The House That Alice Built

by Chris Penhall

  ‘Oh, the shame of it,’ she said to herself. ’Only able to deal with him with the assistance of some dodgy herbal tea … I never could argue with him … he can hypnotise me into agreeing to anything. He always could.’ She took another sip. ‘For God’s sake! Bugger off bloody negative thoughts,’ she said, standing up and putting the cup down forcefully. With her big hat on, her bag of goods over her shoulder, Alice Dorothy Matthews stepped over a dozing Aphrodite and closed the door behind her. As she stepped out of the lift, she pulled herself up to her full height and strode out of the apartment gates towards the town.

  ‘Here we are,’ said Alice when she got to the stall, pouring her bracelets onto the table.

  ‘Thank you,’ said the stallholder, gathering them up quickly and putting them into a box. ‘Don’t want them to fall on the floor and break, do we?’

  ‘Whoops, didn’t think,’ said Alice. ‘I had a long night and didn’t get much sleep.’

  ‘I know how it is. I’ll call you when I need more. I’m sure these will go quickly.’

  ‘Okay. See you soon.’

  Alice decided to do a bit of window shopping at some of the more expensive clothes shops around the corner, so meandered slowly off, glad of the protective properties of Mary’s tea. A long flowing green silk top caught her eye, drawing her inside one of the larger boutiques. As she absent-mindedly went through the rails looking for matching trousers, she heard a noisy clutch of young women chattering behind her as they left the shop.

  ‘My aunt. Really. She should know better. You should have seen her last night. They were all over each other. It was disgusting. I don’t know what Luis thinks he was playing at. What is it with him and old women!’

  Alice stood frozen, staring hard at the top, trying to pretend that this person that sounded a lot like Marcella wasn’t standing behind her talking about Luis. She watched them walk past the window and felt a terrible feeling of dread. Luis hadn’t returned her text last night or this morning. Stepping out into the street, Alice physically tried to shake off what had just happened. Marcella was barely out of school, she reasoned with herself. She was just young and naive. And nasty.

  But he has a reputation. There it was. The voice running around in her head again.

  She found herself back near the craft stall. ‘These are very cute.’ A woman was talking about Alice’s bracelets. She examined one closely, stroking one of the tiny, smooth ceramics. ‘This is beautifully done. Do you know where you can buy these beads?’

  ‘I don’t think you can. My supplier uses old tiles and cuts them into these circles. I don’t know how she does it.’

  ‘These are a very good idea. Don’t you think so, darling? I’m sure I could run some similar ones up and sell them when we open the shop.’

  Alice stood, watching, slightly hidden. Luis’s recent behaviour had been running through her head, each action dissected for clues as she wandered aimlessly along the cobbled streets, and she’d somehow found herself near the stall again. That’s when she saw them. Adam. And Veronique. His girlfriend. The artist. She was stealing her idea.

  ‘Alice!’

  She was rooted to the spot, feeling woozy and vague. Was she dreaming this?

  ‘Alice!’ his voice again. Then a touch on her hand.

  ‘Alice,’ he said softly.

  His pale blue eyes stared into hers.

  ‘I’m not Alice,’ she said.

  ‘Yes, you are.’

  ‘No, I’m not.’

  ‘Yes, Alice, you are. Are you alright?’

  His face came into focus. Time hadn’t made much difference. The laughter lines around his eyes were a little more visible, and his chin had the beginnings of a pale beard. But it was as if they were standing in their kitchen on the day he’d come back.

  ‘I’m not Alice. You are mistaken. Easily done.’ She turned and walked hurriedly up the hill.

  ‘What on earth are you doing?’ He was following her now. ‘Alice! Alice!’

  Turn around and tell him what you think of him, screamed the voice in her head.

  But she knew she couldn’t. Because if she did he would look into her eyes and speak his soft words and he would make it all right. Somehow. Just for a while. Until he’d got what he wanted.

  ‘Alice, for God’s sake!’ He was shouting, and people were turning to watch.

  Why had she drunk that bloody tea? Her head was feeling so light and disconnected. ‘Leave me alone,’ she said. ‘Please just leave me alone. I have no idea who you are.’

  ‘We need to talk.’

  ‘No. I don’t want to. And I’m not Alice.’

  ‘Stop being so strange. Are you alright?’ he asked again.

  ‘Like I said, I’m not Alice.’

  ‘Stop being so childish. I’ve come all this way to talk to you. I could have gone through a solicitor you know. I could have started to send you formal legal letters.’

  The street narrowed; people filled it; she couldn’t push through the crowds to get away from him. There was no way out. Anger began to replace the panic and she stood still for a moment. ‘Why didn’t you go through a solicitor?’ she said finally, turning towards him.

  He smiled almost triumphantly. ’I thought we could settle this amicably. You know. Old friends.’

  ‘Friends?’

  ‘We’ve known each other a long time, Alice.’

  ‘Well you don’t know me any more.’

  He held his hand out to her. ‘Why are you making this so difficult?’

  She took a deep breath. ’If you went through a solicitor you wouldn’t get the house, would you? But like this you think—’

  ‘It’s my house.’

  ‘It’s my house actually.’

  ‘We bought it together.’

  ‘Is that what you told her?’

  Veronique had caught up with them and had put her hand on Adam’s shoulder. Alice’s phone buzzed. A text from Luis.

  Sorry I didn’t get back to you. Long nights and longer days. See you in a couple of days hopefully. Another gig tomorrow.

  She looked at them both. ‘It’s not your house. You own the downstairs toilet. And tell her that those bracelets she thought were so clever – I made them! And I’m not telling you how I made them. You can’t have my house, and you can’t have that. But—’ she pointed at Veronique ‘ —you are more than welcome to him.’ Then she turned again and pushed through the crowds. Her phone rang.

  ‘Kathy. You wouldn’t believe what’s—’

  ‘It’s Ignacio. I’m using her phone. She collapsed at work, Alice. She’s in the hospital.’

  Kathy lay listlessly on the bed. ‘I hate feeling like this. I hate it,’ she moaned.

  ‘It won’t last. Tara was really ill when she was first pregnant with her first. Then after three months she was blooming.’

  ‘That’s just something everybody says to make you think it will get better. I don’t believe it. I want to feel blooming now!’

  Ignacio hovered by the door. ’I should go back to work,’ he said. ‘Now you’re here, Alice.’

  ‘Thank you so much, Ignacio,’ said Kathy. ‘You’ve been a real star. I don’t know what I would have done without you.’

  ‘It’s fine,’ he said, kindly. ‘Someone has to look after you two. Adieus. I’m going.’

  As soon as he left, Kathy began to cry.

  ‘Oh, poor you,’ said Alice, softly kneeling on the bed and putting her arms around her friend.

  ‘I had a panic attack,’ she sobbed. ‘I wasn’t just feeling sick. I don’t know what to do. I really don’t.’

  ‘I’ve never seen you like this,’ said Alice.

  ‘That’s what Stephano said.’

  ‘But you will be fine. It’s all a bit overwhelming isn’t it.’

  ‘Stephano is missing,’ said Kathy quietly. ‘I knew he’d let me down. Chasing me again and pretending he wanted something more than before. And now … why did he do that? I don’t understand. I didn’t get pregnant
deliberately. I don’t know what happened. I’m so careful. We’re so careful.’

  ‘What do you mean, missing?’

  ‘I haven’t heard from him for two days.’

  ‘Is that technically missing?’

  ‘His phone just goes to voicemail and he hasn’t returned my messages.’ Kathy’s voice began to rise. ’And I’m in hospital and he’s not here, and I’m having his baby. And he’s not here.’

  ‘I’m going to find him,’ announced Alice, standing up unsteadily.

  ‘What’s the matter with you? You know you’re swaying a bit?’

  ‘Yes ... well … nothing.’

  Kathy managed to stop crying and stared at her friend. ’I don’t believe you.’

  Alice leaned against the wall and sank slowly to the floor. ’I drank the last lot of that batch of tea … the last few lots …’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘In case I saw Adam obviously.’

  Kathy wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and sat up. ‘Did you see him?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Really? What did you do?’

  ‘I told him I wasn’t Alice.’

  ‘You … what?’ Kathy began to giggle.

  ‘I told him I wasn’t me.’

  ‘You twit!’

  Alice began to laugh. ‘I know. I think he guessed it was me, though … well, obviously. Oh dear, what was I thinking?’

  ‘Not a lot. Well, you’ve made me laugh. Which is better than panic.’

  ‘Then we argued about the house and I ran away.’

  Kathy’s shoulders shook she was laughing so much.

  ‘Thank you for your sympathy. Thank you!’

  ‘And for the next instalment?’

  ‘No idea. I don’t care at the moment, though. I’m going to find Stephano for you.’

  ‘I think in your current state you would fare worse than me.’

  ‘So are they letting you go home or keeping you in?’

  ‘Letting me home later.’

  ‘Stay with me and Aphrodite, then.’

  ‘Okay. Do you have breadsticks?’

  ‘Boxes and boxes of them,’ said Alice. She hugged Kathy and walked towards the door. ‘Message me when you're ready to go and I’ll come and get you.’

  When they finally got back to the apartment, Alice and Kathy sat, exhausted, on Mary’s balcony.

  ‘Thank God there’s no more of that tea,’ sighed Alice.

  ‘You sound more wistful than grateful,’ said Kathy.

  ‘Probably a mixture, I think.’

  ‘It’s a bit of a turnaround this.’

  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘Well, you were supposed to come over to Portugal and I’d take you under my wing and help you and look after you, and suddenly, you’re looking after me.’

  ‘I hadn’t thought of it like that.’

  They both gazed silently at the trees for a while.

  ‘Shall we watch a film?’ asked Alice eventually.

  ‘Okay. But it shouldn’t need too much concentration.’

  ‘Mary’s got a small and fairly eclectic mix of movies. Do you fancy Pulp Fiction?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Aladdin?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Notting Hill?

  ‘No. Seen it too many times.’

  ‘The Railway Children?’

  ‘Doesn’t daddy disappear and reappear at the end?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Then no. Too much daddy disappearing for me.’

  ‘The Yellow Rolls Royce?’

  ‘Don’t know that one.’

  ‘It’s about a yellow Rolls Royce.’

  ‘Yes, got that ... no.’

  ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s?’

  ‘That’s the one.’

  ‘We can both sing along to “Moon River”, and then we can cry …’

  ‘Oh no, is that my phone ringing? I’m going to have to walk to the table.’ Kathy got up and answered it, wearily. ‘What? Do you know who this man is? You didn’t tell him …? Okay, thanks for letting me know.’ Kathy slumped onto the sofa. ‘That was one of the girls from the salon. A man came in earlier and asked if I worked there. Then asked where I lived. He was English, tall—’

  ‘They didn’t tell him, did they?’

  ‘No, of course not. How did he find out where I worked?’

  ‘He’s a journalist. He probably just picked up the phone and rang around loads to find you.’ Alice slumped next to her. ‘I can’t have this, can I? Can’t get you involved in fending him off. I’ll have to see him and talk sensibly to him.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that. I’ll quite enjoy playing with his mind.’

  ‘You have enough to worry about at the moment.’

  ‘No, I’ll definitely enjoy playing with his mind. Now – your birthday,’ said Kathy, suddenly changing the subject. ’We’ll do something, promise. Has Luis told you what he has planned?’

  ‘No. Haven’t spoken to him properly for a couple of days.’

  ‘Anything you need to tell me?’

  ‘No. Nothing.’

  Kathy touched Alice’s arm. ‘Alice,’ she said softly.

  Alice sighed. ‘I know, I know. I’ve got to do something about Adam.’

  ‘He’s here. There’s no more hiding.’

  Alice picked up a cushion and hugged it to her like a comfort blanket.

  ‘You’ll just have to let him find you.’

  ‘What? Go into town and allow myself to be caught? And say what exactly? Here’s the number of a reliable plumber? Take the downstairs toilet and go!’ They giggled.

  ‘Well this is another fine mess we’ve got ourselves into,’ said Kathy.

  ‘How are you feeling now?’

  ‘Better. Still panicky. But less panicky. Angry with Stephano. Sad. Sort of excited. But not much.’

  ‘I’ll put the film on.’

  Chapter Eighteen

  Alice knew that now Adam had found Kathy he would start pushing so he could track her down. And she couldn’t let that happen. Not any more. She looked at the text.

  Okay. I will meet you by the statue at 12.30 tomorrow. A.

  So she was here, despite every bone in her body urging her to get on a plane and disappear. The cafés in the square were almost full; a mixture of locals and tourists chatting, reading, drinking and listening to the mariachi band which had been passing through town a few days ago and apparently had decided to linger for a while.

  Their joyful music was completely at odds with the feeling of impending doom Alice was currently experiencing. And the blazing summer sunshine just made it worse. Kathy had persuaded her that going into town and waiting to be found would not be effective or useful. Alice knew that, but the part of her that did not want to deal with Adam had been in control when she’d decided that was the best plan of action.

  The rational part had slowly been drawn to the fore, partly because she did not want Kathy to get involved. Tara had sent her Adam’s mobile number and Alice had gritted her teeth, composed a message in five seconds and pressed send immediately, before she could change her mind.

  ‘Why are you sitting here and not at one of my tables?’ Carlos was weaving through the chairs towards her.

  ‘Because you’re full!’

  He glanced back and nodded. ‘Ahhh. Of course. So … you are not wearing your too big hat?’

  ‘No. No longer in disguise.’

  ‘And you are okay? I heard you had problems yesterday. A man upsetting you?’

  ‘I’m okay. Thank you for checking though.’ Alice smiled.

  ‘I have to get back to work. Ciao.’

  ‘Ciao.’ Alice watched as he disappeared into his restaurant and sighed. I know about five people here, she thought. But everyone seems to be fully aware of all my movements.

  ‘Hello.’ She looked up. A shaft of sunlight framed his face. It looked like a halo. She felt sick. He pulled out a chair. ‘Veronique will be along in a moment.’

  ‘Ve
ronique?’

  ‘My partner. You met yesterday.’

  ‘I mean, why is she going to be here when we are talking about the house?’

  ‘Come on Alice, be nice. It involves her.’

  ‘No it doesn’t.’

  He leaned forward and smiled. ‘I’m sorry if it’s a bit of a shock. Veronique and everything. But you know. I’ve moved on.’

  Alice leaned forward and smiled back, anger raging in her stomach. ‘Adam. I really don’t care what goes on in your private life. Not at all. But this business is between us. Not her.’

  He sat back and looked around. ‘Ah, there she is.’ He waved. ‘Veronique … over here.’

  ‘Well, I’m not talking about the house now.’

  ‘Alice. It’s over between us,’ he said loudly as Veronique sat down. ‘There’s no point fighting it or arguing about it.’

  ‘I’m glad it’s over Adam. It’s been over for years.’

  ‘This is Alice, my ex,’ announced Adam.

  ‘Hello. We meet at last.’ Veronique smiled.

  ‘Hello,’ said Alice sweetly.

  ‘I know you are having problems with this, Alice,’ said Adam evenly, ‘but by clinging onto the house, you are clinging onto me and the past.’

  Fury shot sharply through Alice’s body like a sabre. ‘I’m just fighting for what’s mine – the house. I’m not clinging onto anything.’

  Veronique smiled again and rummaged in her bag, pulling out two of Alice’s bracelets and placing them on the table. ‘Oh, do not take any notice of me,’ she said. ‘They really are lovely. You are clever. Adam never mentioned what you did at all.’ She picked up one of the bracelets and examined it. ‘Just trying to work out how you made the tile shards look like that. I’ve always got a few misfired pots hanging around. I could do my own version. Couldn’t I, Adam?’

  Alice stood up. ‘No. Not doing this,’ she said.