The Ugly Truth
Anna’s good humour is enhanced by a lie-in the following morning. The conference is over. This is the first day of her free time until her flight back the day after tomorrow. Taking a more leisurely pace as she gets ready this morning, she turns on the television. It’s tuned to a local news channel and she leaves it playing as she goes for a shower. When she emerges, her hair twisted in one towel and another wrapped around her body, she moves around the room only half paying attention.
It seems to be a report of a space capsule landing. The hatch opens and falls back as a two people help an astronaut out. Anna hasn’t been aware of anything of particular significance happening space-wise. No trips to Mars or Venus. She ignores the story as she searches for the hairdryer.
She looks up as the astronaut removes his helmet and stands stock still.
Tolly’s face fills the screen. He is clean-shaven and his hair is shorter, but there is no mistaking his handsome features and gorgeous eyes. He’s smiling at the camera and waving. The reporter’s voice is almost hysterical. “The production company has announced that Tolly Hyde is to play the famous spy in the next movie.”
She drops onto the bed. It is one thing to gossip about the prospect with her cousin, another entirely to see it plastered over the news. She wants to call him, to congratulate him, to hear his voice, but that would be presumptuous. They don’t have that level of familiarity. She needs to remember she is nothing but a woman he sat next to on a plane.
She thinks back to his last message. I’ll be incommunicado , indeed. Well, there’s not much mobile coverage in space. And then she laughs as she remembers the end of his message.
And if you think a helicopter is a grand gesture, keep an eye out this week .
This must be what he meant. It is typical of his dry humour. A spaceship trumps a helicopter. You don’t get much grander than a splashdown. Tolly really is living life at five thousand miles an hour. She understands her insignificance in his extraordinary life, but to not acknowledge this wonderful event would surely be unconscionably rude.
She fetches her phone and sits back on the edge of the bed. It lies heavy in her hand. What to say? She doesn’t want to gush. Congratulations . Of course. But then what? I’m so happy for you feels too gushy. Well done , not gushy enough. Eventually she goes with, I guess the world just wasn’t enough .
She smiles to herself as she throws the phone down on the unmade bed. She doesn’t expect to hear anything back from him. Tolly is likely inundated with messages he has to deal with this morning. And who is she among the hordes but a woman he sat next to on a plane? Still, she puts down the hairdryer. She wants to be able to hear when he replies. If he replies. She returns to the bathroom, unscrews the top from her moisturiser and is half-way through applying it when she hears her phone ping.
She drops the jar to the counter to dash back to the bed. It hits the marble, bounces, and smashes on the floor. She looks at the mess. It will have to wait; the Sexiest Man Alive has responded. Throwing herself across the bed, she grabs the phone.
You know us romantics – partial to a grand gesture. Apologies for the radio silence. Now all my secrets are revealed .
She rolls over and props herself against the pillows. Her fingers fly over the screen. All? Well, that’s shocking, positively shocking. You international men of mystery are not what you once were .
It takes less than a minute for the reply to arrive. No man of mystery here. I’m just a boy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to text him back .
Anna’s smile threatens to overtake her whole face. She kicks her legs in excitement. If he’s switching up genres, game on. She won’t be the one to crack first. I see what you did there. Shut up. You had me at hello .
Unfortunately, their conversation is doomed. The elation she felt when he replied so quickly evaporates at his next message. It is far less entertaining. Another call. Sorry .
She drops her phone. If it is anything like Monday, she won’t hear from him for days. Leaning her head back, she closes her eyes and breathes slowly, deeply. Every time, her interactions with Tolly are like an emotional rollercoaster. She needs to get herself under control. This really isn’t like her. She is a sensible woman, good in a crisis, not a hot mess leaking feelings everywhere.
She checks the time. She might as well blow dry her hair and go down to breakfast. Then she can begin to plan her day. She turns off the television. No more reminders of Tolly today. And, she remembers, there is a minor disaster in the bathroom awaiting her attention.
Five minutes before breakfast is due to close, she walks into the restaurant. As she is officially on holiday this morning, she helps herself to pancakes and fruit and maple syrup. She will be walking off the sugar sightseeing. She puts her plate down on an empty table and is about to slide into a chair when a hand clamps on her shoulder and a voice says, “Gotcha!”
She doesn’t have to look. She knows the voice well. “Morning, Bella.”
A jean-clad figure with tawny hair slides into the seat beside her. “I’ve been waiting for you for ages!”
“I had a lie-in. I was out till late.” Anna takes a mouthful of pancake. She is surprisingly hungry. Last night’s charcuterie is a distant memory.
“How was your cousin?”
Mindful of the excuse she had given for opting out of the Bella-designated group activity the previous night, Anna says, “Heartbroken.”
“Bummer.” Bella stretches out her long legs. “But we’ve all been there.”
Have we, though? Anna thinks but stays silent. The old Bella certainly hadn’t been there. The present Bella gives little indication of being heartbroken, despite the demise of her recent love affair. But Anna is not about to criticise. She has never had her heart broken, either. Nor does she ever intend to be so careless as to experience heartbreak.
“Anyway. Eat up,” Bella instructs, stealing a raspberry from Anna’s plate. “James has got a gift for you.”
“Gift?” Anna’s eyebrows rise. “I hope he hasn’t.” She doesn’t want gifts; she wants training. Knowledge.
“You’ll like this. Promise.” Bella raises her hand and waves. Anna turns to see James weaving through the mostly empty tables towards them. A messenger bag is strapped across his chest. He skirts around Anna and stoops to kiss Bella’s hair briefly, his hand sliding along her shoulder. Anna notes the gesture of affection and Bella’s full-bodied smile in return. The look on James’s face is clear. He is besotted.
Carefully setting his bag on the ground, James sits beside Bella. His hand seeks hers for a moment. Then he leans down and opens his bag. He produces two disposable coffee cups with lids. He places one in front of Bella and slides the other across the table. His eyes raise to Anna, who is busy wondering if it is a gift or a bribe?
“I know you’ve been working really hard at the conference, in part because I haven’t been around,” James says. “So I thought today we could have some fun.”
“Fun?” Anna is not sure her definition of fun coincides with his.
“I’ve booked us an open top tour of LA. It’s on me!” James looks at her expectantly, much like a dog bringing its owner a grubby, drool-socked sock.
“Oh, babe! You’re so thoughtful!” Bella chimes into the silence. “That’s a fab idea.”
It is thoughtful. Anna appreciates that. But she had been looking forward to a day alone, doing precisely what she wants to do. Still, James is her boss, and her friend. They need to have a good working relationship and James is trying to make amends. She gives an internal sigh and then, only slightly belated, replies, “A tour? That sounds awesome.” She quickly shovels in more pancake, proud she has managed to keep all signs of sarcasm and dubiousness from her voice.
“The bus is picking us up from the lobby in a half hour. Will you be ready by then?”
Anna shrugs. What choice does she have? “No problem. Thanks.” She manages to squeeze out a smile and James beams in response.
“See, babe. You have the best ideas,” Bella coos, and James’s face flushes with pleasure.
Anna has to restrain herself. James is normally a sensible, intelligent man. What is it about the Y chromosome that turns such a person into a simpering fool when given praise from a beautiful woman? She catches herself. It works the other way, too. She has seen all manner of women make extremely bad choices when smiled at by a handsome man. If ever there is an advert for caution in love, it is right in front of her. She can’t take much more of it. She pushes her plate away.
“You’ve not finished,” Bella notes.
“You’ve plenty of time,” James adds.
Anna shrugs. “I’ve had enough. Thanks for this.”
She picks up her coffee and stands. With the excuse of needing to fetch her sunglasses, she heads out of the restaurant, leaving the lovebirds canoodling in the corner.
She checks her phone in the lift. Nothing. She doesn’t like the way the absence of contact makes her feel, like her world is empty. Tolly is one man. A handsome man, certainly. A virile man, definitely. But still just a man. She has always been so sure of her place in the world, taken all the love she receives from family and friends for granted. This sensation of being unimportant is destabilising. Perhaps she should be grateful for James and his bus tour. It will be a distraction at the very least.
Having added a light jacket, changed her shoes and located the essential sunglasses, Anna exits the elevator in the foyer at the appointed time. James is sitting on one of the leather sofas, his arm draped around Bella. They are an odd pair. James is wearing a pair of short shorts and a white T-shirt with a large pale blue overshirt. When he stands to greet the driver, the shirt drops and it looks like he has forgotten to clothe his bottom half. In contrast, Bella is in wide-leg, highly patterned trousers and a cap-sleeved top that cuts short, showing her midriff. On another woman the outfit might look like pyjamas, but on Bella it looks like she has just risen from her sun lounger in Cannes, stylish and elegant.
Anna stops short. Another tawny blond head has joined them. Fashionably frayed cutoff and leather sliders showcase tanned legs. A loose tee hides an equally loose middle. John. Bella catches Anna’s eye. She gets up and crosses the foyer.
“Don’t worry,” she says. “I’ve had a word with him. He knows you’re not interested. He won’t do or say anything to make you uncomfortable. Besides, I couldn’t not invite him. He’s my brother. I’m only here a couple more days. Before James came along, we had all these plans for stuff we’d do together. He’s kind of got a point about being neglected.”
Anna nods. If it were one of her sisters, she too would move heaven and earth to spend time with them. “It’s not a problem. It was good of James to arrange this,” she says, knowing Bella is sure to relay her words to her lover. She takes Bella’s arm. “Let’s go see some of those LA highlights.”
As she and Bella join the others, James gives them a happy smile. Anna is sure it is aimed at Bella rather than her but even so, she feels she is doing the right thing in taking part. John glowers.
“John,” she greets him pleasantly. The thought that her being nice might irk him more than her being frosty brings a certain satisfaction. She can’t resist. “I’m surprised you’re joining us. A bus tour isn’t really your scene, is it?”
“Like it’s yours?” he asks. It is a fair point.
“Bella asked me to come,” John adds and although Anna dislikes him, she has to accord him this at least. He plainly loves his big sister. And after all, how bad can an hour in a bus trapped with John be?