‘Well, I have a lot going on in my life right now. My mom, my work, I have personal things I am trying to grapple with, you know, put old ghosts to rest. It wouldn’t be right to bring Frank into that,’ she said, toying with her fork.
‘So it’s not because he’s a bike courier?’ asked Calypso.
‘No,’ said Grace, looking down. It was true, she didn’t care but she knew her life was too complicated for Frank right now. Finally coming to terms with Matthew and what had happened consumed her and every day she fought not to have a drink, to stay sober and present.
Kelly watched her. Something had happened to Grace, she knew it in her soul. There was a fragility that reminded her of someone else. She realised who it was and what had happened. The evening went on and the women spoke of nothing and everything, and finally Grace begged her leave as she was tired and heading back to New York in the morning.
After Calypso saw her out she walked back outside to Kelly who was clearing the plates.
‘What do you think?’ she asked.
Kelly put down the dirty dishes and looked at Calypso. ‘I think something terrible has happened. Not recently, but something that has come up again for her. I think that she and Frank are right for each other but not right now.’
Calypso looked at her closely. ‘What do you mean something has happened?’
‘I mean she reminds me of you when you went to live with TG at his villa after Raphael attacked you.’
‘You think she was raped?’ asked Calypso, sitting down with the weight of the memory.
‘I don’t know, I’m just saying she reminded me of you – shocked, fragile, emotional, guilty,’ said Kelly, still standing.
‘Then why won’t she let Frank help her?’ asked Calypso.
‘Because she has to help herself first. And she has her sisters. You saw how much love there was when she spoke of them. Maybe they are the ones to help her, not Frank. Not every man is a knight in shining armour.’
Calypso sat thinking and then looked at Kelly. ‘He needs to tell her.’
Kelly cocked her ear to one side. ‘I know he does, and he will, and she will tell him when she is ready. Meanwhile we wait.’
Calypso looked at the lights on in her house, knowing TG and August were inside. She smiled at Kelly. ‘Well, maybe it will work out,’ she said optimistically. ‘Nothing’s impossible.’
Kelly smiled in return. ‘You’re right. Nothing’s impossible.’
27
Jeff walked into Birdie’s room as she was preparing to leave for rehabilitation. ‘OK Birdie, you will see me soon. Four weeks, OK?’
‘Yes, of course, Dr Carson.’
Birdie was walking well, going to the bathroom by herself, and besides a few headaches and a need to sleep more than normal, she was fine, except for her belief that she and Spencer were married.
‘Wait until rehab,’ Jeff had said to Spencer. ‘Things often come back then.’
Spencer picked up a few of the bags and left the room as Birdie was piling magazines onto the bed. ‘Tell your nurses I bequeath these to them,’ she said, laughing.
‘Sure, they are always looking for new material, especially the night girls.’
Birdie picked up a book. ‘Here, you take this,’ she said. ‘I have read it so many times.’
Jeff looked down. ‘Washington Square. Henry James.’
Birdie looked knowingly at him. ‘Have you read it?’
‘No, I never have.’
‘A good story, a girl has a terrible father who uses money and class to divide her and her love.’
‘Sounds compelling,’ said Jeff politely.
