Page 90 of Dancing Fools and All That Jazz
‘Oh dear, is it something I said?’
With Ingrida gone, I am definitely not owning up to it being my test; not in front of these two gossiping women. ‘I think it is a private matter, Bonnie. Not to be discussed.’
‘Oh dear, of course. I didn’t mean to put my foot in it.’
Cath adds, ‘Asha please assure Ingrida we won’t say a word, will we, Bonnie?’
‘No, of course not.’ Bonnie looks earnestly. ‘Mum’s the word… oh dear, mum’s the word. Ha ha.’
Bonnie and Cath giggle and I quell a rising nausea. I hurriedly dispose of the test and wash my hands.
Before I can leave, Cath grabs my arm. ‘Asha, we came to find you to say you missed all the drama. Outside. After you boarded the ship, Monica was only mugged – right here. Some eejit tried to steal her phone.’
‘What?’
‘We saw the whole thing. He got away but not before Ruby rugby tackled him to the ground.’
I do not know what to say but I would rather speak to Monica and Ruby than listen to the story second-hand, and I need to speak to Ingrida urgently, so I mutter something incomprehensible and hurriedly leave.
26
Monica
It all happened so quickly I can barely recall the detail. I’d been on my phone… No wait… I was about to answer my phone. Yes, I was hoping to have a response from Jean-Claude…
I scratch my head to summon up the chain of events as I recover in a comfortable chair in the boat lounge. A waiter brings me a glass of water. Clarissa is next to me, gently patting my arm. Ruby is sitting at some distance with an ice pack on her raised leg. I nurse my sprained hand and rewind the events in my head.
Let me think, I had called Joanne to check all was OK and to tell her we made the finals. I also asked her to send the clip of our “Roxanne” performance.
‘Has your father called?’
‘No. Isn’t he at that conference thingy? James tried ringing him earlier, but it went to voicemail.’
I had checked my watch. I knew exactly where Vince was, or where he was heading. Not long before his firstspontaneous encounterof the evening.
Joanne wished me good luck in the finals and – phone-in-hand – I’d stared up at the Eiffel Tower and contemplated my twenty-year marriage.
Vince had been a monumental mistake, but at leastI’m in no doubt about my next moves. I’m ready to take back control of my life and Vince is out of it.
I’d then texted Jean-Claude about the finals, a fleeting fantasy of attending fashion shows with this attractive Frenchman skittering through my mind. Imagine being with someone who shares your interests… My imagination took another flight of fancy as I daydreamed managing my own business, meeting lots of exciting fashion gurus, taking my time choosing someone I really wanted to share my life with. Heck, I could even use dating sites like the ones Ruby used…
I’d then snapped back to the moment and looked across to Ruby. She was by herself, leaning against the railings at the edge of the river and staring despondently at her phone. I’ve never seen her so miserable.
I felt a stab of guilt. Did I have to tell Max? Yes, how else was I to have responded when he’d asked me why I wouldn’t forgive Ruby a silly mistake. Those bloody words again. Infuriated with this minimisation of her actions, I had lashed out. Max – who I have to say seems a nice enough person – was incredibly shocked when I told him, ‘She’s sleeping with my husband. Hardly a silly mistake.’ OK, I know this implied it was recent and ongoing… Not kind, Monica. I know, I know.
But at that moment I wanted Ruby to experience the hurt I felt. Seeing her so dejected, I began to regret my words. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Besides, my future’s waiting for me to grab it and run – new job, new relationships, new Monica – but there’s no denying Ruby was hoping for a future with Max.
As if she could hear my thoughts, Ruby had suddenly looked up and our eyes met. I expected her expression to change to one of accusation, but instead she dipped her head and turned away.
My stomach had churned. Oh, Ruby. Then my phone vibrated in my hand. Thinking it could be Jean-Claude, I lifted it to look at the screen when it was suddenly snatched from my fingers, and I found myself pushed to the floor. It’s a miracle I was able to reach out with one hand to break my fall. A small, hooded person dressed in dark clothes was racing away from me, my phone in his or her hand.
‘Stop!’ I screamed, but all the dance ladies apart from Ruby were on the boat. A few passers-by rushed to my aid as I cried, ‘My phone.’
They tried to help me up, and I lost sight of the thief. But then I heard a shout and cry from others in the area and a screech above it all.
‘Take that, you little prick.’ Ruby’s voice was unmistakeable.
I wobbled to my feet and strained to see Ruby on the ground, grappling with my assailant, who could have only been a young teenager. They both had my phone and were tussling to get sole possession of it.
