You're Invited(55)
I snuck another look, and I saw her wipe away tears and mutter angrily to herself.
My pulse quickened.
What are you up to, Laura?
“Yeah, look, can you hear me now? I have to be quiet. The cell reception in my room is absolute bullshit.”
Her voice was low, but there was no one around to hear her but me.
“Of course I’m being careful. But you don’t know—no. No!”
“You’re not even hearing me out.”
“Look, it’s getting dangerous. You don’t understand.”
What was Laura on about? Who was she talking to?
I wonder if it had to do with Spencer?
I should have paid her more attention.
I clenched my hands into fists, digging my nails into the flesh of my palms. It didn’t hurt nearly enough to center me, but it did allow me to think clearly.
I strained to hear what else she was saying, but I could barely make out anything over the beating of my heart. It sounded like whoever was on the other end was doing most of the talking.
Laura’s pause was so long that I wondered whether she hung up and left. I was about to peer over once more when her voice rang out again, loud, clear, and half an octave higher.
“I don’t want to do this anymore, you hear me? Kaavi is my friend. I can’t do this anymore. Please don’t make me.” She stifled a sob and hung up. I could hear her footsteps echo back toward her room and the door slam shut.
I struggled to keep my breathing even.
Was someone forcing Laura to do something to Kaavi?
This didn’t make sense.
It took every ounce of energy for me to make my way outside. No one paid me any attention, thank goodness, and I just about collapsed into a trishaw and gave the driver my address.
Plan A might have been an absolute failure, but I was sure of one thing—I wasn’t the only one with an agenda.
AUNTY JOSEPHINA
Interview Transcript: Josephina De Lannerolle (abbrev. JDL)
Date: January 25, 2020
Location: The Mount Lavinia Hotel
EP: Thank you for your patience, Mrs. De Lannerolle. I don’t know how much you’ve been told about our circumstances today, but it would be of great help if you could—
JDL: Answer a few questions, my dear, yes, I was made aware by a few of the other guests who went through this same process. You are trying to get to the bottom of what happened to Kaavindi, am I right? Well, no surprise there. That girl came and went as she pleased. No regard at all about what inconvenience she would put her family through. This is hardly a surprise for me, I’m afraid. I knew this wedding was doomed from the start.
EP: Before we begin, Mrs. De Lannerolle, would you mind please stating your full name and address for our records.
JDL: My name is Josephina De Lannerolle and I reside at Apartment 3/4, Queen’s Court Residencies, Colombo 03.
I have been a close friend of Nihal and Fiona Fonseka for many years now. Fiona’s elder sister, she now lives in the UK, and I were classmates at St. Bridget’s Convent, so you can say that I’ve always been a friend of the family. I attended their wedding, I believe that was in ’91 or ’92. I was personally invited by Fiona’s parents. I was to be a bridesmaid, but they had a cousin flying down from London just for the wedding, so it was only right that they offer that position to her.
I have known Kaavindi ever since she was a little girl. Now, I know it’s not proper for me to say this, of course, but it must be said—Nihal and Fiona, well, Nihal mostly, spoiled that child rotten. She only had to look at a toy and her father would move mountains to get it for her. I remember how she had said she wanted a pony for her eighth birthday, and Nihal got one down all the way from Nuwara Eliya. When she cried about it leaving back to the hill country to be kept in a stable there, he kept it in their garden for an entire week until he made arrangements with the stables at the Colombo Hilton so they would house the pony and Kaavindi could visit it once a week for riding lessons. She lost interest in ponies, as expected, but Nihal never seemed to mind.
So it’s no wonder, really, that when Kaavindi decided she wanted something, Nihal would always support her. He even sent her to America, can you believe it?
“What’s wrong with London?” I asked him. After all, both my sons went to university there, and are doing very well now. One is a barrister, you know, and the other works at Christie’s. He just bought himself the latest Jaguar. I couldn’t be more proud. They wanted to come down for the wedding, but unfortunately, they couldn’t make the time. My eldest’s wife is insisting they tour Italy over the summer, you see, and he can’t stay away from his work for so long. I told him to take no-pay and just come, you know, it’s not like he needs the money, but he’s diligent and loyal to his company, just like I’ve taught him to be.
So yes, Nihal sent her to university in America, and paid for her apartments and cars and shopping while she traipsed around doing god knows what. You know, I’m not at all surprised that something terrible befell her. Now, you mustn’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against the girl, you know. I like her. I have always wished her well. But my daughter-in-law showed me once, on this, er, the YouTube, I think it is called? Yes, the YouTube. She showed me a video of Kaavindi acting, well, I wouldn’t say inappropriately, I suppose. Just that I would never allow my own daughter to ever appear that way. I mean, it’s just not done, is it? Such a cheap thing for a young woman to do. To act like she was some celebrity or actress, speaking in a false accent, begging others to watch more of her videos. I shudder to even think about it.