Page 114 of Dancing Fools and All That Jazz
‘I love you.’
‘I love you too, Grace,’ Ingrida puts a finger to her lip and then to the phone even though the child cannot see her. They say goodbye and Ingrida looks directly at me.
‘Well?’
‘Well, they must know now.’
She slowly nods her head.
‘I mean, that is good is it not?’ I ask her. ‘Neil will be forced to tell them you are now married, right?’
‘Yes, he will have to tell full truth. It is better it is out in the open but I do not think they will be very happy.’
‘Is it really his grandmother’s ring?’
‘Ja.’ Ingrida touches the ring fixed tightly on her finger.
‘It is too tight Ingrida, and anyway you should have your own ring. When you get back, you must tell Neil toget a new ring for you. This is a symbol of your marriage, not his grandmother’s.’
‘You are right.’ Ingrida snaps her phone away decisively.
I look past Ingrida to see a large number of people entering the theatre.
‘People are starting to arrive,’ I say. ‘There are lots of them. We had better go and get changed… Wait. That man, is it not Ruby’s boyfriend, Max?’
Ingrida looks to where I am pointing and nods.
Max is pulling a small suitcase along as he scans the faces of those in the café. When he spots us, he waves and comes across.
‘Hi, have you seen Ruby?’
‘She and Monica, they go out for afternoon,’ Ingrida replies.
‘She’s out with Monica?’
‘Ja. They are best friends.’
Max scratches his head. ‘I’ve been trying to call her mobile, but it says it’s unobtainable.’ Max’s eyebrows are furrowed, and he looks incredibly tense.
‘She drop phone into River Seine.’
‘She did what?’
‘Not deliberately,’ I interject. ‘Ruby wanted to call you from my phone, but she could not remember your number.’
Max’s features soften.
‘You come to watch final show?’ Ingrida smiles. ‘We are doing “Dancin’ Fool”.’
‘No, I mean I’d love to watch, but I have a late flighthome tonight and I need to set off for the airport in a while.’
‘Well, the show starts in just over an hour and we are first on the programme,’ I explain.
‘Right. So, Ruby should be back soon?’
‘She may already be in the dressing room. We have not gone down there yet.’
‘If she is, can you tell her I’m here.’
