‘I like to think so. I’m less fancy than your furniture but easier to move around. And I’m low maintenance.’
Charles chuckles, which expels part of his anxiety and allows him to untwist his fingers.
‘Good… Alright.’
He grabs his tennis bag, left by his desk after a match against Phil a few nights ago. Charles loves his rackets, as replaceable as they are. He collectsThe Mind of Wonders, his folder of sheet music, two memory sticks, the cufflink box and three of his notebooks. He also shoves the Rolex case at the bottom of the bag. He will try to sell the watch once the monthly bank transfers stop.
‘You’re gonna have to repack at my place later, that’s way too many clothes for a hotel weekend. And I threw in some suits and shirts for work but without much care.’
‘Don’t worry. I’ll keep using the family account at the dry cleaner. My parents won’t instantly come up with a righteous explanation as to why I’m persona non grata.’
‘So… you don’t think the three days you gave them can make a difference?’
‘Not after the last bomb I dropped, no. And that might be why I dropped it, because in hindsight, it was… It was stupid to— No. No, I’m not Ledwelling that. Can we just get out of here?’
‘I thought you’d never ask!’ Loris closes the suitcase. ‘But, for the record, nothing you did was stupid. And also, we’re gonna Ledwell what happened, together.’
‘But first, we make out near a cliff edge.’
‘First we make out… at a safe distance from a cliff edge.’
Charles smiles and ushers Loris into the hallway.
His heart protests when he glances at theSofiaroom, but that’s one thing he’s certain his father won’t take his fury out on. Charles will see Her again, even if he has to wait years or to test numerous break-in plans from George and Hannah.
They climb down the stairs in silence, listening out for any sign of returning thunder. Charles is staring at the closed door of Milton’s study and only notices Alice because Loris squeezes his waist to drive his attention to the right. She’s standing under the arch to the lounge, her jaws so clenched, Charles fears for the crowns of her teeth.
She’s still pallid and turns greenish at the picture they form.
‘Just say what you have to say. But I’ll probably don’t give a—’
‘I won’t lose you, Charles.’ Alice clutches the fabric of her dress. ‘I can’t. I won’t.’
‘That’s up in the air. Because it’ll take more than keeping him from giving me a shiner. And you better learn to mask your desire to throw up in front of my boyfriend.’
She closes her eyes, and they step outside the house before she can retort.
Whatever her statement implied, Charles doesn’t care for empty promises. She will have to show him concretely what she’s willing to do for a chance to remain his mother, and he won’t expect her to try.
Alice has lost access to his heart, she won’t break it ever again.
‘I thought she always looked like she ate bad oysters,’ Loris says when they pass the gate. ‘But that’s an allergy to me?’
‘To you. And us. And our plans for… Hold on… You stayed in the entrance hall, so you heard everything?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Shit, sorry!’ Charles plants himself in front of Loris, his stomach somersaulting. ‘What I said about moving to Italy, I didn’t mean… Well, yes, I meant it, it wasn’t just to drive them crazy. I’m thinking about it, as… as a possibility I can look forward to. But without assuming it’s a done deal! It’s half a year away. As you said, anything can happen, so I’m not saying it will happen. I simply enjoy thinking it could happen and… Why are you smiling?’
Loris lets go of the suitcase and slides his hands behind Charles’ neck. ‘Something else I thought you’d never ask.’
‘Really?’ Charles’ insides end their gym routine. ‘You didn’t ask me either.’
‘I couldn’t influence your choices and journey. Plus, I wanted to get there gradually. First, I was gonna ask you to be my plus-one at my cousin’s wedding.’
‘When?’
‘In two months. You know, in May, when I’m gonna leave the pub, the flat and… London.’
