Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
‘L eo! Leo! I need your help.’
At the sound of Anna’s shout, his heart lurched and he jumped off the kitchen bar stool, turned the pan on the cooker off and ran to the top of the stairs. Over the last two weeks, they’d fallen into an easy routine of travelling to work together very early and returning separately at around four o’clock. Nice and natural. Today he’d beaten Anna home and had decided to cook a pasta dish for dinner.
‘What’s the matter? Are you okay?’ At the foot of the stairs, Anna stood panting, looking dishevelled and red-faced. Despite that, something caught at his heart. He’d always thought she was beautiful, with her fine-boned features and that delicate chin, which gave her a touch of the fey.
‘F-fine. I need your help. Come on, hurry. I don’t want to miss them. Put some shoes on.’
She nodded towards his bare feet as he came skittering down the stairs. Before he could ask any more, she’d turned and was running back down the flight of stairs to the hall. Reassured that she wasn’t hurt or in any real distress, he stood for a moment to catch his breath and let his heart subside into its rightful place. Even so. as he yanked on a pair of trainers to follow her, he wondered what had got her in such a tizz.
‘Come on,’ she yelled as he approached the front door downstairs and then, like a puppy playing a game of catch, she dashed away down the street. Intrigued, he could do nothing but go after her as quickly as he could. He caught up with her as she turned the corner and came to a halt in front of a large skip.
‘Look what I’ve found.’ Like a monkey she was already mountaineering her way up the side of the skip. She scrambled into it and with her arms held out for balance stood on top of a pile of discarded furniture.
‘Junk,’ he said.
‘Not junk. Furniture. Vintage furniture. A table, four dining chairs, a stool and two armchairs. Perfect for the apartment.’
Leo squinted at the motley assortment of furniture. ‘They’re knackered. Which is why someone’s throwing them away.’
Anna held up one of the dining chairs. He winced. Not only was it falling apart, it was also bloody ugly. ‘That is hideous.’
Anna put a protective arm around the chair back, cuddling it, and gave him an earnest look. ‘Shh, you’ll hurt its feelings.’
Something inside Leo lit up at that moment and he remembered exactly why he’d fallen in love with Anna Love. That hidden whimsy that every now and then surfaced, pushing aside the too serious, conventional approach to life. It had been that side of her that had enchanted him. The side of her that was sublimated most of the time.
‘I don’t think it’s the sort of chair that has feelings,’ he said smiling up at her, amused to see the old Anna back in force.
‘You don’t know.’ An impish smile filled her face as she handed the chair down to him. ‘Besides, when it’s been done it up, it will look completely different. With a bit of sanding, a coat of paint, some glue and TLC, you’ll change your tune.’
Leo wrinkled his nose, taking the chair from her and looking more closely at the scarred wooden legs and the stained upholstery. ‘Anna, it’s going to take more than TLC to make this look anything other than a reject from the big furniture sale in the sky.’
‘Want to bet?’ she said standing above him. With the sun behind her catching the red lights in her hair and her fists planted on her hips in that take-no-prisoners stance, she looked like Wonder Woman on a mission. ‘Here.’ She handed him a second chair. ‘You can take them to the flat. I’ll keep guard so that no one else takes the rest of the stuff.’
‘No one else is going to want it,’ he said.
‘It’s free furniture. And we don’t have any furniture.’
‘If it looks like this we don’t want any furniture.’
‘When did you get so negative?’ she asked, clearly forgetting their ground rules.
He rolled his eyes. ‘Getting that table up the stairs could be fun.’
Forty-five minutes later, he found himself opposite Anna trying to manoeuvre the table around the return on the first floor.
‘It’s stuck,’ he said, unable to lift it over the railing as Anna pushed from the other end.
‘Where there’s a will there’s a way,’ she muttered, trying to raise her end. ‘We need to lift it a bit higher and then?—’
‘No shit, Sherlock. Why didn’t I think of that?’ groused Leo, still unable to believe that Anna had persuaded him to do this.
‘If you push it that way,’ she suggested.
‘No, it needs to go higher.’
‘I’m not?—’
‘Do you need some help?’ asked a dry, amused voice and Leo glanced down through the railings to see Jan.
‘Yes, please. We appear to be stuck.’
Jan came closer to investigate. ‘And you didn’t think that perhaps the legs could be removed?’ he asked, studying the underside of the table.
‘Outside my area of expertise?’ said Leo, frustration edging his words at the obvious solution.
Anna slapped her forehead. ‘Of course. I’m so stupid.’ She lowered her end. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve got a screwdriver we could borrow, have you?’
‘You’re talking to a Czech man,’ said Michaela with a bright laugh as she appeared from behind Jan. ‘He has zlaté ?eské ru?i?ky – golden, little hands. We Czechs are very resourceful and inventive.’
‘Great. Sooner rather than later would be good,’ said Leo. Being wedged against the wall with a table top digging into his shoulder wasn’t the most comfortable position he’d ever found himself in.
‘Sorry. I’ll go now.’
As Jan disappeared into the other apartment, Michaela peered at the table. ‘Where did you get it?’
‘From a skip on the street,’ said Anna. ‘I think I can do something with it. And if it goes wrong, it was free.’
Leo appraised Anna from behind the table. ‘I didn’t know you were a D.I.Y. buff.’
‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me,’ she said with an arch expression, one that he did know well, and it reminded him of all the things he did know about her, like the sounds she made in her sleep, her habit of burrowing into the duvet as soon as she woke up and how she’d slept, curled up and tucked in next to him, her knees nudging his bottom. The memory of her soft body next to him sent a quick surge of awareness through him and he had to hurriedly think of cold showers, porridge and slugs to divert the blood flow that had decided to head south. In his awkward position it was almost impossible to adjust his jeans.
‘Yes. I’ve seen loads of reels on Instagram where people upcycle things. I’ve been really inspired and I’ve tried a few things at home. Look,’ Anna said showing Michaela her phone Jan set to work taking the legs off the table. ‘This one is one of my favourites. Look how they make this old cabinet look so much better. Watch. I reckon I could do that.’
Together they watched the reel and Michaela beamed at her. ‘I have an old bureau of my aunt’s at the chata . It’s useful but not pretty but I can see how I could make it look so much better. What are you doing this weekend?’ she asked suddenly.
‘We’re going on a food tour of the city, “The Best of Prague”,’ volunteered Leo. ‘It’s been organised by Sdílená Kultura for us.’
‘Oh!’ Michaela’s eyes widened with quick envy. ‘I did that tour last year. Even though we live in Prague we still learned so much. It’s amazing. You’ll have so much fun but don’t eat before you go, whatever you do. And don’t plan to eat afterwards. It’s a shame, I was going to invite you to come to the chata .’
‘You know what she really wants,’ teased Jan. ‘Some extra labour.’
Michaela shot him a quick, naughty grin. ‘Maybe you could come with us the next time. It would be so much fun, wouldn’t it, Jan?’ Michaela clapped her hands.
‘Yes.’ Jan gave them a cheerful grin. ‘Sweeping, cleaning, chopping, sawing. So much fun without all the modern luxuries. You haven’t warned them that it’s very basic? We have no furniture and the beds are blow-up mattresses. You have to bring your own bedding. And there is very limited hot water.’ He beamed before adding, ‘I put in a solar water heater for my uncle last summer. Before then there was no hot water.’
‘You put it in yourself?’ said Anna, her eyes lighting up with instant admiration.
‘I told you, he has golden hands.’
‘I’m not sure you should be telling everyone that,’ Leo muttered. ‘People might get the wrong idea.’
Michaela frowned, not following.
Anna rolled her eyes. ‘He’s being rude.’
Jan, who got it, grinned and wiggled his fingers towards his girlfriend. ‘I’ve got golden hands.’
She laughed and ducked out of his range. ‘Use them on the legs,’ she said pointing to the table.
‘Always happy to use them on the legs,’ said Jan, his wink making both women laugh even more.
With a bit of twisting and lifting, once Jan removed the last of the table legs, he and Leo were able to get it up the stairs.
‘Would you like a drink?’ asked Anna. ‘We can sit on the roof terrace while the men sort the table out.’
‘I deserve one,’ said Jan, a cheeky grin lighting up his face, ‘but Michaela doesn’t, she hasn’t done any work.’
Michaela gave an outraged gasp.
‘I think you’re dicing with danger there, mate,’ said Leo.
‘I would love a drink. Do you have any wine?’ asked Michaela
Anna pulled a face which made Leo want to reassure her. He could have predicted that she’d apologise. ‘Sorry, no. I haven’t bought any because I don’t know anything about the local wine.’
‘Then I shall go and get a bottle of Moravian wine for you to try and some of Jan’s favourite beer and we shall educate you.’
‘I’m always happy to be educated,’ chipped in Leo, relieved that he’d had help to carry the table up the last flight of stairs. It wasn’t heavy but it was awkward.
‘No beer until the legs are back on,’ said Michaela, with a teasing tap on Jan’s nose. ‘I’ll go down and get some wine and beer. I’ll be back in a minute.’
‘Why don’t you stay for dinner? I’ve made my mama’s Amatriciana sauce, it’s a special recipe. It’s very good,’ said Leo.
‘Modest much?’ said Anna.
Leo raised an eyebrow and she wrinkled her nose. ‘Okay, okay. It’s delicious.’ She turned to Michaela. ‘He’s a really good cook.’
Jan and Michaela exchanged one of those couples looks – the sort where they manage to have a discussion without words – before Michaela said, ‘That would be great. I don’t have to cook tonight. We take it in turns.’
‘Why don’t I go and put the pasta on,’ said Anna, squeezing past them and going on ahead, before Leo could answer.
‘You two been together long?’ asked Leo as he grasped the flat, table top and went up the stairs backwards.
‘Four years. We met at Masaryk University in Brno and we knew each other when we were there but then we met again at a friend’s birthday. We moved in here two years ago. It’s very expensive to rent in Prague but we both work here and we both earn a good salary. Michaela works in publishing and I work for an engineering company.’
‘Ah, hence the golden hands.’
Jan gave a modest shrug. They managed to get the table around the corner and into the living room where the rest of the rescued furniture was gathered in a sorry little circle.
‘ No ne !’ exclaimed Jan.
‘I know,’ said Leo, assuming that Jan was as appalled by the junk as he was. ‘Bloody hideous, isn’t it. But when Anna gets the bit between her teeth, there’s no stopping her. She’s a stubborn as a donkey.’
‘Donkey?’
Leo did a quick heehaw which didn’t remove Jan’s puzzled expression. He dug out his phone and quickly used the translate app. ‘ Osel .’
‘We say a fluffy lamb can grow up to be a big fat ram. But, no, Michaela will be very envious. This is original TON furniture.’ His eyes widened. ‘Table, chairs and armchairs. You did well. This is vintage. A real find.’
‘Really?’ Now that he looked more closely, beyond the battered and badly painted wood, Leo could see the craftsmanship in the slender bending of the wood used on the chair backs and the gentle curves of the table. It appeared Anna had a good eye, but the pieces needed some serious work and he didn’t have a clue where one would start.
‘Yes. This is iconic Czech design and it’s still made today.’ Jan ran a hand over the bentwood curve of one of the armchairs. ‘With some love these will be beautiful. I’m so happy that you are making them good again. The TON factory for bentwood furniture, Továrna ohybaného nábytku , that’s the direct translation, was started in Byst?íce pod Hostynem in the nineteenth century and it’s still there today. One of the oldest original factories in the world. Michael Thonet, the founder, was a great designer and his family ran the company until the Fifties, when it was nationalised and became TON. Their stuff has always been really well made.’
Anna came in as he was talking and beamed. ‘See, told you. I could see the potential as soon as I saw it.’
Leo raised a sceptical eye. ‘I thought you said it was free furniture.’
‘That as well,’ agreed Anna.
‘I have wine,’ called Michaela bursting into the room holding a bottle aloft. She stopped dead when she saw the accumulated furniture. ‘You got all of this from a dumpster?
Jan grinned at Leo. ‘What did I say?’
‘Isn’t it lovely?’ said Anna. ‘Or rather it’s going to be.’
‘What will you do?’
‘Er … um.’
‘Good question,’ said Leo, grinning at Anna.
‘Take off all the mouldings, sand it down and paint it. Put some new legs and different seat covers on them and they’ll look like new,’ she said.
Michaela jumped in. ‘Or you could wax it and keep the natural colour and buy some fabric to reupholster the chairs. I’ve got a staple gun you can borrow.’
Anna gave the other woman a winning smile. ‘Thank you.’
‘Small point,’ said Leo, already envisioning the living room turning into a workshop, not that he minded. Anna’s enthusiasm for her project was rubbing off on him and sparked a desire to learn as well. There’d been few opportunities to get involved in any DIY growing up as his stepfather was hopelessly impractical and always booked tradespeople to complete that sort of job around the home. ‘What about tools? And supplies? Buying those won’t be easy. You’re going to need a translator.’
‘Jan has lots of tools and I work with fabric and I’ve refurbished a few items. Nothing on this scale, but I have a good eye,’ said Michaela.
‘Perfect, because I think I might have the practical skills but I’m not always good with colour and decorative detail,’ said Anna.
‘Michaela is very artistic,’ said Jan. ‘She knits, she sews, she paints, draws. And offers my tools.’
At Anna’s stricken face, he smiled and patted her arm. ‘It is okay, you can borrow my tools. I can tell you will look after them.’
‘Are you sure? That’s really kind of you.’
‘Of course. I know where you live, I can find them when I need them.’
‘If you don’t mind, that would be really helpful. I’m not even sure what I might need.’
‘Jan has everything,’ said Michaela. ‘We rented our apartment because it has a garage to keep his collection. He bought a cement mixer in Lidl last month.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Because everyone needs one. He was like a boy at Christmas.’
‘I’ll show you later, if you’d like,’ said Jan.
‘The workmen need refreshment,’ announced Leo as he straightened up, having replaced the last dining table leg.
‘You can open the wine,’ said Michaela, handing over a tall slim bottle. ‘This is from Mikulov in South Moravia, near our chata. ’ Her eyes crinkled in delight. ‘I love saying that. It’s so exciting. But yes, the wines from this region are excellent. They’re a well-kept secret. We like to keep them to ourselves. They’re so good.’
Anna invited them all out onto the roof terrace, directing Leo to grab the corkscrew as she already had glasses.
Michaela sat at the little bistro table. ‘I am very jealous of this.’ She waved her hand at the view. ‘It’s very special.’
‘We won’t be able to use it for much longer. It’s getting colder every day.’
‘Yes, it’s mild for Prague at the moment.’
Leo, charged with opening the bottle, filled the glasses with the pale straw-coloured wine.
‘ Na zdraví ,’ he said, pleased he’d remembered.
The others chorused it and all took sips from their glasses.
Leo who’d drunk a lot of good wine, thanks to eating in some of the best restaurants in the world and his mother’s knowledge of fine Italian wine, was surprised by how good it was. He took a second enthusiastic sip. ‘This is lovely.’
‘I told you,’ said Michaela, both smug and proud at the same time. ‘Wines from South Moravia are excellent. This is Vinselekt Michlovsky. You can buy it in the supermarket and it’s a good one.’
‘I don’t know much about Czech wine or food, really,’ said Anna.
‘Except that you love a dumpling,’ teased Leo, reminding her of their day in Prague.
‘I do love a dumpling,’ she admitted. ‘We had them at Lokal for the first time, they were delicious. Dense and fluffy at the same time, if that makes sense.’
‘It does. You must come to dinner this weekend. We were going to go to the chata but we decided to stay here. Now we have friends coming on Saturday and I am making potato dumplings. Come in the afternoon and I will teach you.’
Anna considered for a moment. ‘I’d love to but my boyfriend is coming over for that weekend.’
‘That’s a shame but there will be another time.’
‘But I’m going to need some help in the DIY store. Would you mind helping me? And where is the nearest store?’
‘No problem. It’s Jan’s second home but I will come take you because you’ll need a translator,’ said Michaela. ‘What are you doing after work next Wednesday?’
‘Meeting you at the DIY store?’
‘Yes.’ Michaela gave her an approving grin. ‘We have a date.’
‘Not without me,’ said Jan, shaking his head. ‘You can’t go to the store without me. And you have to go to U Rotta.’
Michaela patted him on the arm. ‘It’s his favourite.’
‘Well, I’m coming too, then,’ declared Leo. ‘You’re not leaving me out. I might miss something.’
Anna laughed. Having Leo along would make the visit more entertaining; he always brought the fun. Steve wouldn’t have been quite so keen on a visit to a DIY store, which immediately brought a stab of guilt because today was the first time in days she’d thought about his forthcoming visit. Did that make her a bad girlfriend or just busy and happy?