Chapter 8
EIGHT
CALEB
I remind myself that Ariella is happy that I am in the UK for Zachary’s wedding as I check my white shirt, navy tie and petrol-blue suit and straighten my pocket square in my bedroom’s mirror one last time. Eden, Ivory Bow’s resident stylist, called in some favours to get the Brunello Cucinelli suit fitted at the last minute. I fix my cuffs and tuck a stray hair back into my side-sweep. I want to look good for her.
‘Come on, Caleb! There will be drunk bridesmaids and a whole load of women from a country that has never heard of you, so at least someone, at some point, will want to talk to you.’ Lara calls loudly from the living room.
I adjust my tie and walk out.
‘Why couldn’t you just go straight there, again?’
‘Because I’m not invited until the party later, so I need to hang on and pretend to be your plus one.’ She waves the invitation she stole from the kitchen top at me, then pops it in her bag. ‘Also, Honey is on some random bus trip to Ireland for the next few days and I bought a dress and everything.’
‘Speaking of Honey, that was a dirty move you pulled, telling her that I gave her two weeks off.’
‘What? When she called you to check if you were sure, you said yes, so what’s the problem?’
‘She was so excited, I was hardly going to say no, was I?’
‘Stop complaining. She came to the Wednesday class with your hoodlums, didn’t she? Besides, she deserves the time off. I’ll call us a cab.’ Lara whips out her phone and opens up her taxi app. ‘It’ll be here in two minutes. Too late to cancel now. Come on.’
She grabs my hand and drags me out of the apartment. As we hit the pavement, she adjusts my tie. ‘There. It’s straight now.’
We hop into the taxi and make our way through London towards Kensington Palace. The car drops us off and we take a stroll through the grounds. Lara lets out a low wolf whistle as the Orangery comes into view.
‘Scottish meatballs, how fucking minted are they?’
The glass building overlooking the palace looks like a clearing in the woods, surrounded by perfect rose-filled hedges. It is covered with vines and an intricate network of perfectly placed leaves. We notice that guests are walking through mysterious white-flower-framed gaps in the hedges and disappearing, so we follow.
Lara and I round the corner to discover that the walkway has been created with flower-covered arches, that lead to a softly lit white room filled with roses. It smells like berries, citrus and woodland. As we walk in, two ladies in wispy green dresses hand us each an order of service and float their hands towards the seats.
‘It’s so stunning, I’m not sure I’d want to fart in here,’ Lara whispers.
The laughter that escapes from me is sharp and loud, prompting everyone listening to the elegant cellist to look round. Zachary laughs when he spots us, and gives us a little wave; while Jasper quickly approaches and places us on the same row as Sophia.
‘Lara,’ he says curtly.
‘Jasper,’ Lara responds, matching his frostiness. There is clearly no love lost between those two.
‘What’s up with you two?’ I whisper to Lara.
‘Personality clash. Nothing to worry about. He thinks I’m dangerous and I think he’s a personality-less do-gooder.’
‘He’s all right, you know.’
‘Oh God, not you too. Is there anyone’s arse you’re not kissing at the moment?’
‘Behave. Anyway, he’s with Sophia now,’ I say, pointing to her.
‘What? Barbie? Hilarious – I’m pretty sure she knows exactly where she stands when it comes to Ariella. Look, she’s already scowling and nothing has happened yet. It’s only going to get worse when she gets the whole maid of honour and best man implied romance.’
I look down the row. Sophia is holding her hands in her lap so tightly that the whites of her knuckles are spreading.
‘We should sit next to her,’ I suggest, feeling sorry for her.
‘Why? No. I want to be at the end.’ Lara pouts.
‘Stop whining. You’re less likely to get kicked out in the middle of the row.’
‘Oh! When you put it like that…’
Lara and I get up and scoot down.
‘Hey, Sophia. Remember me – Caleb?’
Relief washes over her face. ‘Hi! Of course! Caleb!’ she says chirpily.
‘Sophia, this is Lara, Ariella’s best friend.’
‘Hi.’ She smiles cautiously at Lara. ‘How are things in Singapore?’
‘Great. Busy.’
‘It must be wonderful for you and Aari, moving somewhere and starting a new life away from everyone and everything.’ She looks wistful.
‘Well, Ariella and I aren’t really together any more.’ It’s hard to say out loud but, truthfully, I’m soothed by the night we spent together recently. I know, deep down, that we’ve not quite truly finished with each other yet.
‘That’s a shame, you seemed perfect for each other.’
‘Yeah. I think so too.’
‘Whatever, Caleb,’ Lara says. ‘What he’s not telling you is that Ariella dumped him because he failed to recognise and disclose that his psycho ex-“frenemy-with-dodgy-benefits” needed a sanatorium and a straitjacket.’
Sophia tries to contain her laughter.
‘Thanks, Lara,’ I sigh.
‘They’ll get back together eventually, but things are especially tense at the moment because there is a hot, loaded guy circling.’
Sophia’s face fills with fear. I act quickly.
‘Dominic Miller. He’s very American,’ I add and she relaxes.
‘American or not, he’s hot, has loads of dosh, treats her like a queen and takes her and her friends on yachts to expensive islands for her birthday,’ Lara adds.
‘I’d like to cash in my first thirty minutes of silence now please.’
Lara opens her mouth and I hold my finger up.
‘Nope. You promised,’ I remind her.
Lara folds her arms with a face like thunder and stares ahead. Peace. At last. I lean towards Sophia.
‘I heard about the baby. Congratulations. He’s going to be a fantastic father.’
I nod at Jasper as he steps up to stand beside Zachary.
‘He is.’ The absolute devotion that Sophia has on her face when she looks at Jasper and strokes her tummy makes me hope that Jasper is making it up to her.
The bridal march starts to play and we stand with the rest of the congregation. It’s only then that I notice the space has filled up with guests.
Isszy walks in looking like a beautiful woodland goddess in white, and is escorted by her father in richly coloured green and gold African robes that make him look like royalty; but Ariella is the one that takes my breath away. She’s wearing a simple, long, soft, green sleeveless dress as she walks behind Isszy and her father, straightening Isszy’s train and ensuring that she keeps up.
The whole ceremony has a beautiful serenity to it, and with every smile and laugh that escapes from Ariella I’m pulled in deeper. She’s happy. For the first time, I realise, in a very long time, Ariella is happy.
‘Thirty minutes are up. You have one silence left. Sophia is preggers?’ Lara whispers mid ceremony.
Without hesitation, I reward Lara’s commitment to her promise and whisper back, ‘Yes. And there’s a wedding next week. Aari isn’t invited.’
Lara’s eyes widen and her mouth opens in shock. ‘Shut the front door!’
A lady behind us shushes us.
We stay silent, but when Zachary and Isszy are pronounced man and wife, the whole venue erupts to the point that the pastor and registrar have to instruct Zachary to kiss his bride during a standing ovation. I see Ariella do a couple of cute little hops between the standing congregation as she laughs and claps for her brother and his new wife. Even Lara is beaming.
‘I want her back, Lara. I need your help.’
‘Here’s my help. Don’t tell me. Tell her. And get out of your own way, Caleb.’
We follow the couple out into a private garden within the palace grounds where champagne, canapés and photographers are waiting.
The atmosphere is vibrant and colourful, with guests wearing an equal mix of Western and Nigerian clothing. Everyone is talking, introducing themselves, making fast friends and finding out about each other. I join in, meeting new people and catching up with some of the guests I recognise from the engagement party. When I suddenly spot Dahlia, I go straight to her.
‘Congratulations, Dahlia. You look absolutely breathtaking.’
‘Caleb!’ She pulls me into a hug so warm only a mother could give it. ‘I must say you look very handsome.’ She puts me at arm’s length to look at me from head to toe. Before I can respond, Ariella’s gigi appears from behind her daughter.
‘Come here, young man, and keep an old widow company. If you call me “Grandma” like everyone else, you’re toast.’
‘You had a plus one. You should have brought MrRamon. I’m sure he’s hurt.’ Dahlia looks tickled.
‘Dee Dee, for the last time, MrRamon just helps around the house.’ Gigi laughs and winks at me in front of her daughter. ‘Dee Dee is very sensitive – she loved her father very much, but light bulbs don’t change themselves.’
I raise my palm and happily offer an invitation. She places her hand in mine and starts leading me away.
I mouth, ‘I LOVE HER’ to Dahlia and point at Gigi.
Dahlia laughs, shoos me away and walks into the crowd. I spend the rest of the wedding reception by Gigi’s side trading stories. I give her a sanitised version of my past and present and she reciprocates by telling me about her life, the challenges growing up in the South, a stubborn and flighty Dahlia, her own initial reservations about Dahlia and Hugh’s relationship and her worry for the quiet and shy Ariella. By the time I sit down to dinner with Lara, I feel the need to spend even more time with Gigi.
The Orangery has been converted into a dining space with lowlights and candelabra. I end up next to Sophia on a table of nine because Lara has created a problem for the catering staff and they’ve had to make an extra spot for her. We sit with friends of both Ariella and Jasper and are accepted quickly into the fold. The meal is sumptuous – until Lara finishes her dessert and steals mine. The speeches are brilliant. Isszy’s father gives the best one, reducing my table to tears. Jasper’s is a moving tribute to his brother and Zachary’s is drily hilarious. Isszy participates by throwing a bread roll at his head – which he successfully ducks – because he seems keen for us to know that her right little toe is so tiny, it looks like just a nail that he lovingly calls ‘the claw’. Isszy definitely has her hands full.
When the first and parent dances are over and the party starts, everyone rushes onto the dance floor. I excuse myself to dance with Gigi, only to see that she is already dancing with an older, distinguished-looking gentleman from Isszy’s family. He is very obviously flirting and she is giving him a run for his money. I’m enjoying their dance when I spot Dahlia leaving the dance floor and practically run over.
‘Nope. Not so fast, “Dee Dee”,’ I tease, grabbing her hand.
‘Call me that again and I’ll have Hugh break both your knees,’ she joyfully threatens, then follows me.
‘Understood.’
Dahlia has always been a great dance partner and doesn’t disappoint. She matches me step for step, bump for bump.
‘What is up with the women in your family?’ I ask above the girl group singing. ‘You’re all so…’
‘Lovely?’ She chuckles.
‘Naughty.’
Dahlia lets her head fall back as she laughs. Before she speaks, Hugh Mason interrupts us.
‘Dahlia?’ He reaches out his hand.
She smiles apologetically at me, then takes his. ‘That was a lovely dance, thank you, Caleb.’
I look around to find Ariella and spot her at a table having a deep conversation with someone from Isszy’s family. He is dressed immaculately and is apparently being very charming because Ariella is laughing and having too good a time. I approach them, Hugh Mason style, with my palm outstretched.
‘I’m sorry to interrupt,’ I say to both of them, not sorry at all, then turn to her. ‘Aari?’ I ask.
She smiles apologetically with a ‘Lovely to meet you, Babatunde,’ before she takes my hand. It makes my heart soar. I give her a soft kiss on the cheek as she stands, and I walk her to the dance floor.
‘Hi,’ I say quietly when we come to a stop.
‘Hi,’ she responds, smiling that slow shy smile of hers. Bloody hell, she’s beautiful.
I pull her tightly into me by the hand, hold her close and let her head rest against my chest, and we start to sway to the music. Everything else disappears as I watch Ariella close her eyes. I do the same – after I bend my head to kiss her neck. She pulls me closer. I have no idea how long we are like that, holding on to each other, swaying to the music, but we are soon interrupted by Lara poking my shoulder.
‘We’ve been watching you two sway out of sync to the last four songs. It’s not your wedding and we’re bored. Do something else or get off the dance floor.’
I look up and see that a few people are watching us, including Hugh Mason, wearing a neutral expression as he listens to Jasper chatting away.
‘Can I find you later?’ I ask.
‘I’m sorry, maid of honour duties, but maybe we can have lunch this week?’ she offers and I nod.
‘I think about you all the time,’ I whisper in her ear before I release her.
‘Me too.’ She cups my face and plants a small kiss on my cheek, then walks away.
‘She’s in loooow-oh-oh-OVE! With a monster!’ Lara sings along loudly as she shimmies against me to the song the DJ is playing. Ugh. She knows how to kill a mood. Before she can do anything more ridiculous, I grab her by the hand and waist, then spin her round twice and bring her to a stop. She gasps.
‘Caleb Black. You have skills. More!’ she demands, and we dance the night away.
When I walk into Ivory Bow the following Monday, it’s hard to believe it’s the same company. Everyone is silent. They all look like they are slowly being killed by administration. It’s so bad, I even wonder where that creep Piers is.
‘What happened, Chris?’ I ask as I see him approaching.
‘Hello, Caleb. In here.’ He guides me to one of our meeting rooms, then tells me everything that has happened since Melissa-gate. Harrison was a big personality, but I did not expect such severe cultural devastation. I immediately commit mentally to helping Christopher revive Ivory Bow as much as I can. It’s not until he fills me in on the new financial structure that one of my nightmares is realised.
‘Are you really saying Dominic Miller will own a third of Ivory Bow?’ I try to keep my voice steady.
‘Caleb, Ivory Bow could not continue with me and Harrison in charge. One of us had to go because we agreed that it should not fail. He volunteered. Whatever his errors in judgement, he built this company. We needed investment to carry on and I wasn’t interested in faceless venture capitalists. So I approached Dominic.’
‘Ariella isn’t going to be happy about this,’ I state.
‘She knows.’
I feel the anger rise. I’m supposed to be meeting her for lunch after this and I already know that it’s not going to go well.
‘He’s only doing this because he’s got a thing for her. You can’t hand thirty-three per cent over to him!’
‘They did have a chemistry that made me pause when I met them last week.’
‘They were here together?’
‘Yes. We had a few Ivory Bow items that needed reconciliation.’
‘Like what?’
‘I’m recruiting a replacement for Harrison. I’d like you to be part of the process.’
‘No. I’m not leaving Singapore. Promote someone else.’ There is no way I am leaving Ariella alone with Dominic Miller.
‘I wasn’t offering you the job, but I could use your help. Your questionable sales aside, you brought in the most revenue while you were here and you’re the closest cultural fit to Harrison.’
I’m not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.
‘I’d like you to interview some candidates with me and, once we’ve hired them, I’d like time with you to be built into their induction.’
‘How long are we talking about?’
‘I think a week in London for when we interview and then another week once the selection has been made and the paperwork is complete?’
That doesn’t sound too painful.
‘As long as Ariella clears it, I don’t have any problems with that.’
‘Both Ariella and Dominic are happy with the plan.’
‘I bet they are,’ I growl.
She’s at the table with a glass of water in front of her. She looks thrilled to see me when I arrive. Initially.
‘Caleb, what’s wrong?’ she asks, reading my expression.
‘I just got told that Dominic owns a third of Ivory Bow and that you knew.’
I watch her sigh heavily, but I hold my tongue. I want to hear what she has to say.
‘I found out last week. I had no idea until my meeting with Christopher. It turns out that they had been talking to each other for a while.’
‘You know he’s doing this for you, right?’
‘I know.’
‘Are you going to do anything about it? And when were you going to tell me all of this?’
‘When we found some time to spend together. It’s been really busy with the wedding,’ she explains gently.
‘Ariella, he’s obsessed with you. It’s unhealthy.’
‘He’s not obsessed with me, Caleb. He’s my friend.’
‘That man is not your friend. Does he think he has a chance?’
‘No, he doesn’t. He knows that I’m still in love with you and he’s happy to be just friends.’
To hear her declare it after all these months makes me feel like I can finally breathe with some ease again, but then, for the first time, Ariella looks away and doesn’t meet my eyes. Fuck. I know exactly what that means.
‘Aari. Are you attracted to Dominic?’
‘Yes,’ she whispers.
All the anger in my body leaves and is replaced with choking desolation.
‘Caleb, I don’t want to be with him. I want to try to work things out with us. It may take us a while but I want to try.’
I can’t even look at her.
‘I really didn’t want to hear that you’re attracted to Dominic, Ariella.’
‘You asked and I want you to know the truth.’
‘I wish you’d lied.’
Before I can say anything, the same kind of hurt that she had on her face, when she found out about Melissa, resurfaces.
‘You have learned nothing,’ she starts quietly. ‘This is the exact reason why we are here. Secrets and lies. Do you realise the damage you’ve caused?’
‘Hold on, you said you’d forgiven me.’
‘And I have, but forgiving you doesn’t free us of the consequences of your actions. Those don’t just go away, Caleb. We’re going to deal with them for a very long time and I’m prepared to do that; but to hear that you’re still open to accepting dishonesty to make life easy is…disappointing.’
She starts gathering her things up.
‘Where are you going?’
‘I need more time, Caleb. I can’t have lunch with you,’ she says, her eyes filling with tears. Shit. ‘I’m sorry,’ she says as she walks out of the restaurant. I call the waiter over and order a double whisky, then pull my phone out of my pocket and start my text.
Em, are you around?
Sure. Want to come over for dinner?
I look at the time. I can make it to Hampstead and have a chat for about an hour before she has to leave for the school run at three.
Actually, are you free in forty-five minutes?
Sure. Have you had lunch?
No.
Come round. I’ll put chicken nuggets and chips in the oven for you.
I neck the whisky when it arrives, pay the bill and head straight out.