“You know, I haven’t got a mum anymore either, but I think family is extremely important. It gives me a sense of security.” She looks away, suddenly sad. Maybe it’s because she isn’t with them this evening.
“Where’s your brother tonight?” I can’t resist asking. Natalie looks up and her eyes narrow.
“In Scotland, with all our friends.” With knitted brows she reaches for the bottle and pours some more of the delicious pink champagne. Oh dear, now I’ve ruined the mood with my question!
“Scotland, how nice! I’ve always wanted to go there,” I gabble but Natalie doesn’t react. She’s staring down at her hands and seems really annoyed.
“They’ve gone to see Cassius’ godfather,” she grumbles. “He owns a castle up there and is a physicist, incredibly bright.” I haven’t seen her in this mood before. Couldn’t I have just shut up?
“Are you sad because you’re not there as well but here alone?” I asked cautiously. Natalie looks up and suddenly she smiles.
“But I’m not alone, am I? If I’d gone with them we’d never have met. Anyway, it was my decision to stay here,” she adds truculently.
“But why?” I could have slapped myself, yet another stupid question, but I can’t understand why she preferred staying alone at home to spending New Year’s Eve with friends and family in a Scottish castle.
“They took someone with them whom I don’t like,” Natalie growls. Her face is closed and severe. Well, I should shut up now, she obviously doesn’t want to tell the whole story. I’m relieved when a rocket explodes nearby and Natalie jumps up. “Let’s watch the fireworks!” she exclaims, her black thoughts quickly forgotten. I join her and stare into the black night where bright colours are exploding.
A golden rocket bursts into a thousand glittering stars. They rain down on us and their brightness dies but the sky keeps glowing: the stars have reappeared from behind the clouds, shimmering in an unnaturally bright light. They look unreal, so close that I want to touch them. I can’t avert my eyes. Red fireworks explode among them, blue and green ones, but the stars shine the brightest. Then the church bells ring midnight and Natalie embraces me. Her eyes glow and she laughs happily. “Everything will turn out alright now, I just know it!” she whispers. What does she mean? But she doesn’t explain and I don’t want to ruin the mood again by my nosy questions. “Here, drink up!” she urges me, handing me a fresh glass of champagne. “To a new year and new friendships!” She clinks her glass to mine. There are blue flames dancing in her eyes.
Chapter 9
When I wake up the next morning everything is still quiet. I stretch luxuriously, it’s warm and cosy on the big sofa in Natalie’s living room. I don’t want to open my eyes yet and lose this feeling of total safety. Blurred pictures are still going round in my head, I must have dreamt a lot last night. I feel the silk of Natalie’s pyjamas on my skin and the softness of the blue woollen blanket. I really couldn’t have gone home last night anymore but today I’m feeling surprisingly good. I’m just yawning when suddenly I feel something moving under the blanket right beside me. Terrified I snatch away the blanket and exhale slowly. Two ice blue eyes gaze at me reproachfully while two silvery paws press against me. “Whoa, you certainly scared me!” I murmur and stroke the cat’s silky head. It yawns, revealing surprisingly sharp teeth. It has to be the cat from the shop. “Where did you come from?” I whisper and scratch it behind its ears until it starts to purr. When a phone starts ringing somewhere in the room, we’re both startled and the cat jumps to the floor. I look around and am wondering if I should answer just to stop the shrill noise when Natalie stumbles into the room.
“Morning,” she mumbles sleepily and picks up her phone from under a cushion. Then her tone changes. “Are you completely mad to call at this time of day on the first of January?” she huffs. “It’s my brother,” she whispers as an aside to me, rolling her eyes. “Yes, a happy New Year to you too,” she growls into the phone tetchily. But as she listens her face spits into a wide grin. “It was horrible?” she smirks delightedly. “He was totally wrong? So Randolph sent him home after only one evening. Ha, I told you so! I suspected something was wrong when you didn’t call me yesterday.” Her voice is full of glee and she seems absolutely happy. Whatever it is, it has to be seriously good news for her. “Why I was so sure? Because I found him and he’s a she, by the way……Yes, and you won’t believe what she’s got…. Yesterday…. Why I didn’t tell you? You all seemed so convinced of Greg, so why should I?” Her expression suddenly turns gloomy and she stamps her foot. I watch her, fascinated by her mood swings. “Don’t you dare yell at me, you stubborn fool!” She cuts the connection abruptly and throws the phone to the floor.
“Brothers!” she sighs exasperatedly. “He’s intending to return home tomorrow, the others as well.” She runs her hand through her hair looking like a ten-year-old. I don’t want to pry so I change the subject.
“Is this your cat?”
“What cat?” she replies absentmindedly. I look around but it’s gone. “The beautiful Chartreux. It evidently spent the night on the sofa with me,” I explain. “Is it the one from the shop?” Natalie frowns.
“From the shop?” she repeats uncomprehendingly. Obviously she is not really awake yet, but suddenly she opens her eyes wide and smiles. “Oh, THE cat! Kio. No, she’s not mine. She comes and goes and sometimes Rupert feeds her. Would you like some coffee?” She walks into the kitchen and I finally get up. Again I admire the Warhol and in passing I glance at the star-shaped mirror to make sure I don’t look too rough. Surprised I stop: the mirror isn’t a mirror at all but shows the picture of a glowing bluish moon. Shaking my head I follow Natalie into the kitchen. She’s rummaging noisily through the cupboards, extracting frying pans, cups and plates.
“You like ham and eggs? And maybe fried tomatoes and mushrooms? And some beans?” I giggle as Natalie plunders the big fridge and emerges with food that would feed at least ten people.
“I usually don’t have much for breakfast,” I try to stop her. “Just some cornflakes would do.” After a breakfast like this my jeans won’t fasten anymore!
“Nonsense!” Natalie scolds me. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” At the same time she presses a button on the high-tech coffee machine and melts some butter in a heavy cast-iron pan, then adds the bacon. I half expect the cat to appear at the divine smell. It just has to be the animal from the shop or do all grey cats look the same?
“I didn’t know that there were so many Chartreux cats around,” I wonder aloud in a puzzled voice.
“What?” Natalie looks at me sharply. I clear my throat awkwardly at my stupid remark.
“Oh, nothing. I just keep seeing Chartreux cats lately but that has to be a coincidence,” I stutter.
“The city is full of strays,” Natalie replies and puts the huge pan in the middle of the table. “Eat, before it gets cold!” She digs in hungrily but I eat slowly, savouring every bite. I don’t want this party to end. I don’t want to return to my tiny flat and just kill time till I go to bed. Gloomily I chase the last of my tomatoes round my plate.