The Peacock Emporium(85)

“What? All of us?” said Jessie, staring.

“One at a time. But, yes, through the straw.”

“That’s a bit unhygienic.”

Alejandro nodded. “It’s okay. I’m a trained medic.

“You know, it is a great offense to refuse to share with someone,” Alejandro added.

Suzanna stared at the straw. “I don’t mind,” she said. She held back her hair then sucked up a mouthful of the liquid. She winced—it was bitter. “It—it’s different,” she said.

He offered her the straw again. “Think how coffee tasted the first time you tried it. You have to see Mate the same way. It’s not bad, just different.”

Suzanna, her eyes on his, put her lips around it. Her hand was on the side of the pot, and she stared at her fingers, so pale and smooth next to his, which were tanned and foreign and unmistakably male, shielded from the light by the dark curtain of her hair. Those hands delivered children, wiped tears from female eyes, had met birth and death and lived and worked in places a million miles from here. She took another sip of Mate, as Jessie muttered something about needing to buy more sugar. Then she watched as his broad hand moved, just a fraction, to rest on her own.

The lightness of the previous minutes was replaced by something electrifying. Suzanna tried to swallow the pungent liquid, her eyes on their hands, all her senses tuned to his warm, dry palm against her skin, fighting an impulse to lay her mouth against it, press her lips to his skin.

She let out a long, tremulous breath, and lifted her eyes to his. They were already on her. His expression not one of amused complicity, sexual invitation, or even ignorance, as she had half expected, but as if he was bewildered, searching for answers.

His gaze, locked on hers, sent a jolt through her that was almost painful. It made a mockery of reason, sliced through her own beliefs and excuses. I don’t know either, she wanted to protest. I don’t understand. Then, almost as if they belonged to someone else, her own fingers shifted on the pot until they were entwined with his.

She heard him swallow, and looked away to where Jessie was pulling cups from the shelf, both thrilled and appalled by what she had done, unsure if she could cope with the emotion she appeared to have provoked.

He didn’t move his hand.

She was almost relieved when the quiet of the room was interrupted by the shrill ring of the telephone. Suzanna, taking back her hand, could not look at Alejandro. She wiped her mouth, and turned toward the phone, but Jessie had got there first. She felt dizzy, disoriented, and so conscious of Alejandro’s eyes on her that at first she could not make out what the other girl was saying. And then, slowly, as her senses came back into focus, she took the receiver. “It’s your mum,” said Jessie, looking anxious. “She says your gran’s had an accident.”

“Mum?” Suzanna held the receiver to her ear.

“Suzanna? Oh, darling, I’m so sorry to bother you at work but Rosemary’s had a fall, and I desperately need some help.”

“What happened?”

“I’ve got no car. The boys have gone off with mine, your father refuses to carry a mobile phone, and I need to get Rosemary to the hospital. I think she may have cracked a rib.”

“I’ll come,” said Suzanna.

“Oh, darling, would you? I wouldn’t ask, but it’s that or an ambulance, and Rosemary is absolutely refusing to have one near the house. The thing is, I can’t get her down the stairs by myself.”

“Upstairs? What’s she doing there?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I’ll be as quick as I can.”

Suzanna hung up. “I’ve got to go,” she said. “Jess, I’d better shut the shop. Oh, God, where did I put my keys?”

“What about the boxes?” said Jessie. “You’ve got those deliveries tomorrow. Where are we going to put everything?”

“I can’t think about it now. I’ve got to run my grandmother to the hospital. I’ll just have to deal with tomorrow when it comes. Maybe I’ll come back tonight if we don’t have to wait too long in A and E.”

“You want me to come?” said Alejandro.

“No, thank you.” Suzanna smiled despite herself at the thought of explaining him to Rosemary.

“Let me ring Mum,” said Jessie. “She can pick up Emma and I’ll stay here and do it for you. I’ll pop the keys in through your door later.”

“Are you sure? Will you be okay? Some of the boxes are quite heavy.”

“I’ll help her,” said Alejandro. “You go. Don’t worry. We’ll sort it out.”



* * *



—

It was after six, and the bright evening skies had been prematurely darkened by the thunderous weather. Jessie had piled all the rubbish into black bin bags, which had been relatively easy to carry up the stairs. Now, however, she was having to move the boxes, some of which were weighty, loaded with crockery or books. “God only knows what she’s been buying,” she said, hauling another up the stairs. “I don’t think she knows half the time.” She let out a gasp of pain.

Alejandro dived over to take the box from her. “Are you okay?”

“Just put a bit too much weight on my hand. I’m fine,” said Jessie, examining her finger, which was still in the homemade splint.