Story four: Love

"Hey hon, it's Erica. Guess what? Matt and Meggy just called and they're going to be in town tonight. I've booked L'Anime for dinner and we're all going to meet in Paulo's for cocktails at six. Please say you'll come?"

Josephina looked down and sighed. She should never have picked up the phone, what was she thinking?

"Jose? You still there? C'mon, we can have champagne, we'll all raise a glass. Josephina, we're your friends."

"I know Erica, I'll meet you at L'Anime at seven thirty. Looking forward to it."
Josephina smiled. She was looking forward to it, she hadn’t seen Matt and Meg in months and she loved spending time with Erica. After putting a bottle of bubbly in the fridge she took her time getting ready.
Josephina walked down the stairs carefully, she was a little precarious on stiletto heels and was anticipating her reception. She looked up from the last stair with tilted head. “So?” She stepped into the hall and gave a twirl, the bottom of her red dress flaring out. “What do you think?” Josephina imagined the raised brow and pursed lips as Darren tucked his chin under the forefinger of his left hand. “I don’t know, it’s lacking something,” he said, before producing a box from behind his back. She opened it and gasped in delight to see a diamond pendant. “Oh Darren, it’s beautiful!’ she exclaimed, “please can you help me?” She held her hair back while the necklace was fastened, then closed her eyes and pulled a glowing kiss from her memory. This evening was perfect.
Josephina didn’t always see Darren, but he had never missed their Friday evening drinks. She carried the tray out to the balcony to see Darren staring far out across the ocean. “We should go one day,” he said. “Just keep going forever, I want to know what’s really out there.” Josephina looked at him. “Water, fish. Big fish.” “But the adventure!” he replied. “Imagine every minute as unpredictable. Imagine how alive you’d feel.” Josephina put down her glass and hugged her arms. Why was he spoiling this? Had the car crash been unpredictable enough for him?
She hadn’t intended on making a grand entrance, but as the last to arrive everyone stopped talking and looked up. Erica stood up to give her a hug. “Josephina, I’d like you to meet some of my book group. As we usually meet on a Friday evening I invited everyone along.” “Hi,” Josephina raised her hand awkwardly in greeting. “I’m Josephina.” “Jose!” boomed Matt as he swung her round in a bear hug. “You look fabulous!” “I’m so glad you came out” added Meg. “We’ve been hoping you’d visit and now I can bug you in person.” Josephina sat down between Matt and a slim red haired man with large glasses and freckles. Erica introduced him as Martin, an artist.
“I call myself an artist, but it’s not what pays for the proverbial roof,” Martin confided. “I’m an architect. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but if I could earn a living from painting that would be my real job. I guess that doesn’t make me the best architect, but if you want a pretty place to live, then I’m your man.” “Martin,” mused Josephina. “You’re not Martin Fellows are you? The man who designed Waterfrets, down near the kite-surfing beach.” “Ah, my masterpiece!” Martin grinned. “Ocean views from all but two windows, I spent weeks figuring out how to do that. I wanted to invite the outside in, I’d love to see what it’s like to live in.” “You’re welcome to come and visit,” invited Josephina. “I would be very interested in any history you have.”
Back at her house, Josephina found a dusty bottle of port under the stairs and poured them both a nightcap. She was expecting to see Darren waiting up for her to ask about her evening, but as they wandered through the house it felt empty. Martin wanted to lean out of every window and check out features she’d never even noticed before. Patterns in the skirting in some of the rooms, extra twirls on selected cornices, bespoke varnishes that he had selected for some of the floors. Martin chatted the whole way round the house, explaining his vision and then interrupting himself as a new room triggered memories. Josephina started to ask the occasional question and was pleased they had started upstairs. She was looking forward to finishing the tour on the balcony now and seeing his reaction to her favourite part of the house.