Francesca, p.20
Francesca, page 20
‘Goodbye, Francesca. I’ll be in touch. Is this okay?’ He leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek.
Stupidly, I felt my heart skip a beat and blushed slightly.
With that, he walked to his car and got in.
I shut the door and breathed a sigh of relief. Time to move on. ‘Come on, Bobby. Time for your bath!’
I must remember to telephone Julie, I thought while I was washing Bobby’s hair. I hadn’t seen her since New Year’s Eve. The house felt strange, empty even not having her sit at the breakfast bar on her usual stool.
When I telephoned her later that evening, on hearing my voice, she seemed cold, distant even, and more or less snubbed me. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me Ralph had told her I’d complained to Tony—saying she was spending too much unnecessary time at my house and that I thought she was spying on us! I could tell I had deeply offended her because she was angry.
‘You know, Mrs Lambrianu, I just thought you might need a female friend, especially someone your husband hasn’t slept with. And believe me, that’s a hard woman to find,’ she spat out at me and slammed the telephone down.
I suppose I deserved that. I understood that she just wanted to hurt me the way I had unknowingly hurt her. I had forgotten all about that conversation with Tony. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I tried calling again, but she wouldn’t answer. So I sent her a text message telling her that I needed her help. I thought, being Julie, curiosity might get the better of her.
15
Decorating
I left Julie alone for a couple of days, hoping that she would calm down a little and call me back. But she didn’t. I realised now that was why I hadn’t heard from her lately. She had been warned off by Ralph, and she wouldn’t go against Ralph’s wishes. I knew I had offended all her well- intended gestures, however crazy. She had even called me a two-faced bitch before commenting about Tony’s sexual liaisons and hanging up on me!
I needed to do something about this and quick. After all, this was the kind of bad feeling that Tony wanted to avoid.
I rang Tony. ‘Hi, Tony. Is Ralph with you?’
He seemed very surprised that I was asking for Ralph. ‘Is everything okay, Francesca? What’s wrong?’ Tony sounded concerned and kept pressing me. I told him that I needed to speak to Ralph. He could sense the urgency in my voice, and I could hear him talking, and then Ralph answered the telephone.
‘Ralph,’ I blurted out, ‘it’s Francesca. Will you get Julie to telephone me please? I know she has told you she wouldn’t come to the house anymore. I was wrong, Ralph. Really I was. Ask her to call me please. Tell her the kitchen’s not the same without her.’
On hearing Julie’s name, Ralph had asked me if she was okay, and when I carried on rambling, he just listened. I told him what had happened when I had telephoned her. He seemed to know what I was talking about. He assured me he would talk to her.
Ralph ended the call and looked around the room, especially at Tony, who seemed at a loss as to why I had rung Ralph. I hadn’t known it at the time, but they were in a boardroom meeting with a lot of businessmen.
Ralph excused himself from the meeting, explaining that it was personal. He telephoned Julie in the corridor outside and told her that I had called him. He also told her that he wouldn’t hold her to her promise under the circumstances. After all, it was Francesca contacting her. If Julie wanted to contact me or come to my house, it was with Ralph’s blessing. He walked back into the boardroom full of apologies.
Tony was nervously waiting. ‘What’s wrong, Ralph?’ he whispered in his ear.
So as not to look suspicious in front of the other men, who were watching as Ralph and Tony were whispering, Ralph threw his hands up in the air and shrugged his shoulders. He gave Tony a reassuring smile and looked at the men around the table, who had gone silent and were waiting for him.
‘Women! We can’t live with them, and we can’t live without them.’ He explained to them that we’d had a little tiff, and he had to sort it out—complaining to the now laughing men that, as if he didn’t have enough to deal with, he had to be peacemaker between the wives. They all had wives, so they knew what he meant. Women just didn’t understand business!
When Julie did eventually telephone, she still seemed a little cold but was prepared to listen. I told her that I had missed her and that I was sorry for being paranoid. Then I let it slip, accidently on purpose, that I was thinking about decorating and wondered if she wanted to help me or at least offer some advice. I knew that would be the carrot tempting the rabbit!
Of course, she was far too busy to help me and had lots of things to do. She would see if she could find a slot in her diary and let me know. Well, I had tried.
Elle and I went about our usual business. She had become Bobby’s childminder now, though unofficially. It was obvious, though, that he liked her a lot, and she enjoyed spending time with him. I didn’t object. If it wasn’t broken, why fix it? At least I could tell her now when I was working and didn’t have to hide it anymore.
Within two hours, there was a knock at my door. When I opened it, there stood Julie. She pushed past me in an offhand manner and walked into the kitchen. She put her designer bag down on the table and put her hands on her hips.
‘Thank God I’ve come in time,’ she declared, looking at Elle. ‘I had to come. God knows what this place would look like if I left it to her.’
I couldn’t help but smile. I was forgiven. Julie made out that this was a big inconvenience and she was doing me a big favour, for which I should be very grateful. She took out a notepad from her bag and started writing. Elle automatically put a glass in front of her, waiting for her to take out her bottle of wine.
‘You live in this bloody kitchen, Fran. I don’t even know what mine looks like. So as big as it is, even with that conservatory, were going to need an extension. After all, you have the land.’
‘Extension?’ Panic began to rise inside of me. ‘I meant just a few colour charts and painting. How much is all of this going to cost?’ Building works? I wasn’t expecting this.
Julie looked at Elle again, and then she shook her head. ‘See what I mean, Elle. I have come just in time. Anyway, Fran, what do you care what it costs? Let’s get stingy Tony to put his hands in his pockets, shall we? God knows he can afford it. Anyway, use your credit card.’
She was bossing again and in her element, it was good to have her onside again. Then I had to explain to her that I didn’t have a credit card.
This gave her a chance to look bored and stressed by the whole business. ‘Well, that is the first thing that goes on my list. Did I call him stingy Tony? What I meant was old tight-arse Tony. She burst out laughing at her own joke and poured herself a drink.
Later that evening when Julie had left, I rang Tony. I started to explain what had happened and all of the plans that Julie was making.
The warm velvety voice that greeted me assured me all was well. ‘Francesca, you’re a little late. Julie has been in touch.’ Although his voice was calm and eloquent, you could hear the laughter in it. ‘I already know that I’m a penny-pinching prick. Do what you want, or rather, what she wants, Francesca, and I will sort out your credit card. Maybe I could pop around tomorrow and discuss it.’ He was waiting pensively for my answer.
‘Thank you, Tony. And I am sorry, but I think it would be for the best. I am sorry, Tony. I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble.’
The laughter on the other end of the telephone was infectious. ‘Tomorrow, Francesca. Bye.’
Jake walked into the office and noticed that Tony was sitting at his desk smiling to himself. ‘Okay, Tony, what’s so funny?’
‘Francesca,’ was all Tony replied.
Jake looked at his friend. This woman was having a very strange effect on Tony—something he had never seen before.
Tony arrived early the next morning, which meant he must have left London even earlier to avoid the rush hour traffic. I made him a bacon sandwich and a coffee and then shouted for Bobby to get up. Even though it was early, Tony was still immaculately dressed in his suit and tie, and the waft of his aftershave dominated the kitchen. I felt frumpy. I was still in my pyjamas!
We talked about Julie and her plans, and I told him that I would pay the bills and it would be our little secret. Let her think that Tony was paying for all of this. After all, he was my husband. As for the credit card, I didn’t need one, especially one that he would be paying for. Again, I apologised about Julie criticising him for being an old scrooge. It seemed all I ever did to this man was apologise.
Bobby interrupted the conversation. ‘What’s that noise coming from your car, Tony?’ Bobby was looking out of the window towards Tony’s car while eating some toast.
‘Oh that, Bobby. It’s just something I am doing for a friend—something I have to drop off. Why don’t you go and see for yourself?’ Tony had an uninterested, bored expression on his face.
Bobby ran out of the door, and instantly I was alarmed by his shouts and screams. ‘Mammy, Mammy, come see.’
Running out of the door like a shot, given the urgency in Bobby’s voice, I saw that the car window was down to the maximum, and Bobby had his head inside it. I walked up and looked through the window to see what all of the fuss was about and saw a little Labrador puppy, barking and wagging its tail. I turned to look at Tony, who was nonchalantly standing in the doorway watching the scene before him.
‘Whose dog is it?’ said Bobby. His eyes were wide, and he was smiling and laughing excitedly at the little dog inside the car. The chauffeur got out and opened the door, so the little puppy could be released. It instantly left a puddle on my driveway!
Folding his arms with an air of boredom, Tony announced. ‘I’m dropping it off at the homeless dogs’ kennels No one wants it. It’s homeless.’ That pitiful look on his face said it all. That dog wasn’t homeless. I knew exactly what he had done. How could I say no now?
‘Can we have it, Mummy? ‘, bobby asked. He was almost shouting with excitement.’We could look after it and take it for walks, couldn’t we?’ The pleading eyes, not only from bobby but also from the puppy, doubled my guilt. ‘What shall we call it mummy’,bobby asked waiting for my response.?’ I had been well and truly conned. I looked at Bobby, already playing with his new friend.
‘No. Sorry, Bobby, but it has to go to the dogs’ home to find a family. You can’t expect your mum to take in a poor homeless little puppy with nowhere to live.’ Although he was doing his best to sound stern in front of Bobby, I could tell he wanted to burst out laughing.
I watched as Bobby’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Please, Mammy. No one loves it. Please ask Tony if we can keep it.’
I had been beaten. All I could do was nod my head. ‘Well, Tony, do you think we could have the puppy and save you the journey of dropping it off at the dog’s home?’ I let the sarcasm drip from voice. I wasn’t angry, though. And watching the schoolboy grin on Tony’s face made me smile.
The chauffeur started taking a dog’s bed, food, and toys out of the boot of the car. Amazing for a puppy that was going to a kennels for homeless dogs it had a lot of luggage. Tony had bought that puppy especially for bobby and had enjoyed every moment of watching me squirm. He had enjoyed this game.
All of the dog’s things were brought into the kitchen, while Bobby was playing with his new friend, apparently called Susie. I poked Tony in his well-ironed shirt. ‘You, Mr L, are one sneaky underhanded polecat. Julie is right. You are going to pay for this. Homeless dog, my arse. It has more luggage than I have.’
Tony picked up the other half of his bacon sandwich and pushed it into his mouth. He nearly choked he was laughing so much. ‘Bye, Fran,’ he shouted as he made a hasty exit to the car. I could hear him laughing out loud as the car went up the driveway.
I looked down at Susie, who was emptying her bladder again. ‘Come on, Bobby. Let’s give her some breakfast.’ I couldn’t help smiling to myself. Mr Lambrianu—what was I going to do with him?
No sooner had Julie started her plans, than chaos began. When she walked in later that morning, she looked down at Susie. ‘What the hell is that?’ she said, looking at the puppy.
‘That, Julie, is Tony’s joke of the day. Apparently, it’s a little homeless puppy, with a shipload of luggage and dog food.’
The sparkle was back in Julie’s eyes, and she put her hands on her hips as she looked down at the puppy. ‘Homeless dog? Sounds like one of Tony’s ex-girlfriends to me.’ With that, we both burst out laughing. ‘That’s him playing good cop, is it? Father of the year. And you would be the Wicked Witch of the West if you had said no. Well, Fran, we’re going to make him pay for his jokes.’
It was good to have Julie back onside. It felt like us against the men in our lives.
Julie sat at the breakfast bar in her usual place, mobile phone in one hand and notepad full of builder’s telephone numbers on the table. There were numbers for interior designers and decorators. Oh goodness, this wasn’t what I had in mind. She pointed her pen at me and asked if Tony was sorting out the credit card. I nodded.
Elle popped around and looked down at the puppy. ‘What is that and where did it come from?’
This line of questioning was becoming a habit. I would have thought it was obvious.
‘I tell you what that is, Elle,’ said Julie, holding the telephone to her ear and waiting for someone to answer. ‘That little joke has just put another ten thousand pounds on Tony’s bill.’
‘Tony,’ was all Elle said and smiled.
I nodded. ‘Apparently, it was homeless, Elle.’
Now we both looked at each other and smiled.
Elle was thoroughly enjoying the proceedings and kept interrupting Julie with ideas about the house and the garden. That would give Julie another idea, and she would start making a list, one of which included landscape gardeners.
‘Julie,’ I started to confess, ‘what you are planning is going to cost a lot of money. And I also need to tell you that I won’t be here all of the time, because I have a job.’
That definitely silenced her. Julie put the telephone down and listened to what I was saying, She seemed shocked.
‘Tony’s making you work? You have a job, being his wife.’ She was astounded. It never entered her head that I might actually enjoy my work.
‘Tony has just found out himself. He’s not happy about it, but it’s something I want to do. I’m working at the local medical centre as a receptionist.’
Julie stared at me in disbelief and then looked at Elle, who was nodding her head to confirm what I had said.
‘I thought you were a stripper?’ Julie looked confused and so poured herself another glass of wine.
‘Yes, I was. And now I’m a secretary. The point I am making is that I won’t be here all of the time. Elle may be here to let the builders in, but—’
Before I could continue, Julie interrupted. ‘You’re full of surprises, aren’t you? Oh well, that means I can do it freelance. I will just have to manage it all myself, Mother Teresa.’
I look at Elle. I felt I had just made a bad situation worse. Julie had now appointed herself fully in charge.
‘Just one thing, Julie. I don’t mean to be rude, but cut down on the drinking please. I want you sober when you’re choosing things for my house. In fact, no, Julie. Cut it down full stop. You don’t need it, and you’re going to be very busy. The last thing all of us need is you falling on this building site you’re planning.’
I could see I had hit a nerve, and the smile dropped from both Julie and Elle’s faces. I had said the wrong thing again.
Julie looked me directly in the face. The laughter had gone. ‘Okay, Mrs Receptionist, but maybe just a small brandy after dinner, eh? I will cut down my drinking, Fran, if, after all this, you come to Italy with me. I want to show you the villa, and you will need the break.’ She was looking at me with the same excited puppy dog eyes I had seen earlier that morning from Bobby and the puppy.
What could I say? I reached out my hand to shake hers. ‘Deal, Mrs Gold. Italy, here we come.’
While she was on the telephone and out of earshot, I turned to Elle. ‘That was much easier than I thought, Elle. And Tony had better sort something out for this holiday.’
It seemed nothing bothered Elle. ‘It was never going to be too hard, Fran. She knows she drinks too much. But you care enough to say it, and that means everything to her. Plus, she has a lot to do.’ Elle raised her eyebrows and walked off.
The next morning after dropping Bobby at school and arriving home, I saw an army of men in the driveway. Trucks were parked everywhere. People were taking photos of the house and garden. No one even noticed I was there.
Julie was inside at her usual place at the breakfast bar talking to some people. One she introduced as the head of the building firm, and the other one that was the architect! There were drawings all over my table, builders were measuring up, and surveyors were walking around. Apparently, we didn’t need planning permission, because it was all private land.
‘Fran.’ Julie waved me over. ‘Come and see this. It’s a great idea.’
The builder and the architect had decided it was pointless to make the bottom of the house larger. It would look odd, and so they had decided to build a full extension all the way up, including another couple of bedrooms. This was getting out of hand.
When I looked stressed, Julie just laughed it off and waved me out of the way. The one thing I did notice, though, was, apart from one empty bottle of wine on the table, there was also a coffee cup at Julie’s side. She was keeping her promise.
Work was underway. And to be honest, I was glad to go to work and be out of it, unlike Julie. She relished the idea. Plastic sheeting had been put everywhere. Nevertheless, dust still seemed to get everywhere. Julie even stayed over some nights so she could be there bright and early the next morning, organising the proceedings like a site manager.
