To Love Thy Neighbour

by S M Mala

  Now he was going to have to bide his time.

  And that would be doubly hard as he wanted her, right now.

  ‘What a waste!’

  Alfie was sitting in the garden, sprawled over the sun lounger as Esme cooked. ‘That Pavlova looked delicious, but not so appealing on Ralph’s head. And you’re not going to tell me what he said to upset you?’

  ‘Lamb curry today, is that good for you?’ she asked, not wanting to talk about it.

  Leon had left after finishing his drink. All she wanted to know was about him shagging Ethan’s mother and why he was going out with a vile young woman.

  Both topics would have been off the radar to contemplate even bringing up in a conversation.

  ‘Did you invite Steph?’ she asked.

  ‘She’s on a date with that woman who she says she’s in love with. That old lady is flying high on happiness,’ laughed Alfie, tapping his flat stomach. ‘You slagged me off for dating Vincent and that was a twenty-five-year difference.’

  ‘And the rest,’ she mumbled under her breath, walking back out.

  ‘I heard that,’ he scowled. ‘Grandma has never looked so happy.’

  Looking up at the sun, it was going to be a warm day and she wanted to spend as much time with Alfie as possible.

  Suddenly the back gate was flung open and to her utter surprise, Mali was walking in wearing a swimsuit, flip flops and a tutu. On her head was a large sunhat, and her face was covered with glasses. There was a small bag on her arm. Esme wanted to laugh seeing the child walk straight up to them.

  ‘Hello Mali,’ Alfie said, propping himself up on his elbows.

  ‘Can I sunbathe?’ she asked, jumping on the sun lounger next to him and lying down. ‘It’s sunbathing weather.’

  ‘You need suntan lotion,’ Esme said, trying to stop the urge of lifting her up because she looked too darned cute.

  ‘I’ve got factor 50 on and a sunblock on my nose.’ She pushed her face forward at there was a white splodge on her face. ‘See.’

  ‘Where’s your dad? Or are you with your grandma?’

  ‘Granddad’s watching football and it’s boring!’ Mali replied, wiggling her toes. ‘Daddy’s gone out and grandma is home. Did you go to that posh man’s party?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said, letting out a disgruntled sigh. ‘We’re going to eat in fifteen minutes. Would you like to join us?’

  ‘What you eating?’

  ‘Curry and rice.’

  ‘Yes please!’ Then she hesitated. ‘Shall I tell my Granddad?’

  ‘I’ll tell him.’

  Esme walked into Leon’s garden and noticed a man watching television and shaking his head.

  ‘Excuse me,’ she said, knocking on the glass. ‘Sorry to disturb you. I’m-.’

  ‘Esme,’ he said, standing up and walking towards her. ‘Mali said she was going to visit you. I’m Stan.’ He put out his hand as she shook it. ‘Is that lovely smell coming from your home?’

  ‘We’re having lunch in fifteen minutes. It’s lamb curry and rice. Would you like to join us?’ she asked, smiling at the handsome man, who didn’t resemble his son in the slightest. ‘I always make lots.’ Then she looked around. ‘Is Leon coming home soon?’

  ‘He’s gone to sort something out,’ Stan replied and she could see he was checking her out. ‘I’ll tell him where we are. Are you sure it’s okay to join you?’

  ‘The more, the merrier.’

  Half an hour later, they were all eating in her garden, and she could tell Alfie was happy about the company, mainly because she wouldn’t corner him about meeting his father.

  ‘I like potato and curry and rice,’ said Mali, spooning the food into her mouth. Esme put her at the table on a booster chair Stan brought along. ‘And I like sweetcorn and peas.’

  ‘This is delicious,’ grinned Stan, looking lovingly at his granddaughter. ‘And Mali does love a good curry.’

  ‘And my mother makes a good curry when she wants to coerce me into something,’ said Alfie, sipping his lemonade.

  ‘What does that mean?’ asked Mali, staring lovingly at her teacher.

  ‘It means she wants me to do something that I don’t want to.’

  ‘Like when I had to eat beans!’ she said loudly. ‘And when she hurt my hair!’

  ‘Oh, you’re talking about Melanie, again and again. I wish you’d change the subject. We know what happened,’ Stan said, grimacing. ‘Eat up, sweetheart.’

  Esme glanced at her son, who pulled a face at the mention of the woman’s name.

  There was a knock on the front door, so Esme got up to answer it. She braced herself, thinking that Ralph was going to return the gesture from the previous night, and present a Sunday roast on her head.

  Opening the door, Leon was standing there with all her empty containers.

  The smile made her heart melt as he walked in.

  ‘I hear you’re feeding my family,’ he said, glancing out into the garden. ‘I thought I’d get these back to avoid an embarrassing moment.’

  ‘That’s kind,’ she said, letting out a sigh but not before he caught her doing it. ‘I was worried.’

  Leon stopped and looked at her. He seemed like he was figuring something out before walking towards the kitchen.

  ‘Son!’ shouted his father.

  ‘Dad!’ shouted out Leon then turned to look at Esme. ‘Have you seen what my child is wearing? They were watching the fashion channel last night and she has been inspired to dress up.’

  Placing the containers on the side, he turned to look at her. Esme didn’t know what to say. She felt herself blush.

  ‘Gosh, it’s hot, don’t you think?’ she said, smiling brightly. ‘Would you like to join us for lunch?’

  ‘I’d love to. I’m starving.’

  ‘I’ll get you a plate. Go and join the others.

  There was a flutter of excitement in her gut, seeing Leon again, and she knew it was a waste of time.

  But she couldn’t help the way she felt.

  This was probably the real reason her head was all over the place.

  She noticed Alfie shake his hand, and Stan sheepishly smile at him, before looking at Esme as she walked back out.

  Serving Leon some food, she carefully placed the plate on the table before going back to eat.

  ‘Did he say anything?’ Alfie asked as Esme pushed back the rice that looked like it was going to fall off Mali’s plate. ‘And what about your girlfriend? She seemed a little upset. I can only apologise for my mother’s behaviour any other time, other than yesterday.’

  ‘What happened?’ Stan asked while Mali decided to change how she was sitting, now resting on her legs to get higher.

  ‘I accidentally dropped a cake,’ Esme said, sipping her water. ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea to discuss it now.’

  ‘I like cake,’ Mali said, turning to look at Esme. ‘Where did you drop the cake?’

  ‘On someone’s head,’ Leon added and Esme saw him break out into a wide smile. ‘It was a large meringue covered with cream and fruit.’

  ‘I not like fruit,’ Mali said, scrunching up her nose.

  ‘Someone’s head?’ Stan said, looking a little confused. ‘Did you trip?’

  ‘She flung it,’ laughed Alfie before turning to Mali. ‘Which isn’t a good thing to do. You must never throw food.’

  ‘You threw cake at someone?’ asked Mali, moving closer to Esme. ‘Who?’

  ‘The posh man,’ said Leon, laughing. ‘And it was very funny.’

  ‘But it hit your girlfriend,’ said Alfie quietly, reaching out for the salad. ‘Is she all right?’

  ‘Melanie not daddy’s girlfriend, I am!’ said Mali sharply. ‘I not like her. She horrid!’

  ‘Mali, don’t be so rude,’ her grandfather whispered. ‘It’s not nice.’

  ‘She not nice!’

  ‘Mali,’ Esme said quite firmly. ‘She’s a friend of your dad’s and you have to stop saying horrible things. You can think it, but
you can’t say it.’

  Which was exactly what Esme was doing, remembering the bitchy looks and comments.

  ‘Did a lot of cake go on her?’ Mali asked, sheepishly glancing at her dad.

  ‘Quite a lot,’ said Leon. Then he started to laugh loudly, which threw them all as Alfie joined in. ‘She was really upset.’

  ‘Why you laughing, daddy?’ Mali asked, totally confused by the hilarity of the two men. Then she looked at Esme, who didn’t know what to say. ‘What’s funny?’

  Kissing the child’s forehead, she ate her food without looking at the three men around the table. Alfie was now giving a blow by blow description of what happened. Mali, by then, had got bored and asked to be excused.

  She was running around the garden with Moo Moo in her handbag.

  ‘Do you want me to have a word with him?’ asked Stan, making Esme do a double take. ‘Sometimes you find that men of a certain maturity can get through to people.’

  ‘That’s very kind, but I’ll sort it.’ Esme smiled at the man then saw Alfie look at Leon and then at her. He started to grin. ‘He was drunk.’

  ‘Mum, he kept touching you, every time he walked near. Ralph wasn’t drunk then.’ Alfie was starting to get annoyed. ‘You know, there isn’t good in all people. And, as your son, I don’t want you to get into close proximity with him again.’

  ‘Your mother is an attractive woman,’ Stan said, making her smile. ‘She’ll get many offers.’

  ‘Thank you,’ she said, standing up. ‘I doubt it.’

  ‘Let me help.’ Leon quickly got up and took the plates off the table, following her into the kitchen. She put everything to the side and noticed he was standing behind her. ‘My dad’s a bit of a flirt. I’m sorry if he’s embarrassing you.’

  Bracing herself against the kitchen counter, she looked out at the little girl playing in her garden, her son, Leon’s dad and then at him.

  ‘I like it when my house has people. It’s a good feeling,’ she said, looking at Leon. ‘Can I pay for dinner for you and Melanie as way of an apology? Have you spoken to her?’

  ‘She rang this morning and we had a quick chat.’ Leon glanced out towards the garden. ‘I’ve not seen her that drunk before.’

  ‘You should see me! I’m even worse.’

  It was odd. They were looking at each other, and she didn’t know what to say.

  An unexpected and awkward silence.

  ‘You know, I made a small Pavlova,’ she said quietly. ‘Would you like some for dessert?’

  ‘I’d love some.’

  How Leon said it and the way he looked at her, made her wonder if he was being flirtatious. Then he walked out of the kitchen and sat back down.

  Her mobile rang and to her shock, it was Oscar.

  ‘Hello Oscar,’ she said, answering it and walking further into the house. ‘How are you?’

  ‘Am I disturbing lunch?’ he asked, sounding tired.

  ‘I’ve got a few people here, including our son,’ she whispered. ‘Why are you calling?’

  ‘Have you arranged for us to meet in a few weeks?’

  ‘I was going to talk to him about it, but we’ve got guests so-.’

  Her phone was grabbed out of her hand.

  Alfie was standing directly behind her.

  ‘Hello dad, it’s Alfie,’ he said, half-heartedly. ‘Mum says you want to meet up with me and grandma next month. Personally, I don’t want to.’

  Esme winced at her son’s annoyed expression.

  ‘Dad. Do I still call you that or is it Governor?’ Alfie asked sarcastically. ‘I know grandma misses you, and you should sort it out. As for mum?’ Her son looked at her straight in the eye. ‘I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but she feels I need to clear the air.’

  There was no mistaking the coldness in his voice.

  She went back to the garden, seeing Mali was on a lounger, reading a book with her Granddad.

  The sight made Esme smile.

  It was then she noticed Leon was looking at her. When she met his eyes, he didn’t divert them, just smiled.

  She immediately felt hot.

  ‘Done!’ Alfie said, handing her back the phone. ‘Three weeks’ time, when he flies in, we’ll meet. I’ve asked he takes us all out to tea.’

  ‘Us?’

  ‘You’re coming too, mother.’ He threw himself on a chair. ‘Can we have some booze?’

  ‘I thought you didn’t want to drink?’

  ‘After speaking to Governor Reeves, it goes without saying you need a stiff one.’ Then he started to laugh. ‘Don’t you think so, mummy?’

  Glaring at her son and seeing that Leon was laughing behind his hand, she marched into her house, pulling out a bottle of wine and grabbing some glasses. Esme plonked them on the table.

  ‘You’re going to have to confess what you get up to with Oscar Reeves,’ mumbled Alfie as she noticed Leon was pretending not to listen. ‘Because I know you get up to something.’

  ‘This isn’t the time or place to-.’

  ‘He’s going to tell us in three weeks, you know that, don’t you?’

  ‘Alfie, maybe you shouldn’t talk about it now if your mum doesn’t want to?’ Leon diplomatically replied. ‘We should go soon and leave you guys to it.’

  ‘Don’t go!’ Esme semi yelled, noticing Stan smile at her. ‘I have Pavlova.’

  ‘And we know what she’ll do if you upset her,’ smirked her son, looking at Leon. ‘But somehow I don’t think she’d treat Ralph quite the same way as she would you.’

  Esme noticed the sly little grin on her son’s face before seeing Leon with the same expression.

  She wondered what they were on about.

  ‘It’s written all over your face.’

  Stan was grinning at Leon, who was trying to ignore his father. ‘You fancy Esme!’

  ‘Keep your voice down!’ Leon hissed, hoping Mali hadn’t heard. She was watching television after being extracted from Esme’s sun lounger very late in the afternoon. ‘I don’t know what-.’

  ‘Son, I’m a man. You’re a man. It’s bloody obvious!’ Stan started to laugh and stirred his coffee, and then took a sip of his brandy. ‘You’ve got the hots for that one. And I tell you, I can totally understand why.’

  Leon let out a large sigh.

  ‘She’s fifteen years older than me,’ he whispered, avoiding eye contact.

  ‘Well, she looks good on it. You never told me she was so attractive!’

  ‘Do you fancy her?’

  ‘Not half!’

  Shaking his head, Leon glanced over at Mali then back at his dad.

  ‘We kissed and I told her afterwards she was too old. Then I started seeing Melanie, so all chances of ever getting together with Esme are limited,’ he honestly said.

  ‘Idiot!’ His father grinned. ‘Why’d you tell her she was too old? Oh!’ Stan put down his spoon and looked at Leon. ‘You were doing your pros and cons thing, weren’t you? And, once again, you saw the cons and not the pros. Personally, I’d see pros when it came to her.’

  ‘She’s fifty.’

  ‘And?’ His father frowned then smiled. ‘Ah, you’re thinking about children I take it? Would you prefer to marry a nice Jewish girl like Melanie and have lots of children? Or be with someone who you can bring up your daughter with and be happy?’

  ‘That’s not the point,’ laughed Leon, shaking his head. ‘I don’t want Mali to be an only child.’

  ‘She won’t be. Alfie would be her brother. Does it really matter if you’re not going to try? I think she likes you.’ Staring at his dad, Leon wondered if she did. ‘And what are you going to do about Melanie? Is she the one?’

  ‘You know she’s not,’ he said, glancing over at his daughter. ‘I’ll let her down gently.’

  ‘Your mother has it stuck in her head that she’s the real thing.’ Stan let out a massive sigh. ‘I mean, Lauren’s been engaged to Martin for how many years, and will probably never get married. Lucia? Wel
l, who knows with her? She’s an odd fish.’

  ‘You mean, she keeps herself to herself.’

  ‘Bloody well charged me for cleaning my teeth,’ he smiled. ‘She’s good with cash that way.’

  Leon looked out onto his garden and smiled at the pretty flowers coming through. He did want to spend time with Esme but hadn’t the foggiest idea on how to do it.

  ‘I don’t think I’ve made a good impression with my next door neighbour,’ he said, thinking out aloud. ‘I’m not sure if she’ll want to get involved with me. Even that spat with Ralph last night will probably put her off.’

  ‘Then you’re going to have to use the one thing that will make a good impression.’ Stan turned to look at Mali. ‘If ever you needed bait, there it is.’

  ‘This isn’t right.’

  Esme was staring up at the large ceiling of the house they were renovating. The cracks were evident, and she knew Carl should have plastered it from scratch.

  No-one was working at the house on Tuesday, mainly because Esme had come in the previous day and knew something was wrong. Calling up Carl, she told him her team would not be coming back until he sorted out the ceilings due to health and safety. Even his workers knew it was only a matter of time before it fell down.

  Arriving mid-morning, she was now taking pictures.

  The last thing she wanted to happen was for the ceiling to fall after her, and ‘Handy Mommas’ had finished their work.

  There was a knock on the door, and she wondered if that was Carl. Walking towards it, she looked around and frowned, getting ready for a fight.

  ‘Hello,’ she heard and noticed it was Leon. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Oh, hello,’ Esme replied, shaking herself out of her momentary fury. ‘I came yesterday and I’m concerned about the ceilings. That bloody man’s not listening to me.’

  ‘Luckily, I’m working outside today,’ he smiled. ‘Shall I make tea?’

  And it happened again, the funny feeling she was going through on seeing him.

  The constriction in her throat; her loss of concentration, and the complete, overwhelming lust for her next door neighbour.