Chapter Forty
Joanna. Before the kidnapping.
The house is finished. The only problem is that the pool cover they sent is too small, and I can’t risk Joel playing around there. Nev said he’ll get the right cover ASAP.
It’s odd, but I’m going to miss seeing Nev. I sometimes wonder if I think about him too much. I tell myself it’s because Danny is working such long hours these days, and I miss talking to him about the house, and Nev seems as in love with it as I am.
We’ve decided to have a little celebratory party this evening.
Danny is meeting Nev at a nearby pub to pay the final invoice.
Alice, the interior designer, is going to meet me at the house after my shift.
I’m so excited. I’ve invited a few friends, and my parents are coming to see what we’ve done.
If only Gil could come this evening, but she’s on call.
We have all the keys back. I’m probably being neurotic, but since the death of Lila, I’ve always expected some comeback. So, Danny had the locks changed and an alarm installed.
I bought Nev two bottles of good champagne. I know we’re paying him, but I’m thrilled he’s built the perfect home I’ve always dreamed of.
Just as I’m about to leave the hospital, a last-minute emergency comes in. I’m part-way through treating her when Gil arrives.
‘Want me to carry on?’ she asks. ‘I know you’re dying to get to the house tonight.’
I fill her in on the patient and hug her gratefully before showering and heading to the house. Alice opens the front door.
‘Ta-da,’ she says, handing me back my key.
As I step through the grand entrance of my new home, my breath catches in my throat.
The opulence that unfolds before me is like a scene from a dream.
The expensive furniture pieces stand like silent sentinels of luxury, each item a testament to exquisite craftsmanship.
The light fittings cascade from the ceilings like waterfalls of crystal, casting a warm, inviting glow over the entire space.
The rugs underfoot are a mosaic of colours and patterns, so plush and soft it feels like walking on clouds.
Every detail, from the ornate frames of the artwork to the delicate vases of fresh flowers, speaks of a beauty that is both intentional and effortless.
This is more than a house; it’s the realisation of every hope I’ve held close to my heart.
It is home. It is a sanctuary. It is mine.
‘Oh, Alice,’ I say, tears threatening to dampen the new rugs.
Alice hugs me. ‘You have paid me, remember.’
I laugh and cry all at once.
‘Let’s open that champagne,’ she says, and smiles.
***
Daniel
‘Isn’t Nev with you?’ Jo asks, looking behind me.
‘He said he would feel out of place,’ I say.
She looks disappointed. ‘I had some champagne for him.’
‘We’ll see him again.’
‘Yes, I said he should come for dinner.’
‘What do you think?’ asks Alice, sidling up to me.
‘It’s fabulous,’ I say.
‘Just a few minor changes and you’ll be in. You must be so excited.’
I smile. Jo winds her arm around my waist.
‘Have you drunk anything?’ I ask.
‘No, but I can tell you have.’
‘Nev wanted to buy me a whisky.’
‘One too many whiskies, it seems,’ she laughs. ‘He must be pleased.’
‘He is.’
‘Great job!’ I feel a hard slap on my back, and I turn.
‘Hello, Donald.’
Julia is standing beside him with a sleepy Joel in her arms. ‘I think this little one needs his bed,’ she says. ‘Far too much excitement seeing his new home.’
‘Yes,’ I agree, taking him from her arms. ‘Let’s get you home, boy.’
‘Anyway, I’m very impressed, Daniel,’ says Donald.
But not impressed enough to call me Danny, I think. Well, fuck you and your millions.
We see everyone out, lock the doors, and Jo says, ‘Be back soon,’ to the house, as if it’s a living thing.