‘Can’t you just let a girl enjoy the view?’
‘No,’ he said firmly, sweeping her up and carrying her to the huge bed, where she forgot all about skyscrapers and neon lights.
They slept late, rose late and sauntered out, meaning to do some serious educational sightseeing. They ended up in a theatre where motorbike riders diced with death, crossing each other’s path within inches at high speed.
‘Well, I’ve learned something,’ she remarked as they walked slowly back to the hotel. ‘I’ve learned never to get on a motorbike.’
They had the elevator to themselves and kissed all the way to the thirty-fifth floor, their minds running ahead to the pleasures to come.
But as they reached their room Lang’s mobile phone began to buzz. Groaning, he answered, and Olivia saw him grow instantly alert. The next moment he swung away from her, as though she had no part of what was happening, and went to stand by the window.
He was talking too rapidly for her to follow, and his whole body was alive with excitement. When he hung up, he looked as though he was lit from within.
‘That’s it!’ he cried. ‘I knew it must happen some time.’
He hurled himself on the bed and lay back with his hands behind his head, the picture of triumph. Then he saw her regarding him, puzzled, and opened his arms to her. She went into them and nearly had the breath squeezed out of her.
‘What’s happened?’ she gasped, laughing.
‘That vacancy for a consultant has come up at the hospital!’ he cried exultantly. ‘It’s a brilliant opportunity. Just what I’ve been waiting for.’
‘That’s wonderful. Who called you?’
‘Another doctor, a friend who knows how badly I want this. He’s put my name forward, and he called to tell me when the interviews start.’
‘So we have to go back now,’ she said, trying not to sound too disappointed.
‘No, nothing’s going to happen until next week. We can have another couple of days. And then…’ He sighed. ‘Back to the real world.’
‘But the real world is going to be wonderful,’ she reminded him. ‘You’re going to be a great consultant, and in a few years you’ll be in charge of the whole hospital.’
‘I hope so. If you only knew how much I hope so. I want it so much it scares me.’
That night was different. They made love and slept close as always, but when Olivia awoke in the small hours she saw him standing at the window looking out, so preoccupied that he never once looked back at the bed.
She wondered where he was now, inside his mind, and concluded that wherever it was she wasn’t there with him. It was the first shadow on their relationship, only a tiny one, but perceptible.
Next day he seemed preoccupied over breakfast, and she said little, understanding that he would wish to mull over the situation that was opening up to him. They went out on a brief shopping-expedition, but over lunch he suddenly left her alone and was away for nearly an hour. Returning, he apologised profusely, but didn’t say where he’d been. Sadly, she realised that part of him was already returning to ‘the real world’, where she seemed to live on the margins.
Or did she live anywhere at all? Had she, in the end, been nothing but a holiday romance? Lang had spoken of marriage and eternity, but that was before he’d been offered the chance of the thing he admitted he wanted more than anything in the world.
Suddenly she was in darkness, stumbling about an alien universe. She had survived Andy’s betrayal. She knew she wouldn’t survive Lang’s.
But the moment of doubt passed, and that evening her fears were eased when Lang suggested talking to Norah.
In a moment they were online, and there was Norah’s face, beaming at them.
‘Hello, darling! And, Lang-is that you I see?’
‘Hello, Norah,’ he said, seating himself on the bed next to Olivia, before the little camera. ‘How are you?’
‘Better than ever since my gifts arrived. Look.’
She held up the tiny figurine of a terracotta warrior in one hand, and a book in the other.
‘The postman delivered them this morning,’ she bubbled. ‘It was so kind of you.’
He told her about Biyu and the wedding plans.
‘As soon as we’ve set the date we’ll arrange your flight out here,’ he told her.
For a moment Olivia thought a faint shadow crossed Norah’s face, but it was gone too quickly for her to be sure. It might have been a trick of the camera.
‘What kind of a wedding are you going to have?’ Norah wanted to know.
Lang talked at length, describing in detail what would probably happen and the part he expected her to play in it. She giggled and called him a cheeky young devil, which seemed to please him.
‘Hey, can I get a word in edgeways?’ Olivia protested. ‘How about saying something about my new dress?’
‘It’s very pretty, dear.’
‘I chose it,’ Lang put in.
‘Of course you did. Olivia’s dress sense was always a little wayward.’
‘Oi!’ Olivia cried.
‘Well, it’s true, darling. But Lang has wonderful taste. You should always listen to him.’
‘I’ll remind her of that,’ Lang said gravely.
‘Oi!’ Olivia said again, nudging him in the ribs with her elbow. He gave an exaggerated wince, which made Norah laugh more than ever.
‘I’m so glad you’re having a wonderful time,’ she said. ‘You look ever so much better. I was becoming afraid for you, but not any more.’
‘Don’t be afraid for her,’ Lang said, suddenly serious. He slipped his arm around Olivia in such a way that Norah could see it.
‘I never will again,’ she said. ‘Darling, you be good to him. He’s one in a million.’
‘I know,’ Olivia replied, gazing back at the old woman with love. Norah beamed back, their understanding as perfect as ever.
‘Now I’ve got some marvellous news to tell you,’ Lang said.
‘More marvellous news? As well as your marriage? Tell, tell.’
‘I’ve had a call from-’
He stopped as a terrible change came over Norah. Her smile faded abruptly and she gave a choking sound. Aghast, they watched as she clutched her throat and heaved in distress.
‘Norah!’ Olivia cried, reaching out frantically to the screen. But Norah was five thousand miles away. ‘Oh, heavens, what’s happening to her?’
‘I think she’s having a heart attack,’ Lang said.
‘A heart attack?’ Olivia echoed in horror. ‘Oh, no, it can’t be!’
‘I’m afraid it is,’ he said tersely, not taking his eyes from the screen. ‘Norah-can you hear me?’
Norah couldn’t speak, but she managed to nod.
‘Don’t fight it,’ Lang told her. ‘Try to take deep, slow breaths until the ambulance reaches you.’
Olivia was dialling her mobile phone.
‘I’m calling her neighbour in the apartment downstairs,’ she said. ‘Hello, Jack, it’s Olivia. Norah’s having a heart attack-can you-? Norah, Jack says he’s on his way.’
‘Can he get in?’ Lang asked.
‘Yes, they’ve each got a key to the other’s place so that they can keep an eye on each other. There he is.’
They could see Jack on the screen now, an elderly man but still full of vigour. He reached for Norah’s phone, dialling for the ambulance.
‘It’s on its way,’ he said at last to Olivia.
‘Thank you,’ she wept.
By now Norah was lying back on the pillow, not moving. They saw Jack try to rouse her, but she lay terrifyingly
