Vacation Part Nine

Claridges

Saturday, August 31, 2002

12:35 PM

“Hey!”  Jenna heard her dad shout. She took her hand away from her eyes and watched as he grabbed the photographer and flattened him up against the wall, his arm against the man’s throat. It was the same man from TopShop, Jenna realized. The same man who’d followed them--- she felt Mom’s arms around her, holding her close.

“Just what did you think you were doing, creep?”  Dad spoke from between gritted teeth and he shook the man slightly. “Huh?”

“Leave off!” the man protested. “I was only trying to get a photo.” 

“Yeah?  Well not with this you aren’t.”  Dad grabbed the man’s digital camera and opened it, removing the memory card. 

“You can’t do that,” the man said.

“I just did,” Dad put the memory card in his jacket pocket. “From now on, you leave us alone—is that understood?”

“You can’t do—” the man started to say again when Alistair stepped forward. 

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises, sir,” he told the photographer.

The photographer’s voice faltered. “You have no right.”  

“This is private property, sir,” Alistair said. “I think you’ll find that I have every right.”  

The photographer glared at them but said nothing else. Jenna watched silently as the man walked back onto the pavement and disappeared down the street.

“You all right, munchkin?” Dad’s eyes were filled with concern. 

Jenna nodded, even though her legs felt a little shaky. “Fine,” she finally managed to say.

“I’m sorry that happened, sir.” Alistair said. “It’s not the first time we’ve had a problem with paparazzi.” 

Lee nodded, “I understand,” he said. “Can we—”

Alistair pushed open the front doors.  “The reading room is to your left,” he said. 

SMK SMK SMK SMK 

‘Tea’, Jenna discovered, involved a lot more than just the drink itself. It involved a large plate of finger sandwiches with crusts cut off and blueberry scones with little pots of jam and something that Emily called ‘clotted cream’—all in these pretty dishes with matching green-and white stripes.  Jenna had never had clotted cream before but once she tried some she found that she really liked it, especially when it was mixed with jam and on a scone.

“Try this, Jenna” Emily put one of the sandwiches on her plate. “It’s smoked salmon.”   Gingerly Jenna took a bite, expecting it to be slimy or something but the sandwich was actually pretty good.  Reaching over, Jenna took a second sandwich.

“Would you like to order any more food?” the waiter asked them.  Mom smiled and shook her head.

“No thank you,” she said. “This is more than enough.”  The waiter nodded and left.

Jenna took a sip of her tea with milk and lemon and looked up at the chandelier which hung over their table and wondered who would come up with a design that resembled lots of golden colored glass snakes all twisted together. It was pretty, albeit in a bizarre sort of way. She glanced around at the other tables. Some of the people looked pretty ordinary, probably tourists but some of them were wearing clothes that you usually only saw on people in magazines.

“Are you looking forward to starting high school this year?”  Emily’s voice pulled Jenna out of her thoughts.

“I’m excited I guess—I mean, it’s something new,” Jenna said. “But I’m a little nervous too.” 

“That’s understandable,” Emily said. “But you’ll have your friends with you at least.” 

Jenna nodded. “Lisa and I are going to try out for the JV dance team together, just like at Kenmore.”   Or at least she thought they still were. She made a mental note to ask for permission to call Lisa later on.

“Well that sounds like fun.”  Emily said.

“I think so,” Jenna said. “As long as we both make it. Tryouts are the first week of school and we’ve hardly practiced at all” 

“You’ll be fine, sweetheart.” Mom said. “Even if you don’t make the first audition there’s a second one in November.” 

“What about your other friend Christy?”  Dad asked her. “Isn’t she trying out?”  

Jenna took another bite of her scone. “No she’s not really into dancing,” she said. “Besides, Christy’s been acting a little strange lately.”  

“In what way?”  Dad said.

“It’s hard to describe,” Jenna said.  “She’s just been kind of withdrawn—she doesn’t really talk to people much anymore. And then when I ask her she says that nothing’s wrong.”  She paused, taking another sip of her tea. “But I guess that I’m not really one to talk either. I mean, I haven’t exactly been the most fun to be around these days.” 

“Jenna, don’t be that way,” Dad told her. “You are getting better, but it’s going to take time. No one ever promised that it would be easy.” 

“I know,” Jenna said.

“Look how you handled yourself outside just now,” Dad said. “I mean you were frightened but you didn’t fall apart, did you?”

“No, but it was scary,” Jenna said. “But Emily told me that most brave people get scared.” 

 Mom reached over and gave her hand a brief squeeze. “Emily’s right.” 

SMK SMK SMK SMK 

9:30 PM

“From England?”  Lisa’s tone was incredulous.  “You’re calling me from England? Why didn’t you tell me you were going?” 

Jenna was lying on the canopied bed, her feet propped up on the headboard.  “I’m sorry, Lisa—it was kind of a last-minute thing.” 

“Only you, Jenna—only you would go to England at the last minute.”

Jenna laughed. “Yeah, I know.”  

“So what time is it there? It’s about 4:30 here.” 

“Five hours later.”  

“And your parents are letting you make the call? Wait a minute—you’re not calling collect, are you? Because my mom would kill me.” 

 “No, it’s not collect,” Jenna said. “I got permission. So how are you doing?” 

“I’m fine,” Lisa said. “Went school shopping today with my Mom. How about you?” 

“The same.” 

“Yeah only you went shopping in London,” Lisa said. “So what have you been doing over there? Did you go on the London Eye? I heard that was really cool.”  

“We did that,” Jenna said. “You could see everything from way up high.  And Dad taught me how to ride a horse and I went to the Hard Rock Café and the Trocadero.  Oh, and I also met a cool guy and we went out together.” 

“You went on a date already?” Lisa sounded hurt. “I thought we were going to make our first date a double-date when we turned sixteen.” 

“Calm down. It wasn’t a date—more like a group thing with all his mates.”  

“Mates?”  Lisa said. “Now you’re even talking like they do. So is he cute?” 

“Very,” Jenna said. “His name is Geoff and he’s got black hair and blue eyes.”

“Awesome,” Lisa said. “Is this Geoff sexy? We already know he has a sexy accent.” 

“Sexy?”  Jenna repeated. From the position she was in she could see her dad, upside-down and standing in her doorway. He tapped his watch and held up two fingers.

“Lisa I have to go in a sec,” Jenna said, mindful of her Dad’s proximity.  “I wouldn’t—um—say sexy—exactly, but he is cute.” 

“Well tell me all about it when you get back.” 

“I will,” Jenna said. “By the way, how’s Christy doing?” 

There was a long silence on the other end of the line—for a minute Jenna thought she’d lost the connection. Finally Lisa spoke.

“That’s kind of a long story,” she said. “I’ll tell you more when we have more time, okay?” 

Jenna was about to press Lisa for more details but Dad tapped his watch again, raised his eyebrows and held up one finger. “Okay, I’ve got to go now,” she said. “Talk to you later?” 

“Catch you later, girl,” Lisa said. “Bye.” 

“Bye.”

TBC