All Tomorrow's Parties (13 page)

“Laine I love you like my sister, you know that don’t you?”

“Yes of course I do”, replied Laine.

“What you have just told me is the most beautiful thing ever Laine. I’m just scared for you, I really am. Love is such a powerful emotion, people are so reckless with it but it’s as powerful as a weapon Laine. It’s so powerful that it can hurt and cause pain as well as heal and bring about completeness – you do know that don’t you?” Ella held her friend’s hands tightly.

“Yes I do El, but John would never hurt me, I know it at my very core”, said Laine as her voice trailed off into her own thoughts.

“I will support you 100% Laine, but you know the decisions you have to make are huge, they’re not things that will go away”, said Ella reaching for the coffee pot.

“I know but I’m not ready, not yet”, said Laine.

Laine ached both physically and emotionally. She felt as if she were standing on the edge of a precipice imagining she could fly. Until this moment she had not really thought about her life before last night, in fact, she had not really thought at all. Everything that had happened had been directed by some kind of subconscious need that had been driving her response and actions.

“I know this sounds crazy El, but John has completely filled me, everything that’s gone before, well, it just doesn’t matter”, said Laine.

“So you’re saying that Danny or even Tony, well, they don’t matter?” said Ella surprised.

“That’s not what I meant, of course they matter, they have both been important in my life, but I’ve always known there was something.., well, something kind of missing, and now, well, now it feels as if the gap that was there has been filled.” Laine cupped her face in her hands and looked down at the table.

“You know this is heavy shit Laine. What if John doesn’t feel the same? It’s gonna break your heart. I don’t want to burst your bubble or put a downer on what you’ve found, but honey he may not be at the same place as you”, said Ella looking serious. “Holiday romances are called that for a reason Laine. You’re vulnerable right now.” Ella gently stroked Laines hands.

“I know you’re just concerned for me Ella, but I know, I just know he’s the one, and I can’t explain it but I know he feels the same. I have a chance, El, a real chance of being with someone who completes me; tell me, what would you do?” Laine looked up at Ella; she knew her friend cared deeply about her.

Ella had seen how torn she had been with the whole Danny and Tony thing and how different Laine had been this last 24 hours.

“OK Laine, you’re right, I’d grab it with both hands and hold on tight  - but please try really try to take it slow alright? You know I’m always here for you little sis.” Ella reached over and gave Laine a big hug.

“We’ve got some planning to do Red. What if when Pete comes back later you’re getting it on with Andy McPandy?” said Laine, now standing up and looking over the balcony to the balcony below.

“Shhhh they may be in, let’s go inside and discuss it”, said Ella, beckoning Laine in through the balcony doors.

Ella told Laine she had already decided that if Andy did make a move on her that she would stay strong at least until the following night. ““Never on a first date” is my mantra”, she said.

“Well that’s great then isn’t it? I really am a right old tart”, said Laine, applying sun cream to her legs.

“Laine that’s the plan, that’s not necessarily what will happen”, said Ella, filling up her water bottle at the sink.

“I reckon we go for the meal, be honest with them and tell them we’re expecting friends later, and leave it at that. If Andy’s into me, well, he’ll just have to wait a wee while won’t he?” said Ella in a very strange sounding Scottish accent.

The rest of the afternoon was spent buying groceries from the local supermarket and a visit to the tourist information office. The girls signed up for a day trip across to Yugoslavia to see a display of Lipizzaner horses. Ella and Laine both had a love for horses. Born black before turning pure white, Lipizzaners were originally a crossbreed between Krast horses of Yugoslavia and Spanish Adalucian stallions. The dressage skills displayed by Lipizzaners earned them the reputation of being the best dressage horses in the world. The trip would involve a coach to the stud farm in Yugoslavia, lunch, a display from the Lipizzaner riding school and return coach. Armed with their itinerary pack the girls made their way back to their apartment.

Whilst they had been gone Andy had slipped a note under their door –
Come get us at 7.30 – cocktails will be waiting Andy xx
.

“Oh he wants to see you Ella”, Laine teased in a childlike voice.

“Time to get the glad rags on, watch out Jeselo - the good time girls are a comin’”, said Ella.

The next hour was spent preening and pruning, shaving and plucking, the apartment had been turning into a high end beauty parlour. Cream was being applied; make up set, hair spray used and outfits changed at least 3 times. By the time Ella and Laine were ready it was nearly 7.30pm.

“Just time for a quick glass of Frascati I think”, said Ella, pouring herself and Laine the biggest glass she could find.

“Let me just say Ella, you look amazing…Andy will be drooling”, said Laine, as she circled Ella, eyeing her up and down.

“Well Laine you are looking like one hot mama yourself”, said Ella, holding up her glass of wine in a salute-like fashion.

Both girls looked stunning. Ella was dressed all in white with a gypsy style sleeveless top and flowing skirt, her auburn hair cascading down her back. Her outfit was completed with a pair of flat white espadrilles. Laine had opted for a blue and white striped sleeveless dress which had an air of the 1940s about it. She wore pale blue sandals and had her hair braided in a French pleat. Both girls dabbed Chanel No.5 behind their ears, a treat from duty free.

An air of excitement had come over them and they were chattering and giggling all the way down the flight of stairs to Andy’s apartment.

As he opened the door Andy’s eyes widened. He did a fake screwing up of his eyes and an exaggerated jaw dropping to the ground.

“Wow, well hello ladies, you both look amazing! Now I’m feeling slightly nervous to be in such beautiful company”, he said, taking each girls hand and gently kissing it.

Andy’s apartment looked exactly the same as theirs: same terracotta sofa, same marble floor, same tiny kitchen attached to the main room. Rod handed them both a cocktail. It tasted good, although Laine had no idea what was in it.

“What is it?” she asked taking a much more confident sip.

“That, Laine, is a Rod tequila sunrise special”, said Rod emptying his glass.

The taste was unusual: the sweet taste of orange juice collided with the overpowering kick of tequila.

Her taste buds truly were starting to sing.

“Mmmmm this really is very good, I could get a taste for these”, she said.

“Yeah me too”, Ella agreed, nodding.

Over the next twenty minutes or so the group managed made short work of the tequila, managing to finish off the bottle.

“Well I think it’s time we made a move”, said Andy, who had for the most part been reserved and quiet throughout the evening.

Both Laine and Ella picked up on Andy’s relative silence. As they walked to the restaurant Ella pulled Laine to one side.

“You don’t think I’ve upset him do you? Only I’m getting the feeling he’d rather be anywhere but here right now?” said Ella quietly.

Laine thought then nodded. “It certainly seems that way; he’s been a bit off with both of us all night.”

Laine’s thoughts trailed off back to her night with John, back to the rollercoaster of emotions she had experienced.

“Do you think he heard us last night? After all I think we were pretty loud when we got back to the apartment? If he thinks you’ve shacked up with some American GI, well, that would explain it”, said Laine.

Maybe that was it, thought Ella, maybe that was why he had seemed troubled and distant. She would have to make sure he knew there was nothing going on with Pete.

They arrived at Luigis, just after 8pm. Luigis was located towards the eastern edge of town, off the main drag, in a turning heading towards the sea. It was the kind of place that you would only know about if you were local. A small dark innocuous entrance opened out into a bustling sea of waiters, oak tables and rustic trimmings. What Luigis lacked in social graces it more than made up for with its food. The menu was immense, with a variety of zuppa, antipasti, risotto, pasta and traditional Venetian dishes such as rabbit and polenta. Laine and Ella both went for the risotto with gambaretti, whilst Andy ordered the rabbit and polenta. Rod and Tessa both had seafood pizzas whilst Mary opted for the risotto with squid ink.

Ella had deliberately sat next to Andy, with Laine to her right. The table being a large round oak table made it easy for the conversation (and the wine) to flow. Mary was expounding on the sheer beauty of Venice and had given Laine and Ella a recount on their trip the previous evening.

“Seriously it is the most romantic place on earth, it’s a shame none of us are hitched - it would have been the perfect place for a romantic stroll or a gondola ride”, sighed Mary.

“Well Laine, maybe that’s where you and John should go”, smiled Ella, who in between mouthfuls of risotto explained the course of events from the previous evening.

“Wow, I always said it’s the quiet ones you need to watch out for guys”, said Andy, who had listened intently as Ella had given a blow by blow account of their adventure, making sure it was well known that it was only Laine that had become romantically involved.

Laine blushed; she was not used to this much attention or this much of her personal life being put on display.

Andy seemed to have relaxed and had ventured to put his arm around Ella, who made no objections.

The evening had been a resounding success, with the group enjoying each other’s company, and at about 10.30pm they ventured back out into the warm May evening. The walk back to the apartments had taken on a fiesta feel. The night was warm with the scent of jasmine filling the air, every now and then the breeze would carry with it a new scent, sometimes oregano sometimes lemon or bergamot. A flower festival had taken place that day, and rose and bougainvillea petals lay strewn across their route back. Tourists thronged the streets, all merrily enjoying the warm night and party atmosphere. For a split second as she walked back through the streets arm in arm with Tessa, Laine had a sense that someone was watching her. She could not actualise what had made her feel this uncomfortable, only that it felt as if an ice cold pair of eyes were boring into her body. She shivered and turned around sharply, expecting to see the cause of her discomfort but saw no one other than a few other couples leaving the restaurant. Odd, she thought, mind playing tricks on me, maybe too much sun. “Everyone smile!” Andy shouted. From nowhere he had produced a camera and started snapping away.

The friends struck a variety of poses, laughing loudly as they did so. The uneasy feeling stayed with Laine for the rest of the walk back. Something had spooked her. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something very familiar had mildly perturbed her.

Ella and Andrew had walked hand in hand back from the restaurant. Ella had that dreamy look in her eyes that Laine recognised only too well.

Coffee was to be served at the girls’ place. Laine took the orders, white, black etc. whilst Ella sorted out the music. Her stomach was in knots. It had been tying and retying itself all day in anticipation of John’s return. A tingling feeling in her hands and feet kept coming wave upon wave as the time ticked closer to his arrival. Would she feel the same as she did last night and this morning? She had not been able to keep her thoughts far from last night. Every time she drifted she would suddenly see him in her mind’s eye and would be drawn back, back to the passion and ecstasy she had felt. Keeping busy was a way to at least give the appearance of being “normal”, whatever that was!

The apartment was stuffy again despite having left the blinds down for most of the day. Ella opened the balcony doors and bedroom windows and a gentle breeze began to flow through the apartment. The scent of jasmine they had encountered earlier caught on the breeze and danced its way through the open windows.

Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” played on the cassette player and a subliminal kind of peace seemed to fill the room. There was a soft knock on the door, which had been left ajar. Laine rushed to open it fully and there in civvies were John and Pete. Laine was reminded as if anew of how masculine John was. She had gone over in her mind a thousand times the events of last night. Now she had a chance to study him. His raven black hair crew cut style in true GI fashion, he seemed broader than Laine remembered, his shoulders forming the physical definition of his strength. Whoa momma, she had definitely had a tussle with the muscle last night! His overall athletic build was again making her tingle. Get a grip, she told herself, holding tight onto the door handle as though permanently stuck to it. Ella rushed passed her. “Guys come in come in, what you playing at keeping our friends waiting Laine? Come in boys, let me introduce you to our neighbours from downstairs”, and with that she ferried them into the lounge introducing them to Andy, Rod, Mary and Tessa.

John and Pete had been a bit surprised to see so many people in the apartment, but in true gentlemanly fashion had been polite and friendly. John stood by the divider between the kitchen and lounge,