The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin Page 0,110

a burden to you.’

Fiona started to object.

‘Yes, I have. I realised when I couldn’t get hold of you in Japan … I was all set to call the British Embassy.’

Fiona almost laughed. Hadn’t she predicted that very thing?

‘And then when I’d spoken to the nice Japanese lady—’

‘You mean Haruka?’ Fiona smiled. She missed Haruka more than she would have imagined. And Setsuko. And Gabe.

‘Is that her name? She was very kind but it was then I realised how ridiculous I was being. And that I didn’t need to text and message you all the time. You have your own life to lead.’

Fiona bit her lip. Oh, the irony. Gabe had been right all along.

‘And when I talked to Peter about it—’

‘Peter?’

‘Yes, Peter. He was very supportive while you were in Japan. Made me see things a lot more clearly. I’ve not been a very good mother.’

‘Don’t be silly,’ Fiona protested. Her mother wasn’t that bad. She fussed a bit and was a hypochondriac but as Gabe had pointed out, perhaps Fiona had let her.

‘I could have been a lot better. When your dad died, I was so angry with him for leaving me. I put everything into taking care of you but when you got older and more independent, especially these last couple of years, there was nothing for me to do. So I leaned on you … too much. Anyway, Peter, well, he gave me quite a stern talking to. Said I had a lot of life left in me and I needed to start enjoying it and doing things on my own and to stop acting like a housebound old lady. He dared me to join the WI.’

‘I did wonder.’ Fiona gave her mother’s hand a squeeze.

‘Oh, look at the time, you need to go. You’ll have missed the first train but there’s another one in forty minutes. You’ll be a little late.’

‘Mum, I can’t leave you on your own. You ought to go to the hospital and get it checked out.’

‘I’ll ask Peter to take me. My mobile’s in my hand bag. Can you go and get it for me?’

Chapter 28

Unfortunately, the train was delayed by a points failure at Vauxhall which left Fiona drumming her fingers on her other palm wondering if she should let Mr Morimoto know of the further delay. Poor man had been beside himself when she told him about her mother. By the time she rushed through the doors to her own launch party she was an hour late. She stood in the small lobby for a moment considering turning tail. The next room was full, with people looking at the large framed prints. Excitement fizzed her in stomach. Her photographs. On display. And people were studying them, properly examining them. God, what if they didn’t like them? Goosebumps raised on her skin. There were so many people here. She crept forward to the entrance of the room, just hovering in the archway. From just out of sight she scanned the faces, searching for one particular face, her heart in her mouth.

He wasn’t here. Everything inside curled a little with disappointment, like the edges of paper burning. He hadn’t come. She took a deep dragging breath followed by a half sob. You can’t cry. You can’t. Nor could she turn around and walk away, no matter how much she wanted to – and which she might have done eventually if a woman with long, dark glossy hair hadn’t spotted her. With a brilliant, mega-watt beam, she came striding straight over on long legs wearing ridiculously high stilettos and still managing to appear totally graceful.

‘Fashionably late, darling,’ said Avril, draping an arm around her shoulder and drawing her into the crowd.

‘Who are all these people?’ whispered Fiona, staring around at the packed room. ‘There are loads of them. Is that … Dan Snow? And Kay Burleigh?’

‘Probably,’ said Avril with an airy wave of her hand. ‘Now get your arse in here and throw some Prosecco down your neck then come and tell us about these fabulous photos. Especially the one of Mount Fuji.’ Her fingers dug into Fiona’s shoulder and she beckoned a waiter over and snagged Fiona a glass before guiding her to a group standing in front of the picture of the little boy and the torii gate.

‘Look who’s finally made it.’ Avril pushed her forward and suddenly she was surrounded by her friends. She grinned at them. The gang were all there, except for Sophie who was all loved up