‘That sounds great,’ said Grace, stunned at the turn of events.
‘OK, you work it out with Frank and we’ll see you tomorrow. Bye, Grace.’
‘Bye, Calypso,’ said Grace, feeling strange saying her name.
She hung up and stood surrounded by mops and buckets and then screamed in her office.
A staff member opened the door. ‘You all right?’ he asked.
‘I’m great! I’m going to LA,’ she shouted and hugged him and then ran outside to call Frank.
Dialling his number, her hands were shaking. ‘You’re a shit,’ she laughed down the phone. ‘Tell me that was really her and not some friend of yours playing an elaborate joke,’ she begged.
Frank laughed on the other end of the line. ‘That was her, I told you that you have to go direct to the source.’
Grace shrieked down the phone. ‘So you coming to LA with me or what?’
‘Leave it with me, OK. I will call you tonight with all the details.’
‘OK,’ said Grace. Just as she was about to hang up, she stopped. ‘Frank?’
‘Yes?’
‘Thank you.’
‘Don’t mention it,’ he said.
And Grace danced down the hallway, ready to share her news with her sisters.
15
Carlotta arrived at Chris’s office at three o’clock on the dot. Chris was waiting for her.
‘I’m going to pick her up from school and take her out there,’ he said, not looking at Carlotta.
‘Great,’ said Carlotta, wondering why she always felt nervous around Chris.
Walking downstairs into the car park, she settled into his Mercedes and they sat in silence till they reached Alexia’s school. The bell had rung and Carlotta saw girls milling about the street, in blue blazers and red berets.
‘God, school uniforms are so ugly,’ she said, thinking of her own school days.
Chris laughed. ‘No wonder they spend so much on fashion when they have to dress like this.’
Carlotta felt relieved at his change in mood. She looked around for Alexia and saw her sitting in her chair surrounded by girls, all laughing. Carlotta felt herself smile. Whatever Alexia had had served up to her in her short life, certainly didn’t seem to stop her from smiling.
Alexia waved at her father who was out of the car and gesturing to her. She wheeled herself across the crossing towards the car. Seeing Carlotta in the front seat, her face lit up. ‘No way!’ she said.
‘Hi,’ said Carlotta shyly.
‘Oh wow! Are you coming to see me ride?’ she asked excitedly.
‘Yes, if you don’t mind,’ said Carlotta, getting out of the car.
‘Not at all,’ said Alexia as her father unhooked her backpack from the chair and put it in the large trunk of the car.
Carlotta went to sit in the back seat.
‘You can sit in the front,’ said Alexia quickly.
