Why do you look like you’ve never seen a pizza before, Shay asks her, as they stand by the living room door.
What, Nora says, as she watches Bren lift the cap off a beer. Robin, feet from him, with his hand on someone’s shoulder, laughing his great Robin laugh, his shirt black and gold like the song that’s playing.
What’s up with you, Shay asks.
More friends, then, in front of them, eating pizza, askingto see her ring. Wow, Nora, it even looks like you, then Robin is there with a slice in his hand just for her. Saying he saw she was pizza-less, and that was just wrong. Arm around her waist, kiss on her temple. Marry her already, someone says, and he guffaws, says shall we?
Robin, Nora says.
Yeah?
There’s –
But then his brother is tugging him onto the makeshift dance floor and Robin is calling back to her, come dance, Nora, and she says she’ll just – points at her pizza – the introduction dried in her throat. Bren is talking to some of her art school friends, now. Back turned, his neck bronzed with sun, trailed in a black twine necklace like the one she gave him for his birthday, years ago. Surely not the same one.
Who’s the guy, Shay asks her, handing her a glass of wine. Nora takes a mouthful, swallows, says who?
The one you’re pretending not to look at?
More wine, to hide the red in her cheeks.
No one, she says, when she lowers her glass. Just my old neighbour, Bren.
Shay’s own lips are stained red with wine, her teeth mauve, like her hair.
The one who travels, and does nothing?
It’s notnothing, Nora says. He works in outdoor centres and stuff.
You didn’t say he was coming!
I didn’t know.
Hair brushed behind her ear. The rest of her pizza eaten, steadying, the warm dough, salt of the soft melted cheese. So why don’t you go say hi, Shay says, and Nora nods, says she should. She will.
Doesn’t move.
Shay frowns, puts down her wine glass. Says come on, and grabs her elbow.
No, Nora says, Shay, I don’t – but instead of dragging her towards Bren, Shay steers her out of the room, past friends talking in the hall, past the bathroom where there is a short queue of people waiting; out through the kitchen into the bricked backyard. Two people smoking by the gate. The stars are out, the night fresh. Feels cool on Nora’s too-warm skin.
Talk to me, Shay says.
There’s nothing to talk about, Nora says, tweaking a flower that’s flopped into her face.
I know you better than you think, Shay says, and I can tell you have something going on in that quiet heart of yours.
How can a heart be quiet?
See! You’re deflecting! And you look like you’re going to cry and you can’t do that at your own engagement party, Nora. It’s too tragic.
The moon shines above them, half concealed by the rooftop. Steady drip of prior rain from the clogged gutters as Nora folds her arms, music carrying through the closed back door.Chelsea Dagger, rowdy, hollering.
I just didn’t expect to see him, Nora says. Bren, I mean.
And that matters because …?
Nora exhales, her breath silver on the air. It doesn’t, she says. You’re right. It’s been a while, that’s all. I’m just … thrown.
