8 June 2012
She got up and walked over to the kitchen where she collected three large wine glasses which she brought back over to the glass coffee table. She opened one of the screw-top bottles of wine and poured out three full glasses, leaving the bottle empty, then passed them around. “Okay well I think I know what I’m wearing anyway, so I can categorically remove a dress and a pair of shoes from the communal closet.” She walked over to the small mountain of clothes and picked up a small black dress with thick cross-hatching across the back, with this slung over her shoulder she bent down to pick up her pair of black platform Louboutin’s. With the shoes in one hand and the dress over her shoulder she took her glass of wine, winked seductively at the girls and made her way back upstairs to get changed. “And then there were two,” said Holly as soon as Kat had disappeared upstairs. “Any idea what you’re wearing yet? I’ve promised Kat she can choose my outfit, I’m slightly worried already.” “With good reason might I add,” replied Shiv. “I think I’m going to decide on shoes first and then dress from the bottom up.” She scanned the floor carefully, eyeing every pair with microscopic precision. Hey eyes settled on a pair of minimalist heels with a diamante studded ankle strap. She reached down to pick them up while still holding her glass diligently in her left hand. “My problem now is that these might go with just about anything, life is not easy is it?” She stood up and walked to the pile of clothes and began leafing through them, throwing her rejections on the floor as she went. Eventually she pulled out a white layered crepe dress which she held above the shoes to achieve a suitable insight into their chemistry. “This is going to have to do, I never thought I’d say it but I’m bored of looking at all these clothes.” Holly laughed and drank some wine, they both turned as they heard the door upstairs open. Kat came down the stairs walking sideways and sliding down the wall, her eyes focussed solely on placing her feet carefully on each step. Shiv took this as her cue to leave the room and to get dressed herself. “Such a nice sunset tonight isn’t it?” Said Holly dreamily. “Nobody cares about sunsets, babe,” quipped Kat, “you need to get dressed, Hols! Like now!” “Yeah, yeah I know, can you tell me what to wear already and I’ll put it on.” Kat walked around the room, sipping her wine and apparently deep in thought. After a minute she walked to the centre of the room, picked up a pair of leopard print satin pumps, a dark grey pencil skirt and a black silhouette blouse. “You’ll have to wear a nice bra with this though, babe. But on the bright side Caleb’s going to be putty in your hands.” “No he won’t, Felix has these obscene rules about the staff having relationships.” “Ah, the old man? That’s weird. So he’s going to be there tonight I suppose, any plans on maybe playing the biological relation card?” “I don’t really see how it’s possible. Maybe he’s better off not knowing.” “Are you mad?” Kat shouted in astonishment, “He’d be mad not to want you as a daughter. If you like I can tell him for you, it would be my pleasure.” “Yes I’m sure it would, making my life a soap opera sounds right up your street.” “Can’t blame a girl for having a penchant for drama,” she replied. “It’s no wonder you got on so well with my mother.” Shiv saved her from the conversation by coming back into the living area, her giant blue eyes embedded in smoky shadow and blonde hair tied up in a bun on top of her head. “What are we talking about?” She asked sitting back down on the sofa, “Actually I know I asked but I don’t care. I’m out of wine can we open another bottle please?” “Sure we can,” answered Kat, sitting down beside her, “Holly’s just about to go and get dressed, aren’t you Holly?” “Yes yes yes, I’m going, I’m going.” Holly heaved herself out of her seat and took the clothes from Kat before finishing her wine in one gulp and going into her mother’s room which had now become her own.
By ten o’clock Felix was riding in a taxi with Belle back towards The Bar. The pink sunset had begun to give way to darkness. Belle was wearing high waisted grey tapered trousers and a white sleeveless shirt with a pair of black heels which were so high she had to take Felix’s arm everywhere they walked for support, something which didn’t bother him at all. Felix’s emotions were in such a blur that he wasn’t even able to distinguish himself what he was feeling. His happiness at simply being with the woman he loved was overshadowed by his trepidation about the night, his certainty that things with Carlo couldn’t end this smoothly and that eventually his serene little bubble would burst. The front of the bar was closed and locked, the lights were off and if you weren’t invited then you would have no idea that anything was happening behind these closed doors. It being a Tuesday night the footfall on the streets was low, the taxi pulled up at the entrance to the side street which led to the alleyway down which all the guests would make their way tonight. The driver took his money and looked slightly confused as to where his two well dressed passengers would be going from here. Nonetheless he took the money without comment and Felix made his way to the courtyard with Belle in tow. He led her down the stairs and into The Bar. The room had transformed, the ice sculpture which had been nothing more than a block of ice when he left was now a fully formed duplicate of Venus de Milo. Those lights that were still on only cast enough illumination in the room to vaguely make out the shapes of furniture. The only well lit area of the room was the bar itself and the row upon row of spirits and bottles which made up the display behind it. The staff were poised in their positions, some behind the bar and some already holding trays laden with champagne flutes. One of the rear tables was already occupied by Carlo and nine other men, all in suits and all of them white. Some had the typically Slavic appearance of many London bouncers so Felix assumed that some must be from Russia at least, others he had met before, two were French business partners and one was a Spaniard. He knew he would have to play host, even to those guests who he hadn’t invited. He led Belle to the bar and asked Caleb to get her a drink. Then he made his way to the back of The Bar where Carlo was laughing about something which Felix knew probably wasn’t funny at all. “I trust everything is to your liking gentlemen,” said Felix as he approached the table. The music was still at a volume which could be spoken over. Bella and Liga were sat with their legs resting over their own turntables, swapping cigarettes and comparing the flavours. “Ah boys,” began Carlo, addressing his guests, “this is Felix, renowned London bar owner, womaniser, philanthropist, philosophist, mixologist and all round bon viveur.” Felix gave a shallow bow to his guests, to his left others had begun to move inside in small groups, some in suits like his, others in more garish garments which had probably been accessorized on the taxi ride here. “Felix, Vlad here has heard that you’ve stocked up in these Methuselas and wants to get his order in early, so could we have one brought out to the table?” “Sure I’ll get one of my guys to bring it out to you, anything else?” “Yeah, some of these guys have got a boat waiting on standby in Portsmouth which will be leaving at five AM, so we’ll need to use the back room at around one or two okay? Then we’ll all be out of your hair and you can wind everything down as you like.” “Right, sounds fine. If there’s anything else then just give either me or Caleb a shout.” The other men at the table seemed to nod their thanks or approval, Felix wasn’t sure how much of the conversation they had understood, or how much they thought he knew about their operation. A little dazed and in need of a drink he made his way back to the bar where Belle was nursing a champagne cocktail. He walked to her side and kissed her cheek, noticing that she had ordered for him and that a drink was already waiting. He picked it up and they clinked glasses. “Everything okay?” He asked her. “Everything’s fine, are you?” “I will be, once everyone gets here and those morons start to actually play some proper music.” “Is that your DJ’s over there?” “It’s supposed to be, Caleb found them. Probably in a squat somewhere I imagine.” Over Belle’s shoulder Felix could see a steady stream of people entering The Bar, most were making a direct line to the bar but some were choosing to occupy the few remaining seats. Felix leaned over the bar to get the attention of a couple of the girls that had been hired specifically to work the night, “I need you two to be out on the floor making sure that everyone gets what they want, remember its cash only. One of you run to the back and take out one of the Cristals to the rear table with all the guys around it, then come back and get glasses for them, lots of glasses, they won’t be drinking alone for long.” The girls just nodded and proceeded to carry out their orders. Caleb walked into the bar through the double entrance doors and came towards the couple. “Evening all,” he said, shaking Felix’s hand, “you both look wonderful.” “You don’t look so bad yourself,” chimed in Belle, “you wouldn’t fancy a date for tonight would you?” Felix looked on in mock horror. “I think I value my job too much for that I’m afraid.” “And rightly so,” added Felix. “Your loss then,” smiled Belle. Felix felt his legs buckle from under him as something hit the back of one of his knees. “Oi! Oi!” Screamed Julian as he came screaming into the bar, cigarette limply hanging lit from his mouth, a slightly alarmed looking girl under one arm who Felix vaguely recognised as Belle’s friend Sophia or Sophie and a half empty bottle of passion fruit rum in the other. “Let’s get this mother fucking party started then eh?” Julian strode into the centre of
Daddy's Gone 15.1 • Opuss № I