The Colour of Mermaids

by Catherine Curzon

  Kieran took Daniel’s hand and executed a several-part shake which ended in a high-five, and Daniel didn’t miss a step. “No, I never. You were great! I had loads of fun. Thanks, Mr Scott.”

  “Eva,” Rupert whispered her name. “We’ll need this cleaning up before you head off, I hope you’re not in a rush!”

  “I’m sure your friend from the paper—” Eva caught his eye and gave him her smile that she used whenever she needed more paint for the children, “would consider a photo of your good self wielding a mop a photo-op not to be missed.”

  “I’m sure he would, but alas, that’s not to be!” Rupert grinned, showing sharp white teeth. “But I’ll make it up to you with dinner if you don’t have plans.”

  “No, thanks, Rupert!” Eva replied briskly. She turned away from him, gathering the discarded plastic cups and dropping them into a bin bag. How clear did she have to be that she wasn’t interested?

  “A glass of something sparkly them?”

  Daniel began picking up empty cups and biscuit wrappers too, throwing them into the bag. As he passed Rupert he told him, “I’d let it go, if I were you.”

  She saw realisation dawn in Rupert’s eyes, realisation of something that would never be. Then she saw a flash of something else, annoyance or jealousy, and he said, “I need the paint gone too.”

  “Blame Banksy,” Daniel muttered, turning his back on the gallery owner as he went on working.

  The parents and grandparents, foster carers and older siblings of the children were beginning to arrive. Eva could see them through the glass panels of the gallery, peering through the door from the foyer. Daniel went out to greet them in his paint-spattered trousers, his sleeves still rolled to the elbows, jacket thrown over his arm and his sunglasses in his hair again. She saw tired faces become smiles as he moved among them, saw mobile phones go into pockets and knew that he was singing the praises of the children. At Kieran’s mother he paused for longer, the conversation more involved, and before they parted he took out his phone and punched something into it, which she looked at with a smiling nod.

  “Right, the children will be off our hands very soon, Rupert, never you worry,” Eva assured him.

  “Oh God, what now?” Rupert was looking into the foyer, where Daniel was gesturing to him. Without another word he hurried inside to meet his troublesome guest of honour.

  “Poor old Rupe,” Lyndsey pouted. “All he wanted was a date!”

  Eva sighed. “Lyndsey, I just don’t… He’s so insistent and I really don’t want to be pestered. I’ve said no more than once. I don’t want to go on a date just to shut him up, because it’ll only encourage him.” Eva scraped at a lump of drying paint on the table. “He’s a bit creepy, Lyndsey, don’t you think? What if… He couldn’t have got hold of those spare keys you’ve got for my house, could he?”

  “Oh, Eva, how could—”

  “Don’t you worry about cleaning up!” Rupert was all benevolent smiles as he opened the door. “Wonderful news about the auction, I’m happy to give you a bit of foyer space. I’ll see that this all gets tidied, and the next time you see these marvellous pictures those dear little kiddies have done, they’ll be on display!”

  Who was Rupert trying to please? The millionaire artist, the man from the press, or the woman who kept saying no? It didn’t matter though. Rupert was, despite himself, helping the children in the outreach group, and Eva was grateful for that at least.

  “Thank you, Rupert…” Eva smiled at him as she rounded up the children and delivered them to their parents. Several raised eyebrows met the paint-covered children, but whatever Daniel had been saying to them meant no one blew their stack at her. As well they might have done under any other circumstances. She was supposed to look after them while in her care, not induce anarchy and destroy the children’s clothes.

  “Lyndsey, could you point me towards the cleaning cupboard?” Eva glanced at the plastic sheeting. “It’s mop time.”

  “Rupes just told you not to worry about cleaning.” Lyndsey frowned. “So don’t.”

  “Are you sure, Rupert? That’s very kind. I thought you—” Were bloody furious about the mess? Something had been said, that was for sure. “Well, that is good news. Thanks!”

  “I’m just going to get some more snaps,” he told her smoothly. “Leave the mess to Lyndsey, she’s going to call someone. Lyndsey, I’ll speak to you about it when I’m done with the photographer, until then stand down.”

  With that he was gone, leaving Lyndsey to shrug. “I wonder what Sunglasses said.”

  Eva was balanced on one foot, to put her shoes back on. The paint had dried and her shoes were old, and she certainly didn’t look elegant, but she didn’t care. “I have a vague idea… Daniel wants to auction his drawing for outreach! The money’ll make such a difference, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s convinced Rupert to hold the auction here, in return for not nagging about the mess.”

  “We could go for our double date afterwards!” Lyndsey hugged herself at the thought of it. “Miles and I finally get to sit down with Daniel Scott, face to face!”

  “I wouldn’t get your hopes up, Lyndsey. I think he and I might be friends, but…” Eva shook her head as she picked up her bag. “He’s really engaged with outreach, and that’s brilliant, but don’t mistake his enthusiasm for anything else.”

  From somewhere nearby, a sports car engine growled into life, as though a fighter plane was taking off somewhere. It was a throaty roar, and Eva knew instinctively it was Daniel’s car. Was he leaving without—

  “He didn’t say bye,” Lyndsey tutted. “That’s a bit rude!”

  Eva swallowed down her disappointment. He’d wanted to talk to her about something, but now she’d never know what. “Like I said, there won’t be a double date. Or any other kind of date for that matter.”

  Her phone beeped an incoming message. Rupert, probably, begging for another date. Or telling her to clean up after all. Not Daniel, either way.

  “I’ll see you soon, Lynds. Let’s meet up for lunch in the week sometime?” Eva hugged her friend and pecked her cheek. “Thanks so much for helping out with the outreach session today. Good biscuits, too!”

  “And I can tell you about me and Miles,” was her meaningful reply. “Things have moved on! I need to go and find Rupert, though, so I’ll say bye-bye.”

  The unread message beeped again and the car engine revved, followed by a loud toot of the vehicle’s horn.

  Eva swiped the screen on her phone, and a message appeared from Daniel.

  Do you want to join the kids for a photo with the car? We need miss Catesby.

  An invisible thread tugged at Eva’s chest. “I’ve got to go, Lynds, but wow, good to hear things are developing!” As long as I don’t get too much detail. “Take care—we’ll arrange something. Bye!”

  Eva went at a trot through the gallery and out of the front door, where Daniel was waiting with his car. She’d seen it on the way in, but hadn’t taken much notice of it. Now, though, she looked at it as if for the first time. A classic sports car, surrounded by children.

  “Yes, Mr Scott? I’m required?”

  A cheer went up from the children and adults alike and he called, “Come on, we need an epic selfie. Can I rely on you to send it out?”

  Eva opened the camera app on her phone. “All right, everyone. Smile!”

  Daniel held out his hand and laughed. “You’re in the photo, come on! Rely on the tall bloke to take it?”

  “Oh!” Eva dropped her phone into her bag. “Where do you want me, so to speak?”

  “In the middle, boss lady.” He stood aside to make space, and with a bit of arranging and squeezing to fit everyone in, Daniel finally took out his own mobile. Only then, in the image on the screen, did Eva see that Jake held Daniel’s sketch of the car, his face as proud as his dad’s, who was posing showily in the driving seat. Daniel held the phone above them and said, “Biggest cheesy grins please?”

  “Cheeeeeeese!�
� The word echoed around the plaza outside Rupert’s gallery. A dozen excited children beamed for Daniel’s camera. He took a few shots then lowered the phone.

  “Miss Catesby’ll make sure you all get a copy,” he told them. “And when the paintings are on display, I’ll see you back here for a proper artist’s showing.”

  Eva stood aside so that the children could say their goodbyes to him. Perhaps she should have headed home, but she wanted the chance to say something to him, to dispel the feeling of unfinished business that hung in the air. Only when they were alone did Daniel ask, “Did I do okay?”

  “You were brilliant! Really, you’re a natural with them.” A breath of sea breeze blew a length of hair across Daniel’s brow, and Eva resisted the temptation to brush it aside for him. “I don’t suppose you’d like to do another session with them? When you can… They’d love it.”

  “I intend to. We’re going to have an exhibition.” He smiled. “I promised Rupert the arsehole that I’d sort the cleaning costs if he let us put the paintings the kids did up in the foyer. Don’t worry about those that have to be anonymous, there won’t be any names unless their parents say yes to it. I promised him the auction too, so it all stays local. I want people to see the work you’re doing, and that won’t happen in a London sale room.”

  “I don’t know how to say thank you, really I don’t.” Eva picked at the dried paint around her fingernails. “I’ve been doing this for four years, and today was the first time that someone really grasped why I do it.”

  “I’m going to go home, order a pizza and crawl around in paint, inspired by Kieran.” Daniel laughed. “But before I do, can I give you a lift anywhere? I haven’t been drinking or doing anything I shouldn’t, you can trust me.”

  “I walked here, seeing as the day was so nice, but I wouldn’t mind a lift home. I suppose all this paint doesn’t pose any qualms for you, does it?” Eva couldn’t help but smile at him, or at the thought of being near to him, even if it was only for the five minutes it would take for him to drive her home. “Wouldn’t want to destroy your upholstery!”

  “I have an understanding man at a good car wash.” He smiled. “I drew you today, didn’t I? I did it.”

  Eva produced the furled drawing from her cleavage. It was warm from nestling against her body. “You did. It was really good. You are feeling better now, aren’t you? I was so worried, and you did seem so much happier today.”

  “Fancy sharing my pizza?” Daniel blinked, his gaze hopeful. “I promise not to burn anything today.”

  Eva nodded as she got into his car. Platonic pizza was a good sign. She’d just have to forget how attractive she found him. “I’m really hungry, actually. All that art has worn me out!”

  “I’m the world’s worst cook. I live on takeaway and cheese.” He closed the car door and walked around to climb into the driver’s seat. “And you’re— Have you been all right?”

  “More or less.” Eva smiled at him. She had missed him, and she barely knew him. “I was worried about you, and I… Something happened, and I suppose I should tell you, but it can wait.”

  “I heard what you said as you were leaving.”

  Eva bit her lip. “I don’t know why I said it.” But she did know, because it was true.

  “No one’s ever said it since my mum.” He pulled out into traffic, the sun beating down on them in the open-top car. “So even someone like you saying nearly, that meant a lot to me.”

  “I shouldn’t have said that and walked away. It wasn’t fair.” Eva tucked her hair behind her ears as the air rushing past began to exert its own haphazard styling decisions on it.

  “But nearly’s pretty close.” Daniel smiled. “I’m sorry you saw me like that. Believe it or not, it was the jam that did it!”

  Eva laughed. “Oh dear, did you get a particularly potent jar?” She brushed her hand over his where it lay on the gearstick. Serious now, she asked, “Did it stir memories about your mother? If it did, I’m so sorry. I was thoughtless.”

  “You weren’t to know. It would’ve been her birthday, I was feeling a bit weird and—” He glanced at her. “Shall we get some bread or something, try the jam later?”

  Eva bowed her head. “Oh, Daniel, I can’t begin to… No wonder you got into a state, you poor thing.” She glanced at him, his hair blown back from his face by the wind. “We could get some bread, if you like. Or just eat it out of the pot with our fingers!”

  “Let’s do that. It’ll be pudding!” They drove out of the town and along the coast, the horizon opening out, the ocean disappearing into a distant haze. Sunglasses weather, though he wasn’t wearing them. “But I’m sorry, Eva. I just wanted to say it and for you to know I mean it.”

  Eva nodded. “Thank you, Daniel, I know you mean it. Seeing you with the kids today—they’re not daft, they know when someone’s insincere, and they really took to you. And how you got Kieran to smile, I’ll never know!”

  “I see a hell of a lot of me in him. Maybe he knew that?”

  “Maybe he did. He’s been excluded from school a couple of times for causing trouble, but from what I’ve heard from his mum, it’s how he reacts to the other kids picking on him. You know what they can be like. Horrible and then calm down, mate, it’s just a joke!” Knowing she could trust Daniel with a confidence, she told him, “His dad’s in prison and the other kids read about the case in the papers, and—you can imagine. He’s got so much pent-up rage inside, and when he’s painting, it comes out.”

  “He’s got a real talent, that’s why I wanted to talk to his mum. She was so proud of him.” He glanced at her. “And those kids today, I saw myself in every one of them. If there’s anything I can to help with your work, I want to do it.”

  Eva took a deep breath. It was a lot to ask a man as successful as Daniel, who no doubt had more demands on his time than she could ever understand. “Well, there is one thing you could do. It’s not about money, just—can you give up a couple of hours on a Saturday to help me run the class? Not every week, I understand that—you’re very busy, I’m sure—but even just once a month, it’d be great. I know the kids would love it.”

  “You’re amazing, I hope you know that. I’d love to,” he replied, his tone as warm as the sky above. The vast palace that was his home swam into view through the summer haze and as the car drew close, the gates swung open with a quiet electric hum. “And I still want my mermaids.”

  “What if… What if I give you your mermaids in exchange for a donation to my outreach group?” Eva combed her hands through her messy hair. She wished she’d brought a brush. Heading into Daniel’s palace looking like she needed a good bath seemed wrong. Bohemian, certainly, but wrong. “You decide the price. I can’t. I’m rubbish at that sort of thing.”

  “It’s got to be worth a few grand?” He turned off the ignition and climbed out. “I went away the morning after I last saw you. I haven’t been home until today so it’s a bit of a mess in the studio. Nothing got burned in the end. I just stayed on your chaise longue until the sun came up, then I hit the road.”

  Eva got out of the car. She adjusted her dress, and tried vainly once more to remove the tangles from her hair, discovering in the process yet more paint. “Where did you go, or shouldn’t I ask?”

  “I went up to Middlesbrough, where I lived before—” He shrugged. “Lost the accent a long time ago. I haven’t been there in thirty years, so I just wanted to see Mum’s place, my old school, try and exorcise a few old devils. I’m not going to get better in the space of a week, but I didn’t think I’d live to see the dawn, Eva. And I don’t ever want to think that again, it was like drowning.”

  “You’ve been through a lot, Daniel.” Eva had given up on tidying her hair. It was an insignificant matter when held up against a man’s life, a man’s sanity. “If you’d like a hug, a platonic hug, you need only ask.”

  “It’s not very bad boy to admit you’re going into drug counselling, so I’d love a hug.” He ruffled his hair, a few fle
cks of paint fluttering from it. “Then let’s get the pizza ordered and settle in for some painting.”

  Eva held her arms out to him and embraced him tightly. “You’re not bad in the least, Daniel. In fact, you’re quite lovely.”

  “Do you fancy crawling about in some paint?” He hugged her in return. “I can lend you something to wear.”

  “Sounds like fun, as long as you don’t mind me borrowing your shower before I go home!” Eva rested her head against his chest. She didn’t want to let him go. Perhaps she was imagining it, but she had the idea that he felt the same because he was clinging to her too, his cheek resting on her hair. Eva whispered, “I’m easy with the pizza, by the way, although I do insist on pepperoni.”

  “And a bottle of red,” he murmured. “Just the one, though, don’t worry.”

  “Sounds good.” Eva at last let him go. “Wine and pizza. Sounds like a good way to spend the evening. And in excellent company, too.”

  Daniel unlocked the door and stood aside, letting Eva into the vast, white foyer. An alarm was beeping, and he paused to tap a code into a keypad just inside, silencing the sound. A staircase swept upwards and Daniel headed for it, telling her, “Make yourself comfy in the lounge, I’ll be back with clothes to paint in. I’ll phone for food too!”

  The lounge, so it appeared, was next to Daniel’s studio, with the same view across the sea. The decor was very white, and Eva wondered how they’d manage to eat pizza and drink red wine in the room without creating another mess. She didn’t want to sit on the vast white suede sofa, even though it looked incredibly comfortable. The room smelled of new furniture and new carpet. A huge television screen watched her from across the room, and Eva thought back to the burglar alarm. Having all this money and the big house was one thing, but did it mean very much if it was empty? She turned her back on the impersonal, blank space and instead gazed out at the sparkling blue sea beyond.