The cat waves. The oven whirs.
Oh, Bren, Nora murmurs. It’s always about you.
And right as she says it there is another noise, footsteps broaching from outside, and Robin walks in carrying the empty bread basket, his mouth set as he looks at them, and the pair of them look right back.
Always about him, is it, he says. Placing the basket on the kitchen side.
A beat of confusion. Of quiet.
Not like that, Nora says.
No? Robin says. Seems I’ve interrupted quite the moment between you two.
There was no moment, Nora says. We were just –
She breaks off, but her hesitation only seems to exacerbate what Robin thinks is happening, here.
I’ll leave you to it, he says. To … whatever this is.
It isn’t anything, Nora says, and she looks at Bren for backup, but he just folds his arms, says no?
No! says Nora, but Robin is already pushing past Bren who makes no effort to block his way. Nora follows him, her tears halted, wind chimes clanging as he pulls open the porch door;he struggles with it, again, like he can’t work out where the handle is.
I just meant he’sselfish, Robin, Nora says. I meant he makes everything about him. Not thatmyeverything, is about him.
But he ignores her. They can see the bus pulling up beside the green through the porch windows; good timing, he says, and she says Robin, this is ridiculous.
I agree, he says. This whole thing.
What d’you –
This! he explodes, with a force that frightens her. Him! Showing up, the night of our engagement party! You, insisting it’s fine, just friendship, butretreatingfrom me! No venue. No date. No explanation.
Robin –
Disappearing, for hours on end. Not telling me what’s on your mind. And we don’tdothat, Nora. That’s not us.
I’ve been working! she says. I’ve been –
And I’ve been giving you space, he says, but it seems that was a really bad idea.
It wasn’t, Nora says. Robin, please, listen to me.
Why should I? When nine years of that hasn’t got us anywhere? I thought we wereit, Nora. But even wanting more turned out to be some kind of giant conspiracy, against you, when all I wanted was to give us a wedding that made you feel as special as you – as you make –
He is talking over her as she tries to talk back. That anger she saw in him, that Sunday with the storm, descending again, taking hold.
I’ve spent years, Robin rants, thinking it’s fine. No wedding, no ring, no problem! Telling Goose I’m not worried when Bren rocks up, because that’s who I am, Nora! Good old, jovial Robin! The well-meaning, laughable nice guy! Fine to string him along, no harm done!
There’s nostringingalong –
Isn’t there? Because I’m a patient guy and I may not be a sad, solitary nomad with a damaged soul but I doseethings, Nora. I see the way he looks at you. And I see you stalling, because of it.
But I’m not, Nora says. I’ll show you. Please, Robin, she says, as he pulls open the porch door. Don’t make this a thing.
But it is a thing, Robin says, as he steps outside. I’m not the one who doesn’t know what I want and isn’t brave enough to admit it.
I do know, though!
