Chapter 10
BEN
‘Christ, she tamed the cat? That cat nearly had Phoebe’s eyes out! And why didn’t you have a top on?’ Norah asks as I recall the incident to her on the phone while I close the kitchen down for the evening, running a cloth across the countertops.
‘I was hot. I’m not sure about her though. She’s feisty, she doesn’t suffer fools,’ I reply, thinking that my dear sister might relate to this character description.
‘What’s her name? I’m going to stalk her on the socials.’
‘Maybe that’s something you should all have done before you sent these three random women to me. Her name is Chloe Raymond.’
‘On it,’ she tells me and I hear fingers clicking along her keyboard.
‘She’s petite, mousey hair, brown eyes. She’s pretty,’ I say.
Norah stops typing. ‘Oh, she is, is she?’
‘Norah, it’s not like that. Behave. She’s hard work.
I’m just telling you that she has a nice face.
They all have nice faces,’ I say, annoyed that she’s trying to stir shit up.
But Chloe is pretty. She has big eyes like chocolate buttons and the sun has brought out her freckles.
I shouldn’t tell Norah anything else for fear of interference, but also because it’s unprofessional to be attracted to my guests.
Plus, my ego is bruised: that cat has never taken a liking to me despite me once buying her fresh sardines.
‘Alright then. But don’t let her give you crap. Any rudeness to the staff and we move her out,’ Norah says defensively. ‘Now tell me, how’s the day gone besides that?’
I puff out my cheeks and sigh. Mainly out of fatigue and the heat. I’ve been up since five. I’ve cooked and washed up and folded towels and I think Zara has drunk enough sangria to fill a bath.
‘OK. They like my cooking,’ I tell her.
‘Your cooking is very good. It’s your most redeeming feature,’ she informs me.
‘Not my winning personality and dazzling but authentic smile?’
‘Well, not so much,’ she replies, cackling.
This is why we all love Norah. She’s honest to a fault, she will shut down your bullshit and get straight to the point, but it’s done with humour and care.
‘We had some lovely monkfish for dinner and I made a flan-style dessert with strawberries. They all seem to be getting on,’ I say.
‘What did pretty Chloe wear to dinner?’ she asks.
A black slip dress and green earrings I recall, but I don’t say this out loud. ‘Nothing. We were all naked, Norah. Being at one with nature.’
‘You’re funny.’
Running over the first day in my mind, I think it went OK.
The women spent most of the day by the pool napping, reading and listening to music.
When the sky started to fade, and after they’d freshened up for dinner, I charmed them with my most redeeming feature as well as a poolside patio lined with candles and fairy lights.
I think they all liked the monkfish. Chloe smelled hers first and flaked it apart with her fork.
Zara said the most impressive thing I did was to invite them all to be sprayed down with insect repellent so they could enjoy the outdoor setting.
I wipe down the cooker but suddenly I hear someone in the pool again.
I look out the kitchen shutters, hoping Miguel hasn’t paid us another visit, but instead I see that Jess has finally made it into the water.
She is doing a light backstroke, the lights illuminating her from below.
I’m pleased that she’s finally cooling off but my heart also aches slightly to know why she’s only made it in the pool now after a very long and sweaty day.
‘I have a question actually,’ I say to Norah, switching my focus back to our conversation.
‘Shoot.’
‘Don’t take this the wrong way but after you had your girls, your body changed, didn’t it?’ I ask.
‘Benny, you were witness to most of it. Yes. I went from a blimp to a marshmallow to some sort of deflated balloon. Such is life. You ask this why?’
‘Just because…’ I watch as Jess exits the pool and almost runs to a sun lounger to get a towel and wrap it around her before scampering over to the door that leads upstairs to her room. ‘I never saw you lose yourself, your confidence though.’
Norah goes quiet for a moment. ‘Well, that’s not to say it didn’t kill me on the inside. It takes a while to get used to your own skin, to realise that your body did a marvellous thing. It’s important to be patient with it but you know me… So I’ve got a FUPA, I can live with that.’
‘You have a what?’
She sighs. ‘It pains me to say this out loud, Benny. A fat upper pussy area.’
‘Jesus Christ. Did you come up with that?’ I ask her.
‘Oh, do shut up. It’s a thing,’ she says bluntly. ‘I’m guessing there’s a woman there that this connects to?’ she asks.
‘Kinda. Her name is Jess. She’s a new mum. I’m trying to get my head round how she feels. I think she thought this was more of a detox retreat where I’d magically help her get in shape… I’m just wondering if there are other ways to help her.’ There is silence on the end of the phone again.
‘You still there?’ I check.
‘Yeah. This is when I like that you’re my little brother.’
‘That almost sounded like a compliment, Norah. So what do I do?’
‘You’ll know. That’s what you do. I have to go. My pasta is overboiling. Don’t snog pretty Chloe, yeah? BYE!’
The line goes dead and for a minute I stand quietly, absorbing the emptiness of the kitchen.
I’ll know what to do. I’m glad Norah’s got such faith in me.
At least the women are all well-fed and hopefully they will sleep well tonight.
I need to clarify what exactly they want from this break because, at the moment, their needs feel simple: sleep, sitting still and eating meals they haven’t had to plan are all luxuries for them.
Zara obviously wants a break from being a mum.
She wants to be fed and watered in wine.
She likes ham. Jess needs some respite from her baby twins but she also needs an injection of self-confidence to feel comfortable in her own body.
This leaves me with Chloe: pretty but angry Chloe.
I’m still trying to work her out, to understand why she booked this trip, why she’s here.
There were moments when she was in the pool when she looked relaxed and carefree, but there were also times at dinner when she cradled her wine glass close to her chest, looking unsure, like she was deciding whether or not she should get drunk.
I stand and pour myself a final glass of red, wondering what that means.
I open up Google on my tablet to do some final research for the day.
We had Googled other retreats on the island before launching ours.
Maybe I should learn how to lead a meditation?
Invest in a yurt and some crystals? I scroll silently in the darkness before I hear a voice coming from the poolside.
‘I am sorry, Julian. Rosie in HR approved this. The tender will have to wait until I get back,’ the speaker says with an air of desperation in her voice.
I look out the kitchen window to see Chloe pacing gently; she’s wearing a vest top and soft shorts, and her hair is bundled on top of her head.
‘I don’t quite know what that means. Nancy got time off for her honeymoon.
I haven’t had a proper holiday in two years…
Julian, that was Christmas Eve, no one else came in that day…
I know there are deadlines. I appreciate it’s a team effort.
I’ve done the work, I always do the work… ’
There is a long pause.
‘Let me look at the drawings then. Give me two days,’ Chloe says quietly.
The conversation ends and she stands there holding her phone to her chest for a moment.
She’s biting her bottom lip and a single tear runs down her face that she wipes away with the palm of her hand.
She sits on the edge of a sun lounger and looks up to the stars but as she does that bloody cat appears again.
Chloe sees her and beckons her over with a kissy sound.
She scampers over, winding her way around Chloe’s legs.
‘Yes. I know. I should have told Julian to piss off,’ she says to the cat.
He purrs softly in response and she smiles.
‘I think I’m going to call you Salsa,’ she says, ‘because you’re a bit spicy, no? I like that.’
That is a ridiculous name for a cat, I think.
I’d vote for Diabla, the she-devil. But the newly christened Salsa senses Chloe’s sadness and doesn’t leave her side.
Chloe’s face is still damp with tears. I don’t know what to do.
Maybe offer her something? I head over to the fridge then walk outside and stand by the patio door.
‘Oh hi,’ I say. I’m astounded by my terrible acting.
Salsa sees me and runs off. I really don’t know what I’ve done wrong with that feline.
Chloe watches the cat slink into a neighbouring bush but then sits up when she sees me and runs a hand through her hair.
‘I was about to deliver some water to you all… For the evening.’ I hand her the two-litre bottle.
‘It’s important to hydrate in these warmer temperatures. ’ I sound so very wise.
Chloe smiles as she takes it, unscrewing the lid and taking a large gulp. ‘Thank you. Sorry for being down here. I noticed the lights were still on in the pool. Were you thinking of going in?’ she asks me.
‘No. I was having a medicinal wine and then I’m going to call it a day. Feel free to have a swim if you want,’ I tell her.
Chloe shakes her head and looks up to the sky again. ‘It’s quite a thing, eh? All those stars?’ she says, her eyes scanning the sparkling dots in the clear night sky. Her spine almost reaches up to look at the constellations, and she rests a hand gently to her chest. ‘This ain’t London, for sure.’
‘I wouldn’t be so sure. My flat in London overlooks a flyover: I can see brake lights for miles. It’s truly magical,’ I say.
She laughs but stops herself, still cautious. ‘Where in London?’
‘Harlesden.’