Once outside, Charles squints again to adjust to the brightness. It’s warmer now that his anguish has fallen away. He will have to remove his coat before climbing up the Heath or Elsy will bar him from her personal space at dinner.
‘Slacking off, Loris?’
‘Give me a break, Richie. And a second. Charles, just one thing!’
‘Yes?’
‘The Mind of Wondersisn’t an autobiography.’
‘Sorry?’
‘It’s a convoluted made-up life story. It ruins everything that’sgreat about Pavel Olwinski. Sure, it’s well written, but it’s the biggest fraud in art history.’
‘Sorry?’
‘It was nice to meet you anyway! Okay, lads, what can I get you? We’re out of Sharp’s, but don’t shoot the messenger.’
The friendly booing that erupts from the table muffles Charles’ third ‘Sorry?’, and Loris disappears behind arms dripping paint.
So Charles edges away, short-circuiting.
He’s yet to reconnect the right components when he enters the park. It’s only when he passes by the first pond that light bulbs come on in Charland.
Loris knows of Olwinski, but Charles didn’t check before flaunting his expertise, because he assumed the barman would have no clue.
Charles’ stomach turns.
Loris knows of Olwinski, which must be the reason why he didn’t discard the pen.
Charles’ heart swells.
Loris knows of Olwinski but is full of shit about him.
Charles’ blood boils.
THREE
They had been sleeping together for four months when it occurred to Charles that Elsy is, more often than not, having sex with herself. She thrives on his participation, but he’s just an extra in a play that she writes, directs and interprets on her own.
He doesn’t take it personally. He’s convinced he’s not the problem. They’ve had enough pillow conversations about her tumultuous affairs with other men. Elsy knows how to optimise her pleasure, and when she wants something done, she does it herself.
Charles doesn’t mind. Given how frequently he lands a role, he’s a valuable extra.
What Charles does mind is utter deception. Being fooled into opening up by someone who’s just waiting to ridicule him.
Of course, he was wrong to pigeonhole Loris as an art ignoramus. But Loris could have brought up the subject with the pen pot or jumped in at any stage. Instead, he let Charles dig himself in deeper while he bided his time before trash-talking Olwinski.
The guy called Olwinski a fraud. The nerve.Convoluted made-up life story.This statement is convoluted. Outrageous, baseless, and what next? The Earth is flat? Climate change is a hoax? Cereal should be poured before the milk? What theactual—
Charles twitches and digs his nails into the clammy skin of Elsy’s lower back. ‘Fuuuck...’
‘Damn, Sir.’
‘Shit...’ He gulps and inhales deeply, quivering as she keeps waving on top of him. ‘I’m sorry, Els.’
‘Sorry for what?’ She tugs at the pendant on his chest and leans over, her mouth finding a soft spot on his neck and sending new shivers down his spine. ‘It was a soul-bending experience.’
‘Was it? Oh, excellent.’
