With numbers shared, Joti’s voice softened. ‘It is such a good thing that your mum has a bed downstairs now, though –less of a worry. She’s not of a mind to stop drinking, I take it?’
‘Sadly not. It would take something pretty big to get her even to start thinking about it, I tell you.’
‘Right. I’d better get my hair washed.’ Joti pulled the stray twig out of it. ‘I’m filthy.’
‘Have you got plans tonight, then?’ Vic picked her phone up off the side.
‘Yes, a hot chocolate, a comfy sofa and trash TV. I’m exhausted.’
‘Same! Happy New Year, Joti.’
‘Happy New Year, Vicki.’
Vic grimaced, took a breath to say something, but decided to let the ‘ki’ go. More important was the mystery: if it wasn’t Joti or Albie who had helped move the bed and get the Christmas supplies, then who was it?
Leaving her mum with a mug of strong coffee and a large slice of Christmas cake, in the hope that she might sober up for the evening, Vic made her way to the river path with a tail-wagging terrier. As she headed towards the town, it sounded like the New Year’s revelry had already begun.
On reaching her favourite bench, Vic lengthened Chandler’s lead so he could have a good sniff around, then retrieved her mobile from her bag. Still no word from Nate, which was giving her a pain in her stomach now, since she had called him every day, followed by a goodnight message, but got nothing back. She had even phoned his dad to wish him an early happy New Year in the hope he might let slip that Nate was with him, but he was just heading to the airport for a week in the Canaries with his partner, so no clues there.
Nate wasn’t at work, either. She had rung – imitating a call from a potential frozen dessert supplier – to be told that hewouldn’t be back in until the ninth of January. She was sure he would have told her that he had booked a week off, so that worried her even more. On the other hand, after she had left him the message telling him it was Danny who had given her HIV, maybe Nate had got tested, and he was positive and didn’t know how to react – because she sure as hell still didn’t. He probably hated her, in fact. His previous declaration of three little words, null and voided by the three little letters that had caused such a maelstrom of suffering already. Suddenly big, silent tears began to fall slowly down her face. As if sensing her distress, Chandler came to her feet and whimpered. Then, out of nowhere, somebody was standing right in front of her.
‘Come on, sweet Victoria, let’s get in the warm and get us both a nice hot drink, shall we?’ Norman the Jack Russell barked his approval as Jake led the way to the festively litLazy Daze, the boat which he called home.Once inside, Vic sat down in one of his comfortable armchairs and felt an instant sense of both familiarity and relief. The dogs tumbled around the floor playfighting until Jake threw them a chew each and they lay down in front of the wood burner, paws outstretched, munching away. Jake sat down opposite Vic and handed over a steaming, milky drink. ‘Funny to say, but it’s a dry boat in here, as you know. Not even a sherry trifle at Christmas. I hope you like Ovaltine?’
‘This is just perfect, thank you.’ Vic cradled the steaming mug in both hands. ‘Alcohol isn’t helping to numb anything at the moment, anyway.’ The kindness of the man she had known since childhood caused her to cry again. ‘I’m sorry,’ she blubbered.
Jake went to the toilet, grabbed her a wad of toilet paper and set a Simon & Garfunkel disc to play in his dated CD player.
‘Never apologise for showing emotion,’ he said gently. ‘It is our greatest strength. Because, when it boils down to it, in this crazy world, all we have is ourselves to give.’
Vic blew her nose. ‘I never did find out why you ended up here. Mum has always been very protective over you, and I assume there must be a story?’
‘Has she indeed.’ Jake smiled enigmatically. ‘I thought you seemed sad last time I saw you, too. What’s up, love?’
Vic sighed. ‘That was nothing compared to now.’
‘Let me guess, Mum or men?’
‘Neither. Well, both but… Mum is a constant worry. It’s…’ Vic rubbed her eyes and prepared herself. ‘I don’t think I can… not just yet. I haven’t even told Mum and I don’t know how to.’ She began to cry again.
Jake looked visibly upset. ‘What do you mean? Tell me what’s wrong, love. You’re safe here. I don’t see anyone to tell.’ Despite his smile, Vic was sure that his usually weathered face had paled slightly. ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ started to play.
‘My mum used to love this track.’
‘I know,’ Jake replied quietly.
Vic wiped her eyes and took a sip of her drink. To her surprise she found herself reassuring him: ‘It’ll be OK.’
‘And if it’s not OK, it’s not the end.’ Jake held out his hand to Vic and squeezed it. ‘You can tell me, little lady, in your own time – or you can tell me to bugger off. I’m not going anywhere soon.’
They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the warmth of the wood burner and the peacefulness of the river, until Jake began to talk.
‘You are right; there is a story. I lived down in Wiltshire. I bought a huge pile of an old detached house. I’d made my money on the stock markets. I had everything anyone could want. I could holiday wherever I wanted. Dress like a right dandy if I wanted to.’ He laughed. ‘My parents lived nearby. I loved the fact that I could treat them, too. Paid off their mortgage and made sure they never wanted for anything.Sadly, no siblings. Mum had wanted more kids, but it didn’t happen. I was in my early thirties and living like a king.’
Vic leant down to stroke the now-sleeping dogs. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for what was to come, because her gut and Jake’s tone were telling her that there was not going to be a happy ending to this story.
‘I decided to travel whilst I was still young. And that was when I met the most beautiful soul. Her name was Malini. She had the eyes of a doe, and the longest black mane of straight, shiny hair that I’d ever seen. Like some mesmerising sea creature, she was. I fell immediately in love. In fact, we fell in love so hard that I realised at last I had found a reason for my life. Love just took over.’ His face suddenly fell. He reached forward to turn the music off.
‘You don’t have to tell me, Jake – it’s fine.’
