The Start
Anthony, Anya, and I managed to book seats on the same plane on the flight home, flying first class at Anya’s insistence.
‘Is there any other vay to fly?’ she’d said, appalled that we’d expect anything less from her.
Her seat was just a couple of rows up from mine and Anthony’s.
Anthony and I sat holding hands on the plane. There was very little left to be said after a night of us both asking for forgiveness, being forgiven, and making promises to never stop communicating and to always listen. We made promises always to be truthful, no matter how much it hurt.
‘Someone did record the wedding, didn’t they?’ Anthony asked.
‘They did. I’ll make sure you see a copy. I wouldn’t mind seeing it again. It was a beautiful wedding and I made you miss it. What an idiot.’
‘Yes, you are aren’t you?’ he said. ‘Well I’ll let you make it up to me. Maybe we could take that romantic break at last. I mean if you can take more time off work. I haven’t felt like painting for a while. Maybe I could be inspired if we took time off together. We’ll find somewhere special to go.’
At the same time, we both said, ‘And not Paris!’
We laughed. It was the first time in months we’d been able to and we couldn’t stop.
‘I should go and check in on Anya,’ I said after a while. ‘She and I still have a lot to talk about.’
Anthony nodded. I’d filled him in on Anya’s plans to have the baby on her own. She and I hadn’t spoken much since our walk on the beach and I wondered what she had planned.
‘Hey, Miss Stankovic,’ I said as I leaned over her. Anya had on an eye mask. ‘You’re not sleeping are you?’ I plonked myself on the seat beside her. ‘I want to talk.’
Anya raised the eye mask.
‘Vot vould you like to talk about?’
‘Well, you of course. You never told me what you’re going to do. You know, about work and everything.’ I looked at her flat stomach. It wasn’t going to be so flat one day and one day there’d be a little Anya around.
‘What happens with work when you get bigger?’ I asked.
‘Oh don’t remind me, Madge,’ she sighed. ‘I’m going to be the size of a house. I’ll have to completely reinvent my vordrobe.’
‘I can help you with that.’
‘And can you help me vith this baby? I don’t know how I’m going to cope.’
‘Amazingly well,’ I said with a wide smile. ‘You know I’ll be there for you, both of you. Always.’ Again I begged Anya to forgive the way I’d treated her. She said there was nothing to forgive but I felt as if I had a lot of making up to do before I was worthy of a friend like Anya. After everything she’d done for me: the support and friendship throughout the rebranding, throughout the last twelve years, in fact. I was never going to repay her for that but I was determined to be the friend she deserved, not a flaky mess. Never again.
‘I haven’t known you to take more than a couple of months off assignments,’ I said to Anya. ‘How much time will you take off when you’ve had the baby?’
‘An indefinite amount, I should imagine. I’m thirty; I’m not as fresh-faced as I used to be. There are so many new models out there just vaiting to get ahead. I mean, I’m surprised I still get vork vith all those young bitches vith skin like a ten-year-old out there. Maybe this signifies my time to stop.’ She touched her tummy.
‘I can’t imagine you quitting.’
‘I might not have a choice.’
‘There are models older than you who are still doing it.’
‘I know. They’re the lucky vons. This business makes a big show of being inclusive. Different ages, sizes, and shapes helps the industry dispel the myth of the anorexic model. But all these designers really vont are tall skinny girls who make their clothes look good and I defy anyone to tell me othervise. No. Maybe it’s time for me to step back. Rethink my future. I’ve got two scripts to read for new movies.’
‘That’s great!’ I said.
‘But my priorities have changed. Ven the fuck am I going to drink visky vith you again? These are the important questions. Forget the baby.’
We laughed and I took her hand.
‘I’m so happy for you – you wouldn’t believe how much,’ I said. ‘And I want you to know, I would never judge you, not under normal circumstances. If you hadn’t kept the baby I would not have thought any the less of you. I promise you.’
‘I know, silly girl.’
We sat quietly for a while. I was feeling relieved that Anya hadn’t ditched me. She could so easily have done. Eventually she turned to me.
‘It vill happen for you,’ she said. ‘Ven the time is right. You’ll see. It vill be a magical time and I can’t vait to see your face ven it does.’
I smiled. I kissed Anya’s cheek. We sat for a long time holding hands until I noticed she’d actually fallen asleep this time.
I went back to Anthony who had dropped off, too. None of us had had much sleep the night before.
My rum hangover had gone so I sat back and closed my eyes. At last, I could relax.
***
Anthony and I parted ways with Anya at the airport. Regardless of sleeping on the plane, Anthony and I were still pretty shattered when we finally got home. It was five o’clock in the morning when we stepped in on the mat.
‘Let me carry these upstairs,’ said Anthony grabbing all the bags.
‘No wait,’ I said. ‘There’s something I need to show you. Let’s go.’ My hand was on the latch again.
‘You mean we’re going out?’ Anthony had one foot on the bottom step, cases in hand.
‘Yes, it’s important.’
‘What’s important,’ he said with a cheeky smile, ‘is that we go upstairs and have lots of make-up sex and then pass out.’
‘This won’t take long. Cross my heart,’ I said, opening the front door.
He wrinkled his nose, put down the luggage, and followed me out onto the street, grabbing a couple of warm jackets en route to the chilly outdoors.
‘Where are we going?’ he asked.
‘You’ll see.’
We had our arms around each other as we walked down the mews, out onto the adjoining square, and continuing on to the King’s Road. The roads were quiet and the sky dark. Most people would still be in bed, alarm clocks about to alert everyone that it was Monday morning and time to get back to work.
‘Nothing will be open yet,’ said Anthony as we approached the corner of our Saturday café bar, Rhythm ’n’ Brews.
‘I know,’ I said. ‘What I want to show you is closed, anyway. Here.’ I stood him in front of Veronique’s.
The sun was slowly rising but the temperature in London was a pitiful seven degrees compared to the highs we’d been experiencing on the island. I wrapped my arms around myself as I looked at the empty shop.
The chain around the double doors of Veronique’s had gone but the Leasehold For Sale sign was still up. A poetry night poster was stuck at an angle on the side window along with one to advertise the circus coming to Battersea Park in the summer.
The shelves inside Veronique’s had all been cleared and there was dust collecting on them. Swathes of dust and lint had gathered on the wooden floor. The back door from which Veronique would emerge every time the bell over the door sounded was open but the small corridor behind was too dark to see into. The shop space looked enormous now that it was empty. Looking upwards, the building was still majestic despite the lonely, forgotten interior.
‘What is it?’ asked Anthony. ‘I don’t get it.’
‘You remember we talked about me approaching Veronique, if that was her name, with plans to revamp her shop?’
‘Yes, I do. It’s too late now, though. Shame.’
‘For Veronique, yes, but not for me,’ I said.
‘Meaning you found someone else to proposition?’
‘I found this empty shop, Anthony.’ I nodded my head towards the vacant Veronique’s. ‘It’s an ideal location to set up a flagship shop for Shearman Bright. ‘So …’ I drew out the word. ‘I want to buy the leasehold.’
Anthony’s eyes widened.
‘You’re kidding,’ he said. ‘But how? When did you decide this?’
‘I thought a lot about it before the wedding. During the wedding. On the plane back. I wanted to see if it was still available. I just have a feeling it’s the right thing to do.’
‘It’s a big undertaking, Magenta. Can you even afford it?’
‘Judging by the sales figures, yes. So I can invest if I wanted to,’ I said. ‘What do you think?’
‘I think it’s amazing.’ He pulled me to him. ‘Like you.’
‘Do you think I can do it?’ I turned back towards the shop and looked in again.
Behind us Rhythm ’n’ Brews was opening its shutters and we were hit by the smell of fresh bread wafting out onto the street.
‘You can do anything you set your mind on, Magenta.’
I swung around and hugged Anthony. He had complete faith in me.
From inside our Saturday café I saw the owner had started setting up, bringing out some freshly baked pastries and stacking the shelves
‘Do you think they’ll serve us?’ I asked.
We crossed the road, hand in hand. The owner pointed at the closed sign when Anthony and I pressed our noses against the glass. I put my hands in prayer position, hopeful. The owner held up his hand for us to wait and began filling a bag with pastries. He brought them to the door.
‘On the house,’ he said.
‘You’re an angel,’ I said. ‘Thank you. See you next Saturday.’
For a brief moment I thought about eating the pastries outside the window of Veronique’s but I quickly decided against another Breakfast At Tiffany’s moment. I just wanted to get home, be with Anthony, and look forward to the future. There was a lot to look forward to.