There it was. The whole day, reduced to an object the size of a postage stamp.
‘…and in that way, it’s kind of like being a nature documentarian, because sometimes you really want to intervene in a custody argument that’s happening in a hot tub, but you can’t.’
‘How long have you been working in this industry?’ she asked.
She was pretty sure she wasn’t being all that subtle, her eyes flicking back and forth between Dan and the SD card. But Dan wouldn’t have noticed if she’d picked her nose and eaten it. He liked talking about himself.
‘Oh Christ, now you’re asking.’ He stood up, and his eyes rolled up as he cycled back through his career, his equipment momentarily forgotten. ‘Well, I started at eighteen onBabe Station. Learned very quickly how to keep the camera focused on a jiggling nipple.’
There wasn’t going to be a better chance, and Callie knew it. Years of reality TV work had taught her how to pick things up without looking at them. Glasses, plates, and lately, silver-plated keys. This was no different. Dan looked skyward again, talking about his time working onJeremy Kyle, which was, ‘much less dignified than softcore.’
Callie pressed the card down, and it slid out easily. She palmed it.
‘You didn’t get screamed at too often as long as you didn’t catch his thinning spot in the studio lights…’
‘Right,’ Callie said lightly. ‘Thanks, Dan. You’ve really given me something to think about. I’ll leave you to it.’
‘Oh, Ok,’ he said, breaking off with mild disappointment. ‘Anytime.’
She turned and walked off quickly, the small, hard shape burning into her palm.
She didn’t know exactly where she was going. She was supposed to be getting in a car now, transported home. But not until she’d dealt with the troublesome item.
She found herself walking across the green toward the pond. She saw the ash tree. She’d been avoiding it so far. But she was beelining for it now.
She was almost there when she heard her name.
‘Callie!’
Neil’s voice. She kept walking.
‘Callie, stop.’
She stopped at the water’s edge. The pond was a dull, mucky brown, same as ever. The tree, though, was in full flourish. A beautiful green plume, jutting skyward. It was good to see it.
Neil caught up, breathing hard.
‘Give it back,’ he said, not bothering with charm. ‘Don’t make this a thing.’
Callie looked at the water. It was shallow near the edge, deeper in the middle.
‘You can’t just—’ Neil started.
She turned to him. ‘I can.’
He took a step closer. ‘You’ll regret this. You’re supposed to win, you know. You won’t if you do this. I can’t let you.’
She sighed. The money would have been nice, that was for sure. A little cushion she would now not have. And her mother’s begging bowl would not be filled. She wouldn’t be happy.
But then, when was she ever?
Callie opened her hand. The card sat there harmlessly.
‘I don’t want to win,’ she said, more to herself than to him. And then she flicked her wrist.
The card arced into the pond with a quiet yet satisfyingsploosh.
‘FUCK!’ Neil screamed.
