Page 83 of Crying in the Rain
“I am! Are you here on your own?”
“No. My friend Jay’s about somewhere. The lights are giving him a headache, or so he says. More like he’s just being miserable and boring as usual.” The next track properly kicked in, and Krissi groaned. “God, I heard enough of this growing up to last the rest of my days.” It wasa-ha—‘Take On Me’.
“Don’t you like them?”
“They’re all right, I suppose. My mother’s a Morten fan girl. She’s obsessed. I reckon that’s why she fell for Kris.”
Ade laughed, thinking Krissi might well be on to something. But for all of her complaining, it didn’t stop her from grabbing Ade’s hand, and they sang and danced their way through to the end of the song, at which point Ade felt a tug on his arm. Kris had finally made it back with the drinks.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I got sidetracked.”
“Don’t worry. Is everything OK?”
“Yeah.” Kris looked doubtful. Ade mouthedsee you laterat Krissi, and he and Kris moved to the side of the atrium, where they’d been standing before, although they’d lost their spot, and Shaunna’s shoes were gone.
“Shall we get some air?” Ade suggested.
28: Uncle
Kris
Kris ledAdeaway from the crowded atrium and down the deserted passageway towards the conservatory. It was too dark to pick out the décor, pictures on the walls appearing as indiscernible black rectangles. A closed door on their left opened as they passed, providing a glimpse of deep-green tiles and an ornate porcelain hand basin and toilet with brass fixtures. They exchanged polite nods with the person who exited and continued onwards, stepping into the shaft of tungsten-tinged light coming from the open door to their right.
“Wow!” Ade slowed, taking in the vast kitchen. An empty shell last time Kris had been there, it was now fully refurbished in the Victorian style. An enormous scrubbed-oak table took up the centre of the room, with a solid oak worktop around the perimeter, providing a warm contrast with the polished steel cookware and enormous shiny black-and-chrome range. It was a stunning kitchen, mixing modern and traditional, in keeping with the house, as was true of the atrium, the bathroom they had just passed and the conservatory they now entered.
“This place is incredible!” Ade said, gazing around him in awe.
“Yeah. It looks a million times better than the last time I saw it.” Despite his fractured frame of mind, Kris was as impressed as Ade by the transformation. “You couldn’t even see out of the windows—well, the ones that were still in one piece.”
Ade lifted a corner of the pool cover to peer underneath. “Imagine the work that went into laying those tiles.” He droppedthe cover back into place and caught up with Kris. “Did you know the Victorians built these as a conspicuous display of their wealth?”
“I didn’t.”
“Sometimes they used them for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs for the kitchen, but they existed primarily for the purposes of entertainment and showing off.”
“Your knowledge is amazing.”
“It’s really not. I did a stint onGardeners’ Question Timeduring my internship. Which means I can also tell you that those palm trees or whatever they are will thrive as long as there’s good ventilation.”
With the pool covered, the smell of chlorine was present but not overpowering and mingled with the warm earthy scent of the tropical plants in large pots along the glass side walls. Kris and Ade edged past those and the loungers, eventually making it out of the doors to the garden beyond.
Kris put his arms around Ade, pulling him close. “I’m sorry I left you on your own. Are you OK?”
“A little overwhelmed, but yes. I’m fine. You’re not, though, are you?”
“I’m all right.”
“Babe?”
“I just don’t like it when someone else has all the limelight.” Kris smiled to make it clear he was joking.
“Naturally! You’re used to being the star of the show,” Ade said, playing along briefly before asking, “But that’s not the whole story, is it? What else is going on?”
“Why would there be anything else?” Kris tried to withdraw from their embrace, but Ade kept hold of him.
“Have I upset you?”
Kris shook his head. “Of course not.”
