Page 41 of Sunrise By the Sea

“. . . nybor?”

‘Wereyou,’ said Marisa, continuing to mash. His eye strayed irresistibly to the potatoes. There was clearly lots. ‘You don’t have any cooking sherry, do you?’

His head tilted.

‘Sherry? It’s . . . Spanish wine.’

He vanished and came back with a Rioja, proffering it willingly.

‘Um, no. Like. Sweet wine. Is it? Yes.’

‘Oh!’

He vanished again and returned with port.

‘What . . . do you have an entire bar in there?’

‘Yes.’ Alexei nodded gravely.

‘What? How? Why?’

‘My friends . . .’

He looked slightly caught out then, as if he hadn’t meant to mention them.

‘When I move . . . they said, you must take alcohol, you move to England. They buy me presents. Was funny.’

He said the last words quietly, as if it didn’t seem funny any more.

‘But you’reRussian,’ said Marisa. He looked as if he didn’t know what she was talking about.

‘So?’ he said.

‘Why did you . . . ?’

She was about to ask why he had moved there but he had disappeared once more.

‘What you want?’ came from inside his blue house.

Okay,’ said Marisa. ‘Well. If you really have everything. S-H-E-R-R-Y.’

He disappeared then eventually came back with a very expensive-looking bottle of Amontillado.

Marisa couldn’t help cracking a smile.

‘No way! Well.’

‘You want?’

‘It’s too good for cooking.’

‘You drink it?’

‘No. Do you?’

‘No! Was for new English . . . friends.’

They both looked awkward then and Marisa didn’t say anything.

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