The House That Alice Built

by Chris Penhall

  ‘This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not yet, anyway.’

  ‘Not supposed to happen?’ Alice could hear her voice rising with anger.

  ‘I’m not ready for—’

  ‘I don’t think Kathy was ready for a family. But she’s having to deal with it, isn’t she?’

  ‘But it’s such a commitment.’

  Alice stood up. ‘Hang on a second. A few days ago you were really excited. Then suddenly you stopped contacting her.’

  Stephano looked at the floor. ‘We don’t contact each other every day, you know?’

  ‘Well I think things have changed,’ she said, sharply, surprising herself.

  He looked at her, shame creeping across his face

  ‘I think you need to be in regular contact with her now you are having a baby together.’ She moved closer. ‘I think you made her think you wanted more than you had before,’ she said, calmer now.

  ‘I did. I do. But a baby …’

  Alice looked at him, confused. ‘You know her so well, Stephano. I mean you were married to each other for a few years. You must know you can’t play around with her emotions. This is serious. There is now another human being involved. It hasn’t been born yet, but it’s there.’

  They sat silently for a while. ‘Does she hate me?’ he asked eventually.

  ‘Yes and no. Look, I don’t know what you two are going to do. But you need to speak to her. She’s floundering. And I’ve never seen her like that.’

  ‘I know, I know … I hadn’t either.’

  ‘Well Stephano, do something about it.’

  ‘I will call her now.’

  ‘I thought the reception here was bad?’

  He smiled thinly. ‘If I walk up those steps it will probably be fine.’

  ‘Go on then.’

  ‘Okay, okay. I’m walking, look.’

  ‘If I discover you haven’t called, I know where you are, don’t I?’ said Alice to his back. She watched as he made the call, then stood up to go.

  ‘Straight to voicemail,’ he said. ‘I left a message.’

  ‘Go and see her,’ sighed Alice. ‘Please. For her.’

  Stephano hung his head again. ‘What must she think of me?’ he said.

  ‘Only one way to find out,’ said Alice. ‘I have to go. Good luck with it.’

  As she walked out towards Ignacio and his waiting car she said to the sky, ‘I know. Who was that? Was that me? Laidback Alice. Right, now to sort myself out.’ She paused. ‘Oh yeah, right,’ she muttered, ‘because it’s so easy to sort me out. Not.’

  The table was covered with baubles, beads, ribbons and tiles as Alice carefully threaded them onto the bracelet wire. Twenty lay in a wicker basket destined for her stockpile.

  Talking to Ignacio had somehow triggered a restlessness inside her; she needed to do something positive and proactive that would occupy her completely for a while, so life wasn’t all about the house and Adam and fear of what her life would be like in a month, or a year, or ten years from now. And somewhere from the back of her brain came the word – internet. Sell them on the internet.

  Then she said the words out loud. ‘Sell them on the internet.’

  ‘Sorry? What did you say?’ Ignacio had asked as they drove back to the apartment along the Marginal.

  ‘Nothing. Don’t worry. I just have an idea, that’s all.’

  The excitement came with the words. ‘Sell them on the internet.’ Of course, she thought. It was so obvious. ‘Got to make them first,’ she muttered as she almost ran into the apartment. ‘Going to make a mountain of them. Then I will do the internet bit.’

  And there she had sat for three hours, thinking of nothing but the colours and shapes and textures of the materials she had in front of her; how they should fit together; would some have to be exactly the same or did they all need to be unique? Should she make necklaces, too, and rings?

  Everything else had gone. But there was something she knew deep down. She was dealing with Adam but couldn’t quite put her finger on how.

  Kathy took a two-hour lunch break before working late and rested at Alice’s apartment. She glanced in the mirror and grimaced. ‘At what point am I supposed to start glowing with imminent motherhood?’ she said. ‘I look like I’ve been living in a cave all my life surviving on a diet of pasties and washing my hair with lard.’

  ‘Well I think you look gorgeous,’ shouted Alice from the living room.

  ‘Are you talking to your bracelets or to me? You haven’t really looked up since I arrived.’

  ‘Sorry, I’m on a roll. My ambition is to build a mountain of shiny beady pretty things and then take over the world.’

  Kathy moved a pile of fabric to the side of the sofa and sat down. ‘What’s the material for?’

  ‘Don’t know. I nipped out earlier to the market and bought some just in case I needed it.’

  Kathy laughed. ‘I haven’t seen you this manic since university.’

  ‘Oh, no, really?’ said Alice whilst curling some wire with a pair of pliers.

  ‘It’s lovely to see actually.’

  ‘There! Done it.’ Alice put the finished bracelet onto the mound of beads next to her and looked up. ‘Oh, poor you. Do you want a cup of tea?’

  ‘There! I knew I looked like crap,’ sighed Kathy.

  Alice stood up and gave her a hug. ‘Sorry. But you will glow soon. I’m afraid I only have common or garden tea, not Mary’s special brew.’

  ‘Pity. I could do with some. Stephano’s been ringing me virtually every half hour.’

  ‘Oh, good. I’m so glad he’s stepping up.’

  ‘You think so? I’ve been ignoring him.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because he cleared off when I needed him and now I’m not so sure I want him.’

  Alice took Mary’s book of ideas from the table and rifled through it.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Seeing if Mary’s left a recipe for “Tea that gives you common sense”!’

  ‘Good. Then you can have some of that yourself!’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You’re making bracelets when you should be dealing with the practicalities of your house and Adam.’

  ‘I am dealing with the practicalities!’

  ‘No you’re not. How is making bracelets sorting your life out?’

  ‘Just two minutes ago you said it was lovely to see.’

  ‘It is, but you are still sticking your head in the sand.’

  ‘So are you!’

  ‘No I’m not. I’m suffering from raging hormones. You, on the other hand should be out there fighting.’

  ‘I am. By making bracelets.’

  ‘Oh God. Just give me the tea. I don’t understand.’

  Alice walked to the kitchen. ‘I’ve asked my solicitor to get three valuations for the house quickly. I should hear in the next few days.’

  ‘And then?’

  ‘Don’t know to be honest.’

  ‘Please stay. I need you. I don’t know how to change nappies.’

  ‘Neither do I!’

  ‘But you’re so happy here.’

  ‘I know. But I only came for a break. And I don’t know how I’d feel. It’s a bit like stepping into a void. And I love my house. And things are so uncertain. How do I stay? Do I have to fill in forms? And my life is in London. Isn’t it?’ She walked back with a cup of tea for Kathy and a glass of wine for herself.

  Kathy winced. ‘Oh dear. My life is over!’

  ‘Only for a few months.’ Alice sat down and gulped down some wine.

  ‘You haven’t mentioned Luis,’ said Kathy.

  ‘He’s been very busy.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Yes … look, I heard something when I was in town about him and some other woman.’

  ‘From who?’

  ‘That girl Marcella, with her friends.’

  ‘Oh, for goodness sake. She’s a spo
ilt brat. Stirs things up. Have you asked him about it?’

  ‘No … I’ve had all this rubbish with Adam … but this whole playing with the band thing … I’m not very comfortable with it actually.’

  ‘Only because she’s hanging around. Look, he adores you. It’s obvious. And frankly, he was playing in the band when you met him. What’s he doing for your birthday?’

  ‘Not sure. Something …’

  ‘Well, I’ll meet you straight after work, and then he can catch up with us!’

  ‘Done.’

  ‘Done.’

  Alice’s phone buzzed. ‘Ah. Luis wants to meet for a quick coffee in between working on the building site, visiting estate agents and doing a gig tonight.’

  ‘Told you. When?’

  ‘Around six.’

  ‘Right – I’m going to have a nap. Can you wake me in an hour and point me towards work?’

  ‘I’ll wake you up and escort you there so you don’t fall asleep on the way.’ Alice smiled. ‘Meanwhile I’ll be making a mountain of bracelets.’

  ‘Here,’ said Kathy guiding Alice into her treatment room, ‘I’ve got this great pillow spray stuff that’s been sent to me as a sample. You spray it on your pillow and apparently it makes you sleep really well.’ She opened another door at the back of the room into a storage space and office. ‘My secret room,’ said Kathy, laughing. None of the other treatment rooms have it. It means I can hide away and do paperwork.’

  ‘It smells lovely in here,’ said Alice.

  ‘It’s torture at the moment,’ said Kathy, cracking a window open. ‘It’s still making me feel sick.’

  There was a soft knocking at the treatment room door. ‘Kathy. There’s a man here to see you. He says he’s an old friend.’

  ‘Is that what he’s calling himself now? Really?’

  The receptionist walked in looking confused.

  ‘You mean it’s not Stephano?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Oh.’ Kathy opened the door slightly and peered through. ‘Great, that’s all I need,’ she muttered.

  ‘Is everything all right?’ asked Alice uneasily.

  Adam pushed through to the room, and Kathy shoved Alice into the store cupboard, slamming the door shut.

  ‘Kathy, it’s been a while,’ he said.

  Alice put her ear to the door, heart beating, anxious, angry and longing for the solitude of her little house in London, where she could hide from everything and everyone.

  ‘Adam,’ said Kathy.

  ‘Surely it’s a hug for an old friend like me?’

  ‘A hand shake is fine,’ said Kathy. ‘Well this is a surprise.’

  ‘It would have been rude of me to be in the area and not try to see you.’

  ‘It would have been fine,’ she said. ‘I would have understood if you couldn’t.’

  ‘Who’d have thought you would have ended up as a beauty therapist?’ he said eventually, ‘what with your business degree and everything.’

  ‘Well, here I am. Beauty therapist. Running my own business. All this is mine.’

  ‘Been here long?’

  ‘About ten years actually. Remember? I got married to a Portuguese man. You came to my wedding. Then I moved out here.’

  ‘Of course … look, I suppose … well, you know why I’m here don’t you?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Alice must have told you.’

  ‘Alice hasn’t mentioned you at all.’

  Alice somehow managed to smile under the tangle of emotions she was feeling. Flight or fight were two of them.

  He laughed in disbelief. ‘Now I know that’s not true.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Please don’t play games, Kathy. We need to sort out this house. I want the capital to invest in my future.’

  ‘Oh, what is your future?’

  ‘Me and Veronique – my partner – we are opening a gallery and ceramic shop. She already has one in Argentina. We’re bringing the model to the UK.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘And Alice is refusing to discuss it. Can you talk to her? Reason with her? She’s not returning my calls again. I don’t want to get solicitors involved but I will have to if she doesn’t grow up.’

  A surge of anger made Alice try to open the door to shout at him, but it was stuck.

  ‘What’s the matter with that door?’ he said. ‘It seems to be shaking.’

  ‘Nothing,’ said Kathy. ‘Looks fine to me. And grow up? Mr Flakey telling Alice to grow up?’

  ‘No need to get personal.’ His voice began to rise in frustration.

  ‘From here, Adam,’ she said slowly, ‘it appears you are trying to push her into something she is not ready to do.’

  ‘It’s my future.’

  ‘And hers.’

  ‘This is ridiculous. You’re as bad as she is. Tell her I want this resolved urgently. The house is as much mine as it is hers.’

  Alice leaned against the door, breathing hard. The lies! He was no better than a thief.

  ‘You know that’s not true!’ said Kathy, raising her voice.

  ‘On paper it is. It doesn’t really matter who paid for what. Both our names are on the mortgage and the deeds. She’s not going to win this. We all know that.’

  ‘Leave now!’ said Kathy angrily. ‘Now! Or should I call a security guard?’

  ‘I’m going. I’m going,’ he said. Alice heard his footsteps getting more distant. ‘Just tell her to talk to me, all right? Because I’m beginning to get irritated.’

  Alice tried the door again. She wanted to run after him and confront him. To show him she wasn’t scared. But the door wouldn’t move.

  Kathy tried opening it from the other side. ‘Oh, for goodness sake,’ she said. ‘I’m too weak to push. I’ll get someone …’ then she started giggling. ‘Bit like one of those stage farces isn’t it ...’

  Alice leaned against the door and sank to the floor as she began to laugh herself. ‘Life used to be so much less complicated. Boring, sad and empty. But less complicated.’

  There was another knock at the treatment room door.

  ‘You’ve got another visitor,’ said the receptionist.

  ‘God, I thought he’d gone,’ sighed Kathy.

  ‘No, this is a different person,’ said her colleague, lowering her voice.

  ‘Is she in there?’ It was Stephano. His voice grew louder as he pushed into the room. ‘Are you okay? I heard you’d been in the hospital.’

  ‘Oh, it’s you.’

  ‘Don’t be like that, please.’

  ‘Oh no you don’t.’

  ‘We need to talk.’

  ‘No we don’t.’

  ‘I’m not going anywhere until you talk to me.’

  ‘All right, but not out here. I’ve got five minutes before my next client.

  Alice stood up and moved into the office, further away. She didn’t want to listen to their private conversation, but their voices were raised, and she could hear everything.

  ‘You must think I’m a terrible man.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I panicked.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘I’ve pulled myself together.’

  ‘Oh lucky me.’

  ‘I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere.’

  ‘And what makes you think I want you?’

  ‘Alice said—’

  ‘What’s Alice got to do with this?’ cut in Kathy.

  ‘She came to find me and—’

  ‘You mean you only came to see me because my friend told you to?’

  ‘It wasn’t like that.’

  Alice began to wonder if she needed to get away from Kathy too and looked at the window longingly.

  ‘Well, you just said it was.’

  ‘You’re being unreasonable.’

  ‘I’m being what? What?!’ she shouted.

  ‘It’s your hormones. The baby … our baby.’

  ‘No – it’s because you ran away. And I needed you.’

  �
�I’m sorry.’

  ‘And now I don’t need you!’

  ‘Yes you do.’

  Alice tried to ease the window open, but it was only designed to open a few inches.

  ‘Let’s get married!’ said Stephano quickly.

  ‘What? Again?’

  ‘Marry me. I love you!’

  ‘No you don’t. You ran away.’

  ‘But I’m back.’

  ‘You’re unreliable.’

  Alice pulled a book about herbal remedies from a shelf and opened it, trying to focus on something else.

  ‘Not any more’

  ‘For goodness sake. I don’t trust you.’

  ‘Learn.’

  ‘Learn? You have to earn trust.’

  ‘I will.’

  ‘You stopped contacting me for nearly three days. And I was in hospital.’

  ‘I’m sorry. We don’t always speak to each other every day.’

  ‘Well now we’re having a baby so it’s different.’

  ‘Yes, that’s what Alice said.’

  ‘Alice again!’

  The book she was pretending to read fell open on a page dedicated to the soothing powers of chamomile. Alice wondered if there was any in the storage room.

  ‘Look. It’s always been there, hasn’t it? Us. Even when we got divorced. I never stopped loving you. Never…’

  There was a pause. ‘Me neither,’ Kathy said.

  Alice felt so happy for them she wanted to cry. The room fell silent for a few minutes, then Alice heard the outer door slam open.

  ‘She’s still not answering her phone and I absolutely demand you tell her I want to see her now!’ It was Adam.

  ‘Who said you could come in here?’ cried Kathy angrily.

  ‘Adam? What the hell do you think you’re doing!’ said Stephano.

  ‘That girl tried to stop me from coming in, but I’m sick and tired of all this. Veronique is getting stressed from it and I need to sort it out. She’s crying and wailing and shouting.’

  Alice stood up and rushed towards the door again – she couldn’t allow him to do this to her friends – but she tripped over a loose carpet tile and stumbled.

  ‘You should be ashamed of yourself. We all know what you’re trying to do. Get out now,’ shouted Stephano.

  ‘I want to speak to Alice!’

  ‘Why don’t you just leave her alone?’ said Kathy.

  ‘I want what’s mine,’ said Adam. ‘She’ll have to speak to me soon. I’m not giving up.’

  ‘Get out!’ shouted Kathy.