‘Didn’t you guys make a mess the first time you came?’
‘She wasn’t here to see it.’
‘Patty knows everything that happened and will happen,’ Charles retorts. ‘She’s a lot like George.’
‘Please never say that again.’
Cackling at his friend’s horrified grimace, Charles hands him a napkin to wipe the spill he’s responsible for. ‘How did your football feud with Phoebe go?’
‘We were arguing over the ending ofLost.’
‘Oh… Unexpected and somewhat disappointing.’
‘She thinks that too, but… You’re not talking about the ending ofLost. Speaking of unexpected yet guaranteed disappointment, have you finally told Alice to dream on?’
Elsy punches George’s arm. ‘Why would you bring this up here and now?’
‘If he doesn’t come back, this is my ultimate opportunity to talk some sense into him.’
‘Enough with the paranoia! I am coming back. Otherwise the Alice question wouldn’t even be one.’
‘True. Blimey, I’m not sharp tonight. Must be the vibe of this pub. So?’
‘I said I’ll let her know.’
‘Really?’ George plants his fists on his hips, displaying a level of outrage that the situation doesn’t justify. ‘You definitely need me by your side a while longer!’
‘She’s trying.’ Charles shrugs. ‘That counts for something.’
Charles and Loris were driving back from Devon, comparing both their summer schedules to fit in a trip to Florence andKaunas, when Charles slapped his forehead with the full force of his stupidity. He had left his passport in his bedroom. Worried that the waiting time to get a new one could prevent him from attending the wedding of Loris’ cousin, he resigned himself to texting his mother and asked whether it had already been reduced to ashes.
18:41 ALICE L.Your belongings are safe, Charles. And the locks won’t be changed. You can come home anytime. But unless you have gone back on some of your choices, it would be wiser to ensure with me beforehand that your fatherisn’t here.
The first few times Charles went – to collect more clothes and to seeSofia– he waited for moments when he was sure Alice was out with Milton. But one day, he miscalculated his timing, and she walked in as he was climbing down the stairs. More surprised than he was, Alice didn’t attempt to keep him. She only asked if he was taking care of himself, spotting the signs of his annual season-change cold.
After that brief meeting that had washed over Charles’ mood and late thoughts, shunning his mother became optional. The next encounter left him just as indifferent given that Alice still looked all but unsure about how to behave. But three weeks later, as Charles was selecting airy shirts to store in Loris’ wardrobe, she came to his bedroom to give him the contact details of an old friend who runs an accounting firm in Rome. Charles took the piece of paper, lacking the motivation to explain that finance isn’t on his Italian agenda.
At the time, he also refused to acknowledge her acceptance of his plan to move abroad, but he found himself appreciative when he mused on it later.
‘The bar is very low,’ Loris said between two supportive smiles.
‘Yes, she raised it from below ground. Let’s see what she does next.’
Next, she waylaid him in the driveway to waffle on about Clare quitting. Charles internally rejoiced at the news, but he spent five minutes struggling to grasp how Alice had concluded that they were back to having mundane conversations. Then she switched gears and Charles went slack-jawed.
‘I was at the Camden Art Centre yesterday, discussing their summer programme with Gemma. It is wonderful that they will include Loris’ artwork in their local artists exhibition! She showed me a photograph, it is stunning. Congratulations to Loris. And to you. Gemma found your presentation pitch impressive.’
Charles’ shock had three points of origin.
His mother’s awareness of a project they hadn’t even shared with their friends yet. Her successful attempt at appearing unbothered that the neighbourhood is going to see Charles in Loris’ erotically-charged glitch drawing. And above all, the way she had pronounced ‘Loris’, both times. It wasn’t totally natural, as if she had rehearsed too much, practised curving up her lips on the final syllable. But she had learnt. From being labelled as achoicein her first message, Loris had become a person, accepted as part of her son’s life.
Alice now wants to take Charles to their favourite restaurant. It’s undoubtedly a stunt to show her tattling circle that their relationship is as good as ever, but for that reason, he’s convinced the lunch won’t be harmful. She wouldn’t risk setting him off in a public place.
Charles will weigh up the pros and cons after the wedding weekend in France.
‘You’re letting her off the hook too easily. Unless she dumps the git, no effort will—’
‘I don’t want her to do that, George. I’ll never give her enough of myself to compensate for what she’d lose if she did.’
