The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop (16 page)

‘Mainly, although there’s one guest who’s been around quite a while. Since it opened, actually.’

‘Oh, yes?’

‘It’s a bit of a strange one. She’s called Clarissa. She’s a nice woman, says she met Granny back when the shop was Sunset 99s.’

‘I’m sensing there’s a “but” here.’

‘I’m not sure what’s going on with her. She’s been asking me about Granny, and Martin, too. Just the occasional question, like she’s trying to build up a picture of her, or something. I guess it’s natural – in that house there are a few personal things, you might get curious . . . But I’m starting to wonder if something else is going on. She’s grieving still, I think, said her stepfather passed away.’

‘Well, that’ll probably be it, won’t it? Maybe she thinks you’ve been through the same thing and she’s trying to make a connection.’

‘Maybe.’ Imogen paused. ‘Anyway, I don’t want to be mean, she’s perfectly nice.’

‘How are things going at Vivien’s? I got the latest set of accounts from you, thanks. It looks like things are OK.’

‘They are. Evie’s doing a sterling job of keeping things ticking over. The customers absolutely love her, and she insists that she’s fine doing it on her own.’

‘I’m glad. I’m so pleased we trusted our gut feeling on that. Granny would have loved it, wouldn’t she, knowing that Evie was there, running the show.’

‘Yes. And it’s definitely softened the blow of losing the souvenir shop for her. She’s seemed strangely relaxed about the fact that Finn, Andy and Andy’s dad are smashing walls down over there.’

‘They haven’t wasted any time. Finn must be excited,’ Anna said, half-wishing she could see what was going on at the arches for herself. She was used to knowing all the comings and goings in that little stretch of seafront, rather than hearing about them from someone else.

‘He is. It’s keeping him really busy – he’s working late a lot.’

‘Have you talked to him, about how you’ve been feeling?’ Anna said. Imogen fell quiet. ‘Sorry. It’s your business.’

‘No, it’s fine. It’s just he’s been busy . . . and I’ve been . . . well. Actually I haven’t been busy at all, not with work at least.’

‘You haven’t?’ Anna said.

‘No. Listen, how are you fixed for the start of July?’

‘No plans. Other than the usual – juggling Bella and a load of ice cream cones, trying to fit in the occasional shower and conversation with Matteo. Why do you ask?’

‘I’m wondering about a visit.’

Anna felt a rush of excitement at the prospect. ‘Don’t tease, Imogen. Do you really mean it?’

‘Of course I do,’ she said.

‘How long for?’

‘Ten days or so? Would that be OK?’

‘The entire summer would be OK,’ Anna said. ‘We’ve got space for you and Finn to stay here at our apartment.’

‘Oh . . . it’d probably just be me,’ Imogen said.

‘How come?’

‘Finn’s been busy with the building work on the shop.’

‘That’s a shame.’

‘I’ll ask him, anyway,’ Imogen said.

‘Do you think Mum and Dad would want to come out, too? I’ve been meaning to ask them, just wanted to get everything set up here first.’

‘I’m sure they’d love to, but Anna . . .’

‘I understand. They can come later on. They OK, though?’

‘Yes, I think so. Mum’s at a bit of a loose end still, but Dad seems fine. They come up to the guesthouse every now and then to check in on things.’

‘Dad’s getting used to the idea?’

‘Oh yes, he’s fine now.’

Anne paused. ‘I’m
so
excited, Imogen. I really hope you can come. I’d love to show you around.’

From the Sorrento ice cream shop, Anna spied Matteo approaching across the square, with Elisa and Bella, and dashed out to tell him the good news she’d just heard.

‘I’ve just been on the phone to Imogen, and she’s coming out to visit,’ Anna squealed. Then she turned to Bella and gave her a hug. ‘Your auntie’s coming!’

‘That’s great,’ Matteo said, smiling broadly.

‘Your sister’s coming? That’s wonderful,’ Elisa said. ‘Nice girl, Imogen. A little . . . how do you say? Well, like a boy. The way she dresses.’

‘Mamma,’ Matteo said, quietly.

‘But perhaps that look is fashionable, in England,’ Elisa said, correcting herself. ‘Anyway, that’s nice. She’ll give you a little company.’

‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Anna said.

‘Perhaps she’ll be able to help you with some of the housework in the apartment,’ Elisa said. ‘It seems like you don’t have much time to do that.’

‘I don’t think we’ll be doing that while she’s here, Elisa,’ Anna said, keeping her voice calm and level and trying not to let Elisa’s comments rile her.

‘Well, you shouldn’t let things slip for too long. Perhaps Carolina could help. The home that she and Filippo have in Siena . . . well, it’s like something off the television: every surface gleaming, the bed linen ironed . . .’

Anna took a deep breath, to stop herself from talking back. It always seemed to be Carolina and Filippo this, or that – the money, the meals, the house. It was tiring to be compared with someone who seemed so perfect.

‘Carolina’s situation is a little different,’ Matteo said, diplomatically. ‘She and Filippo have a housekeeper, anyway.’

‘Well, I never had one and—’ Elisa started.

Keen to change the subject, Anna pointed to the plastic bags Elisa was holding. ‘What did you get?’

‘I couldn’t resist buying my beautiful granddaughter some new things,’ Elisa said, unpacking one.

Bella peered at the pink fabric excitedly and when her grandmother held it up, revealing the full extent of lace and frills, the little girl clapped her hands together in joy.

‘See! I knew this little one would like it,’ Elisa said, pleased with herself.

‘It’s a lovely thought,’ Matteo said, diplomatically. ‘Thank you, Mamma.’

‘Yes, thank you, Elisa,’ Anna added, as her daughter touched the frills, squealing with delight.

‘Oh, that’s just one dress. There’s plenty more.’ She delved into another bag and pulled out a pair of glittery pink shoes, with heels, and a makeup set.

Anna looked at Matteo, a little alarmed, and their eyes met. She waited for him to say something.

‘I’m not sure, Elisa . . . She’s not even two yet. She’s still very young for—’

‘Shoes!’ Bella exclaimed, grabbing at them with a look of unbridled delight.

Anna glanced over at Matteo for support, but he remained silent. Now they were living here there was no option of ‘disappearing’ the gifts to the back of Bella’s wardrobe. Elisa would expect to see her wearing them. With her grandmother’s help, Bella opened the lipstick and Elisa dabbed a little on her mouth.

‘It’s really kind of you,’ Anna said. ‘Although I think it’s best if she doesn’t wear heels for a while. They are beautiful, but her feet are still growing and we need to be careful.’

‘Oh, she’ll be fine. We always put Carolina in shoes like this. And look, Bella loves them, doesn’t she?’ Elisa exclaimed. ‘I think she prefers them to the other clothes she’s wearing these days.’

Anna looked at the Osh Kosh blue-striped dungarees and red Clarks sandals she had dressed her daughter in that morning. ‘She seems happy enough in them.’ They were perfect for the things that Bella loved doing best: running, hugging dogs, playing in the mud. ‘To be honest, I’m not sure she even notices what she’s wearing.’

‘They aren’t very feminine, though, are they? Have you seen the other little girls around here?’

‘I don’t want her to look like everyone else.’ The emotion rose in Anna’s voice, and she was unable to keep her irritation hidden.

‘Well, Matteo agrees with me. Don’t you, Matti?’

‘Mamma . . .’

‘You see? He also thinks she’s lucky to have a grandmother like me, to buy her such pretty things. Don’t you think, Bella?’

Bella pulled pink garment after pink garment out of her grandmother’s shopping bags, gurgling happily.

‘Very lucky,’ Anna said.

Chapter 21

After speaking to her sister, Imogen carried on walking along the seafront. It had felt strange, holding back from mentioning the letter and photo she’d found. It had seemed like a lie, to keep that from Anna, the person she was closest to in the world, and Vivien’s other granddaughter. But what did Imogen really know? All that was certain was that the connection between Vivien and this man, this stranger, was so strong that she’d still been thinking about it years later, driven to get back in contact. She wanted to find out more before she risked upsetting anyone in her family over what might turn out to be nothing.

Imogen remembered her grandfather, Stanley – Vivien had doted on him. She had been crushed when he’d passed away in his fifties. Or perhaps Imogen and her family had got all of that wrong. Maybe all of the years she’d been with Stanley, and after his death, Vivien had really been yearning to be with somebody else.

Her grandparents’ marriage – she’d always assumed it was perfect. They had all the best ingredients, kindness, love, staying power . . . And yet they still hadn’t made it. Not in the way that everyone had believed they had, at least.

She looked out at the ocean where her grandmother’s ashes had been scattered. Her final resting place wasn’t a resting place at all, but one in a constant state of ebb and flow. Maybe her spirit was unsettled, too.

‘Who was he?’ Imogen asked, under her breath, looking out towards the waves.

Imogen had to find out. And something told her that going out to Italy was the only way to do it.

That evening, Imogen was woken by Finn as he let himself into the house, showered and then came through to their bedroom. She checked her phone and saw it was after midnight.

‘You were out late,’ Imogen said, pulling back the duvet.

‘Yes. It’ll be like this for a while, I’m afraid. We’re getting there, though.’ He got into bed beside her.

She propped herself up on one elbow and faced him. He kissed her gently.

‘I spoke to Anna today.’

‘Oh, yes. How are they doing?’

‘OK, I think. We didn’t talk for long, but it sounds like they’re settling in. I bet they’re going to have a great summer out there. And let’s be honest, they’re hardly missing much here, are they?’

Summer hadn’t quite found the south coast yet, aside from the occasional sunny day, and the grey days had started to get Imogen down.

‘It’s usually the other way round, you know. You off in some glamorous location and us here in the drizzle. It’s Anna’s turn.’

‘I know.’

‘You want to go out there, don’t you?’

She thought of how much she missed her sister – and then of the other reason she felt such a drive to go out to Italy: the letter that she’d found; the mystery around her grandmother that she felt compelled to get to the bottom of.

‘Yes. I do. I really want to go.’

‘Well, then you should,’ Finn said. He seemed detached and quiet. The way he had seemed quite a lot, lately.

‘Without you?’

He shrugged. ‘I’d love to go, you know that. But with everything that’s going on with the shop I really can’t afford to take the time off. You’re used to travelling on your own, aren’t you?’

‘Yes. Of course I am.’ She hadn’t expected to feel sad.

‘More lamb, Imogen?’ Jan said, offering the tray to her daughter.

‘I’m fine, thanks, Mum.’

‘Oh, come on, have some more. You’ve barely touched yours.’

That weekend, Finn and Imogen were at her parents’ cottage in the town of Lewes, a short drive from Brighton. With jasmine around the front door, and her father’s garden sculptures decorating the path, it was a place that would always feel like home to both Imogen and Anna. Which was comforting in some ways, Imogen thought to herself. But infuriating in others.

‘It’s true that you haven’t eaten much, love,’ Tom said, looking at the plate of half-eaten Sunday roast in front of her.

‘I’m not that hungry today, that’s all,’ she said.

‘Everything OK?’ Tom asked her gently.

‘Yes, absolutely fine,’ Imogen said. ‘We had a massive breakfast this morning, that’s all.’

From the corner of her eye she could see Finn glancing in her direction, and it made her feel more conscious of the lie. The truth was that over the past few weeks her appetite had dropped. She couldn’t put her finger on why, just that in the days since Anna had left, something had been out of kilter, and that feeling didn’t seem to be resolving itself.

‘I expect you’ll be needing some fuel,’ Tom said to Finn. ‘I hear you’ve been working hard building the new shop.’

‘Building – that’s a nice way of putting it,’ Finn said with a smile. ‘We’ve trashed the place, really. Walls down, plaster dust everywhere. Evie’s been very understanding – even dropping tea in to us while we work. I thought she might be upset, but she says in a way it’s quite satisfying seeing the place change so completely. Anyway, by autumn we should have it all in good shape.’

‘I’m sure you’ll make a great success of it, just as you did with the surf school,’ Tom said.

‘It’s something Andy and I have been talking about for a while, so we’re really enjoying getting stuck in. It’s costing quite a lot in the short term, but we’re confident that it’ll bring us a more solid income in the years to come.’

‘That’s good, isn’t it?’ Jan said. ‘Don’t you think, Imogen?’

‘Yes, of course,’ she said. ‘It’s going to be awesome when it’s done.’

‘A young couple like you need a bit of security when you’re starting out, and your line of work, well, it’s just not very reliable, is it, Imogen?’

Finn caught Imogen’s eye over the table, seeming to sense her irritation.

‘It’s not, no, Mum,’ she said.

‘Small price to pay for doing what you love,’ Tom said, smiling at his daughter. ‘And, while it was a shame about that last project, I’m sure something even better will come through for you soon.’

‘Thanks, Dad,’ Imogen said. ‘And it’s not like Finn’s paying my way. I’ve been doing studio work, weddings. I’ve even saved a bit.’

‘Very sensible,’ Jan said. ‘I mean I’d still be happier if you weren’t freelance – it really is terribly insecure: no pension, no sick days – but that does sound like better work. You should really think about an ISA. Tax-free savings can—’