Chapter 7 #2
It was the first time I’d spoken. Possibly the first time Charles noticed I was there; certainly the first time he acknowledged me. I shot a meaningful look at Holly, who quickly said, ‘Dad, I want you to meet Patrick.’
He was still crouching beside the dog. I stepped forward, expecting him to stand and shake my hand. But without getting up, he simply said, ‘Patrick,’ leaving me there with my hand out, feeling like an idiot.
Jasmine, however, drew me into one of her already famous hugs.
‘Another newcomer,’ she said close to my ear. ‘We’ll have to look out for each other.’
I liked her immediately.
Charles got to his feet – again, no sign that he was anything other than fit and strong – and said, ‘Well, is someone going to make us a cup of tea?’
‘I’ll do it,’ Lewis said. ‘I make the best tea in this family. Mum always said so.’
I expected Miranda or Holly to argue, but they were both silent and staring at Jasmine again, smiles frozen on their lips.
I wanted to tell Holly she was being blatant – rude, in fact, which was completely out of character for Holly – but Jasmine seemed oblivious.
She followed Lewis into the house, and Charles went, too, the dog trotting along beside him.
I was left with Miranda and Holly. The second the others disappeared through the front door, their smiles disappeared.
‘Is it just me?’ Holly whispered to Miranda.
‘No. It’s not.’
‘I can’t … I can’t believe it. What the fuck is going on?’
‘I was about to ask the same.’
‘Miranda? Holly?’ Lewis called from the doorway. ‘What are you doing? Are you coming in?’
‘Later,’ Holly whispered to Miranda, and we all went into the kitchen, where Jasmine and Charles were sitting at the dining table. Lewis fussed around, searching for clean mugs. ‘Anyone else want tea?’
‘I’d love one,’ I said.
‘Let me make it.’ Miranda shouldered her way past Lewis, who was staring at the kettle like he didn’t know how it worked.He probably had a boiling-water tap at home, like Holly. ‘Anyone else, or is it just Jasmine?’
‘I said I’d like one,’ I said. She was as flustered as Lewis and I wasn’t sure if she had heard me.
There was no sign of Zack, and I remembered his words from just before, his prediction of stormy weather.
Miranda reached up to take down some mugs and dropped one.
It landed on the counter with a bang that made the dog jump up.
‘Oh, fuck,’ Miranda said, hands on her head. ‘Oh God.’
The mug, which bore a picture of the Loch Ness Monster, lay on the counter, the handle broken off. She picked it up like it was baby bird that had fallen from a tree. Holly and Lewis were acting like she’d stabbed someone.
‘That was Mum’s mug,’ Holly said. ‘Her favourite mug.’
‘Jesus Christ.’ There was the scrape of a chair as Charles got to his feet and stomped across the kitchen.
In one smooth motion, he scooped up the mug and handle and dropped it into the bin.
‘What’s the matter with all of you? Have you been taking drugs?
Holly, you haven’t gone back to your old ways, have you? ’
‘No, of course not. But I think I might be hallucinating.’ She said it with a sidelong glance at Jasmine.
‘Screw the tea,’ Charles said. ‘We’ve been travelling all night, and I am exhausted.’
‘Beds in first class not what they used to be?’ Lewis asked.
‘No. They are not. And they let all sorts in there now.’ He sounded very far from the humble market trader he portrayed himself to be in public. ‘I’m going for a kip. Jasmine? Are you coming?’
‘I’ll come up in a little while, darling,’ she said.
He went back to the table and kissed her. A proper kiss that lasted several seconds.
‘Love you,’ she said to him.
He stroked her hair, his children trying not to gawp. ‘Love you, too, my little dolphin.’
Charles left the room, leaving more silence in his wake.
Miranda couldn’t stop looking at the bin where Charles had dropped the mug. ‘Mum’s mug. It’s a bad omen.’
‘For goodness’ sake,’ Lewis hissed at her. ‘Get a grip.’
He went over to Jasmine. ‘Is that the ring?’ he asked. ‘Let’s have a look.’
Jasmine put out her hand. Holly and Miranda moved closer to the table.
‘Whoa, baby,’ Lewis said. ‘That’s a stunner, right, Holly?’
‘It is.’
‘The size of that diamond.’
Jasmine’s cheeks had turned pink. ‘I’m kinda embarrassed by it, to be honest. I didn’t need or ask for anything this big, but Charles insisted. He said he doesn’t want anyone thinking he’s a cheapskate.’
‘They certainly won’t think that,’ Holly said.
Jasmine withdrew her hand and put it down by her side. She appeared to be searching for the right words to say next, but when she spoke it was as if she were reciting a speech that she’d rehearsed in her head.
‘I know this is strange for all of you. Charles told me he hasn’t dated anyone seriously since your mom passed.
And then, suddenly, here’s this younger woman who you don’t know anything about, and she’s, um, engaged to your dad and staying in your vacation home with you.
I get it. My mom has been married four times and, let me tell you, meeting these guys never gets any less weird.
But I’m so excited to meet you all and can’t wait to get to know you.
And I love your dad. He’s the kindest, sweetest man I’ve ever met, and I think, I know, I’m going to make him happy. ’
She sat back, visibly worn out, her eyes shining with emotion.
‘It sounds like you’re making him happy already,’ Lewis said. ‘And we really are thrilled to meet you and to have you stay here. Aren’t we, girls?’
‘We are,’ Miranda said, eyes fixed on Jasmine’s face.
‘Yeah. Totally.’ Holly smiled. ‘I’m just hungover and tired.’
‘I’m tired, too,’ Jasmine said. ‘I think I might go up after all, take a nap with Charles. Don’t worry about showing me the way. I’ll just follow the sound of his snoring.’
Jasmine got to her feet. I didn’t think this was her trying to escape; she genuinely looked exhausted, like the journey had caught up with her. She left the room.
As soon as we heard the door close above us, Holly said, ‘I’m not imagining it, am I?’
Miranda could barely speak but managed to croak, ‘No.’
‘How could he do this to us? What was he thinking?’
‘Lower the volume, Holly,’ Lewis said.
‘Don’t talk to me like that. Why should I—’
He shot her a look that made her stop talking.
‘Close the door, Pat,’ he said, and I did as he asked. ‘Okay, Holly. You can talk now. But please, try not to yell, okay?’
Holly sucked in a breath. ‘Does she not know?’
‘Maybe she’s never seen a photo,’ Miranda said. ‘Where the fuck is Zack? How could he not have told me?’
I was completely bewildered by what was going on.
‘I thought she seemed nice,’ I said.
‘You don’t understand,’ Miranda said, not looking at me. ‘But don’t you see it, Lewis?’
‘Well, yeah. There’s a resemblance, but I don’t think that’s a huge surprise, is it? Most people have a type. The majority of my girlfriends have been blonde. Holly likes brain-dead wannabe rock stars with a death wish …’
I knew Holly had dated at least one musician, but the death wish part was surprising. Even more surprising that Holly hadn’t flinched at what Lewis had said.
‘And Dad likes redheads,’ he went on. ‘So what?’
‘I can’t tell if you’re stupid or if you’re winding us up,’ Holly said.
‘Both, probably,’ Miranda muttered.
‘What is it?’ I asked. ‘What am I missing?’
Holly put her face in her hands for a second, then turned fully towards me.
‘She looks like our mum,’ she said.
‘Right.’
I still didn’t get why this was so terrible. Lewis was right. It’s hardly unusual for someone to have a type.
‘I’m not making myself clear,’ Holly said.
‘The reason I’m so freaked out is not because my dad likes gingers.
It’s like … it’s like our mum has been in suspended animation and now she’s come back to life, looking nine or ten years younger than she was when she died.
That is why I’m so freaked out, Patrick. ’
Miranda glared at me as if I were somehow responsible. ‘Jasmine doesn’t just look a bit like our mother. She’s like her identical twin. She’s her fucking doppelg?nger.’