Chapter 30
Thirty
David Hockney
(Taken from Calliope Thorne’s teaching notes.)
‘And first prize in the inaugural Lullbury Bay Art School Competition goes to…’
‘Mum. Mum. You’ve won!’ Frida danced up and down and then hugged her mother. ‘Fuck, you’ve won!’
Callie was in a complete daze but the swear word got through.
‘Frida! Language!’ She’d gone through the evening in a trance.
Had it not been for the fact she was stone cold sober, she would have thought she was drunk.
Her brain was muzzy, her emotions all over the place.
Her daughter’s revelations, meeting Sunil after all this time, all on top of everything else that had happened since she’d arrived in Lullbury Bay had, as Frida would put it, done her head right in.
The Art School main hall was unrecognisable.
Long trestle tables covered in snowy cloth ran along one side.
They were groaning with food and drink, courtesy of Rick at The Old School Kitchen, the restaurant in town.
Displays of artwork ran down the middle of the room and the bigger pieces, like her own, hung on the wall.
Brenda, Avril’s friend, was already attaching an enormous first prize banner.
Hearing her name being called, she froze. She should be making her way to the front where Dave Wiscombe, Jessica Starling and an elegant woman in cream linen and enormous earrings, who was apparently London gallery owner Adya Blanca, stood waiting for her.
Frida prodded her in the back. ‘You need to get to the front. Go on, go get your prize.’
As Callie wobbled forwards, a great howl of wind whipped around the building making it shudder. Or she thought it had. It may just have been her nerves. Rain lashed at the high Velux windows. The storm had worsened.
Her way was hampered by many in the crowd wishing her congratulations.
Austin was there, shouting, ‘Well done,’ in her ear.
His wife, Aggie, grabbed her around the neck making them jump up and down together.
Sybil Starling bellowed a ‘Congratulations’ and gave her a bear hug, followed by Maria saying the same and Becky echoing it.
Grace patted her arm and said, ‘How simply wonderful,’ and Lucie, accompanied by what seemed most of the Wiscombe clan, yelled, ‘Go, girl!’
Despite the awful weather, most of the town had turned out.
Just as she thought she’d fought her way through them all, a slight figure to her right detached from the crowd to give her a hug.
‘I knew you’d do it,’ whispered Avril Pengethley.
She gave her a gentle push. ‘Now, take your moment. It’s your time. ’
Callie gave a speech although she wasn’t aware of a single word she said.
Frida said afterwards she’d been witty and genuine and everyone laughed so it couldn’t have been too bad.
Dave handed over a cheque for a huge amount of money and the terrifyingly chic Adya explained that Callie had won exhibition space at her gallery in Islington for the next five years.
It was all a complete whirl. Unreal. She tried not to search the crowds for Johnny but did anyway and swallowed the bitter disappointment that he wasn’t there. She saw Frida skip over to a rain-soaked Sunil and saw how happy she looked showing off her father to Avril.
Grace approached. ‘Marvellous, my dear girl. Simply splendid. I can’t tell you how delighted I am.’
Jessica joined them. She handed over a glass of champagne. ‘Congrats, Callie. Knew I’d backed a winner.’ Kissing her on the cheek, she murmured, ‘I’m so pleased for you. Dave’s totally desperate to offer you that job. Think you should take it.’
‘Job?’ Callie laughed, confused. Jessica never stopped bossing people around.
‘Yes. The tutoring job,’ Grace and Jess chorused as one.
‘Here at the Art School,’ Jessica added.
‘I can’t think of anyone better suited. We’d be thrilled to have you,’ Grace said. ‘Please do consider it.’
They must mean the teaching job Dave had mentioned.
Callie hadn’t thought he’d been serious.
‘But I already have a job.’ She looked wildly around to see who would rescue her, but everyone was too busy attacking the buffet.
‘I’d have to give my notice. I have a house in Worcester.
My whole life is there.’ She caught sight of Frida and Sunil deep in conversation.
But is it? And for how long? If Frida really was determined to go to South Western to study, she’d be leaving home.
It could be the chance to change her life.
The change she’d been longing for. But it would mean giving up all her security, taking the biggest risk of her life.
You’re not your mother, she reminded herself. Don’t make the same mistakes.
‘I’d let Sea Haven House out to you at a very reasonable rent,’ Grace said.
‘I’m getting too old to run it as holiday business.
It’s all getting far too much bother. It would be a pleasure to have a long-term tenant, especially if it’s you.
And,’ she added impishly, ‘I’d have a ready-made dog sitter for Vinny, if you’d be agreeable. ’
Jessica nudged her elbow. ‘And with space at Adya’s gallery you’d get your work out to really prestigious buyers.
Get your name out there. Adya’s done wonders for Jago Pengethley’s career; he’s making shedloads.
Shame he isn’t here, he could give you some advice.
Mainline to Waterloo from Axminster too.
Getting up to The Smoke isn’t a major deal when you need to show your face at the gallery. ’
This was all moving far too fast for Callie. Could she actually do it? She felt sick. Swallowing a great gulp of fizzy champagne and bubbles didn’t help. ‘I…’ she gasped, ‘I’ll have to think about it,’ she finished lamely.
‘Well, don’t think too long,’ Jessica warned. ‘Dave needs to advertise soon.’
Grace peered at Callie, sensing her discomfort. ‘I think we need to leave Callie to enjoy her moment. I’m sure she’ll tell us her decision when ready.’ She steered Jessica away, winking and mouthing over her shoulder, ‘So sorry!’
Callie was immediately surrounded by well-wishers and, at one point, several journalists wanting interviews.
She tried her hardest to deal with it all professionally, as if she’d been the centre of attention all her life, instead of a busy working single mum.
But at the very edge of her vision she was aware of Frida and Sunil having an increasingly intense conversation.
After the journalists had had their fill, a man materialised at her side. He smelled of the sea and the rain. Johnny. It seemed an age since the evening when Frida had interrupted them; she’d missed him so much.
He enveloped her in a hug and she hung on to him like a lifeline, breathing in his reassuring presence. ‘You came!’
‘Of course I did. I’m sorry I missed the actual presentation. Was unexpectedly delayed.’ He hugged her again, hard. ‘So many congratulations, Calliope. So, so many congrats. I knew you’d do it.’
She eased herself reluctantly away from him. ‘Everyone keeps saying that. Seems I was dead cert to everyone, apart from me.’
He took her by the shoulders, staring into her eyes.
‘Think it’s about time you had confidence in yourself.
You do know what a big deal this is? Adya Blanca’s reputation goes before her.
She knows her stuff and she knows who’s talented.
Only she’s usually a very urban animal. It’s only because she’s an old pal of Dave Wiscombe’s from his protest days that she did this.
’ He laughed, making his grey eyes twinkle.
‘Normally she wouldn’t be seen dead in a little seaside town in Dorset.
I don’t think she ventures outside of Zone 2. ’
Callie laughed, his exuberance igniting her like the champagne she’d just drunk.
They still had a great deal to clear up but now wasn’t the moment.
‘Why were you late?’ A movement caught her eye.
It was Verity, the vicar, coming into the hall.
Like Johnny’s, her coat sparkled with raindrops.
She put a hand up to them both and then joined Frida, Avril and Sunil.
Callie watched curiously as Johnny’s gaze lingered on the vicar and then concentrated on the moment. ‘It doesn’t matter though, not now you’re here. Oh, I’ve missed you so much, Johnny. I’ve got so much to tell you. Frida’s father is here.’
‘I know.’
At her confused look he went on. ‘You should know nothing in Lullbury Bay happens without everyone knowing about it. I had a coffee in the Sea Spray and Tracey filled me in. After your argument with Frida I thought you and she could do with some space, so I’ve been making myself scarce.
Once I’d heard Frida’s father was here, I guessed you really didn’t want me hanging around.
’ He paused, and then went on. ‘I’ve had some stuff to sort out for myself too. ’
‘You’re such a nice man.’ She reached up and grabbed the collar of his pea coat, kissing him soundly on the mouth. Someone nearby wolf-whistled but she didn’t care. She kissed him again and for the first time noticed just how wet he was. He was soaked through. ‘Is the rain bad out there?’
He nodded. ‘Getting rough. It’s developing into quite the storm.
I’ve just bumped into Jamie. He was heading down to the seafront.
Some kind of problem down there, apparently.
But I’m wet because I gave Mum and Dad a lift here and Dad managed to trip on one of the wretched potholes in the car park on the way in. ’
Callie put a hand to her mouth in shock. ‘Oh no,’ she gasped. ‘Is he all right?’
‘He’s fine. Might have twisted his ankle a little.
More concerned he’d ruined a pair of his best trousers.
He’d been at the gin before he got in the car so I think his fall was relaxed, shall we say.
That lovely vicar, Verity, helped me with him.
He’s sitting in state over there enjoying having several women at his beck and call. ’
‘As long as he’s okay.’
‘He is. Callie?’ Johnny sounded uncertain. ‘I think we really need to talk.’ He looked about him wildly. ‘Not the time or place and I’d hate to steal your thunder; this is your night, but promise me we’ll find the time to talk?’
Callie detached herself. It was only then that she remembered she’d decided she needed to distance herself from Johnny.
Maybe, with Frida settled at university she could take the job here and have more time for a relationship?
But how would that work, when Johnny would be in the Midlands?
She shook her head to force some sense into it.
No matter what decision she tried to make there were pitfalls.
Too many ifs and buts. Too late she saw his face fall. He’d misinterpreted her gesture.
‘I’ll go and check on Dad. Get him some food. Rescue him from The Aunts.’
‘Johnny I–’ but it was too late, he’d disappeared into the crowd. Though she tried to go after him, she was prevented by several people congratulating her.
Peering over their shoulders, a movement caught Callie’s peripheral vision.
Frida and Sunil, on their own now, were still deep in conversation and looked to be arguing.
She recognised Frida’s rigid shoulders. It meant she was upset.
Saw her flushed face and her hands rise in indignation…
and shock? She needed to get to her daughter.
‘It’s Carrie!’ boomed Johnny’s Aunt Sybil, looming large and blocking Callie’s path. ‘The gel of the night.’ She hugged Callie in a gin-soaked embrace. ‘I say, this is all rather marvellous. And what a party, eh? Simply splendid.’
Callie tried to dodge around her but the woman’s steel-like grip held her still and her generous curves prevented her seeing what was going on with Frida and Sunil.
‘I said,’ repeated Sybil, as Maria approached, ‘it’s all simply splendid, isn’t it?’
‘Oh yes. Splendid. Many congratulations, Callie. Isn’t it all splendid, Becky?’
The third aunt hovered at Callie’s side, putting a shy hand on her elbow.
‘Yes many congratulations. It’s all simply splendid.
I’m having a wonderful time, and I love your paintings.
The way you’ve incorporated real flowers into them is really rather innovative.
I like to paint myself and I’d love to discuss your techniques with you at some point. ’
Sybil and Maria blinked at their sister, mouths falling open.
Callie wasn’t surprised. In her brief acquaintance with the three aunts she’d never heard Becky utter anything the other two hadn’t said first. ‘I’d love to, Becky, I really would and I promise I will,’ she said to the woman, ‘but now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to find my daughter. ’
As Callie pushed through the crowds to the edge of the room, she heard Sybil say, ‘I say, steady on, old girl, you’re getting to be a regular chatterbox,’ and smiled.
The smile vanished from her face when she found Sunil. He was standing, alone, in the long white corridor. Frida was nowhere to be seen.
Scrubbing his hands over his face, he groaned, ‘Oh, Callie. I’ve really messed up.’