Chapter 5
THE FELIX MANSION, CHELSEA, LONDON, UK
‘Why am I doing this again?’ Gabriella asked Phoebe as they both stood on the door stead of the Felix family home the next evening.
It was freezing, sleeting and she had two days to finalise preparations for the New York trip.
Cheyenne had emailed a revised itinerary, and Gabriella was wondering if there was a bookstore, radio or TV talk-show host, open-top bus tour situation that didn’t want her and book – Zero Fucks Given – on their winter agenda.
She sighed as still no one came to answer the doorbell.
She would give several fucks if they were standing out here for too much longer.
She took a breath, then her mind went to thoughts of Lulu.
Her sweet, fragile, too ethereal for this world sister.
Lulu had always said the house was like a palace and, when they were younger, she was always the first to grab the crown and the dress-up fur mantle and wander through the rooms like a ruler.
But when Gabriella remembered Lulu in that costume now, she couldn’t help but think she had always been some kind of princess in pieces.
Phoebe spoke. ‘We’re doing this because Grandmama wants to see us before we go to New York.’
‘Grandmama wants to see you,’ Gabriella corrected.
‘Yes,’ Phoebe answered. ‘But I said I wasn’t coming unless you came too.’
‘What?’ Gabriella knew the reality, but she didn’t realise her mother was quite so brazen about it when it came to Phoebe. She may have a very strained relationship with her mother but she had tried her best to keep Phoebe on the periphery.
Phoebe sighed. ‘It’s OK. If you really don’t want to come then I understand. You can go back home to Bettersea if you like.’
Her niece shook a little then and Gabriella knew it wasn’t from the cold. She knew it was because although the sentiment was well-meaning, Phoebe really didn’t want to be with her grandparents then get a taxi back alone.
‘I’m not going back home without you and, whether Mr and Mrs Keeping Up With the Conservative Party want me there or not, I really want to see what they’ve done with the place since I last came.
’ She sniffed. ‘New chaise longue for the dog when it comes perhaps? Press the bell again, Pheebs,’ Gabriella encouraged.
The quicker they were in, the sooner they could be out.
‘You know Grandmama doesn’t like it when people press twice. It shows impatience,’ Phoebe reminded her.
‘But, equally, I don’t think Grandmama would like it if she had to deal with two dead frozen bodies next to her fake bay trees, do you?’ Gabriella stepped forward and went to press the bell again but, just as she lunged, the front door opened and there was a man dressed as a butler.
‘Oh, gosh,’ Gabriella exclaimed. ‘Is it fancy dress? Pheebs, we could have come as Elphaba and Glinda!’
‘Miss Felix,’ the man greeted, bowing, eyes on Phoebe.
‘Hello, Milo,’ Phoebe said, stepping over the threshold and heading into the grand hallway.
‘Hello, Milo?’ Gabriella said to Phoebe. ‘Who is Milo?’
‘I am, Ms Felix. Would you like me to take your coat?’ the butler asked.
Her parents had a butler now? This was insane.
It was one thing to be wealthy but another to have actual staff working in your home.
And, as that thought crossed her mind, a general hubbub coming from down the hall, in the direction of the reception rooms, became apparent. Her parents had other guests?
‘Phoebe,’ Gabriella said, almost simultaneously slipping out of her coat, passing it to Milo and grabbing her niece’s arm to halt her progress. ‘What’s going on? It sounds like there are other people here. I thought this was a family dinner.’
‘I know,’ Phoebe said. ‘But if I told you it was more like a going away soiree you wouldn’t have come.’
‘Phoebe,’ Gabriella hissed. ‘How many people are here?’
‘I don’t know,’ Phoebe admitted. ‘But, you know Grandmama. Now she knows I’m definitely going with you, she wants to share the excitement about the tour.’
‘Brag you mean,’ Gabriella said bitterly. ‘To all the people who give zero fucks about Zero Fucks Given and gave minus fucks about your mum when she was alive.’
Her hand went to her wrist. She shouldn’t have said that. She needed to not let Phoebe see her angry at this family and all the ways it had screwed Lulu up and continued to screw with her. She had custody of Phoebe, like Lulu wanted, to keep her safe, body and mind…
‘Sorry, Phoebe,’ Gabriella said. ‘I didn’t mean that.’
‘Yes, you did.’
‘OK, I didn’t mean to say that.’
‘It’s just a few hours,’ Phoebe said. ‘Think of it as something for the book, not for you.’
Why was it her sixteen-year-old niece was a whole lot better at this kind of thing than she was? And she really shouldn’t have to be.
‘You’re right,’ Gabriella said, taking a deep breath. ‘And it’s practice too. For New York.’ She put her arm through Phoebe’s. ‘Take me to the lion’s lair.’
Then Gabriella internally braced herself, fixing on her best smile as her mother came into view. One scornful look up and down at Gabriella’s obviously not quite suitable outfit and Monica Felix was heading their way.
‘Phoebe, you look angelic in that dress. So like your mother,’ Monica breathed as she embraced the young girl.
Gabriella’s eyes wanted desperately to roll at the comment, but she held control and the smile.
‘Go and find Pop-Pop in the kitchen,’ Monica continued. ‘He will fix you a mocktail.’
‘OK,’ Phoebe said.
And then there were two. And it didn’t matter how hard Gabriella tried, somehow, every interaction with her mother felt like a confrontation, even now at age thirty-four. The best plan of attack was… attack. Except her mother beat her to it.
‘Taking Phoebe to New York is a mistake, Gabriella.’ Monica gave her the dead-eye, Great White look. And then she smiled. ‘But let’s not spoil a good party.’