‘Yes,’ he replies, and I have this odd feeling he’s testing me.
‘Okay.’
Neither of us brings up Alex again that day, and, on the surface, it’s a perfectly pleasant Sunday, but underneath is an underlying tension that we both choose to ignore.
Back at work on Monday morning, I fire up my computer with a niggling feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don’t want this to hang over me for any longer, so I open up Alex’s email and type out a reply.
Thanks for letting me know.
Bronte.
The words look so stark. Is that really the best I can do after all this time? He’s only letting me know out of decency that he’s coming here.
I try again.
Hi Alex
Long time no speak!
I quickly delete that sentence, still shaking my head. Too jaunty. Too…wrong.
Hi Alex
Thanks for letting me know. All’s well here – hope you’re OK too.
Bronte
I suddenly remember that I don’t even know exactly when he’s coming – I don’t want to be on edge for the entire month of October. I ask the question and then press send, safe in the knowledge that it’s the middle of the night in England and he won’t be checking his emails for hours.
His reply is waiting for me on Tuesday morning.
7th October – I’ll be there for three weeks.
That’s all he says.
I don’t reply.
When I walk through the door that evening, I find Lachie sitting on the sofa, strumming his guitar. His long legs are encased in tattered denim jeans and his bare feet are up on the coffee table, beside an open bottle of beer.
‘Hey,’ he says with a small smile, going to put his guitar down.
‘Don’t stop.’ I grab his beer and take a swig, squeezing between him and the armrest. His eyes drift to my lips and his own curve up into an amused smile. ‘What’s that you were playing?’ I ask.
‘Nothing. Just messing. How was your day?’
‘Fine.’ I lift my shoulders into a shrug.
‘Has he replied?’
I forgot that Lachie is like a sniffer dog when it comes to Alex.
‘Yeah. He’s coming on the seventh of October for three weeks.’
‘He volunteered that information himself?’
‘No.’ I shake my head, feeling uneasy. ‘I asked when he was coming.’
‘Ah.’
