‘I love that word. It’s not used often enough. Say it again.’
‘Happily. Incorrigible. I don’t know how you don’t hear it daily.’
‘Will you two stop flirting so we can get down in there and have a proper look? It looks amazing.’
‘We’re not flirting. Anyway, Pippa’s got a boyfriend,’ Kam answered quickly and with a particularly devilish twinkle. Pippa clocked Ben throwing a shocked look when Kam said this, and Pippa too was a little surprised by Kam’s statement. She knew she hadn’t exactly qualified what she was doing with James but she thought after their talk yesterday that he understood.
‘No, I haven’t! He just thinks he is, and that eventually I’ll believe it too. But yes, let’s go and have a look. It really is remarkable. It’s a theatre hewn out of the rockface.’ She indicated ahead of her and they all stood there for a moment, looking out to sea and watching the gulls circling in the May sky.
‘So, if I understand what you just said, you don’t have a boyfriend then, but someonethinksthat you’re his girlfriend?’ Hema jumped in with the question that everyone wanted to ask.
‘That’s about it.’
‘But you’re not his girlfriend.’
‘No.’
‘Well, don’t you think you should make it clear?’
Pippa looked straight across at Kam who was watching her, an inscrutable expression on his face as he waited for her answer.
‘Yes, I should, I know. And I have but he’s not listening. I know I have to be firmer. It’s just it’s not, well… there’s more to consider than just me.’
‘Like my brother.’
‘No, not your brother! Your brother has nothing to do with it.’
‘Hema, leave her alone. Come on, let’s get going!’ Kam marched down towards the main building, a modern structure that housed the information about the theatre below.
Pippa fell behind, reluctant to have things hanging unresolved and fell in step with Hema to try and explain herself slightly better.
‘I know it sounds bizarre, and you’re right, it is odd, but the thing is… it’s my mum. She has her heart set on this relationship being a success. She’s planning grandchildren. She’s even picked out the outfit for the wedding…’
‘Hahaha. This sounds familiar.’
‘And I have to get her to understand it’s not happening, but she’s not listening. He is her best friend’s son. I have to manage this carefully so our families don’t get caught up in a whole heap of miscommunication and fall out.’
‘It sounds like there may be a fair bit of that already.’ Hema scuffed the path with her foot as they were walking, and Pippa nodded.
‘You’re right, there is. But not really between me and him. I’m quite clear with him. I have really laid it on the line but it’s like he thinks it’s one big game. Either that or his ego is so ginormous he simply can’t comprehend that I am not interested at all.’
‘What does my brother think of this?’ Pippa was startled again. Hema obviously thought Kam was more involved in her personal life than he was. Whilst Pippa might enjoy daydreaming about him being all up close and personal, it wasn’t something that was happening or that she would allow to happen, and her desires were not something she was going to confide in his little sister when she had no intention of mentioning them to Kam himself.
‘I don’t know. I haven’t really talked to him about it. It’s kinda between me and James and our families. Kam’s great, but he’s a colleague so probably not going to ask him to weigh in on my love life, or lack of it.’
‘Hmmm.’ Hema’s response sounded just like many of Kam’s.
‘Do all your family make that noise?’
‘Yeah. It drives me mad when the others do it. They make it sound so meaningful, and then other times it’s like I’m literally hovering above myself hearing myself doing it as part of me is shouting, “Stop, stop right now, that’s so irritating.”’
‘I like it. It’s nice to have a family thing.’
‘Do you have a family thing?’
‘Yes, we like walloping each other with tea-towels, in a playful way,’ Pippa clarified.
‘It’s okay. I know what you mean, I didn’t picture you all sitting around nursing wounds. We do that too.’
