Underbelly (44 page)

“
I’m sorry,” Grey said, having meant no harm, spurred on by Lotus’ manner.

“
It’s all right,” Dora said, able to smile about it, waiting for her heartbeat to return to normal.

“
Good God, you’re shaking,” Lotus said, surprised by her overreaction. “She’s freaked me out, not you, so I don’t think I’d want to know either.”

“
I think I’ve outstayed my welcome now, so I’ll go, but I’ll get in touch with you when I have another show lined up, if you want to see it,” Grey said to Dora. “Don’t worry about that, that was just me doing an animal impression.”

“
Don’t spoil the illusion!” Lotus said, pretending that she had believed it.

“
If you come to a show, either of you, there’s nothing like that, it’s very serious. Nice to meet you both,” Grey said, seeing himself out. He had not known what sort of a reaction he would get from Dora and because of this had left Germaine at home; as they had got on well he took her with him when he went round to tell Dora about a small show he was putting on. She was adamant that she wanted to come and refused the offer of complimentary tickets, insisting she’d pay. She had learnt from her father that the money Grey had given her was intended for Grey and Germaine, George happy enough for her to keep it if they didn’t want it. The money had landed in her lap at a particularly timely moment as her friend’s husband had offered her an investment opportunity which he guaranteed would make her rich. Germaine commended her on the show and at her courage for standing up on the stage in front of so many people, telling her that what she and James did was beyond her. Dora made out that what Grey did was harder, talking for extended periods to a potentially cynical audience, while Grey praised Dora, saying he’d rather do that than do high kicks in tights in front of ten times more people than came to his show.

Germaine and Dora connected and Grey went out to buy some ice cream for them all, deliberately taking his time to give them time to talk without him around, keen for Germaine to build a strong friendship. Their relationship was solid, but now that she wasn’t working (at his request, Grey using the pregnancy as an excuse to stop her) she had little contact with anyone bar him, their neighbours loud and abrasive. One good thing about the myriad of jobs that he worked was that he made acquaintances and sometimes friends (though the ever-present Del fulfilled this role well). Germaine lacked any same-sex company or interaction in their poky flat. This was a way of killing two birds with one stone; a friend for Germaine, and a way of keeping an eye on Dora for George. Even though he wasn’t a father just yet he could understand why George worried so much about Dora as she seemed very dippy and he was keen to look out for her. Germaine worried when Grey wasn’t back after half an hour but by talking of George and looking through Dora’s collection of fashion magazines and clothes the time passed very quickly and enjoyably.

When Grey came back after an hour with their ice cream he said, “I hope you weren’t dying of thirst. I got talking to someone – luckily I bought the ice cream after talking to him.” They listened to him and acknowledged his excuse and thanked him for the ice cream before turning back to each other and talking about the fashion shops in the city. His success meant that his presence was unnecessary and Germaine reached out for his hand and held hands with him while she and Dora talked about their common interests (James assured her that her interest in fashion wasn’t superficial like she feared, pointing out that his obsession with baseball wasn’t exactly deep) to show him she wasn’t ignoring him. Dora came to their flat two days later to ask for complimentary tickets. Grey told her just to show up and he’d let her in, reminding her that his hired hall didn’t have door staff who’d keep her out.

“
I’ll pay you still,” Dora said. “I tried to buy a ticket because I know you said you were having some printed out but they’d all sold out yesterday morning.”

“
Are you sure?” Grey said, the tickets having only been on sale for two days.

“
Yes. I’m about 80 per cent sure I’ll be there. I don’t know how to tell you this because I know you decided to have the show on Wednesday especially so that I’d be off but I’ve got a potential interview – I can rearrange it though,” she said sheepishly, feeling like she was letting him down.

“
Go to the interview. I’ll make sure you still see me perform sometime.”

“
You would have had it on a Saturday otherwise if not for me instead of…”

“
Dora, I don’t care which day I perform because the tickets have sold out so I’m happy. That’s 115 capacity so that’s a new record for me,” he said excitedly. “Your show is going to be over soon so go to the interview, right.”

Dora was relieved that he didn’t mind but when Wednesday night came around he wished that she were there as he sat in an empty hall with Germaine with ten minutes to go before his performance.

“
Déjà vu?” he said to her, grateful that he didn’t feel as down as he did the first time he put on a show and no one came, his confidence having grown considerably since then.

“
A little, but it’s not the same. The last time we were alone it was because no one had bought tickets and this time it’s sold out, we’ve even collected the money,” she said, finding the mass non-attendance by those who’d paid (admittedly the fee was cheap but they had all paid 75 cents) very strange.

“
Perhaps there’s a train strike we don’t know about.” He banged his head and said, “I hope no one does come because my brain isn’t in gear. We came on the trains.”

“
Maybe they’ve all come down with a virus.”

“
That would be an epidemic. We might have time to catch a show if you want – you’ve sat through enough of my shows, I don’t think you’ll mind missing this one, will you?”

Germaine could see he wasn’t keen to perform to an empty house and, knowing it wouldn’t hurt his feelings, she agreed, preferring to go and see a musical. As they waited to leave, giving the paying public half an hour to show up, the doors opened and a smartly dressed familiar figure grinned at Grey. “I’m paying for your time so you’ll have to keep this appointment.”

Grey was visibly surprised, his expression disconcerting Germaine until he said, “Conrad,” and she realised who it was. She excused herself and left them alone, Conrad and Grey shaking hands and sitting down, both waiting for the other to speak. They both said something at once and Grey gestured for Conrad to talk first and he said,

“
I’d sooner you’d come to see me as arranged, but paying for every ticket didn’t break the bank. Why didn’t you come?”

“
We left California sharpish. I thought that you were okay; in retrospect I should have checked in with you. You’ve had a lot to deal with and I should have been there for you,” Grey said penitently.

“
Bullshit. It’s like a doctor doing an operation – once they’ve cured you, you don’t expect hugs.”

“
You expect them to check on your condition.”

“
You did what I asked. You brought me back, James, and then you wouldn’t let me repay you, only I couldn’t let it lie. I’m in your debt and I’ve been searching for you ever since. You’re not an easy man to track down, but you can’t flee now because your tickets say the show will be roughly two hours, and in that time we’re going to discuss your reward,” Conrad said, not giving him the option of refusing.

“
I don’t use my gift for financial gain. Yeah, the tickets that you brought say differently, but that’s just to cover costs.”

“
If you’d have saved my life in any other way I’d be rewarding you just the same. Let’s pretend that we served in the same army regiment for a moment. I feel in the time I shared your head – that is fucking weird – in that time I got to know you well, and maybe you got to know me better than you wanted to. If we had served together would we have been friends? If we’d met in any other way? What do you honestly think?”

“
Nothing against you, Conrad, but my gut says no.”

“
I agree, but I know that you are a decent man, who saved me and didn’t judge me when you could have because my past is not spotless. I’m trying to offer you my friendship, and I do treat my friends.”

“
Your friendship I’ll accept,” Grey said, shaking his hand. “Charity is another matter.”

“
You’ve got a wife and a child on the way. You sure you want it?”

“
Yes,” Grey said emphatically, almost losing his temper.

“
Then you need money, and a better place to live than Brooklyn.” Conrad managed to eventually persuade Grey to move into his father’s upmarket hotel, promising him a grand suite free of charge, Grey eventually swayed by Conrad’s insistence that it wouldn’t cost either of them anything. He offered Grey work too, telling him that he could choose any position at the hotel (excluding management) and a vacancy would be found for him. Grey discussed the proposal with Germaine before accepting, Germaine keen on the idea as long as he was comfortable with it. The offer was too good to refuse and he thanked Conrad profusely, telling him that that there was never any debt but if he believed there was it was now repaid in full.

Conrad had a driver waiting outside and offered to take the Greys out to a swanky restaurant, one that had always been out of their budget before, to celebrate. They had arranged to meet Dora after her interview for a meal at a downmarket eatery and Conrad agreed to go with them to their prearranged engagement. Conrad spoke freely in front of Germaine as they travelled, realising that Grey had likely told his wife everything, and he updated him on Thomas Hepworth, who was living with his parents and was said to be no more emotionally disturbed than usual. He told him how Cecil Winston’s death had been reported, his death recorded as natural causes, and Grey smiled at this news and told Germaine that the trip to Hollywood was back on.

“
I wouldn’t waste your time. You’re better off staying here – there’s not much to do there,” Conrad advised. “New York has more going on, and I intend to show you what’s on offer here.”

While Grey knew that Conrad was flawed, his generosity towards him was genuine, his gratitude most sincere, and Grey found that encouraging. Conrad’s stories revealed a certain pride in his caddishness, but he was no devil and Grey settled for shaking his head good-naturedly as his only reproach, and only after the worst stories.

Dora was waiting inside for them, her wet eyes revealing that she was upset. Grey assumed she hadn’t got the job while Germaine suspected it was worse than that from Dora’s body language and she sat next to her, Dora crying on her shoulder before Conrad and Grey had even sat down, Conrad not even introduced to her. Grey suggested that he and Conrad grab a quick drink to give them some time alone to talk.

“
I don’t normally make them weep that quickly,” Conrad said pithily as they drank at the bar.

“
She was auditioning for a part tonight and I guess it didn’t go so well.”

“
I’ve got contacts who could help. Not just her, you too. With your gift you don’t have to play shitty little halls, you can play bigger venues. Do you want me to hook you up with an agent? There was a guy played here last month; I went to see him after my experiences and he seemed like a fucking fake next to you but he pulled in around 2000. You’re for real so you can do better than that.”

“
Was he called Stratt by any chance?”

“
Yes. He’s a lame medium and an even lamer author.”

“
You bought the book too?” Grey said, finding this a little funny.

“
I did, but don’t ask me why.”

“
You’re right, by the way, he is a con man.”

“
He’s found success as a fraud. You’re genuine so you can better him. Are you up for getting an agent, or is that too much like profiteering?” he said, pulling his leg a little.

“
For now I think I’d rather stay my own agent, manager, whatever. I’m not averse to success, Conrad.”

“
You said different before.”

“
No…it’s a fine line. I can’t be an opportunist, I can’t take advantage.”