‘Never mind, babe, never mind. We’ve got all the time in the world to make up for it.’
Now this is a welcome. Maybe this time…
The tears are streaming down my face. I wipe them away and disentangle myself to introduce him to Callum and Carol.
I hear a scream from a nearby table, then a chair falling over. I turn to see an exquisite, dark-haired beauty running towards us.
‘Miss Carly, Miss Carly!’
‘LILY!’
I’m stunned, speechless and stuck to the floor. Beautiful, sweet Lily, my assistant manager at the club in Shanghai.
As she reaches us, Phil puts his arm around her and beams at me. ‘Cooper, I’d like you to meet my wife.’
‘You’re joking!’ Kate yells down the phone. ‘Carly, I swear to God, if this baby is premature, it’ll be your fault. There are only so many shocks I can take. So what happened next?’
‘We went back to their apartment in Soho and sat up till dawn catching up. Turns out that Phil went to Champagne after I left Shanghai to see if I’d been in touch, got speaking to Lily and they were married and back in the States three months later.’
‘And then?’
‘Then he was working as the cameraman on a late night comedy show, decided to try it for himself and hit the big time. Fabulous career, fabulous wife and fabulous family. They’ve got two gorgeous kids and a Rottweiler called Cooper. Do you think I should be offended?’
‘Definitely not. So what are you going to do now?’
‘Well, I’m going to stay here with Phil and Lily for a while. It really is great seeing them again and I want to spend some time with them. They’ve said that I can have their spare room and it’s just as well because if I don’t get out of the Plaza soon and let Callum and Carol have sex, they’re going to combust.’
There is a pregnant pause. Literally.
‘Hold on, I have to sit down. What did you say?’
‘Don’t worry, Carol’s going to call you later and give you a news update. Make sure that you’re in a comfortable position, your legs are well crossed and the maternity ward is primed for your arrival – this one really is going to induce labour.’
‘Mother of God, I can feel the contractions starting already. By the way, Jess hasn’t found Tom yet, but she’s still working on it.’
‘Tell her I said thanks. I intend to head back to Hong Kong in a few weeks, but I can change my plan if she finds anything. I have to go, Kate. Can you let Jess and Sarah know the latest, and tell them I’ll be in touch? Take care of yourself and give the kids a kiss for me.’
‘I will. And, Cooper, don’t be disheartened. There’s still Sam and Tom. It’s not over till the fat lady sings.’
I launch into a chorus of ‘You Are My Sunshine’. She’s still chuckling as she hangs up.
I hope she’s right.
19
Heartbreaker – Mariah Carey
I crane my neck to see the neon jungle below us as we pass over Kowloon, then descend to land at Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong’s new state-of-the-art airport. Today is the twenty-eighth of October 1999 and I have renewed optimism that by the new millennium my life will be back on course. I feel totally relaxed after spending most of the month with Phil and Lily and good old positivity has kicked back in. This is it! I can feel it in my bones. Sam Morton is down there somewhere, waiting for me with open arms. The very thought of it makes my breath deepen and my face flush. I think I’m running a temperature.
When we land, I reach for my mobile phone to call Callum and let him know that I’ve arrived safely. I upgraded to an international calls package while I was in New York, thanks to my Visa card, in the hope I’d hear good news from Jess about Tom, but there’s been nothing. I rummage through my bag, then abandon the subtle approach and tip out all the contents in the arrivals hall. A passing gent stares incredulously as two packets of condoms go flying across the floor. That’ll be the optimism again.
Back to the phone. Where the hell is it? I’m sure I packed it last night. Bollocks. I must have left it at Phil’s.
I find a payphone that takes credit cards and call the New York Plaza.
‘Callum, it’s me. I’m here and I’m in one piece.’
He’s out of breath and sounds flustered. I don’t want to contemplate why.
‘Great. Listen, Phil stopped by with your…’
‘Phone,’ I finish the sentence for him. ‘Hang on to it for me and whatever you do, don’t let Carol near it, she’d bankrupt me.’
‘Carly, you’re already bankrupt,’ he laughs.
‘Thanks for the reality check. I’m still hoping the Y2K bug everyone is talking about will wipe out my credit card debt.’ I hang up. He may find it funny now, but just wait until I’m calling him from jail to borrow bail money.
I call the Hong Kong Windsor to reserve a room, then jump in one of the taxis that’s queued outside the terminal – no gold Rolls-Royces for me. I look around as I check in and decide not to even ask the room rate. I’m in Hong Kong, I’m surrounded by marble and chandeliers, there are several seriously wealthy looking people mingling around and I no longer get a staff discount here. This is another of those occasions where oblivion is bliss.
I consider asking if my old boss, the swivel-eyed misery, still works here, but frankly, I’d rather chew my own shoe than ask him for a discount on the room rate, so I hand over my credit card and take the hit.
Upstairs, I unpack for what I hope will be the last time. I never thought I’d say this, but travelling the globe is starting to wear me down. I wake up every morning and have
