Chapter 43
43
‘What if they aren’t coming?’ Phil said.
Cate laid down the café’s menu. ‘He’ll come. That’s him walking towards us now, isn’t it? Looks like they’ve brought all three kids.’
Raj raised a hand and waved. The smallest of his three children, a little boy, ran towards them, Raj’s wife in hot pursuit, her long plait flying.
Phil stood up.
‘Phil! I can’t believe it; you haven’t changed a bit!’
‘Nor you.’ Phil couldn’t help smiling at their blatant untruths. Raj was stockier, Phil’s hairline receding at an alarming rate.
‘This is my wife, Neelam.’
Dark smudges beneath Neelam’s eyes told of the exhaustion of mothering three lively youngsters but her green eyes were bright and clear. And her smile was genuine. Perhaps Raj never spoke about his days at Hillingdon. Perhaps he’d never mentioned Phil at all.
‘Pleased to meet you.’ Neelam held out her hand. Phil shook it, a hard ridge of gem-laden rings digging into his flesh.
‘This is Cate,’ Phil said. How glad he was to have her by his side.
‘Hello, I’m Rishi.’ Raj’s elder boy, smart in a pressed blue shirt, flashed a cheeky grin. All three children looked remarkably clean and tidy, shoehorned into their best holiday clothes.
Cate turned to Neelam. ‘What lovely children.’
‘It is a pity we cannot meet yours but I suppose they haven’t broken up just yet. We shouldn’t really have taken ours out of school but it’s a special occasion and at this age, they can catch up easily enough. Raj is very strict about homework.’
Cate smiled. ‘This café’s a lovely choice; how did you find it?’ she asked.
‘Just by accident. We came here yesterday. The children haven’t stopped talking about their bussolà since. They’d eat those biscuits at every meal if they got the chance.’ Neelam laughed.
Phil studied the menu for something to do. It was okay for Cate, talking to Neelam so easily the way women did.
‘What’s everyone drinking?’ Raj asked, immediately drowned out by a chorus of demands for fizzy drinks.
‘Lemonade for me and Phil, please,’ Cate said.
Neelam took charge of the ordering. Raj lounged back in his seat; his T-shirt and bright-orange shorts looked cool and casual. Phil’s favourite linen jacket felt stuffy and formal but he needed somewhere to stow his wallet, map and phone, an issue Raj seemed to have solved by shoving his belongings into a mini Pokémon rucksack purloined from one of his kids.
The conversation was light, frivolous: the weather, the prettiest streets in Venice, the best place for gelato. Cate flashed him a ‘see, nothing bad’s going to happen’ look but she didn’t know what torture this was. He hadn’t realised himself until today how he needed to feel Raj’s anger, the anger he deserved. He wanted to feel the sickening pain of a punch in the gut, longed for the metallic taste of blood in his mouth as Raj knocked out a couple of teeth. Phil needed some sort of closure. He couldn’t sit here making meaningless chit-chat as though Raj was some guy he’d met once on a golf course.
‘So how did you come to look me up after all this time?’ Raj said at last. Phil felt the words you didn’t bother before left unsaid.
‘Coming to Venice. Brings back memories of school, I suppose.’ He felt his face burning.
‘I’d never been abroad before we went on that school trip. I don’t think you had either.’
‘France once, camping. It rained a lot.’ Phil gulped his drink.
‘Played any rugby lately? I’ll never forget that day you went to kick that ball into touch and it went flying down to your own try line. Fathead Horace couldn’t believe his luck.’
Phil forced a laugh.
Raj turned his head. His middle child, the girl, was pulling on his arm. ‘Daddy, are we going to tell them our secret?’
‘Shh!’ Neelam said.
‘We’re going to do something exciting but we can’t tell.’ The eldest boy nudged his sister. The littlest one said nothing, noisily sucking up the last of his cola.
‘Raj thought we should do something fun together if you have the time,’ Neelam said.
‘We’re free all afternoon.’ Cate spoke before Phil had the chance to send her a ‘please no’ signal.
‘Let’s go, Daddy, let’s go!’ The girl started banging a spoon on the table.
‘Stop that noise, Malini.’ Raj put a firm hand on her arm. ‘Okay, folks, time to go. I’ll pay for this.’
Phil was about to protest but he caught Cate’s warning look. Raj had his pride; he must remember that.
Cate bent down to the level of the littlest kid. ‘Where are we going?’ she whispered.
‘Secret.’ He giggled, stuffing his fist in his mouth.
‘How exciting.’ Cate played along.
Raj led them in the direction of the Grand Canal, talking about football all the way. Phil was relieved to discover they still supported the same team. Missed penalties, bad managers and dodgy refs filled up the conversation as they walked along.
‘We’re going on a gondola!’ Malini jumped up and down, forgetting her vow of secrecy.
‘You’ve given it away!’ Raj pretended to be cross. ‘Yep, that’s where we’re going.’ He pointed towards the gondola station just beyond the Rialto Bridge where a small queue had formed. Phil opened his mouth to suggest they head to the out-of-the-way spot where he and Cate had taken their gondola, gliding down the equivalent of Venice’s back streets, an experience that felt so much more exclusive than the trip Raj and Neelam had planned. He felt Cate’s fingers press lightly on his arm, reminding him that this afternoon, they’d be doing things Raj’s way.
The small queue rapidly dwindled; a gondolier signalled he was ready for another set of passengers. His black gondola with gold trim was as sleek as any Ferrari. The craftmanship Phil had the privilege to observe at the squero was as fascinating as any building they would pass. He realised he wouldn’t care if they were sailing down the Thames.
‘Hold back, guys.’ Raj grabbed hold of his littlest one by the neck of his T-shirt. ‘Mummy and Cate will get on first, then you lot can sit on laps; that way, we’ll fit everyone in.’
The gondolier, straight out of central casting in his black and white striped top, helped Cate and Neelam step aboard, steadying them as they wobbled, laughing, to the two prime forward-facing seats. Raj plopped the kids down one by one. He signalled for Phil to go next.
‘No!’ The gondolier put up his hand like a traffic policeman. ‘Only five.’
‘But the kids are going to sit on our laps,’ Raj said.
‘And they weigh next to nothing. Please, it’s a special occasion,’ Cate wheedled.
The gondolier wasn’t the sort of man to be turned to mush by Cate’s full-beam smile. ‘Next gondola, gentlemen.’
‘We can’t go without you,’ Neelam fretted. Cate put her hand on her arm, said something soothing.
‘Of course you can,’ Raj said. ‘We’ll meet you back here in half an hour.’
Phil watched the gondola glide away, Malini and the older boy now spread out over seats facing the two women, the younger boy balanced on Neelam’s lap. Now it was just him and Raj, alone at last. He felt as vulnerable as a child whose blankie had been whisked away.
‘Are you getting on?’ A woman in a yellow hat gestured to the next craft.
‘What do you think, Phil? You and me on a romantic gondola ride?’ Raj waggled his eyebrows.
‘Umm, if you like.’
Raj laughed, flashing a couple of metal fillings. ‘Let’s get a beer. There’s a bar round the corner.’
Phil followed his ex-friend to a teeny hole-in-the-wall place. Perched on a wobbly stool as Raj ordered two bottles of Moretti, he had the gnawing feeling that Raj had known full well they couldn’t all pile on the one gondola.
‘How’s biz, Phil? I heard you took over Evan’s uncle’s old company. It’s doing pretty well, from what I see.’
‘Yeah, turnover’s up. I wouldn’t say we’re recession-proof but there’s a pretty steady customer base for high-end, bespoke products.’
‘Cate mentioned your boys are at Hillingdon. I was kind of surprised about that.’
Phil’s face burned but he resolved to tell the truth. If he wasn’t going to be honest, he might as well get up and walk away right now.
‘It’s a different place these days. Things have changed a lot. Proper pastoral care and all that. Oli was really keen to go and of course Max wanted to follow him. Oli’s best friend, Evan’s son, was already there.’ He paused, waiting for Raj to react.
‘They’ve got the right type of friends then.’
‘Our boys, they’re not awkward outsiders like us. Oli and Max are made for Hillingdon. They’re not just academic, they’re sporty too. They get leading roles in the school plays, they’ll stand up and debate. I couldn’t let my experience stop me from giving them the best education they can get.’
‘My kids are at the local schools; they don’t seem to be doing so bad.’ Raj shrugged. He took a couple of swigs of his beer.
Phil tensed, waiting for Raj’s next move.
‘So, you still see Evan then. How is he? I often thought about him, wondering if he was okay, whether he moved onto harder drugs: ketamine, cocaine or something worse. I pray my kids never try stuff like that.’
‘You knew it was him all along?’
Raj’s brown eyes seemed to look right into his soul.
‘So did you, Phil. I woke up that night in Venice, saw both your beds were empty. I was worried that you might be so desperate for Evan’s friendship, you’d start taking drugs with him. People like us don’t detox in luxury spas; we end up sleeping on the streets.’
‘So, you knew that I knew it was him. When I didn’t go to the Head to clear your name, you must have hated me.’
Raj ran his finger down the side of his beer bottle. ‘I’m a realist, Phil, you know that. I was sad, disappointed but I didn’t hate you. The law of the jungle ruled in that place and you needed Evan’s protection. I saw that perv, King, in the changing room putting his hand on your knee. I knew it wasn’t just a friendly pat; there was something about the look on his face. I should have spoken up too, reported King. So, I guess now we can call it quits.’
‘No. No way are we quits! They would never have taken your word against King’s. He would have charmed his way out of it then made your life hell. But what I did – or didn’t do – was pure cowardice. I ruined your life and I’ve never forgiven myself. You were cleverer than me, more hard-working, a better person. And I’m the one who’s ended up with everything.’
‘And I’ve got nothing? Is that what you think? Tell me, Phil, what is it that you’ve got that I haven’t? Is it your wife? Is she prettier than mine? Nicer? Kinder?’
‘Of course not! Neelam’s lovely. I never meant to imply?—’
‘Is it your kids then? It took me and Neelam a long time to conceive, but are your children better than mine?’
‘No! No!’ Phil didn’t know how he’d lost control of the conversation. He and Cate had gone up Vesuvius once. He felt as though he were back there now wobbling on the edge of a crater, everything hanging on one false step.
‘If it’s not my family, it must be my job. We’re both businessmen but I’ll admit your business is worth more than mine.’
‘Well, umm, yes.’ Phil was back on safer ground. His furniture company turned over millions. Raj couldn’t argue with that.
‘You’ve made more money than me, for sure. You can buy all this stuff.’ Raj flicked a finger against Phil’s watch. ‘That’s a Rolex Submariner, isn’t it? Nice! Very useful if you need to dive down a few hundred feet. I paid twenty-five quid for my Casio and it still tells the time.’
‘I always wanted a nice watch and it’s an investment.’
‘Not a status symbol, then?’
Phil didn’t answer. He turned his attention to the beer he’d hardly touched.
Raj sighed. ‘I’m glad you’ve done well, Phil. I really am. You learning those crafts with Evan’s uncle and taking over the business meant something good came of it all. And I’ll admit, being a franchisee of Costless Coffee doesn’t make me much money but there’s no need to look down your nose at me.’
‘I’d never do that, honestly! There’s nothing wrong with running a coffee shop. People want to drink coffee. I want to drink coffee! I just know you could have done more.’
‘Done more?’ Raj’s voice was laden with vitriol. ‘I’ll have you know I’m proud of what I do. You make beautiful works of art for wealthy people who have more than enough already. How many of them really appreciate what they buy? How many really appreciate you? My branch of Costless is in a rundown arcade sandwiched between a vape shop and a place that cuts keys but I make a difference, and you know what makes me happy?’ He jabbed a finger at Phil. ‘It’s the single mum who pours her heart out and tells me I’m better than therapy, the staff who sneak free cuppas to the dishevelled lady pushing her belongings around in a supermarket trolley when they think I’m not looking, the three lonely old men who now meet each other for some warmth and company. I go home every night knowing me and my shop make a difference.’
Raj leant right over the table, his now beery breath in Phil’s face. ‘So, don’t you ever tell me my life’s not as good as yours. And I’ll tell you something else you’re wrong about. I wasn’t a victim; I chose to leave Hillingdon. I could have fought my corner, told them what I knew, but I didn’t. I’m not like you, Phil. I was proud to get that scholarship but I never wanted to be one of them. I never wanted to be anyone but myself. Sure, I would have got better grades, more opportunities staying there, but during the Christmas holidays, I’d found something I wanted more: a beautiful, green-eyed girl.’
‘Neelam?’
‘Yes.’ Raj’s face softened. ‘She was working in my uncle’s shop. We met up a couple of times and I could tell she liked me too. I could have chatted to her online, seen her in the holidays, but I knew some other boy would date her if I was away for weeks on end at school. So, in a way I was relieved to leave. It was that and protecting Evan too.’
Phil gaped. ‘You wanted to protect him? Why? You weren’t even friends.’
‘It was his dad. I knew what he was like.’
‘Evan did tell me once that they had a difficult relationship. When he died suddenly a couple of years ago, Evan was a bit all over the place, like he wasn’t sure how he should feel.’
‘His dad was a violent bully.’
‘What?’ Phil spluttered on his beer.
‘One Sports Day, my dad had left his glasses in the glove compartment; I volunteered to run back to the car. Evan was with his parents; they’d just arrived. His dad was ranting about the traffic. Then he started having a go at Evan about something. He was pretty aggressive; he had his arm twisted up behind his back. I ducked down behind our car. I didn’t want Evan to know I’d seen. His dad marched him off towards the sports field. His mum stayed behind for a few minutes leaning against their Range Rover, making a call. It was a windy day; she had one hand on her phone, the other fussing with her hair. Her skirt blew up before she could stop it. That’s when I saw the bruises all over her legs.
‘I stayed crouched behind our car until she walked away. A couple of years later, I saw her picture in the paper. “Tragic death of MP’s wife”. It said she’d died falling from a hotel balcony in Portugal late at night on a trip to celebrate their wedding anniversary. A freak accident. But I always wondered.’
Phil gulped. ‘You think he pushed her off?’
‘I don’t know and I never will but I can’t help feeling I’m partly responsible if he did. Things might have been different if I’d spoken up and reported him to the police that day.’
‘She would have been too scared to tell the truth; she would probably have said she fell down the stairs.’
‘That’s what I tell myself on the good days. Other times, I’m not so sure. So, you see, Phil, I was as weak as you. We both failed to speak up, failed to do what was right. But we can’t turn back the clock.’ Raj picked up his beer and downed the rest of it in one. ‘Now, drink up. We need to go and meet our better halves.’
‘Cate really is my better half.’
‘That’s something we’ve got in common, buddy.’
Phil followed Raj in a bit of a daze. The waterbuses and taxis and gondolas were still gliding down the Grand Canal, the tourists thronging at the station excited to take a ride. He’d finally met Raj and the world was still turning.
Cate and Neelam’s gondola was approaching, the two women and three kids waving like crazy. The sky was completely blue: a day for new beginnings.
‘I suppose it’s too late for us to be friends,’ Phil said.
‘A long time’s passed.’
Of course Raj wouldn’t be his friend; he’d been lucky not to get a punch in the mouth.
The gondolier was helping Cate and Neelam onto the fondamenta . Cate looked golden, radiant, free for a short while from the worries about her dad. It had been selfish of him not to insist they fly straight home but he’d had to see Raj today.
‘Our wives are getting on well,’ Raj said quietly. ‘My Neelam’s lovely but she’s always found it hard to make friends. I can’t remember the last time I saw her click with someone so easily. It’s lovely to see.’
‘Hi, Phil.’ Cate gave him a kiss. ‘Ooh, you taste of beer!’
‘Come here, you lot!’ Raj put out his arms. Three over-excited kids flung themselves on him, all talking at once.
‘It was lovely to meet you both,’ Neelam said. ‘Cate and I have been getting on so well; we must meet up again when we’re all back home.’
‘It’s so nice to make a new friend.’ Cate smiled. ‘I hope we can all have dinner soon. I’ve promised the kids they can meet Ted.’
‘Cate says if we’re good, we can take Ted for a walk,’ Malini said solemnly.
‘And if he gets all muddy and smelly, we can put him in the bath!’ The littlest child collapsed into a fit of giggles.
‘Still play tennis, Phil?’ Raj asked.
‘We’ve… umm, got a court at home, actually.’
Raj looked him straight in the eye. ‘I haven’t played since school but I reckon I can still thrash you.’
* * *
Natalie pushed open the door of the mask maker’s shop. The bell tinkled.
Pietro set down a jar of varnish. ‘ Buonasera , Natalie. Bella ! You look wonderful!’ He turned his head towards the spiral staircase. ‘Eraldo, it is Natalie!’
‘ Grazie , Pietro.’ She climbed the stairs, heels clanging on the metal treads.
Eraldo laid down the watch strap he was examining. ‘Natalie! I have not seen that dress before. It is so elegant; I like it very much.’
‘I’m glad.’ She’d been concerned the deep-blue, V-necked dress was a bit over the top for a family meal but Lucia had convinced her that it was just the thing.
‘Relax, please sit. I will quickly tidy up. I am a little late; Floella rang me, asking all sorts of questions about what you and I have been doing. She was delighted I have asked you to meet my family tonight.’
‘She must have been surprised when you first asked me out.’
Eraldo closed a drawer. ‘No, I think not. Floella likes to plan things, even in personal matters. Without her intervention, I would never have dared. I would have assumed you had a husband or boyfriend in London.’
‘What intervention?’
‘Remember the first day we met? I guessed she asked you to bring me that package for a reason.’
‘I wouldn’t put it past her!’ Natalie tutted.
How Floella must have chuckled to herself as she sent Natalie on her errand. How well suited the two of them would have seemed: Eraldo, a man who had sworn off permanent relationships after his wife’s untimely departure and lived in a city he’d never leave. And Natalie, a woman who couldn’t bring herself to trust anyone long enough to even contemplate getting serious. Floella had brought the pair of them together for a fun-filled fling. But she hadn’t predicted how things would play out.
Presenting a top TV show – Natalie’s childhood dream – hadn’t changed the way she felt about her life. Meeting Cate and Eraldo had. They had shown her what she was missing: a true friend and someone to love. She and Cate would be best friends for life now, but what were the chances of finding another man like Eraldo? Floella thought she’d been doing Natalie a favour. But she’d set her up for heartbreak.
Eraldo finished tidying away his tools. ‘I am sorry you had to wait for me. Andiamo ! Let’s go! I hope you are hungry. Mamma is cooking up a feast.’