Back on Track, page 28
“Not too bad with plasters all over my feet and these nice soft shoes.” Lacey looked down and was dismayed to see Birgit’s pretty shoes coated in red dust.
“And you’re enjoying the train, Rhys?” Ketty said. “You’re getting to see a big stretch of Australia.”
“It’s been grand. Trip of a lifetime. We landed in Perth and went up the coast to Ningaloo and swam with the whale sharks, went on to Broome then across to Darwin. I’m looking forward to visiting the wine regions in South Australia. My family owns a couple of wine bars back home in Dublin and we sell a lot of Australian wine. After that we’ve only got quick stops in Melbourne and Sydney and it’ll be time to fly home.”
“That’s an amazing holiday,” Ketty said and Lacey nodded. She’d heard bits and pieces about their travels but hadn’t realised how much they’d done and still planned to do.
“We’ve been saving and planning it for years. Then just when we were ready to set off covid hit.” He threw out one arm and tipped his head to the sky. “But here we are at last.”
“What’s your role in the family business?” Ketty asked.
“I’m the wine buyer.”
“A big responsibility.”
“My da has us all in charge of various parts of the business but we collaborate a lot.”
“What’s Rory’s role?”
“He’s not in my family’s business. He helps us out sometimes behind the bar nights and weekends but his day job is at Arnotts.”
“The department store?” Ketty said.
“Yes.” Rhys grinned. “Usually when we say that here in Australia people think he works in a biscuit factory.”
Ketty nodded. “That’s what Arnotts is famous for in Australia.”
“So we’ve discovered, but Rory’s a furniture salesman at our Arnotts.”
Lacey was surprised that Rhys was totally engaged in the conversation. But then Ketty had a way of speaking to people that drew them in and had them fessing up their inner secrets. Lacey was well aware of that.
“And are you both married, Rhys? Do you have children?”
Lacey blinked. Ketty had slipped that in so seamlessly she could almost believe it hadn’t been said at all but Rhys was suddenly studying his feet.
“I only ask because when we first met, your cousin was wearing a ring on his left hand and it’s not there any more. There could be several reasons for a young man away from home on holidays to remove a ring from his wedding finger but I’m wondering why Rory might?”
Lacey pressed her fingers to her lips as Rhys looked up, the freckles across his face accentuated by the pink glow beneath them.
“I’m divorced.” He met Lacey’s gaze. “Married young. It was a mistake.”
“You don’t have to explain.” Lacey glanced desperately at Ketty. “It’s not our business.”
“No. It’s Rory I was asking about.” Ketty was still piercing Rhys with her sharp stare.
“I told him it wasn’t the right thing to do, but I’m his cousin, not his keeper.” Rhys glanced towards the dance floor. “They’re both adults.”
Lacey followed his gaze and felt sick. Rory and Birgit had stopped dancing. They were locked in each other’s arms, kissing like there was no tomorrow.
“Yes, they are,” Ketty said. “And I’m not Birgit’s keeper either but I would like her to have all the facts. I wonder if Rory’s told her he’s married?”
Lacey pictured Birgit’s beaming smile when she’d been saying Rory might come back and look for work in Australia. He’d even suggested they might live together. She shook her head slowly. “I don’t think he has.”
“They’re only dancing,” Rhys grumbled.
All three of them glanced in the direction of the dance floor where Rory and Birgit were so entwined they were almost one.
“I’ve known Birgit for twelve years,” Ketty said. “The woman I know loves to have a good time but not at the expense of someone else.”
“His wife’s having a baby,” Rhys blurted. “Rory wanted one last fling before he settles down. His wife won’t know.”
Lacey gasped and Ketty’s expression changed to one of incredulity.
Once more Rory’s face turned pink. “I’ve tried to tell him.”
A bubble of anger burst in Lacey’s chest. “You’ve been with us for two days, a lot of that time with Birgit. You didn’t think you could somehow slip it into the conversation, warn her?”
They glared at each other and then Lacey jumped as Birgit’s arm went around her shoulder and Rory stepped in beside Rhys.
“We’ve worked up a thirst.” Rory glanced around. “Where’s that drink waiter?”
“What are you lot being so serious about? Don’t tell me they’ve run out of champagne.” Birgit laughed.
“No, we’ve just been chatting about family,” Ketty said.
“I need to go to the toilet.” Lacey grabbed Birgit by the hand. “Come with me.”
“Oh, me too, then champagne.” Birgit waved at Rory. “See you in a bit.”
“Don’t be too long, we’re getting the next bus back to the train, remember.” He winked.
Lacey’s anger at his deceit almost exploded as she drew her friend away. Birgit chatted happily as they wove their way between the tables, telling Lacey what a good dancer and kisser Rory was. And how the night was young and there was more to come. Once they were out of sight and alone Lacey stopped. She hated that she was going to burst her friend’s bubble.
“I need to tell you something.”
“Ohh. This sounds serious. I wondered what you three were talking about. Rory’s such a joker. I know he shouldn’t have called Ketty ‘Granny’ but he’s changed it to ‘the boss lady’ now and—”
“He’s married, Birgit.”
“Rhys? Not any more. Rory said he’s divorced.”
“Not Rhys.” Lacey gripped Birgit’s hand. “Rory.”
Birgit laughed. “Bollocks. Where did you get that idea? He’s footloose and fancy free.” Birgit pulled away, did a little twirl then grabbed Lacey’s arm as she wobbled. “Did Ketty tell you that? She’s probably annoyed I’m not spending enough time with the team. You know I love her but she’s getting a bit out of touch.”
Lacey was offended on Ketty’s behalf. “Ketty suspected and Rhys told us the truth. Rory’s not only married but his wife is pregnant.”
The silly grin dropped from Birgit’s face. She tipped forward, her face only centimetres from Lacey’s. “You’re being serious.”
“Very. I’m sorry, Birgit. Rory hasn’t been honest with you.”
Sparks glinted in Birgit’s eyes and her lips pursed. Lacey braced herself, but to her alarm Birgit’s face crumpled.
“That fecker,” she whispered and sank to the ground, accompanied by the discordant sound of fabric tearing.
thirty-four
Night Two – Travelling South
The group from Ketty Clift Couture were silent on the bus journey back to the train. Ketty stared out the window into the blackness of the night and felt the bitter taste of defeat. She’d had such high hopes for this holiday and especially tonight’s dinner and it was all in ruins.
After Lacey had dragged Birgit away, Rory and Rhys had started to argue. Ketty had left them to it and had set off to look for the girls. She’d found them as they were inspecting the ruined seam at the back of Birgit’s dress. Birgit was sobbing and Lacey solemn. Ketty had returned to the table to fetch her pashmina to wrap around Birgit and discovered there’d been the Ketty Clift Couture version of whispers around the table – it appeared everyone had already got wind of what had happened. Ketty had told them she was accompanying Birgit and Lacey back to the train and the rest of her group, including Val, Warren and Erik, had all decided to call it a night too.
“Don’t be too despondent, Ketty.”
She turned back from the window. Carlos was beside her. She could be thankful for that at least. “I’m sorry we left early.”
“Not that early. Quite a few people are heading back. The bus is almost full.”
She nodded. It had been a busy day and the added emotion of tonight’s events had drained her energy. “It was such a beautiful setting and a lovely dinner.”
Carlos leaned in a little closer and lowered his voice. “Did you get a chance to talk to Erik?”
“Not much, why?”
“There’s something about him. I don’t know, it’s hard to put my finger on.”
“He seems to be a loner.”
“Or he might be one of those lame ducks your friend Maurice talks about.”
“Not mine, he’s all Judith’s – I’ve got enough on my plate with my staff.”
“And when we get back to the train we’re putting everyone to bed and you and I are having a quiet nightcap, just the two of us.”
She smiled. “That would be lovely.”
When the bus pulled into the train station Ketty and Carlos waited for Birgit and Lacey, who’d stayed on till everyone else was off.
“Will you be all right?” Ketty asked as soon as they’d left the bus behind.
Birgit managed a smile. “As long as I can avoid that gobshite and his fecker of a cousin, sure, I’ll be fine.”
Ketty winced. “I’m sorry, Birgit.”
“It’s not your fault all men are feckers.” She grinned at Carlos. “Present company excepted.”
“Thank you.” Carlos put out his arm. “Can I escort you to your carriage?”
“Oh, Carlos.” Birgit made a poor attempt at batting her soggy eyelashes. “As tempting as that sounds I’m sworn off men.”
Lacey put an arm around Birgit’s shoulders. “We’ll stick together.”
They were a forlorn sight, walking arm in arm, Ketty’s pashmina wrapped around Birgit’s waist to cover the ripped skirt and Lacey limping at her side.
“Hello, you two.” Warren waved as he and Val appeared behind them.
“Is she okay?” Val asked as they followed Birgit and Lacey’s slow progress along the platform.
“She will be,” Ketty said. “Lacey’s going to stay with her.”
“I didn’t take to that chap she was hanging around with,” Warren said. “He pushed in front of Val in the bus line on the way to dinner tonight and when I asked him to watch his manners he said ‘okay boomer’. We had no idea what he meant but he made it sound derogatory. Val had to google it.”
“And what did it mean?” Ketty hadn’t heard the term before.
“That Warren’s dismissive and out of touch with the younger generation.” Val smiled.
“Hang on, pet. You found much more than that about where it came from and what it means. Something about young people lumping anyone over fifty as a baby boomer and has—”
“Wrecked the world for them,” Val said.
“Stupid generalisation,” Warren huffed.
“Perhaps the modern-day equivalent of ‘okay grandad’,” Carlos suggested.
Val nodded.
“I still don’t see what it has to do with Rory’s bad manners,” Warren said.
“I think he may have taken offence to you calling him ‘young pup’.” Val nudged her husband.
“A kind of generational verbal stoush,” Ketty said.
“That’s it.” Val grinned.
“Why are we standing out here?” Warren threw up his hands. “Fancy a drink before we turn in?”
“We haven’t had a chance to chat tonight, Ketty,” Val said. “You seem to have been busy all evening. I hope you got time to eat your dinner.”
“I did.”
The four of them began walking.
“And a drink and a chat would be lovely, wouldn’t it, Carlos? We were only just saying it was too early to end the night.”
“We were.”
Ketty sensed his irritation. She slipped her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze.
By the time they reached the lounge car it was already half full. Val and Ketty commandeered an empty couch and Warren and Carlos went to get drinks. To Ketty’s surprise Erik and Judith came in together, and to her bigger surprise Judith slipped onto the couch beside her while Erik went on to the bar.
“We’ve had a shuffle around in our cabins,” Judith said. “We were all worried it might be difficult for Birgit being in the same carriage as Rory. I’m going to sleep in her cabin tonight, Tien has taken my place and Birgit is sharing with Lacey.”
“That’s so good of everyone.” Ketty berated herself for not thinking about the possibility of Birgit bumping into Rory in the corridors, although it was still a possibility, even with a cabin swap.
“I just wanted to let you know…in case you were looking for any of us.”
“Thank you, Judith.” Ketty had barely said the words when the men arrived back with the drinks and Judith rose and joined Erik a little further along the carriage.
Carlos and Warren drew some vacant club chairs closer but before Carlos could sit he patted his pocket then drew out his phone.
“I think it’s the airline,” he said and rushed out of the carriage to take the call.
“They still haven’t found his case?” Warren asked.
“No, but maybe they have now and that’s what the call’s about.” Ketty hoped so. “It’s been a worry for him.”
“Little things worry us more as we get older.” Val raised her eyebrows at Warren.
“That’s a dig at me, I assume,” he retorted.
“You got so hot under the collar about a simple rearrangement of travel plans.”
“You mean us dancing to our kids’ tune again.”
Val glanced at Ketty then leaned closer to Warren, lowering her voice. “The shop’s busy and the grandkids are sick.”
“It’s only legwork he wants help with and he can employ a junior for that.”
“That will cost him money.”
Warren flopped out his hands, palms up. “You see, Ketty, this is where Val and I don’t see eye to eye. I don’t mind helping out our children—”
Val hmphed.
Warren ignored her and tapped one finger to another. “Gopher at the shop; childminder, gardener and Mr Fix-it at their homes. I’ve done it all but do I get any thanks? No. I’m only the ‘old man’, as they call me. They treat me like a servant.”
“Oh, Warren,” Val grumbled.
“And at least a servant gets paid.”
Ketty remained silent as he took a sip of his drink and Val gave her an awkward glance. “We don’t need the money.”
“I know we don’t but maybe they’d be more grateful if they had to pay me.”
“They are grateful, Warren.”
“To you maybe. I’ve worked in the electrical business in one capacity or another most of my life but it’s as if that means nothing. I’ve simply retired, not lost my marbles.”
“I think you’re overreacting.”
Warren lurched forward. “The last time I was there, Val, a younger couple came in about a new television. Everyone was busy so I asked what they were looking for, narrowed it down to a few choices, was giving them the ins and outs, and then our son interrupted me, corrected me about some minor difference between models and took over. As I walked away he made a joke about me and the older generation not keeping up with the technology.”
Val gasped. “But you do.”
“Of course I do. Just because it’s not my shop any more doesn’t mean I don’t keep my eye on the latest products. I’m fed up with being called the ‘old man’.”
They both fell silent. From the corner of her eye Ketty saw Carlos come back. Val and Warren were focused on each other and not anything around them. Ketty made a quick series of face and hand signals to stop Carlos interrupting, then she felt bad when he turned and left the lounge.
“‘Old man’ is a term of endearment,” Val said softly.
“Not when our children say it. I’m the butt of their jokes.”
“Oh my goodness, surely not.”
“And when you sign me up for childminding duties and go out I feel overwhelmed.”
“With your own grandchildren?”
“I travelled a lot when the kids were young, you did the hard yards then. I’m out of touch. When I had the baby and the two toddlers last week and you went off—”
“I only went to the shops.”
“You were gone for three hours, Val.”
She flopped back.
“Their parents have so many rules,” Warren continued. “No screen time, no sweets, sleep at a certain time. And they all needed nappy changes or toileting, they were hungry.”
“I left snacks.”
“And lately you’ve agreed to babysit several times then gone off to do something and I’m left holding the baby, literally. I’m out of my depth with one little person on my own, let alone three.”
Val shook her head. “You’ve never said any of this before.”
“I’ve been feeling it for a long time.” Warren took a slug of his drink.
Once more Val shot Ketty an embarrassed look.
“It sounds like you’ve got a lot to talk about,” Ketty said. “Would you prefer I left you to it?”
“No, let’s have another drink.” Warren plucked up his empty glass. Both Val’s and Ketty’s were almost full and Carlos’s remained untouched.
Val opened her mouth but Ketty placed a restraining hand on Val’s, resting on the couch between them. “I’m sick of wine. Would you get me a scotch on the rocks, please, Warren?”
“With pleasure.” He stood and looked at his wife. “Val?”
“I’ll stick with this.”
As soon as he’d walked away Val shook her head. “I’m sorry we aired our personal business in front of you.”
“Please don’t worry.” It seemed to be the night for revealing conversations but Ketty didn’t want to dwell on her staff issues. “Poor Warren, he must have been harbouring his feelings for a while now.”
“I thought he was just being selfish. I had no idea he was feeling so, so…”
“Diminished?”
Val sighed.
“I’ve had a little taste of that myself.” Ketty glanced down at her wrist. “I had an experience where I was spoken to and treated in such a way I doubted myself and my abilities. More recently I talked the experience over with…with a friend and we came to the conclusion that the people who were making me feel that way probably didn’t even realise they were.”
