Loving Alex (7 page)

“Shall we have lunch?” I ask Gia as
we walk out on to Hans Road, “Look, Café Rouge – as good as anywhere?” I point
towards the ruby fronted café bar.

“Why not?” She smiles, still clinging onto my arm.

We walk into the restaurant, it’s still early and we’re
seated without delay, thank goodness. We both order Merlot and when the
waitress returns with our drinks I choose a Caesar salad and Gia goes for a
Croque-Monsieur.

We sit chatting about the morning, Gia enthuses about some
of the things she’s seen in Harrods, as I listen to her my hand drifts to the
Tiffany diamond pendant that James gave me. I’ve really not taken it off since
I put it back on, following our “
tiff”
, when he came home with that
mark, that love bite and I asked him to leave, something that I said I would
check him out on but haven’t, I believe him, I think, I hope.

“I’ve got something for you Gia.” I say when she takes
breath, allowing me to get a word in.

Reaching down into the Harrods bag I pull out the Mulberry
dust bag that holds the handbag she was so clearly wanting. I hand it to her,
“This is for you Gia, thank you for coming with me, for being such a good
friend.”

She takes the bag from me. I think she knows what it is
before she opens it.

“Oh Alex, I can’t accept this, it’s much too much!” I’m sure
that’s a look of disbelief on her face.

“Don’t be silly, you’ve done so much for me in such a little
time, it’s the very, very least I can do. Please – I’ll be so offended if you
don’t take it.” I’m insistent, flapping my hands at her as she attempts to give
it back.

She stands and walks around to me, bending down she gives me
such a hug, a proper hug like the one’s my mum used to dole out from time to
time.

When she returns to her seat I talk about Ramiro, “I was
thinking of asking Ramiro to come here for a few days, but I’d need you and
Roberto to be on board, I couldn’t entertain him on my own, we just couldn’t
communicate!”

She smiles broadly and nods, “I think Roberto would be more
than happy. If Ramiro agreed it may be best if he stayed with us anyway, that
way there wouldn’t be a major language problem, he could come and see you each
day, you could pick him up. He’d like that big car! Do you want me to talk to
Roberto first?”

“Umm, I think that would be a good idea and I’d love him to
meet Anna before she goes to university and I’m sure she’d like to meet him
too!” I take a drink of my wine as we chat.

“It’s a lovely idea.” She agrees, I’m so pleased.

“Maybe we can arrange a
family
meal or something like
that?” I suggest as I take another drink of my Merlot.

“That would be great. Really good.” She enthuses.

Our food arrives interrupting us from our plan making.

As I work my way through my salad and Gia through her
glorified toastie we talk about plans, about James, what he was like as a
teenager –wild by all accounts! Oh yes, Gia certainly fills in one or two gaps
in his history, but I suppose most teenagers can be a bit strong willed and
coupled with losing his dad at such an early age it’s no wonder he was a little
“off the rails”
for a while, almost understandable.

“I can’t believe that James hasn’t been snapped up by some
young attractive girl.” I think out loud.

“You’re right Alex - although not for want of them trying!”
She laughs, “always someone on the phone before he went to America. I bet I
used to take two or three calls a day from different girls “
is James there…
Can I speak with James…Where is he?”
It used to make me and Roberto laugh!”
She giggles as she recounts the stories of the many phone calls received for
James.

“But nobody special?” I ask.

“No, nobody. Only you! He thinks the absolute world of you
Alex.” She’s serious, her expression changing.

“How do you know?” I push my salad around my plate, looking
at her. Looking for signs that what she says is real, truthful.

“I just know – the way he looks at you, he cares about you.
I can just tell. Remember, I’ve known him pretty much all of his life, Lucca
and Roberto started Amici when James was, oh I don’t know, maybe two or three,
of course we knew them before then anyway, Roberto and Ramiro were great
friends with Lucca back in Italy, the families knew each other. I remember his
mother disappearing, it was a tough time for Lucca, but he managed and did a
good job with James.” She recounts a little of James’ early history. I knew his
Mother disappeared, walked out when he was just six months old. I don’t know
why and now isn’t the time to ask, I feel sure it would ruin such a lovely day
if I pry too much. But, It’s good to know a bit more about my lover, I know a
great deal about him already but there are still gaps.

We finish our food and pay the bill, Gia insists on paying,
despite it being my treat.

As we walk out of the restaurant I think of one thing I
should have asked Gia, “What’s with the strawberries Gia? He’s absolutely mad
about them!”

She laughs, loudly “The strawberries! – You know about them?
I could never keep up with the demand!”

I smile “Oh yes, I know about them! Bloody strawberries!”

Gia takes my arm, “When he was a little boy he wouldn’t eat
anything remotely healthy, if it was
orange
food, you know, battered or
covered in breadcrumbs he’d eat the lot, with chips or mashed potato, but
nothing green, no fruit or anything like that. Lucca asked me to look after him
for a couple of days while he went somewhere, I can’t remember where it was.
Anyway I was trying to get the boy to eat something healthy so, I dragged him
to a supermarket and we went through every fruit and vegetable until he spotted
something he was willing to try –Strawberries! Well, we never looked back and
he still eats them now, like they’re going out of fashion, although I think his
diet is generally healthier now. Is it still a box a day?” She asks.

“And the rest. With chocolate too!” I laugh.

“Umm,” she frowns, “I’m surprised he’s never turned red!”

We both laugh. “Shall I call Archie, are you ready to go?”

“I think so Alex, but you know, I’ve had a really good few
hours, and thank you so much for the bag.” She squeezes my arm again, it must
be a Gia thing.

“You’re welcome. We can have lunch next week as well if you
want?” I look at her, I have really and truly enjoyed this couple of hours. I
love shopping with Anna, but this has been like spending some quality time with
an old friend.

“Yes, but no expensive gifts next week –you understand?” She
scowls at me.

“We’ll see.” I say as I root through my lovely but useless
bag searching for my phone.

I locate Archie’s number and tap the call button, as I put
the phone to my ear I look ahead and I’m absolutely sure I see Muriel crossing
the top of Hans Road. I’d put money on it that it’s her, dressed like her, same
colour pale blonde hair, same stature hell, she even walks like her. I watch
the woman walk quickly down what I think it Brompton Road as I wait for Archie
to answer the call.

“Mrs. Drake.” Eventually he picks up.

“We’re ready Archie, whenever you are. We’re on Hans Road.”
I tell him, checking the road sign to make sure I’ve given him the correct road
name.

“Right you are, give me twenty to thirty minutes and I’ll be
with you.” I’m sure I hear a newspaper or book being flicked as he speaks.

“Not a problem, we’ll have a wander down Brompton Road and
be back where you dropped us off in about twenty minutes.”

I hang up and Gia takes my arm, “We’ll go for a wander while
we wait for him to get here.” I suggest.

“That’s fine with me.” She clings on as we stroll down
Brompton Road stopping to look in the Churches window, “My dad used to wear
shoes a bit like these, although they weren’t Churches, probably couldn’t
afford them!” I point at the expensive shoes in the window.

“Ah, I can imagine Alex. Nothing like Ramiro wears though?”

I realise I’ve probably said something a little tactless.
“You know Gia, my mum and dad will always be my mum and dad, but I am so
pleased I found Ramiro, he’s lovely I really like him and, well I feel, now
that I know about me, that I’m complete…does that make sense?” I pause trying
to find the words to explain, “I always felt, oh I don’t know, not right. Like,
even though they were my mum and dad, and I believed they were, there was
always something, just something not quite right. I could never put my finger
on what it was. It was almost, oh,” I sigh, “although I’d never known anything
else I didn’t really belong!” I try and explain that even though I’d always
lived with them and my memories were always of my mum and dad and nothing else,
that even as a young child I felt like I didn’t belong
there
, like an
outsider almost. Subconscious feelings that often would keep me awake at night,
I remember being very young, maybe even seven or eight and lying in my little
bed thinking
why am I here?

We stop strolling for a moment, Gia turns to me. “I can’t
begin to understand how you felt Alex, but I know a little of what happened.
Ramiro was devastated when he found out what Maggie had done, even though he
still loves her now, even though she’s gone, I don’t think he’ll ever quite
forgive her for what she did, you know keeping you away from him so completely,
he never even had a picture of you! When we eventually found him, when he came
back and made contact again, well, he went through a really bad time Alex,
really bad.” She sighs.

I look at her, I can’t believe what they did. Maggie and my
parents. Why did they not say anything, not do anything?

“Oh Gia! I know and to be honest, even though I have to
thank my lucky stars that Maggie left me all this, so that I
could
get
away from Lewis I don’t think I’ll ever forgive any of them, my mum, dad or Maggie
for not telling me who I was. Actually, I think it’s unforgivable! I really do.
When I sat with the solicitor, Tom Chandler, the one that read Maggie’s will
and last wishes to me he said that they didn’t tell me when I was eighteen
because my dad was ill. I sat in his office looking at the stranger who was
delivering the biggest and most life changing news of my life, and thought to
myself,
so what happened when I was nineteen, twenty, twenty-one….?
”

She squeezes my arm again in her reassuring way as we stroll
along passing the time until we need to head off to meet Archie. We walk slowly
back towards the corner of Brompton Road and Hans Road, Archie can’t be far
away now. As we turn into Hans Road I swear I see Muriel again, that blonde
hair cannot be mistaken, but I can’t see her face. I stop, “Gia, do you see
that woman?” I indicate with a nod in the general direction of the blonde
haired woman who appears to be lurking at the far end of Hans Road.

“The blonde one?” She questions.

“Yes, I’m sure that’s Muriel, my house keeper. She phoned in
sick today!”

“Well, she wouldn’t be here if she was ill – would she?” Gia
looks up at me, frowning.

“I hope not, but I’m sure it’s her. If I could only see her
face.” I look down, but she’s stood in such a way that I just can’t see her
clearly.

I stand watching the blonde woman, Gia holding my arm as
Archie pulls up. He gets out of the car and opens the door for us. I’ve given
up doing it myself or insisting that he doesn’t do this for me.

“Mrs. Drake,” he says as he opens the door, “pleasant
shopping trip?”

“Yes, very good, thank you.” I don’t bother with the
Mrs.
Drake
thing either.

Once we’re both in the car he asks where we’d like to be
taken to.

“Do you want to go straight home?” I ask Gia.

“I tell you what, I’d love to see Reid’s – you know I’ve
never been, never seen where James works.”

“Archie, we’ll both go to Reid’s please, Gia can go home
from there.”

“Very well.” The reply comes from the front of the car.

I smile at Gia and whisper, “He’s so formal.” She smiles and
laughs at my comment, I feel like we’re two naughty school girls giggling in
the back.

We pull up outside of the hotel and Archie does his stuff.
As we walk through the entrance and into the foyer Gia looks amazed at the
sumptuous, elegant surroundings. “This is lovely Alex, absolutely beautiful!”

I’m used to it now, although I too was blown away by the
opulence of the place when I first came her only a few months ago. “Do you want
to go and see James first, and then I’ll show you around?” I ask.

“Can we look around first?” She smiles.

“Sure. Come on.”

I show her the bar area, the restaurant, “Just give me a
moment Gia, I need a quick word with Marcus.”

She waits by the archway as I get Marcus’s attention. He
wobbles over towards me after sitting a couple in the centre of the restaurant
which is currently very busy.

“Mrs. Drake. We haven’t seen you for a few days.”

“We’ve been away Marcus. Look, I wanted to ask how Lola is.
We had a few words, Lola, James and I, a couple of days ago.” I explain.

“Umm, Mr. Aconi did mention it, said that her attitude was,
well terrible I suppose. She’s been okay down here though, but of course Mrs.
Drake I wouldn’t stand for it, you know that, bad manners and attitude.” He’s a
firm look on his face, yes I know that Marcus would soon bring her back into
line if she showed any attitude down here.

“No, I know you would, but just keep an eye on her though.
She worried me a little.” I explain.

“Of course Mrs. Drake. You’re not eating with us today?” He
asks.

“No Marcus, we’ve already had lunch. Anyway, good to see you
again.”

I turn leaving Marcus and walk to find Gia by the archway
entrance to the restaurant and show her the remainder of the public areas and
then the new orangery and pool.