Love Your Life(66)

As I watch Elsa making the coffee, I add timidly, “Excuse me for asking, but what was the thing that happened to Ronald?”

There’s a pause, then Elsa says, “An unfortunate incident.” She shoots me an off-putting smile. “We don’t talk about it. If you wouldn’t mind taking the tray of cups?”

Obediently, I follow her, and as I’m sitting back down at the table, a beautiful sleek Doberman pinscher appears at the doorway. Oh my God. What a gorgeous dog.

“Mouser!” Matt greets him, smiling. “One of my dad’s dogs,” he explains to me, and I beam back in relief. Finally! Something I can relate to! I’m longing to meet Mouser and pet him—only he seems strangely pinned to the spot.

“Why isn’t he coming in?” I ask, puzzled.

“He’s not allowed in here,” says Matt.

“He’s not allowed in the dining room?” I say, baffled.

“He has his zones,” explains Matt, and I try to hide my horror. Zones? That sounds sinister, if you ask me. It sounds like a spaceship from a dystopian movie. I smile sympathetically at Mouser, who is still standing at the threshold. Mouser gives a single bark, and John immediately frowns.

    “Now, Mouser,” he says. “Behave. Lie down.”

Immediately, Mouser lies flat on the floor, as I stare, slightly flabbergasted. I’ve never seen a dog like that. He’s like a robot dog.

“Why’s he called Mouser?” I ask. “Because he catches mice?”

“No, Mauser. After the gun,” says Matt, and I nearly drop my coffee cup in horror. A gun? They named their dog after a weapon?

“Mauser’s on good form,” says Walter, who has barely spoken all lunch.

“Ava has a dog,” Matt tells Walter, who lifts his eyes toward me with the barest interest.

“Oh, really?”

“I have a beagle,” I say eagerly. “A rescue beagle. He was found on the side of the A414.” As ever, when I talk about Harold, my voice starts overflowing with love. “He’s…would you like to see a photo?”

“No thanks,” says Walter shortly, as John pushes back his chair.

“Matthias, Walter, I think we should get on.”

“Sure,” says Matt, draining his coffee cup. “Will you be OK, Ava?”

“I’ll sort out something for Ava,” puts in his mother, before I can reply. “You go along, Matthias. I’ll join you.”

“Nice to meet you,” says Walter to me, and I muster a smile.

“You too!”

John strides out of the room along with Walter and Matt. Mauser follows them, practically in step, and as I watch them go, I realize I’m mentally singing the Darth Vader theme tune. Oh God, I hope no one can hear.

    “Ronald, your massage therapist will be here soon,” adds Elsa, and Ronald gets to his feet.

“Very nice to meet you, Ava,” he says, and squeezes me briefly on the arm before heading out of the room.

“Ava,” says Elsa with her chilly smile. “I’m afraid we will be in our meeting for some time. But you are welcome to use the pool. It’s indoor,” she adds. “You’ll find the pool complex in the garden.”

I gape at her in surprise. The pool? I never expected a pool.

“Amazing!” I say. “Except…I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

“We have spare swimsuits for guests at the complex,” she says. “Help yourself.”

“Thank you!”

I beam back at Elsa, all my antipathy melting away. Here we are. This is our common ground. Swimming! I may not be a sportswoman, but I can drift around a pool with the best of them. I’ll loll around in the pool all afternoon and have a lovely relaxed time and then maybe we’ll have the patisserie cake for tea, since we haven’t had it for lunch.

“Oh, I should warn you,” adds Elsa as she reaches the doorway. “My aunt Sigrid and cousin Greta are over from Austria with some friends, and are coming to stay. You may meet them. They’re very charming.”

“Awesome!” I say happily. “And maybe I’ll have a little walk in the garden first.”

    “Be our guest,” says Elsa, waving a hand at the French windows, and she almost sounds friendly. I can’t believe it. This visit has completely turned around!



* * *



—

The garden is quite large and complicated, with walled sections and orchards and grassy bits that look like other grassy bits. As I’m trying to find my way back, I get drawn into a WhatsApp debate between Sarika and Maud about vitamin C serum and perch on a bench to join in. So it’s quite a long time before I make my way to the pool complex, which is a glass-fronted wooden building.

The pool is stunning, all blue and glittering, just like something in a posh hotel. There are several sun beds and even a steam room and sauna. I can’t help giving a little whoop of exhilaration as I look around. Why didn’t Matt tell me about this in the first place? That is so typical of him.

Then I become aware that I can hear voices. I follow the sound, through a curtain, and find a group of women getting changed and chattering loudly in German. Three seem to be in their forties, and one is older. They look up in surprise as I enter, and I raise a shy hand.