Alex Barclay - The Caller

‘I worry about you.’

‘Let’s go.’

The night was warm and still and the traffic into the city was light.

‘So,’ said Anna. ‘Would you like to bet with me? Whether Gina will be wearing red and black with gold jewellery, red and black with red jewellery or gold and black with gold jewellery? Boobs squished together and out or separated, up and out?’

‘Well, that’s bitchy,’ said Joe.

‘Come on,’ said Anna. ‘It’s true. Red lipstick or red lipgloss? Black eyeliner or black er eyeliner?’

‘Gina likes to make an effort. That’s all. She’s home with the kids all day, she likes to dress up when she goes out, make a statement.’

Anna’s smile faded. She stared out the window.

‘What?’ said Joe. ‘What did I say?’

‘Nothing,’ said Anna. ‘Nothing.’

He stared ahead.

‘Don’t let her take me over,’ said Anna. ‘I don’t want to get into a big conversation with her asking me lots of questions. It can be too claustrophobe.’

‘Claustrophob-ic.’

‘She’s just question, question, question…’

‘Oh for Christ’s sake, why the hell did you come out? Have you got anything good to say? About anything?’

‘This is hard for me,’ said Anna, her voice rising. ‘OK? I’m doing my best.’

‘OK, sweetheart. I apologize. I’m sorry. I appreciate what you’re trying to do here. I’ll keep an eye on Gina.’ He took a deep breath. The rest of the journey passed in silence.

Gina stood up and waved as they walked in to Pastis. She was wearing a tight black skirt, a black blouse with a lace cami underneath and a wide red patent belt. Anna squeezed Joe’s hand. He squeezed back. Gina moved around the side of the table and hugged Anna tight.

‘Honey, you look gorgeous. It’s great to see you out. My God, have you lost weight? Like this girl needs to lose weight. I mean, really. But you look amazing.’

‘Thanks,’ said Anna. ‘So do you. Happy birthday.’

‘Hey, beautiful,’ said Danny, kissing Anna on both cheeks. Joe hugged Gina. ‘Happy birthday, sweetheart.’

‘So Anna, what’s been going on with you?’ said Gina.

‘Not much. A little bit of work.’

‘Danny tells me you’re working from home.’

‘Yes.’

‘Good for you. And what’s it like? Is it hard to discipline yourself? I know I couldn’t do it. I’d be thinking of the laundry or tidying the bathroom or I’d be in the fridge all the day…’

‘It’s good. I’m enjoying it,’ said Anna.

‘How does it all work?’

‘All these companies who want their products to appear in the magazine send me them – or photos of them – and pray I’ll put them in.’ She laughed.

‘They actually send stuff to your house?’

Anna nodded.

‘That’s gotta be so much fun,’ said Gina, ‘opening gifts all day. Do you get to keep any of it?’

Joe leaned in. ‘Unfortunately, she does. She keeps lots of it, don’t you?’ He was smiling.

‘Ooh, Anna’s not taken too kindly to that,’ said Gina. She patted Anna’s hand. ‘Don’t listen to him, sweetheart. All these guys get on the job is dead bodies and-’

‘Dead ends,’ said Anna, smiling.

‘Ouch,’ said Gina. Joe was already turning back to Danny.

The waiter arrived and took their order – four Steak Bearnaise, well done for Gina and Danny; extra fries for Danny, extra sauce for Anna, side salad for Gina that she never ate.

‘I went to see Old Nic the other day,’ said Joe.

‘Aw. Mr Nicotero,’ said Gina.

‘Mr Nicotero, that’s cute,’ said Danny.

‘I can’t get past it,’ said Gina, laughing. ‘When

I was dating Bobby, you know – his father was always going to be Mr Nicotero to me.’

‘You dated Bobby Nicotero?’ said Anna.

‘He was the handsome quarterback, I was the head cheerleader.’ She laughed.

‘He’s a big guy,’ said Anna, ‘but he doesn’t look like an athlete.’

‘He was really good,’ said Danny.

‘He’s a jerk-off,’ said Joe.

‘Come on,’ said Danny. ‘He’s not that bad.’

‘He treats his old man like crap,’ said Joe.

‘Old Nic says that?’ said Danny.

‘I say that,’ said Joe. ‘Old Nic’s too nice a guy.’

‘Maybe he wasn’t always,’ said Anna.

‘No,’ said the others at the same time.

‘Old Nic’s adorable,’ said Gina.

‘I’m surprised Bobby ended up a cop,’ said Danny.

‘Why?’ said Anna.

‘Bensonhurst, honey,’ said Gina. ‘In those days, you were either a wise guy or you went into the service. Bobby was in gangs, that was his thing.’

‘You know,’ said Danny, ‘Gina tried out a few of the bad boys before she gave in to me – didn’t make my life too easy, that’s for sure.’

Gina leaned away from him and slapped her hand on the table. ‘Well, about time. That’s the first time ever he’s admitted that I gave in to him. Read the small print: he hounded me. He pursued me relentlessly, 24/7.’

Danny looked away. ‘Whatever you say, sweetheart.’

Joe and Anna laughed.

‘Now that I recall,’ said Joe, ‘you arrived on my doorstep a few times to hide from some wiseguy with a baseball bat.’

‘I’m proud of you, honey,’ said Gina. ‘As far as I’m concerned? You gotta prove you want to die for someone before you-’

‘Here’s our food,’ said Joe.

Dinner was over and two empty wine bottles had been taken away from the table. Gina got louder. Anna got quieter. After three barbed comments in a row she directed at Joe, Danny put up his hand.

‘OK, who here ordered a side of marital discord with their steak? Anyone?’

Gina shook her head. Joe locked eyes with Danny, warning him off the humour route. Anna didn’t look up from her plate.

‘C’mon, I’m kidding,’ said Danny. ‘But I’m sending it back, it doesn’t taste right. It’s kind of… sour.’ He turned to Gina, ‘Hey. Where’s my laughter track tonight, baby?’

‘I’ll laugh when you say something funny. That’s how it works. Joe, how’s your tiramisu?’

‘It’s totally sick,’ said Joe. ‘As I heard Tara say to Shaun yesterday.’

Anna smiled. ‘It’s so funny to listen to her. For me, sometimes, it’s like a whole new language.’

‘The other day,’ said Joe, ‘I heard her bitching to Shaun about some guy who had “storked” one of her friends.’

‘Stalked?’ said Gina.

‘Storked. Like “porked”, but with the end result being that the girl winds up pregnant.’

They all laughed.

‘That makes Danny a serial storker,’ said Gina.

‘And I am a lone storker,’ said Joe.

‘Shooting blanks for years,’ said Danny.

‘Amen to that,’ said Joe. ‘Sad and all as it will be, Anna and I will be packing off our beloved son to college next year and then we’ll have the freedom to-’

‘Argue at full volume,’ snapped Anna.

‘Jesus, Anna,’ said Joe. ‘What’s your-’

He watched as she bunched up her napkin, slid her chair back from the table and stood up.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I have to go. I forgot to… I have a conference call with… Paris.’ She looked at her watch.

Joe stared at her. ‘No, you-’

‘Enjoy the rest of the evening,’ she said to all of them.

‘Wait. I’ll come with you,’ said Joe, standing up, hitting the table hard with his knee.

‘Stay,’ said Anna. ‘Please.’ Her voice was cracking.

Joe looked from Danny to Gina.

‘Stay,’ said Anna. ‘Have a night out.’ She walked quickly through the restaurant, her head bowed.

‘Guys, I really apologize,’ said Joe. ‘I have no idea…’ He shrugged.

Gina squeezed his arm. ‘She’s had a rough time,’ she said. ‘You go. You look after her. She needs you.’