Chapter 1
1
BLACKHEATH, LONDON, PRESENT DAY
‘Merriman’s Travel, good afternoon, how may I help you?’ Diana Merriman, or Deedee as everyone called her, picked up the phone on her desk and crossed the fingers of her free hand, inwardly willing the caller to ask her about exciting holidays to the Maldives, or Mexico, or how about Mauritius? Images of crystal-clear seawater lapping hypnotically came to mind. Turtles pootling across golden sands at sunrise. Or a cocktail with a pink umbrella bobbing inside a hollowed-out coconut shell, to drink sat at a beach bar, if that’s what her client preferred. Deedee could arrange it all. The perfect escape.
‘Oh, sorry, wrong number. I was looking for the nail salon.’ Deedee’s heart sank as the perky-sounding young woman ended the call. Since the council had installed the parking meters in the street outside her travel agency she had seen a sharp downturn in business. There just wasn’t the footfall to see the special offer boards she had hanging in the window. Not like in the good old days when she had first opened the business in the eighties and would have customers queuing at the revolving door to take a seat and thumb through a stack of glossy brochures with her, to work out the details of their dream holiday.
Pushing up the sleeves of her exquisitely cut Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress in blush pink with a long, oversized sash at the side, that she had bought on holiday in America many years ago, she smiled at the memory it evoked. Her fingertips lingering as she treasured the moment over again. Duran Duran’s Rio playing in the air as her third husband, Joe, had untied the sash, slipped the dress from her body and made slow, sensual love to her on the secluded sun-soaked deck of the beachfront holiday home in Malibu. Deeply in love and most definitely feeling third time lucky after the two miserable marriages that had gone before, he had been the love of her life. She pressed the tip of an index finger to her lips before touching Joe’s handsome face in the photo of them together on her desk. His arm around her shoulders and her head resting into the side of his solid chest. Her love for him radiating from her contented face. If she closed her eyes she could still smell the scent of his citrus cologne and feel the fabric of the soft cotton shirt he was wearing on that day. She had kept the shirt and sometimes took it out to comfort herself with, usually at night when she couldn’t sleep, or on a special anniversary day when she missed him the most. She would let her fingers linger on the buttons as she chatted to him and murmured the now familiar words, ‘wish you were here’. But he wasn’t here. Not any more. Joe died four years ago and she had been devastated. Her heart had cracked in two. And sometimes it still hurt more than ever.
Sighing, Deedee took out the little compact mirror she kept in her desk drawer and studied her sixty-nine-year-old-face, thinking how on earth did that happen? It took her by surprise every time she caught a glance of herself in a mirror, or a shop window, because her face didn’t match how young she felt inside. But enough of all that, no regrets, was Deedee’s philosophy on life. She certainly wasn’t going to let a few laughter lines spoil her day. Why would she, when she’d had an absolute riot of a life, making all the marvellous memories in the first place? Plus, to be fair, she considered herself extremely lucky to still feel like a thirty-something in spirit. Sure, things had changed on the physical side – she no longer had the stamina to go partying all night long on yachts around the coast of Ibiza, or in the beach clubs and casinos in the South of France, like she used to back in her younger years. Not that she could afford to do that these days in any case, with such a significantly reduced income. But she watched her diet, kept herself supple with daily yoga sessions and went for regular health check-ups, especially after finding the lump in her left breast, which thankfully had been a benign cyst.
Zhuzhing her silvery blonde hair into place, Deedee smoothed a few drops of serum through the ends and then livened it up with sea salt spray to give it that breezy, glamourous red carpet look that Meryl Streep did so well. Then spritzing on her favourite Fracas perfume, she hummed to herself, wondering if she might actually book some holidays in today. Or if it would be like all the other days this month, and the one before it… so quiet she could hear the hiss of the coffee machine in the accountant’s office next door. Business had been slow for far too long now and she knew that almost everyone booked holidays themselves online these days. But she loved working, the interaction with happy people full of anticipation at the prospect of escaping their normal, everyday lives and experiencing the exciting itineraries she’d put together for them. And so, she saw no reason to slow down just because her business was. Even if her big seven-zero birthday – she couldn’t bring herself to think it, let alone actually say it out loud – was at the end of next month.
What she did need to do though, was decide on how she was going to mark the occasion, to trick herself into feeling excited instead of daunted, and a plan was already beginning to bubble, with her thoughts drifting to one of her favourite places on earth. New York. Where she had felt closest to Joe and where they had enjoyed many exciting trips together – shopping, dining, meeting up with friends, even a memorable, special anniversary or two. Where the energy was frenetic and vibrant, and she always felt so very much more alive, so maybe this would give her the boost she desperately needed right now. And didn’t everything always feel better when there was something to look forward to? She imagined strolling through Central Park, seeing the breathtaking sunset from The Top of the Rock, aka the Rockefeller Center. Twirling delicious clam linguine onto a fork in a favourite trattoria in Little Italy. Walking the High Line. Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to see the cherry blossom which would be blooming beautifully at this time of year in the Botanic Garden. Wandering around the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And of course Times Square, where she loved just soaking up the pure essence of New York, with its blaze of digital billboards and multitudes of tourists marvelling over the high octane atmosphere. Yes, it really did feel like you were in the centre of the world there. The Big Apple. And the perfect location to lift her mood and hopefully get her enthused about moving into her seventh decade. Plus, it was the home of her old flame and dear friend, Yiannis, a well-renowned fashion photographer from her modelling days. Deedee had last seen him on the magical Greek island of Kalosiros when she had been on holiday and partied on his boat with her wonderful friends Gina and Rosie. Of course, they messaged each other now and again, but it wasn’t the same as sitting on the deck of his boat, with her head resting on his shoulder as they put the world to rights and watched the pastel pink Greek sun set over the Mediterranean Sea. Or sipping Manhattan cocktails together… actually in Manhattan! Then jumping into an iconic yellow taxi to take them for a delicious dinner at Athena, his family’s Greek restaurant in Astoria, Queens. The meal would no doubt turn into a whole night of exuberance, feasting on kleftiko and koftas, while his family argued, loudly, no doubt, as they typically did, before they all hugged it out and danced till dawn. Yes, she could really do with some of that big fat Greek-American passionate family energy right now, to buoy her mood and carry her into her seventh decade with joy and panache. Perhaps an enormous triple-tiered honey and pistachio baklava birthday cake too!
But then she remembered the reality of her financial situation. With business so slow and having used up all her savings on the specialist care that Joe had needed, Deedee wasn’t entirely sure if she could actually afford to take a trip to New York. Picking up her phone, she tapped through to her online banking app and her concern was quickly confirmed. Her heart sank and amplified her fear of getting old even further. She really needed to find a way to make the travel agency work, or she could quite possibly end up homeless too, if she couldn’t pay the loan she had secured on her house to keep the business afloat when she had brought in a manager and took time off to be with Joe towards the end of his life.
She put her phone down and went into the little kitchenette area at the back of the shop to make a cup of tea and think things through – she could easily find the cheapest flights; in fact she might even have enough air miles left to cover them. And Lois, her travel agent friend in New York, owed her a favour, so maybe she could help with finding a reasonably priced place to stay. Deedee finished stirring milk into her tea and heard her mobile ringing so went back to her desk, but it rang off just as she picked up the phone. Looking at the screen, she smiled on realising the missed call had come from a number with a USA country code and took it as a sign, fate perhaps telling her to try to find a way to take the trip. She contemplated calling the number back but the phone on her desk rang so she went for that instead just in case it was someone wanting to book a holiday after all. The mystery caller could wait or leave a message if it was important.
After dealing with the call, an elderly man wanting help to book a coach ticket which Deedee was happy to assist him with, she tidied the mirror, hair products and perfume away into the drawer and put her plan into action. She found some potential flights first and then called Lois who, by chance, was going to Hawaii for her son’s wedding for a week at the end of next month and so offered her own top-floor apartment in the West Village for Deedee to stay in while she was away. Deedee then sent a message to Yiannis. He replied right away.
Yiannis
Yes, of course you can have your big birthday party in the taverna. As long as I am invited! Great minds think alike because if you hadn’t suggested it, I would have. Already looking forward to celebrating with you xx
Touched by his kindness, she thanked him and added several kisses and then scrolled through to find the aptly named ‘Come Away With Me’ WhatsApp group she shared with Gina and Rosie. She smiled as she always did at the gorgeous profile picture of the three of them skinny-dipping in the electric blue Greek island sea. It had been a wonderful evening, swimming as the sun had set over the shimmering waves, giving the water a magical mix of glittering, pearlescent colours.
Deedee
Fancy coming to my big fat Greek birthday party in New York next month?
She added a few appropriate emojis of the Statue of Liberty, the USA flag, a Greek flag, a collection of shopping bags, shoes, lots of cocktail glasses, a fizzing cone of celebration, a birthday cake and the fingers crossed one too… and then waited. Because she could see that Gina was already typing a reply.
Gina
Ooh… YES! Love to xxx
Quickly followed by Rosie.
Rosie
Abso-flaming-lutely!
Feeling instantly lifted, Deedee replied with six heart emojis and then after lots of toing and froing to go through all the details: duration (the full seven days in the end, because any less would feel like a mini break and the three women definitely wanted the full NYC experience), they agreed the times and the holiday theme – famous movie locations in New York with some Sex and the City party clothes glam, of course – they had all seen the traditional sights before so wanted something a bit different this time. Deedee made a mental note to call her airline contact to secure the flights today. A New York escape with wonderful friends was the perfect opportunity for Deedee to spend some time in the city that never sleeps, feeling fabulous, flirtatious, and most of all… figuring out what she really wanted for the next chapter of her life.