Paris, Keeley’s reason for being in Paris and stood here, entirely down to someone else. She drew in a breath, kicking a little of the snow that was already starting to decrease as the temperature rose just a little. And then her phone began to ring. Straightaway she wondered whether it was Silvie, cancelling their lunch. Then she worried it was Erica or, worse still, one of the nurses with news of Erica. She grabbed her phone from her bag and checked the screen…
Mum
She answered. ‘Hi, Mum.’
‘Oh, hello darling! Or, should I say, “bonjour”? What time is it there?’
‘It’s an hour later than with you. Just after eleven.’
‘Are you wrapped up warm?’ Lizzie asked. ‘Your father’s been checking the forecast and it said snow for today. Is there snow? Are you wearing a hat? And gloves. Do you have gloves?’
‘Yes, Mum,’ Keeley replied. She wasn’t wearing a hat or gloves. She was still worried the hair dye would stain anything she put in close contact of it. There was definitely a taint on her pillow this morning completely like there had been the one and only time Bea had got her to try fake tan…
‘Yes, you’re wrapped up or yes, there’s snow? Are you outside? It sounds like you’re outside.’
‘I am outside,’ Keeley replied, taking a breath of the cold air and appreciating her surroundings with a little bit more awareness. ‘Rach and I are sightseeing this morning. And there is snow, but only a little bit.’ But it was fresh and white and crisp and was currently making Keeley feel a little Christmassy.
‘So… what’s she like?’ Lizzie blurted out. ‘I don’t want to crowd you, or interfere, or say or do any of the things I always get condemned for, but… you’re in France and I’m not and I… need to know!’ There was harried breathing then that sounded like someone on a bike. Except Lizzie didn’t do exercise unless it involved making shapes with her body or full-contact combat.
‘Where are you, Mum?’
‘Me? Oh, I’m… you know… just on errands.’ There was a spit of laughter. ‘Your father wants me to do something ludicrous with his darts at the sports shop. Sharpening the flights… or was it the tips? I don’t know. Phil Taylor issues.’
‘Mum—’
‘Anyway,’ Lizzie butted in again. ‘Don’t change the subject. Tell me… what this Silvie is like. Is she glamourous? Because I’ve been imagining her glamourous.’
Keeley glanced at her watch. Time seemed to be going super slowly today when she was both anxious and excited about the meeting later. ‘Well… I haven’t actually met Silvie yet.’
‘What?! What d’you mean you haven’t met her yet? You’ve been there for days! On her invitation! What’s going on? Keeley, you tell me now, what’s going on?!’
She was surprised other visitors to the colonnes weren’t able to hear her mum’s ranting. She spoke a little softer herself. ‘Nothing’s going on. We arrived, we’ve settled in and I told you we have the most amazing room with a view of the Eiffel Tower…’
‘But she’s not met you yet? I knew this would happen! I said to your father, I said it’s all splashing out on Eurostar tickets here and sleek hotels there and it’s all very generous and attractive but now we know, don’t we?’
What did her mum know? ‘I don’t—’
‘She’s playing with you, Keeley. Toying with your emotions. In my book club we all read this story about this rich, perfect woman who we all imagined looked like Susan Sarandon and really it was all a façade. In reality “Susan” was a penniless whore who prayed on the vulnerable.’
‘Mum, it’s not like that. I’m actually meeting her for lunch today. Near the Louvre.’
‘If she shows up.’ There was an exasperated sigh. ‘In this book, “Susan” had a whole host of excuses why she couldn’t be one place or another. Of course really she’s burying bodies of the people that crossed her and—’
‘Mum, why did you give Rach a load of my medication to bring here?’
Keeley had pounced into the conversation with the only ammunition against this mad book club analogy she had. The fact her mum had pushed her anti-rejection drugs on her friend. Apparently, because she had to take tablets for the rest of her life and look after her well-being more than most, her mum had gone back to treating her like she was six.
‘I… didn’t know if you would remember so I was, covering all the bases… ow! Ooo! You’re alive!’
Keeley baulked, taking the phone away from