Chapter 22
22
The Ugly Mug was a little hard to spot, even though there was a big black-and-white-striped sign in the window and a Pride flag next to a picture of an ugly mug in the other. Dora stepped inside and smiled at the sunshine-yellow-painted walls with huge skillets attached to them, inside which were knitted eggs and bacon. Dora smiled. She felt a sudden rush of nervous energy but at least she didn’t have to worry too much about finding Ambrose. There was only one man sitting in the corner by the window with his back to her, the rest of the tables were full of couples and families. She realised her hands were trembling; she was nervous, which wasn’t like her.
He was staring down into a really horrible, huge, black-speckled mug of coffee, stirring it slowly with a spoon. Suddenly Dora felt a rush of something so warm and inviting it made her whole body tingle just looking at the back of his head, with his collar-length brown hair. As if sensing her staring, he turned around to look and a smile broke out on his face.
‘Dora.’
His face was tanned, and his aquamarine eyes sparkled with joy. He had to brush back the fringe of his floppy hair. He reminded her a little of Hugh Grant in her favourite romcom, Notting Hill , and she felt as if she’d known him her entire life, yet this was the first time she had ever set eyes on him. He stood up and pointed to the chair opposite him. And she soon found herself sitting on the chair, unable to speak.
‘It’s so good to see you again. How was Margo with you, did she say anything?’
‘Erm, Margo, was fine and say anything about what?’ Dora replied.
‘Ah.’ He nodded his head. ‘Well, I hope she didn’t offend you, she’s a little bit wild at times, not to mention outspoken, but her heart is in the right place. To be honest I’m a little scared of Margo so I tend to always do what she tells me.’
Dora laughed. ‘You do? Are you a little scared of all women?’
He shook his head, and his voice was much deeper when he spoke. ‘Of course not, there are only two women in this world who scare me, and who I will never, ever, cross.’
‘Who’s the other one?’
‘Your Aunt Lenny, I find her terrifying.’
A teenage boy ambled over with a tray bearing pancakes and another horrible mug of coffee, placing it on the table. Ambrose pushed the plate in front of Dora.
‘Get you guys anything else?’
Ambrose shook his head. ‘Nope, we’re good for now thanks.’
He waited until the boy was behind the counter again, but it was Dora who spoke.
‘You know my Aunt Lenny even though we’ve lived in London for as long as I can remember?’
He lowered his eyes, then, lifting his mug, he took a sip of his coffee as if trying to find the right words.
‘I guess this is all a bit of a shock to you this time, Sephy told me that you were struggling to remember. It’s weird, right? I mean, who knows why some of us just keep living again and again while others don’t.’
Dora felt a sharp pain in the side of her temple as it began to throb and she lifted two fingers to massage it.
‘Do you not have any memories?’ He looked confused. Dora shook her head ‘Wow. You don’t remember, say, long walks in the forests picking wild strawberries with me on the Fourth of July?’ Dora shook her head. ‘The ring I gave you last time, with the black crystals around the sides? The first time I saw you at the wharf and I had to pay some kid to take me to your house on the common?’
Dora found the sound of Ambrose’s voice mesmerising; she could listen to him talk all day. But she was sad to have forgotten such things. She felt jealous that he remembered her, and the many lives they’d spent together. She felt suddenly sad. If what her aunts and mother had said was to be believed, they would never grow old together.
‘And to top it off, as far as I know my entire life has been one big lie. I’m a florist, I own a flower shop that sells beautiful bouquets for birthdays and anniversaries. I’m no witch, as far as I know I didn’t drown in a pond or get burned at the stake. I didn’t have to flee for my life across muddy fields and through dense forests where brambles tore at my flesh.’ She laughed lightly.
His eyes locked with Dora’s. ‘None of them were burned at the stake over here or dunked then drowned in a pond. The Europeans were far more brutal than the Puritans, who were plain crazy. Over here victims were tortured and hanged – apart from poor Giles who was pressed to death. That was horrific, but he never gave in, he wouldn’t confess and give them what they wanted, all he kept saying was, “More weight.” I don’t know how he found the strength, but he did. And are you absolutely sure about that?’
Ambrose pointed to the tangle of tiny scars on her wrists and forearms peeking from below the long sleeves of her sweater. They had always been there, so old they were barely visible, tiny threads of silver running through her soft pale skin like minute rivers.
‘How did you get those?’
She looked down, tugging down the sleeves of her sweater, and shrugged.
‘I don’t know, probably when I was a kid playing in places I shouldn’t have been. I was always trying to pick pretty flowers to take home for Lenny. They’ve just always been there, I’ve never really thought about how they got there.’
He nodded and leaned closer to her. She could smell his cologne, it was subtle, a hint of citrus and jasmine, as he whispered, ‘I was there when you got those. I bathed your torn, bleeding arms with salt water once we were in the safety of the boat out in the bay. We huddled together in the darkness, listening to the hounds as they trailed after us through the woods.’
Dora pulled away from him and stared. ‘I don’t believe you. How could you have been in my past life that I have no knowledge about?’
She pushed her chair back and stood up fast. As she walked past him, he reached out for her arm and a jolt of electricity so intense ran up her arm she thought he’d Tasered her. Ambrose jerked his hand back, letting go, clearly feeling the shock too.
‘I’m sorry Dora, I would never?—’
She didn’t listen to him, and as she walked away the smell of burning tinged the air and her skin tingled where his fingers had touched her.