‘Yep, in the kitchen.’
An older woman came into the room. ‘Hi Chris,’ she said, smiling.
‘Nancy, this is Carlotta,’ Chris said, as he went through a pile of mail.
‘Hi Carlotta,’ said Nancy.
‘Hi,’ said Carlotta to the friendly woman.
‘Nancy helps me and Alexia out. Picks Alexia up from school, does some cooking and other things around the place to make sure Social Services don’t come and take my girl away from me,’ he laughed.
Nancy laughed. ‘I’m just gonna help Alexia with her shower and then I will head off. There’s some pasta there on the sink and a sauce I made earlier, just heat it up.’
‘Thanks Nance,’ Chris said, as Nancy bustled around them.
Carlotta put her bag down and looked out the window on the city below. ‘Christmas soon,’ she said.
‘Not for me.’
‘Of course,’ said Carlotta, remembering Chris was Jewish.
‘I do some stuff for Alexia as her mother didn’t convert but mostly we try and go away to a wheelchair friendly place in the sun.’
Carlotta smiled. What would happen this year she thought? Would Birdie be home in time? Would her sisters join Carlotta? So many questions now Birdie was conscious, and the sisters were speaking again.
Things had improved between Chris and Carlotta since their successful trip overseas. She had relied on him more and more, and his quiet strength and pragmatic way of looking at the world helped her calm down and take one day at a time.
‘What did you see in Berconi?’ asked Chris suddenly.
Carlotta shrugged. ‘He was powerful, arrogant, like the horses I like to ride,’ she laughed.
‘He’s a massive fuckwit,’ said Chris. ‘You deserve so much better.’
Carlotta was still. They stared at each other. ‘Like who?’ she asked.
Chris gathered himself. ‘Anyone but him. Wine?’ he offered, as he walked to a cupboard and opened it.
‘No, I don’t think so. My head is foggy enough,’ Carlotta said, wondering why she was here with Chris now. It seemed like a good idea when they left the medical laboratory where she handed in her father’s toothbrush and gave her own DNA sample, but now she wasn’t so sure.
Chris poured her a mineral water and went into the kitchen. She could hear pots and pans rattling and he emerged wearing his lobster oven mitts again. The sight of him, in his shirtsleeves and mitts made Carlotta laugh.
‘What?’ he asked, offended.
‘They really are the silliest oven mitts I have ever seen.’
Chris made snapping noises and walked over and tried to bite her on her arms and back. She fell against him, laughing, and then his arms wrapped around her.
She stood looking at him, slightly taller in her flats.
‘You sure?’ she asked
‘Are you?’ he returned.
‘No,’ she said, smiling.
‘Me neither,’ he said, and kissed her. It was a long, slow, languorous kiss, the type Carlotta loved. His strong arms were around her and she felt herself melt into them.
‘What are we doing?’ she asked into his neck.
