‘I’m still not sure how I feel. A bit dazed comes close.’ Callie hugged her daughter more tightly. ‘To be honest, at this precise moment, I’m more relieved than anything that you’re okay and I now know what’s been going on. I’ve been so worried about you, Fri. Wracking my brain about how I’d failed you, how I could do better as a mother. I hated how distant we’d become. It didn’t help that I’ve been surrounded by members of the Starling family.’
Frida raised her head, frowning. ‘Eh?’
‘They all have this uncompromising, all encompassing, you can do anything you put your mind to, middle-class confidence.I don’t think one of them has ever struggled to make the rent or lived on beans on toast and lentils for the week until payday.’
Frida spluttered. ‘Don’t think we’ve ever had to survive on baked beans and lentils, Mum.’
‘Not the point.’
‘Know what you mean, though. I met a few like them at uni. Funded by mummy and daddy and drove Range Rovers. When I told them most of us could only afford to get around by bicycle I was told, “But it’s only Daddy’ssecond handEvoque.” They didn’t live in the real world.’
Callie smoothed her daughter’s hair. ‘And I know you don’t think money is always important–’
‘Oh, Mum, don’t take what I said as gospel. I was shouting my mouth off. I think the same as you. In order to follow your dreams you’ve got to find ways of funding them. Turns out Tracey works jobs for three years and then takes six months off for travelling. She’s not living the life I thought she was. She also said her travelling days might be over. Got an arthritic hip, it turns out. Something only the good old NHS can sort. She isn’t the romantic free spirit I thought she was.’
‘Tracey’s lovely,’ Callie said in stout defence. ‘She is a free spirit, just one with a dodgy hip. Not something you need to worry about.’
Frida sat up, freeing herself from her mother’s embrace. ‘Or you! You’ve still got time to follow your dreams, even though you’re in yourforties.’
Callie smiled at her daughter’s perception of her mother’s great age. ‘Thank you,’ she said gravely. ‘I will endeavour to do so before turning up my toes.’
‘Turning up your what?’
‘Never mind. Come on, tell me about how Sunil found you. So you didn’t go looking for him?’
Frida battered a cushion into submission and lay back against it. She shook her head. ‘I was getting round to thinking how I could find my dad when everything blew up. It was dead weird, Mum. First, I thought he was an old perv. When I’d come out of work, this bloke would be there, standing on the opposite side of the road, watching me waiting at the bus stop. It really creeped me out.’
‘I can imagine.’
‘Turns out Vivek, his cousin who knew Donna and you at college, has bought up a few businesses in Worcester. He’s a bit of a Dragon’s Den sorta guy. Entrepreneur.’
‘Always was, even at college. Donna always said he’d end up a billionaire or in prison. I can’t wait to fill her in. She had a huge crush on him.’
‘But they didn’t go out, not like you and Dad?’
Callie liked the way Frida dropped the worddadinto the conversation. She shook her head. ‘No. We hung out as a foursome, but Vivek was focused on how he was going to make his first million even then.’
Frida pulled a face, making her eyes go huge. ‘He’s made it, and more. He’s got houses in the States, a stonking great country pile in the Cotswolds and an apartment in London. He’s made it big time.’
‘How?’
‘Don’t really understand. Sunil said something about buying businesses and stripping the assets?’ Frida shrugged. ‘Sunil works for him but hasn’t made as much. He’s comfortable, he says, but not rich.’
‘Depends on your definition,’ Callie said dryly.
‘Suppose. Well anyway,’ Frida said, returning to her story, ‘Vivek came into Price’s for a meeting and a look-see. He came into the office and gave me these really weird vibes. Carol said he kept staring at me. Couldn’t look away. She thought I’d playeda blinder and bagged myself a millionaire sugar daddy. He’s bought out Price’s.’ Frida frowned. ‘Not sure it’ll exist for much longer. Really feel for Carol. She can’t afford to retire and won’t get her state pension for a while yet.’
‘That’s rough. I’d like to meet her. We should invite her round when we get home.’
‘That would be well cool. I think you’d get on.’
‘I’m confused. Who was standing in the road watching you? Sunil or Vivek?’
‘Sunil. He hung around once or twice, suppose he had to check me out for himself. Then I began getting these emails from someone called Sunil Patel.’
‘Where had he got your address?’
‘Off Vivek.’
