City Woman (39 page)

‘Morning,’ Bill greeted her as she walked through the door into the office.

‘Morning, Caroline,’ Filomena smiled sweetly. Caroline wasn’t sure that she particularly liked Filomena, who could be a bit smug and superior and didn’t like to be asked
to do things.

‘Morning, all,’ Caroline returned their greetings cheerfully.

‘You had no problems getting here?’ Bill cocked an enquiring eyebrow.

‘None at all,’ Caroline sat down at Nell’s desk.

‘You took a taxi.’ Filomena made a statement rather than asked a question.

‘Not at all,’ Caroline said. ‘I drove.’

‘Ha!’ exclaimed Bill. ‘That’s thirty dirhams you owe me, Filomena. I knew Caroline would drive in.’

‘What’s this?’ she asked in amusement.

‘Filomena was so sure you wouldn’t drive that she bet me thirty dirhams. She should know better than to bet with me, eh, Filomena?’ Bill was as pleased as if he’d won a
grand.

‘Know-all!’ Filomena snapped, and Caroline felt a secret sense of satisfaction that she had proved her wrong. It would be interesting to see how the typist behaved when Bill was not
in the office and Caroline was in charge. An instinct just told her that Filomena was someone she was not going to like. There was something bossy about the younger girl and it was perfectly
obvious in the few days that Caroline had been at the office that Filomena resented her presence and, understandably, probably felt that she should have been left in charge of the office during
Nell’s absence. However, she did not have Caroline’s linguistic skills nor her experience of office administration. Caroline hoped there would be no unpleasantness between them and that
Filomena would not take advantage when Bill was away.

It was a hectic day. Bill had secured a contract to build a palace for a sheikh in Oman and Caroline spent the day on the phone getting quotations from suppliers. At lunchtime, Filomena decided
that Caroline and Maria should have first lunch and she would have second. Caroline knew she was being tested.

‘That’s very kind of you, Filomena,’ she said pleasantly. ‘I’m dying for a bite to eat. We’ll let you go on first tomorrow.’

‘Oh I don’t mind looking after the office: I’m used to it.’ Filomena was as sweet as sugar.

‘Oh, fair is fair!’ Caroline said firmly. ‘Isn’t that right, Maria?’

‘Oh yes,’ Maria affirmed, much to Filomena’s chagrin. Caroline gave a mental sigh of relief, feeling that she had handled the situation quite well. Maria was a gentle soul and
it was obvious that Filomena, if she were allowed, would boss her around. Nell had made sure that didn’t happen and Caroline, seeing the way the wind was blowing, decided she would continue
to keep Filomena in her place.

‘Caroline, would you like to come to the Pizza Hut on Khalifa Street?’ Maria asked. ‘It’s not far from here and they do very tasty food.’

‘I’d love to, Maria,’ Caroline agreed, glad to get out of the office for an hour and delighted that she’d have company for lunch.

‘But you brought sandwiches,’ Filomena interposed.

‘Oh, I feel like a pizza and I can show Caroline around as well,’ Maria said as they walked out to the lift.

Filomena was annoyed with herself. She realized that she had made a mistake throwing Maria and Caroline together but she had thought that Maria would have her usual sandwich in the office before
going out for a walk along the Corniche. It had never entered her head that Maria would ask Caroline to go to lunch; she was such a mouse normally.

In a thoroughly bad humour, Filomena assaulted her keyboard, prompting Bill to enquire, as he walked through to his own office, if she was still sore about the thirty dirhams.

‘Huh!’ She kept her head down and ignored her boss, much to his amusement. Bill had a pretty good idea of what was wrong with her and it would be interesting to see how Caroline
handled the situation. So far, she was doing fine and he was very pleased that she had driven to work this first day. She would be able to use the car to get around and it would give her a chance
to see the Emirates properly.

By the time she got home that evening, Caroline was on a high. She had come by a different route which, although it had four roundabouts, had meant that she did not have to go into the city
centre. As long as she stayed in the slow lane, she was fine.

‘I did it! I did it! Easy-peasy,’ she hummed to herself as she undressed. ‘First day over and I did fine. Good girl, Caroline,’ she applauded herself, thrilled at the way
the day had gone and proud of the fact that she had taken the car.

It was bliss to stand under the cooling jets of water. She washed her hair, slipped into a robe and sat down with a cup of coffee to read the
Gulf News.

A knock on the door surprised her and when she opened it Féile was standing there.

‘Hi, how are you getting on?’ asked her neighbour, smiling. ‘How did the first day go? I see you took the car.’

‘Come in, come in,’ bubbled Caroline. ‘I’m still on a high after it all. I can’t believe I drove into the office, but I’m just so glad I did!’

‘I thought you’d be wrecked,’ laughed Féile.

‘I’m not. I feel I’ve loads of energy. If you knew me, you’d know what an achievement this is for me. I’m a bit of a mouse at home. I used to avoid like the plague
driving in O’Connell Street, and even having the first day in the office without Nell over and knowing that I did a good job is a great relief. I won’t be dreading it or the journey to
work any more.’

‘Caroline, I’m telling you: you’ll go home a different person. Being in a city like this and learning to fend for yourself gives you loads of confidence. I’m here three
years now and I’m a totally different person from what I was when I came out. So make the most of it and enjoy it! Talking of enjoyment, how would you like to pop over to the souk for a
while? Nell told me she hadn’t had the chance to bring you. I’m going myself for an hour or two.’

‘Oh, that would be a real treat! I’m dying to go there. I’ve heard so much about it.’

‘Have you had your dinner yet?’ Féile enquired.

‘Ah, I’ll get something when I come back,’ Caroline replied.

‘Come over and have a bite with me,’ Féile said easily. ‘It’s nothing exotic – just pasta and a side salad – but it will save you cooking.’

Caroline accepted the offer gratefully and as she dressed, reflected on how kind her neighbour was. Nell had obviously asked Féile to keep an eye on her, but giving her her dinner was
above and beyond the call of duty. Caroline resolved to have the other girl over later on in the week. And to think she had been worried that she would be lonely. Maria had gone to lunch with her,
she was having dinner with Féile and then going to the souk: it was still like being on holidays.

This impression was reinforced as she strolled around the exotic streets of the souk with Féile. They had taken a taxi and then walked across the huge white winding pedestrian bridge
known as the Twirly. Illuminated with strings of lights, it led to an Aladdin’s cave of narrow shop-filled streets. There were glittering gold shops, fabric shops with the purest of silks and
chiffons, electric and watch stores, oriental gift stores, rug and tapestry shops and exotic grain and spice shops which scented the air with the most aromatic scents. It was a shopper’s
paradise and Caroline was in her element. ‘I’m going to get some silks, and I want some good runners oh! and look—’ she pointed out a Little Mermaid doll that sang,
‘—that would be perfect for Mimi, Maggie’s little girl.’ Féile urged caution, reminding her that she was going to be there for some time and that she should shop
around and see where the bargains were to be had.

‘Look at that!’ Caroline was still agog, staring at a jet-black hairpiece hanging outside a little knickknack shop. ‘Is that real hair?’

‘Yes, they have them all over the place,’ Féile remarked as the owner, a small dark-skinned man, came rushing up to them rubbing his hands.

‘You like? You like? You want to buy; very good price I give you.’

‘Just looking,’ Caroline smiled.

‘Real hair; you feel; real hair.’ He took Caroline’s hand and rubbed it along the hairpiece.

‘No I don’t want to buy, thank you,’ Caroline said politely.

‘Very, very good price!’

‘Have you got one this colour?’ Féile interrupted, pointing to her blonde tresses.

The man glared at her. ‘No.’

Féile gave an eloquent shrug and moved off. Caroline followed. ‘You brat,’ she laughed.

‘It’s the only way,’ grinned Féile. ‘I can see I’m going to have to take you in hand or else you’ll be buying everything you’re
offered.’

In the end, after a really enjoyable evening, Caroline went away with fresh-roasted ground coffee which had been flavoured with cardamom and saffron. She also bought some bhar, an Arabic mixed
spice, and some sticks of incense and a piece of sandalwood, which she sniffed the whole way home in the taxi.

It had been a day of personal triumph for her and she fell asleep full of plans for further explorations of the souk and looking forward immensely to a trip on a dhow, to which she had been
invited by Féile and her flatmate Ger.

‘Richard, it’s wonderful! I’m having a ball. I love the job, I’ve made friends. Listen: I went on a dhow trip last week and it was fantastic! We just
sailed off to a little island and dropped anchor. We swam and had a big barbecue and a sing-song afterwards. And next weekend I’m going up to Dubai to do some shopping. I’ve even
started to play badminton.’ Caroline’s voice came floating down the phone and despite the distance of many miles and the static and the pauses caused by the time-gap, it was impossible
to miss her enthusiasm.

Richard couldn’t believe that the laughing, outgoing, fun-loving person at the other end of the phone was his gentle, self-effacing wife. But had he not made her life a misery because of
the way he had treated her? He had made her question her own womanliness, her sense of self. Listening to her at the other end of the phone helped ease the burden of guilt he carried from the
marriage.

‘How is Charles, Richard?’

‘He’s here, Caroline. I have you on speaker, so he’s been hearing about all your exciting times, too.’ Richard smiled at the gaunt man sitting opposite him at the kitchen
table.

‘Caroline, I’m fine, Richard is taking great care of me and my brother is making sure I have no pain. It’s snowing here in Boston at the minute. It’s like a scene from
The Snowman.
I’m sitting beside a roaring fire, looking out the window, while Richard is making a fish chowder for lunch. What more could a body ask?’

‘Well, I’m just getting ready for bed. It’s very balmy, the sky is clear and the stars seem very near tonight.’ Caroline had to laugh, amused at the complete contrast of
time and weather between Boston and Abu Dhabi.

They talked a while longer and then Richard confirmed that he would phone the following week, as they took turns to make the weekly call. As the chowder simmered gently on the stove, Richard
poured a glass of wine for himself and Charles and sat down at the table with him.

‘I can’t get over Caroline. Can you?’ he asked his companion.

Charles took a sip of the Bordeaux, savouring its full fruity flavour.

‘I’ll admit I was a bit concerned when she told us she was taking off for Abu Dhabi to work. Caroline is so unworldly. I was worried about how she would cope on her own in a strange
city and in a different culture.’ He looked Richard straight in the eye. ‘To be honest, I was afraid she’d go back on the bottle. Caroline always needed a crutch. Isn’t it
wonderful that the need is gone and she’s doing so well on her own?’

‘I’m really pleased. I made such a mess of her life that I never thought she’d get over it, but she has, hasn’t she, Charles?’ Richard needed the affirmation.

‘Richard, you’ve got to stop looking back. Forget the past unless it’s happy and look forward. You’ve got to put the guilt aside. What’s done is done but you can
make amends to Caroline by always being there when she needs you. Believe me: knowing there is someone you can turn to, whatever the circumstances, is one of life’s greatest
blessings.’

The older man spoke earnestly, leaning over and taking Richard’s hand in his own. ‘If you do for Caroline what you’ve done for me . . .’ He leaned back in his chair and
sighed contentedly. ‘In a strange way, you know, I think everything is really working out for the best. Caroline is living the life she missed as a teenager and young girl; she’s doing
all the things she never had a chance to do before she married you, when she was looking after the family home. You and I have this lovely time here, with no-one to bother us. Here it doesn’t
matter that we’re gay and we don’t have to look over our shoulders or worry about our legal reputations. I’m very happy here, Richard, despite the cancer and everything.
I’ve never known such peace. I love our little house, I love our walks, I love going shopping. I love just sitting here in the kitchen with you looking out at the blizzards. This is a rich,
rewarding time for me, I want it to be the same for you. I want you to have this time to look back on and say it was one of the best times of your life. Do you think you’ll be able to say
that, Richard?’

Richard went over and embraced his lover. ‘I’ll be able to say that, Charles, without reservations. We’re going to have such good times. It’s great we’ve got the
pool and we’ll be able to do barbecues ourselves again. Caroline’s not the only one who’s going to live it up,’ he said lightly, kissing Charles on top of his head before
going over to give his chowder a stir and sprinkle in some seasoning.

‘That sounds lovely,’ Charles agreed. ‘Hurry up with that chowder: it smells divine.’ Richard buttered several slices of fresh brown bread and dished out the chowder,
making sure to keep the portions small. He knew Charles would only manage a few mouthfuls; his appetite was getting smaller and smaller, despite Richard’s best efforts.

‘Get that inside you.’ He placed the steaming dish in front of Charles, and then threw a couple of logs on the fire. ‘When you’ve had your nap, we can finish that bugger
of a jigsaw.’