‘I’d love to, I don’t really get out that much,’ Jess admitted. ‘But I have Maisie here.’
‘Who is perfectly welcome,’ said Alice, turning to Jess’s daughter. ‘I’m not sure if you will have a taste for coq au vin, but I’m sure I can rustle up something else. What do you like, Maisie?’
‘Everything,’ said Maisie brightly. ‘Katsu chicken curry is my favourite.’
‘Well, well, katsu chicken. Did you know katsu came from Japan originally as a pork dish?’ Alice informed her.
‘No,’ said Maisie, shaking her head. ‘But I do know that Japan is known as the Land of the Rising Sun. And that Tokyo is the capital.’
‘Indeed, it is. Clever girl.’ Alice smiled affectionately.
‘Katsu chicken is hercurrentfavourite,’ said Jess, smiling. ‘Although she isn’t a fussy eater, thank goodness.’
Alice thought about her nephews then, and how she would cook for them, encouraging them to try different dishes. She could still recall the expression on her eldest nephew’s face when he first tried a spicy Indian dish. Maybe he had been too young and she remembered feeling a little guilty when he glugged down some ice-cold water, his face flushed.
‘I can imagine that being tiresome,’ agreed Alice. ‘Well, I look forward to seeing you both on Friday. Oh, and any allergies?’ she asked.
‘No, thankfully,’ replied Jess.
‘Good. I’m so glad you can make it.’
‘I will look forward to it,’ said Jess as Alice headed inside, leaving a lingering perfume which Jess recognised as Chanel Coco in her wake.
FIVE
DECLAN
‘How was your day?’ asked Alice as she stepped outside the block of apartments with Declan.
It was a mild evening and Alice was looking forward to the walk to the office building.
‘Good,’ said Declan, even though he had been a little distracted by the possibility of being self-employed and having his own office.
‘Don’t you want to go in the car?’ asked Declan, car keys in hand, as Alice turned left outside the building.
‘As it is such a nice evening I thought we could walk. If that’s okay with you?’
Alice had been indoors all day, and was looking forward to a little fresh air and exercise.
‘Fine by me.’ He smiled.
They strolled along companionably, even though they barely knew each other, and Alice commented on some of the pretty front gardens as they walked past. Declan felt completely at ease in her company and wondered whether he would ever have knocked to say hello, had she not arranged the dinner party. Probably not.
As they turned onto the main road that was busy with traffic, Declan instinctively walked close to Alice as they crossed the road. There were some lunatic drivers around these days. Everyone seemed to be in such a hurry.
When they arrived at the office they accessed the single staircase and Declan was grateful that Alice was still physically fit for her age as there was no lift.
It smelt slightly musty inside as it had been unoccupied for a while, so Alice thrust the window open and let the early evening air drift into the room.
Declan glanced around the space that was carpeted with expensive-looking grey carpet. There was a wooden desk in one corner, and an archway that led to a tiny kitchen area. The room had a vaulted ceiling and with a little sprucing up, including a fresh coat of paint on the walls, it would be a smart place to meet with clients.
‘So, what do you think, then?’ asked Alice, as Declan took in his surroundings.
‘I think it’s brilliant,’ he said, visualising himself sitting behind the desk and it felt good.
‘I’m afraid there’s no chair, but you can pick them up reasonably enough, especially second-hand,’ suggested Alice. She didn’t tell Declan but she had taken the battered green-leather chair home with her. Sometimes she would glance at it and imagine her husband sitting there reading.
‘That won’t be a problem.’ Declan beamed. He had an office chair at home that he bought when he had toyed with the idea of setting up the second bedroom as an office which never quite came to fruition.
