Page 39 of The House Guest

‘I haven’t told her what happened yet,’ said Eden.

‘Oh.’ Emilio raised a perfect eyebrow. ‘I see.’

‘I was going to but ... we kept getting sidetracked.’

Marie came over with a tray bearing a single china cup on a saucer, as well as the teapot and a bowl of sugar lumps complete with tongs. Long ago, Ruth had fantasised about having a grandmother who would serve tea like this. She had written a blog post about it once, about the family she’d never had. Marie poured the tea into the cup. ‘There you go.’

Ruth took a sip, hardly tasting it. But it calmed her down, even though everything felt surreal.

‘I fell down the front steps?’ she said to Eden, who nodded.

Ruth had to put the teacup down. It was shaking in her hand. ‘I don’t remember any of that.’ Except, if she thought about it, she could picture herself tumbling. Could recall a jolt of panic and pain.

Eden laughed softly. ‘You were knocking back the tequila pretty fast. What do you remember?’

Ruth concentrated. ‘I remember eating dinner. Oh God, dancing in the garden, in the rain. I remember you, me and Adam sitting around talking. Did we hug? The three of us?’

Eden nodded.

‘I remember ... a car?’

‘That was my car,’ Emilio said.

‘I don’t understand. And where was Adam?’

‘He was passed out,’ Eden answered. ‘Do you not remember our conversation? When I told you about this place?’

Ruth strained to recall it but nothing came. ‘No.’

‘You were talking to me about your agent and your career and how unhappy you were. How you didn’t think you were being looked after right. You were crying, saying you were completely confused about what to do. Do you remember?’

‘I think ... I think so.’ She definitely had a memory of talking about that. But hadn’t it been earlier in the evening, with Adam? Perhaps she had repeated herself. It had been on her mind, anyway.

‘And that’s when I told you I knew people who might be able to help. You got really excited, said you wanted to meet them.’ Eden smiled, and Emilio and Marie smiled at her too. So many smiles. Ruth felt like she was bathing in their light. ‘You asked me to call them right away, so I did. Emilio drove over, and it was when we went out to see him that you slipped down the steps.’

‘And we brought you here,’ Emilio said.

‘Maybe we should have taken you to the hospital,’ Eden said, ‘but Marie used to be a nurse and I wasn’t sure if you had health insurance. I thought you’d be better off here. Marie checked you over and then I put you to bed and let you sleep. I found the number for the rehearsal studio and phoned them.’

‘They weren’t very friendly,’ Emilio said.

‘Eden told me,’ Ruth said, with a lurch in her stomach. ‘Oh God. Sally ... I have to talk to her.’

‘Why?’ said Marie. ‘She sounds horrible. Why would you want to work with someone like that? Someone so unforgiving? I’m sorry, but she sounds like a total bitch.’

Ruth was surprised to hear herself laugh. ‘Yeah. She is. But she’s a genius.’

‘She doesn’t sound very clever to me, if she’s prepared to let you go just because you missed a rehearsal. I think you’ve had a lucky escape.’

‘But ... my career.’

Eden touched her hand. ‘It’s going to be fine, Ruth. I promise. We’re going to help you.’

Ruth stared at her. She realised she was exhausted, the pain creeping back into her bones, and she felt an overwhelming urge to bury herself beneath the duvet and hide in the oblivion of sleep.

‘You seem exhausted,’ Eden said. ‘Let me help you back to bed. We can talk more later.’

Ruth allowed herself to be led out of the room and back to the bedroom. She fell on to the bed, eyes closing immediately. It was strange, the way the tiredness had come on so quickly.

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