Widows

‘Meeting some people for a business dinner,’ he said airily. ‘Open the booth so I can give you a cuddle.’

Linda fumbled as she unlocked the door. Carlos put his hands round her waist, pulled her close and kissed her. She was tense and he could feel it.

‘I got to get on.’ She pulled away. Carlos held her, touched the pendant on her neck and a shiver ran through her.

‘Looks good on ya and makes me proud you wear it. Maybe I can see you after my business dinner?’

‘I’m on lates. I’ll be tired.’

Carlos leaned over, put out his hand and tilted her head toward him. ‘Something the matter? You seem a bit cold?’

Linda pulled her head away and began to twist the pendant nervously. ‘Nah. It’s just that I’m working till late. I’m so tired I just want to go home to bed and sleep.’

Carlos stepped back and looked at her, but she wouldn’t look him in the eye. He gave a slight shrug, and after a few seconds of silence, said, ‘Suit yourself.’ Turning sharply, he walked toward the exit.

‘Twelve,’ Linda blurted out. ‘I’ll be finished at twelve.’ She didn’t know what made her say it.

Carlos turned with a smile and a wink. ‘Back later!’

Linda waited a few seconds, biting her nails, and then yelled for Charlie. ‘Here,’ she said, handing him the booth key once he’d ambled over. ‘I’ll be back in a minute.’ Before Charlie could ask where she was going, Linda was out the door.

The white suit made Carlos easy to follow. Linda kept her distance on the opposite side of the street, and paused by shop doorways in case he turned around. She watched as he stopped and looked at his reflection in a shop window, patting his hair and straightening his tie before continuing down Wardour Street and entering a small French bistro.

The bistro had a mid-line red curtain across it. Standing on tiptoes, Linda could just see Carlos being led across the restaurant by a waiter. A blonde woman smiled and waved at him. Well, if he was doing the dirty on her, at least it was with a woman... But it was the waiter, not Carlos, that the blonde was waving at.

Carlos was ushered to a booth at the back of the restaurant, where he stood chatting to someone. Linda couldn’t see who it was, but she did see a hand reach out and squeeze Carlos’s backside. Then whoever it was leaned forward and kissed Carlos on the cheek. For a fraction of a second Linda saw the other man’s face clearly. It was enough. It was true. Dear God, it was true. Arnie Fisher and Carlos were lovers.

Linda’s head was spinning as she ran across Wardour Street without looking, causing a car to swerve and almost crash into a bus stop. She ran toward a telephone kiosk, went inside and scrabbled through her jeans pockets for some change before she remembered that 999 calls were free.

Later that night, Linda had sex with Carlos. She hadn’t wanted to, but she had to make him think nothing was wrong. Afterward, when she was satisfied he was asleep, she slid out of bed and paced round the room before sitting at her dressing table.

Carlos had only pretended to be asleep. He opened his eyes a fraction and watched her beautiful naked body as she sat staring at herself in the dressing table mirror, his pendant hanging between her breasts. She frowned, picked up a piece of cotton wool, squeezed some make-up remover on it and wiped her face. Something’s the matter with her, he thought. She’d been edgy at the arcade and the sex was not as wild and passionate as usual. As she got up from the dressing table and climbed back into bed, Carlos pretended to stir. Slipping his arm round her, he stroked her gently, rolled on top of her and they had sex again. After he finished, Linda turned away from him.

‘What’s wrong?’ whispered Carlos.

‘Nothing,’ said Linda. ‘I’m just exhausted.’

Carlos squeezed her again and kissed the back of her neck. He had never told her he loved her, but he wanted to tell her now. He leaned up on his elbow and whispered her name, but she had fallen asleep. Gently, he moved a strand of hair from her face before turning over and going to sleep himself.

In the dark, Linda opened her eyes and stared at the curtains. She felt as if her heart was turning to stone. Could that arrogant cow Dolly be wrong? Maybe Carlos was stringing Arnie Fisher along for cash and didn’t actually sleep with him at all? But Linda knew she was just clutching at straws.

Carlos was up and dressed before Linda. He knelt on the bed and shook her awake. ‘Sorry. I’m late for work. I don’t suppose I could cadge a lift?’ Relieved that was all he wanted, Linda got up.

She drove in silence, Carlos’s silk suit was crumpled, his tie flung on the dashboard and the overnight growth of stubble on his chin gave his face a swarthy look. He turned on the radio and rested his arm along the back of her seat. Linda felt pangs of guilt as she arrived at the top end of the U-shaped mews.