Diana rolled over and stared at the wall.
She didn’t want to go to Europe with her mother. She wanted to be on the back of Douglas’s motorbike, hands around his waist, her face resting on his back as they drove through the Black Forest.
Diana’s mother closed the door again, leaving her alone.
Diana felt tears fall from her eyes. Deep inside her, she knew Helen was right; she just didn’t want it to be real.
16
Amanda
Amanda watched Janet walk Diana around the garden, introducing her to the others in the club.
She walked over to Simon who was assessing a garden bed with scraggly plants fighting for survival.
‘Are you watching this?’ she asked Simon, nodding her head towards Diana.
‘Yeah, it’s nice,’ said Simon.
‘Can you hear that?’ asked Amanda, straining to listen.
‘What? No, I can’t hear anything,’ Simon said as he bent down and pulled a flower from one of the plants. ‘Do you know what this is?’ he asked.
Amanda shrugged. ‘Don’t ask me, I’m still working through the flower books and can’t name anything other than a daisy, but I’m trying to learn.’ Amanda put her hands on her hips and closed her eyes. ‘I can still hear it. It’s a phone ringing.’ She leaned down and then quickly straightened. ‘It’s your pocket ringing.’
Simon reached in and took it out and Amanda leaned over and looked at the screen.
‘Who’s Charlie?’ she asked.
‘None of your business,’ he snapped, but Amanda laughed at him.
‘You don’t get to hide your life from me if you’re going to be my friend,’ she said. ‘Is Charlie your ex?’
Simon snorted. ‘Not bloody likely.’
The phone rang again and Amanda grabbed it from his hand and answered. ‘Hello, Simon’s line. Can I assist you?’
She turned to see Simon’s jaw agape.
‘Charlie? I don’t know of a Charlie – he has never mentioned you. Your last name please?’ She paused, looking at Simon with her tongue out. ‘B.R.I.N.D.L.E. Where is Simon now? He’s with clients. I’m sorry, he can’t speak now.’
Simon started to laugh and shake his head.
Amanda listened to the man on the line. ‘I can’t guarantee he will get back to you anytime soon. His days are filled for the next few weeks with some specific new things he’s planting and shaping. A lot of digging deep, so he will have his hands dirty, I’m afraid.’
Simon was bent double trying to stifle his laughter.
‘A message?’
Simon stopped laughing now and Amanda watched him.
‘You’re sorry, and so is Anika. Okay, anything else? Just to call him? Alright, I’ll pass that on.’
Amanda looked at the phone and then at Simon and it all made sense. She ended the call.
‘What an absolute fucking asshole,’ she said.
Simon sighed. ‘I suppose I should be mad at you for that, but part of me is glad that he’s wondering why an American is answering my phone and what projects I have my hands in.’ He put his hands in the pockets of his work pants. ‘Anika left me the day of our wedding, for Charlie.’
