The House That Alice Built

by Chris Penhall

‘Bom dia,’ replied Alice, sitting up.

  ‘A dia e lindo, lovely day.’ He smiled.

  ‘Sure is.’ Standing up unsteadily, Alice remembered why she had fallen asleep by the pool. ‘Right, one more time before I take on the world,’ she said to the cat, and jumped in.

  Just what taking on the world meant, Alice couldn’t decide. All she knew was that when she went into town to deliver more bracelets and buy more art materials she was on high alert. The spectre of Adam potentially lurked around every corner, even though her mother had assured her that he had no real idea of exactly where she was. She was angry, she was determined, but she was scared. Because when he finally did find her, Alice knew she’d have to deal with him, and that meant fighting for her home. And even though she was wearing her new defiantly vibrant trousers, she wasn’t sure they would help with that.

  After dropping off her bracelets, she grabbed a taxi to Luis’s farmhouse, her stomach churning with stress. And there, too, in the back of her mind were Marcella and Antonio and Luis’s supposed reputation. But as soon as Alice caught sight of him sitting on the step talking to Elvis who had dropped a stick at his feet, everything disappeared, except for him.

  ‘Alice!’ he waved at her, smiling. ‘It’s so good to see you.’ He swept her up and kissed her, stroking her hair, whilst Elvis sat barking happily. He stood back. ‘Great trousers,’ he said. ‘They suit you. Make you look like an artist.’

  Alice stroked them and laughed. ‘New uniform then. I was thinking of getting some hairbands and stuff, just to go the full hippy.’

  He took her hand. ‘I’ve already made a start. I’ve got to do as much as I can today because ...’ He trailed off.

  ‘Because?’

  He looked at her and paused. Then said, ‘Just because.’

  They began to wash down the surfaces in the main bedroom, both of them facing different walls, quiet and lost in thought.

  Tell him, said the voice in Alice’s head. But something strangled the words in her throat, as if letting them out would put Adam between them.

  ‘So,’ he said, eventually. ‘Once I clear everything here, I will have to leave it until the other things are resolved.’

  ‘Oh, that’s a pity.’

  ‘Once I have sold the other place I can buy what I need for here.’

  ‘Any progress on that?’

  ‘Not so far.’

  They worked on for a while, silent again. The sunlight shone through the window, illuminating Luis’s back. It looked a little hunched, a little despondent, Alice thought. She walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist. ‘It’ll be all right,’ she said.

  ‘Its business,’ said Luis. ‘I have to take the rough with the smooth.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Tomorrow evening I have another gig.’

  Alice stood back. ‘Oh,’ she said.

  ‘It’s only work, Alice,’ said Luis.

  ‘I know, but I thought you were—’

  ‘This is real life,’ he said, suddenly sharp. ‘It’s okay for you. This is your escape. You are in a little cocoon. For me this is real.’

  ‘I ...’ Alice felt like she’d been slapped.

  Luis turned around. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.’ He grabbed her and held her to him. ‘I’m under pressure. You didn’t deserve that.’

  Tell him, said the voice in her head. But she didn’t.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Alice walked through the doors to the beauty salon determined to speak to Kathy. She hadn’t replied to three voicemails so Alice knew something was wrong. And she needed to warn her about Adam. And get some reassurance for herself. Immediately calmed by the soft aroma of lavender, Alice walked over to talk to the receptionist who had her gaze fixed on her computer. ‘Hi. Is Kathy free?’

  Juanita, the receptionist looked up, a tight smile fixed on her face. ‘Well, sort of,’ she said.

  ‘Sort of?’

  ‘She’s, um … you’re Alice her best friend, aren’t you? I’ve seen you here before and she talks about you a lot.’

  ‘Is she okay?’

  ‘She’s behaving a little bit oddly today. I’ve managed to squeeze her appointments in with the other girls.’

  Alice felt the anxiety return. ‘Is she sick? Hang on … can I hear “Greased Lightning” coming from somewhere?’

  ‘She is just lying on the treatment bed in room one with the soundtrack from Grease playing over and over and over again.’

  ‘I think I’d better go in.’ Alice remembered two broken love affairs for Kathy at university. Grease was her ‘being sad’ album.

  ‘Please. Can you? I mean she owns the place. It doesn’t give a very good impression. You can hear it through the walls.’

  Pushing the door slowly open, Alice walked into the darkened room as the song changed to “Beauty School Dropout”. Kathy was lying on the bed, her eyes covered with a mask.

  ‘Go away,’ said Kathy weakly.

  ‘Nope,’ said Alice.

  Kathy sighed and slowly pulled the mask off her face. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I thought it was Stephano.’

  Alice forced herself to smile brightly. ‘So, you’re playing the soundtrack from Grease then. Why?’

  ‘Mmmmmmm.’ Kathy rolled off the bed onto her feet as Alice’s heart began to beat faster. There was a tense, anxious look on her friend’s face she hadn’t seen before. ‘It wasn’t the tea, after all,’ said Kathy, ‘Apparently, I am pregnant.’

  Alice looked at her, stunned. ‘You’re what?’

  Kathy sighed again and said evenly. ‘I’m pregnant.’

  ‘That’s great news,’ said Alice too quickly, wanting to help, but unsure exactly what to say. She moved towards Kathy to try to hug her but she stood back holding her hands up to keep her away.

  ‘Sorry. I don’t mean to, but I only found out about four hours ago. I’m in shock.’

  ‘Have you told Stephano?’

  ‘I left him a message. He hasn’t phoned. I don’t want to see him.’ Kathy began walking around and around the treatment bed. ‘Where is he? Why hasn’t he been to see me? I hate him for doing this to me. I don’t want him to come.’

  Alice poured her a glass of cold water from a jug on the table and held it up to her. ‘Drink this,’ she said.

  Kathy looked at her. ‘I want a cup of tea,’ she said quietly.

  Alice stepped out of the room. ‘Can you order us a pot of tea and two cups from upstairs,’ she said to Juanita.

  ‘Is she okay now?’ asked Juanita quietly.

  ‘Almost,’ Alice whispered. ‘Tea coming,’ she said, turning back to Kathy and trying to sound bright, but her stomach was in turmoil, as she tried to understand how to help her friend. Positivity, she decided, was the best approach. ‘This is exciting news. Isn’t it?’

  ‘Not quite the words I’d use. Screwed. That’s a word I would use. In its literal and figurative sense.’

  ‘Have you decided what you are going to do?’

  ‘Nope. Well, I know what I’ll do. But I still have to agonise for a while yet before I finally get my head around it.’

  Alice sat on the treatment bed and patted the space next to her. ‘I think you need to sit down.’

  Kathy nudged in next to her. ‘Careful, I am an invalid.’

  ‘You’re pregnant my dear. That’s not an illness.’

  ‘Well vomiting constantly makes me feel ill. So it is.’

  There was a knock on the door and the receptionist brought in some tea. ‘Thank you, Juanita,’ said Kathy. ‘I apologise for my behaviour. Is all okay out there?’

  ‘All okay,’ replied Juanita, ‘Don’t worry. But could you turn the music off?’ She closed the door behind her.

  Alice switched it off and stirred the tea in the pot.

  ‘So, your birthday,’ said Kathy eventually.

  ‘I should remember how many sugars you take, but I can’t,’ said Alice.

  ‘It used to be a half. It’s now three. Because I’m pre
gnant and that’s what I want.’

  ‘Fine. Okay. What about my birthday?’

  ‘End of next week, my dear. What are your plans?’

  ‘I hadn’t thought. I have that dress and—’

  ‘Useless!’ Kathy took the tea. ‘All I do is go off and get accidentally pregnant and you go completely to pot.’

  Alice looked at her, wondering whether to tell her about Adam or not. ‘Shouldn’t we be talking about your pregnancy rather than my birthday?’ she said eventually.

  Kathy took a sip of her drink. ‘You’re looking shifty,’ she said. ‘You weren’t here just to check on my welfare, were you?’

  ‘Um. Well. There is something I was going to tell you that is affecting my potential plans.’

  ‘What? Is it Luis? Is everything alright?’

  ‘It’s not Luis … Adam is here. Apparently. Somewhere.’

  Kathy’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘You’re kidding!’

  ‘That’s the liveliest I’ve seen you for days.’

  ‘Ha! Adam always did wind me up.’

  Alice picked her cup up and breathed in the hot steam thoughtfully. ‘It is a bit odd, though isn’t it? Flying in to try to intimidate me. Because he may not find me.’

  ‘Could be a colossal waste of time and money.’ Kathy giggled softly.

  ‘Although. He’s actually looking for you.’

  ‘Me?’

  ‘He found out you were here from someone from uni and he knows you’re a beautician. And he used his considerable intellectual talent to work out that I was somewhere near you.’

  ‘We’ll have to go out in disguise.’

  ‘Very funny.’

  ‘You know what he’s like. He’s going to try to bully you again. He must really need the money from your house.’

  ‘I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again …’

  ‘He can’t have my house,’ they said in unison, ‘he only owns the downstairs toilet!’ And then they laughed.

  ‘None of this is funny at all, though,’ said Alice staring into her tea. ‘None of it.’

  ‘You should see him, though. I’m being serious now.’

  Alice shook her head slowly.

  ‘The usual Alice tactic of dealing with something by pretending it’s not happening.’

  ‘I’m not …’

  ‘You are.’ Kathy put her arms around her friend. ‘You are either going to have to buy him out of the house or you are going to have to sell it. I suppose you could rent it out to pay the mortgage but if he wants to sell it you can’t, can you? The brutal truth. I am either going to have to have the baby or …’ Kathy stood up again and put her cup down. ‘Neither of us can run fast enough to get away from any of this.’

  ‘I’m fighting it,’ said Alice quietly. ‘In my own way. But I’m fighting it. He only paid for about an eighth of it. And that downstairs toilet? I decorated it!’

  ‘Do you really want to go back to it, Alice?’

  ‘It’s my home.’

  ‘Is it? Oh … oh dear.’ Kathy clambered up and bolted out of the room towards the bathroom.

  ‘This baby doesn’t like your tea.’

  As Alice ate a biscuit there was a soft knock on the door. ‘Kathy?’ It was Stephano.

  ‘Come in,’ said Alice. ‘She’s in the loo.’

  He eased himself slowly into the room and stood with his back against a wall in between a trolley full of bottles and cotton wool and an alarming looking white machine that had a red flashing light on it.

  ‘She told you?’ he said.

  ‘Yes,’ said Alice. ‘Congratulations?’

  ‘Hmm,’ he said, looking at the floor, as Kathy pushed the door open.

  ‘You!’ she said.

  ‘Kathy …’ he said stepping towards her, as she backed away,

  ‘Don’t “Kathy” me!’ she shouted.

  Alice began to shuffle around the table, hoping to make her escape.

  ‘I’m so excited,’ he said.

  ‘Are you?’ said Kathy, beginning to cry.

  Alice closed the door behind her and began to walk back to her apartment, so she could give her friends some space to talk.

  When Alice got home she attempted to block her anxiety by concentrating on work and began gathering some more prints. But it kept coming back. Her house, her money, her everything. He wanted to take it away from her. Now Kathy had her own issues to deal with she had no-one to help calm her down. And she couldn’t tell Luis. She just couldn’t.

  ‘It’s my home.’

  Is it? said the voice in her head which sounded very much like Kathy.

  ‘It’s my home. I made it.’

  The House that Alice built, said the voice in her head.

  ‘The House that Alice built,’ she said sadly.

  She put the prints to one side and picked up Aphrodite. ‘Fancy a walk?’ she said, padding into the kitchen. ‘My kitchen in London has cream cabinets and a black marble worktop. The tiles are white and terracotta and the floor is the same.’ Aphrodite purred and dug her claws into Alice’s shoulder.

  ‘I remember helping the builders pull the old one out. Dust and debris everywhere. Just a shell. And then it slowly took shape – it sort of grew out of the murk and dirt. I got the fabric for the curtains from Camden Market and I made them myself. Magnolia with delicate splashes of bronze and green and yellow, with thin dark gold tie-backs.’

  I used to make myself a nice cup of tea and look out at our tiny garden, watching the birds swoop onto our feeding table, and glimpsing the occasional London sunset. All framed by my hand-made curtains. Then we … I … ran out of money and we … I … had to wait for a year before I decorated the living room. I used to spend hours on the internet late at night researching colours and fabrics and furniture …’

  Aphrodite started to wriggle impatiently, jumping onto the floor with a squeak.

  ‘You’re right,’ said Alice. ‘Back to work. Today I shall be living in the present for once. Because he’s even taking that away from me. I won’t let him. Got to choose some more photos to print.’

  The entry phone buzzed. Alice glanced at the clock. It was just past midnight. She picked it up.

  ‘It’s me,’ said Luis. ‘I wanted to see you.’

  Alice’s heart fluttered. He was here, just when she needed him. ‘I thought you were at that gig?’

  ‘I was. It finished. I left. As early as I could.’

  She let him in and ran to the bathroom to tidy up her hair.

  ‘I wasn’t sure you would be awake,’ he said, holding out a bottle of wine and kissing her lightly.

  ‘I was sorting through the photos I took the other night. Got completely involved and didn’t look up until you arrived.’

  He sighed wearily and sat on the sofa.

  ‘Oh dear, like that is it?’ she asked. ‘I presume you’d like a large glass?’

  ‘As long as you have one too.’

  ‘If you insist.’ She sat down next to him and they snuggled in together. ‘Was it a good crowd tonight?’

  ‘Pretty good, I suppose. Couldn’t wait to leave.’

  ‘Well you have a lot on your mind.’

  ‘I can’t believe I didn’t get out of this years ago, you know? It was just easier to stay. I’m lazy, I suppose.’

  ‘You can get out of it.’

  He sipped his wine. ‘Unfortunately, recent events have meant that I have to stay in it a little longer. I can’t help feeling that Antonio is enjoying having some power over me. It’s a mess.’

  ‘Oh well.’

  ‘Three houses. I have three houses. One to live in. One to sell. And one to renovate.’

  ‘You are property rich.’

  ‘But cash poor. I’ll sort it. It’s this bit in between. I’m going to have to be a bit scarce over the next few days. Sorting this mess out. Playing in the band, and I’ve managed to get a few days working on some apartment renovations in Lisbon.’

  ‘Needs must,’ said Alice. ‘As long
as it’s all okay in the end.’

  ‘In the end,’ he said. ‘I haven’t forgotten your birthday. Don’t worry. I’ll be there.’

  ‘Wherever there is. I haven’t really organised it yet.’

  ‘Well, wherever it is.’

  She forced a smile.

  ‘Are you okay?’ he asked. ‘You seem different. Distracted.’

  ‘No. No. I’m fine,’ she lied. ‘Probably tired from staring at photos.’

  ‘Don’t be too tired,’ he said, kissing her. ‘I was hoping you would make the most of me tonight. As I’m going to be scarce!’

  The aroma of freshly ground coffee roused Alice from her deep sleep. Relieved to discover she had woken up this morning in her bed rather than by the pool she stretched, pinpricks of sunlight trickling through the shutters dotting her arms. ‘Luis,’ she said. ‘Come back to bed. It’s too early.’

  ‘I wish I could,’ he shouted from the kitchen. ‘But I have to be in Lisbon by eight. And I have an Alsatian dog to walk before I go.’

  ‘I know, I know …’

  ‘But,’ he said standing in the door holding a tray. ‘Being a perfect man, I have made you breakfast in bed.’

  Alice sat up, smiling. ‘Yes, you are the perfect man. Thank you! But what about you? There’s only enough there for one person.’

  ‘Oh, no you don’t,’ said Luis, placing the tray on the bedside table. ‘I already ate. If I got back into bed with you and the breakfast I’d never get out again.’ He kissed her lightly. Then again deep and intense. Then again. ‘Oh Alice, Alice, Alice,’ he murmured, pulling himself away. ‘I have to go. I will call. Promise.’

  And then he was gone.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Alice worked for two hours wrapped in the warm, happy glow that spending time alone with Luis gave her. But then the phone rang. ‘Hi, Mum,’ she said.

  ‘Alice. Oh Alice.’ Her mother’s urgent tone sent a surge of panic through her whole body.

  ‘What’s up?’ she said, her heart racing.

  ‘Adam’s on his way to Portugal. He may already be there.’

  She felt sick. Here it was. ‘I already know he’s coming, Mum,’ she said, pretending to be calm so her mother wouldn’t get more upset. ‘There are plenty of people here. He’s hardly likely to bump into me, is he? Don’t worry.’