it in my bag with the liquorice. I look forward to unwrapping both of these when I get home.
I carry on with my mission to find something for Albert. I know exactly what I am looking for and am delighted when I find an artisan stall selling silverware. I pick up a plain, classy-looking silver photo frame, perfect for the photo of Marek and Aunt Grace. I am smiling to myself when I head back to the hotel to pop the photo inside and then pack it up to surprise Albert.
I turn up at Albert’s and find Zuzana is sat with him. I am relieved it is only her and that Tomas isn’t here. I did think he might attempt to get in touch, but what is there to say? Perhaps he feels it is time to part ways in favour of Milena, after all.
Albert makes me a drink, and I tell Albert and Zuzana about the surprise I have. I pass the wrapped frame to Albert and tell him that I hope he will like it.
Albert and Zuzana smile at each other, unsure of what is inside.
‘Oh, my dear. Thank you. Come here.’ Albert is filled with emotion as he looks at the photo of Marek and Aunt Grace standing in front of Big Ben. He hugs me, and I feel his tears soak the collar of my shirt.
‘I have more photos that you may never have seen. You can keep them. I took photos of them from my new phone so I can get copies made when I go back home.’
How did I manage for so long without a phone?
The three of us pass along the photographs, and Zuzana and Albert say some things in Czech to each other. Zuzana nods her head in approval.
‘I’m so happy to see these. This is the best surprise I could ever have. To see Marek in London. I can’t believe it.’
Zuzana nods her head again as if agreeing, even though I expect she isn’t sure what Albert is saying.
‘This is so nice for Tomas to see also. He’ll be here very soon,’ says Albert.
‘Oh, but I have to go,’ I say.
‘I told him you were coming over. He’ll be here soon.’
Oh no. Tonight is to surprise Albert and Zuzana and to thank them for their hospitality. Not for Tomas to turn up and tell me some story about Milena, or worse still, walk in with her.
A knock on the door startles me, and I am so nervous at the thought that it could be Tomas that I bite my lip, cutting it as I do so. Zuzana answers the door on behalf of Albert and, fortunately, appears to direct the person to another apartment in the building. As she closes the door again, I realise that I must get out of here quickly.
‘I’m sorry, but I’ll really have to leave. Anyway, I hope you can treasure the photos. Thanks again. For everything.’
Zuzana speaks to Albert, and he translates.
‘Zuzana says it’s been good meeting you and thank you for showing the photos. You’d make a good wife for someone she knows.’
