Nine Letters Long

by J. C. Burke

  Seb stands there, his hands in his front pockets again. He shrugs at Evie.

  ‘Paris’s mum has hit the roof,’ Evie tells him, shrugging back.

  ‘It’s serious, kids,’ Nick says. ‘She’s threatening legal action if you approach Paris again.’

  ‘But Dad, I didn’t even talk to her. She doesn’t like speaking, to anyone. I just stood there –’

  ‘It doesn’t matter, Evie. If Nora Cuza doesn’t want you approaching her daughter, then there’s really nothing –’

  ‘But I didn’t do anything!’ Evie throws her arms up. ‘God, Dad. I did nothing!’

  ‘Seb, did you see this girl with Evie?’

  ‘No, sir.’

  ‘But you’re obviously … involved with what’s going on?’

  ‘Um?’ He turns to Evie. She nods. ‘Yes, sir. I’m helping with … it.’

  ‘Seb, I’m sure you appreciate this is a … tricky situation for us, Evie being –’

  ‘Special,’ Robin blurts. ‘She … she can’t help it.’

  ‘I know all about it,’ Seb tells them. ‘Look, Mr Simmons, Evie hasn’t done anything wrong. I know that for a fact.’

  ‘Seb, I know she hasn’t done anything wrong but if she gets others involved she has to be responsible for them and that’s asking a lot from her. It makes her vulnerable.’

  The phone starts ringing. ‘I’ll get it.’ Robin runs off leaving Nick, Evie and Seb staring at the floor in silence.

  It’s awkward. It’s embarrassing. Evie wishes so badly it didn’t have to be like this. How will Seb ever want to be involved with her when she’s surrounded by such complications? Boys don’t like complications, Evie thinks. They like things to be smooth and simple, like it is with other girls. Normal girls.

  ‘I worry,’ Nick softly says. ‘I worry one day this’ll lead Evie into danger, and yet how can I protect her, Seb? How can I protect my only daughter? This sets her up for so much and we won’t be around forever.’

  ‘I’d do anything for Evie,’ Seb says in reply. ‘Anything.’

  Evie leans against the wall. His words are making her legs turn to jelly. Maybe Seb can like her, even with everything she brings.

  ‘That’s nice, Seb, but it ain’t that simple,’ her father answers.

  Seb shrugs and goes back to staring at the floor.

  ‘You two, please take notice of what this lady’s saying,’ Nick tells them. ‘I know it’s not justified. These sorts of people just have a knack for being difficult. So stay out of Nora Cuza’s way; she’s obviously a tricky customer.’

  ‘She’s plain evil,’ Evie hisses. ‘That’s what she is.’

  ‘Well, regardless, Evie …’

  ‘Paris is missing,’ Robin announces at the door of Evie’s room.

  ‘Missing?’ Evie says. ‘She can’t be. I saw her this morning with that sleazy Ingy man.’

  ‘The family friend?’

  ‘If that’s what you want to call him.’

  Robin pulls a face. ‘Well, Victoria said he dropped Paris at some shopping centre where Nora was running a fashion parade, but she never turned up. Nora went home thinking she must’ve been there, but she wasn’t. No one’s seen her.’

  Nick turns and faces his daughter. The questions are plastered all over his face.

  ‘Dad! I know nothing about it. Okay.’

  ‘I told Victoria if we heard anything we’d ring her straight away.’

  ‘We won’t hear anything, Mum.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘We’ve never even spoken to each other. She wouldn’t even know my surname.’

  ‘Okay,’ Nick nods. ‘There’s obviously a big problem in that family. Nothing to do with us.’

  Evie is careful not to speak. She needs her parents to be calm. Calm and reassured so they will butt out.

  ‘I’m sure whatever’s happened to Paris has nothing to do with Evie,’ Nick says. ‘But be careful. Some people are unpredictable.’

  ‘Excuse me, Seb; I’d better rescue the chicken,’ Robin says, her face cracking as she attempts a smile. ‘I’d hate it to burn.’

  ‘What was that all about?’ Seb asks when he’s sure her oldies are downstairs and out of earshot. ‘You’re hiding something. I can tell.’

  ‘I’m not,’ Evie answers. ‘Not really but …’

  ‘But what?’

  ‘But I know Paris wanted to speak to me today. She couldn’t, though, ’cause that Ingy sleazebag was hanging around. That’s why she’s run away. To get away from him.’

  ‘You’re sure about him, aren’t you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Even though the anagram doesn’t match his name.’

  ‘That’s because we’re missing something, and it’s so close it’s driving me crazy!’

  ‘Okay,’ Seb grins. ‘You’re the boss. I can hardly say I can’t trust your instincts.’

  Theo is shouting Evie and her parents breakfast and showing off his new girlfriend. He’s desperate for Evie to come and meet her. Evie doesn’t want to meet her. She wants to be left alone at home so she can continue searching the anagram for something they’ve missed.

  Last night after dinner, Seb and Evie dissected each message. Word by word, letter by letter, and found nothing new. But that doesn’t stop Evie. She’s convinced one of the messages holds the key. Holds the clue that’ll make everything fall into place. She can feel it. She can almost touch it. But where is it? She can’t see it for looking and yet why does she feel she’s close.

  The jeans she wore yesterday are hanging over the chair. She drags them on to go with a singlet she is wearing, dotted with coloured diamantes that spell ‘Angel’. As Evie gels and spikes her hair, she sees the word flash in the mirror. It makes her stop. ‘Angel?’ She looks down at the sequins splattered across her chest. ‘Angel?’

  Quickly she flicks through the book of messages. From downstairs, her father calls out that it’s time to go.

  ‘Angel, angel?’ Her eyes and finger scan the words for a clue but there’s nothing. ‘Why is it making me feel like this?’

  ‘Evie! Robin!’ Nick calls again. ‘We’ll be late.’

  Her dad watches her come down the stairs. ‘You look nice.’

  Evie rolls her eyes.

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Nothing.’ Evie gives it a try. ‘But do I really have to go, Dad?’

  ‘Come on Evie, it won’t kill you,’ he answers. ‘Theo really wants you to meet Tracey.’

  ‘He always wants me to meet his girlfriends,’ she complains. ‘“Evie,”’ she mimics his voice. ‘“This is the one.” And it never is.’

  ‘Give him a break. He’s usually the one that’s dumped.’

  ‘Hey, he’s so fond of you,’ Nick continues. ‘He admires you so much. He talks about Adelaide and how amazing you were, all the time.’

  ‘I hope he only talks to you about it.’

  ‘Evie, he understands the deal. You know that.’

  ‘Well, I’ll meet girlfriend one hundred and seventy-one before she dumps him.’ Evie takes a gloss-stick out of her pocket and smooths it across her lips.

  ‘Has he ever thought that maybe if he cut down on the aftershave it’d help?’

  ‘You’re his best friend, Dad. You should be the one to tell him.’ Nick chuckles

  ‘I’ve tried,’ Robin says, coming down the stairs. ‘At least a thousand times. And you know what he says.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘He says, “You know, Robin, that’s what my first wife used to say.”’

  Breakfast is bearable, but only just. Evie orders the Eggs Benedict. Seeing she’s here, she may as well pig out at Theo’s expense. Robin’s obviously thinking the same. She orders waffles with honeycomb butter.

  When Theo speaks, Tracey flashes her big white teeth and giggles. ‘He’s so funny, isn’t he?’ she says to Robin.

  ‘Mmm,’ Robin replies. ‘Hilarious.’ And adjusts herself in the seat.

  Evie laughs and nods
too, pretending to be a part of it but really she’s a thousand miles away. She’s back in her bedroom with Seb. Hearing again the sound he made as they lay on the floor studying the puzzles. It’s the tiniest of noises. A bit louder than a sigh, but not as loud as a moan. Even now, as Evie remembers it, the warmth rushes up her thighs. She covers her mouth to hide the smile that’s sneaking up.

  ‘Evie, I just looove your hair.’ Tracey disturbs her daydream. ‘I just love it. It’s outrageous.’ Tracey is digging around in an enormous yellow handbag. ‘Theo’s always talking about you.’ She looks up and flashes her teeth. ‘What a fantastic artist you are, how clever you are, how … I can’t find my lipgloss. I’m sure I put it in here. Theo bought me this bag yesterday – don’t you love it? I moved …’

  Anything to shut her up, Evie produces the lip gloss from her back pocket and with it comes a tiny slip of paper. Evie stares at it, her fingers smoothing the edges. She turns up a corner just enough to see the words: ‘Nora. Yes.’

  Her heart catapults into her throat. It’s the note Victoria gave her yesterday.

  Quietly she unfolds the next corner to reveal the word ‘girl’. Then, with utter clarity, Evie remembers the message as though she’s still around the table with Nora and Victoria. How could she have forgotten Caz’s words of pain and terror – ‘Innocent girl yells now. Now, now, now, now …’ till the words spilt off the edge of the paper?

  ‘Excuse me.’ Evie gets up just as the breakfasts arrive. She sees her father frown. ‘I just … need … to go to … the loo.’

  Twice she checks the bathroom lock before unfolding the bit of paper. Her hand is over her mouth. Her teeth are chewing at her knuckles. It’s all there.

  I Give You Nora. Genuine Information Nora Yes.

  Immoral Nasty Guess Yes.

  Innocent Girl Yells Now now now now now now now now.

  The letters are there. Not nine of them. Just four. ‘I-N-G-Y.’

  Evie rinses her face in the basin. Her fingers tremble as they push her hair back. Her breath races her heart. Her cheeks burn with anger and rage. And with as much coordination and poise as she can muster, Evie walks back out to the breakfast throng.

  ‘Dad?’ She hears the calmness in a voice that’s hers. ‘Dad, could I please use your phone for a second?’

  ‘Don’t tell me you still don’t have a phone!’ Theo bellows.

  ‘Who do you need to call?’ her parents say almost simultaneously.

  ‘Seb,’ Evie replies.

  ‘Seb!’ Theo slaps his thigh. ‘I remember him.’

  ‘I forgot … I was meant to meet him for a coffee this morning.’

  Nick hands her his phone. Evie walks over to the kerbside and from memory presses the numbers she got from directory assistance yesterday. One hand holds the mobile. The other tries to steady the thumping in her chest.

  ‘Hello.’ It sounds like Seb.

  ‘Seb?’ Evie can barely speak her mouth is so dry. ‘Seb?’

  ‘Hey. You got a progress report for me?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Not now. I’ve got to be quick,’ she whispers. ‘Mum and Dad are watching me. I need you to meet me. Can you?’

  ‘Where? What’s happened?’

  ‘I’ve got it. I’ve really got it now. Can you meet me?’

  ‘Um, yeah. Yeah.’

  ‘Pappa Reggio’s?’

  ‘Are you going back to the –’

  ‘Just get there as soon as you can.’

  ‘I have to go,’ Evie says, handing the phone back to her father. ‘Sorry, Theo.’

  ‘What? Now?’ Robin pipes.

  ‘Your breakfast?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Theo, I’m … I’m not hungry.’

  Her parents stand up. ‘What’s going on?’ Nick says.

  ‘Evie? Evie?’ her mother echoes.

  They follow her out of the café and onto the street.

  She keeps walking. Counting each step as she goes. ‘I have to go and meet Seb. Okay?’

  ‘No, it’s not okay,’ Nick answers. His shoes pound behind her while her mother’s click clack on the footpath. ‘Evie?’ she calls. ‘Evie … just tell us what’s happening.’

  ‘Mum! Dad!’ Evie stops at the corner, spinning around to face them. ‘I have to do this!’ Her voice is choking. Her eyes are stinging. She wants to scream and yell. She can’t be stopped. Not now. She’s so close. They have to understand. They have to let her go because she’s going anyway.

  ‘Please, please understand. I can’t get away from this. It … she … follows me everywhere I go. Do you know what that’s like?’ A tear slips down her mother’s cheek. ‘I’m so sorry, Mum. But you can’t stop me. If you do, she’ll never go away. She’ll never leave me alone. Never.’

  ‘I don’t want to stop you.’ The tears keep spilling. ‘I just want you to be safe and … and happy.’

  ‘I want my life back,’ Evie murmurs.

  ‘Is Seb really meeting you, Evie?’

  ‘Yes, Dad. He is.’

  For the second time that morning, he hands Evie his phone. ‘You ring us every hour. No, every half-hour.’

  Evie takes the phone and disappears around the corner. Her parents are still standing there. Her mother is weeping. Evie feels it. Her mother’s tears spilling inside her as if they were her own.

  When Seb arrives at Pappa Reggio’s, Evie hands him the bit of paper.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘Read it,’ Evie tells him.

  She watches Seb’s eyes scan the words as he reads the four messages. She then sees his eyes dart back and forth as he pieces the letters together. The knowledge, the realisation, washes across his face. He looks up at Evie, his mouth open. He swallows then whispers, ‘I-N-G-Y. Ingy.’

  ‘Ingy.’

  ‘Shit, Evie. What are we going to do now?’

  ‘She’s here.’

  ‘Who? Caz?’

  ‘No. Paris.’

  ‘Paris?’

  ‘Yep. It all makes sense.’

  ‘Where? Where is she?’ Seb looks around. ‘Is she meeting you … us?’

  ‘Not exactly. She’s close though. I know that.’ Evie takes a deep breath then slowly blows it out. ‘We’ll just sit here and wait. Just like I did the first time. The painter was over there with his little tin of gold paint. Carefully making … God!’ Evie jumps up from the table. ‘God! I’m so stupid.’

  ‘What? What?’

  ‘Look the door! That’s one of the first things Caz told me to do. Look the door. Seb, come on!’

  Evie is off, running across the road, dodging the cars that are stopping at the traffic lights. Seb follows, still calling, ‘What? Evie!’

  At the entrance to the Venus Cuza College, Evie stops. She closes her eyes and places her fist on the glass. For a second, it doesn’t move. Then slowly her fingers begin to uncurl from her palm. One by one, they lie flat. Then down the door they start to slide until they reach the golden letters, still perfect and new.

  Across the word ‘Proprietor’ her fingers run until they hit the letter ‘I’. She opens her eyes.

  ‘Seb?’ He is standing behind her, his breath hot on her neck. ‘You count. I’ll call the letters. You ready?’

  ‘I,’ she whispers.

  ‘One,’ he echoes.

  ‘A.’

  ‘Two.’

  ‘N.’

  ‘Three.’

  ‘P.’

  ‘Four.’

  ‘S.’

  ‘Five.’

  ‘T.’

  ‘Six.’

  ‘A.’

  ‘Seven.’

  ‘C.’

  ‘Eight.’

  ‘H,’ Evie murmurs.

  ‘Nine,’ Seb gasps. ‘Nine letters.’

  ‘Nine letters long. His name is nine letters long, just as we thought.’

  Together they stare at the glass. At the name ‘Ian P. Stach’.

  ‘But that’s not the name on his card,’ Seb says.


  ‘He changed it.’ Evie and Seb turn around. Paris is standing there.

  ‘He wanted an Australian-sounding name. So he went out and got one.’

  They say nothing in return. Regardless of their silence, Paris continues. ‘I don’t want to hang around out here. They’re looking for me. They’ve already come by twice this morning. And he came around in the middle of the night. But I was ready. I hid over there.’ Her skinny arm points to an alcove of bins. ‘He never would’ve looked for me there. He can’t stand getting dirty, getting smelly. He says it reminds him of the camp when he first came here. That’s where he met my parents.’

  ‘Paris.’ Finally, Evie is able to make her mouth work. Seb’s still staring, his mouth open. ‘Paris, I wanted to get to you but …’

  Paris lifts her narrow shoulders. Her eyes dart backwards and forwards along the road. ‘It’s not your fault, Evie. I didn’t understand until I got your letter. Then I realised my sister does speak to you. You see, they told me you were some weirdo and that I must keep away from you. I’ve been waiting for you like you told me to. I nearly thought you weren’t going to come.’

  ‘Oh, Paris …’ Evie falters. ‘I’m so sorry. I don’t know … what to say.’

  Paris shrugs, then her eyes settle on Seb.

  ‘This is Seb.’ Evie introduces them. ‘You can trust him. Caz asked him to help.’

  ‘I’ve seen you before with Dana’s boyfriend. He’s your friend too, isn’t he?’

  Seb nods.

  ‘No offence but I don’t like him. Dana says he’s not her boyfriend. She says she’s just been using him.’ Paris stops and looks at Seb for what seems forever. ‘If Evie says I can trust you, then I believe her.’

  ‘Seb?’ Evie frowns. ‘Who’s Dana’s … what?’

  ‘Zac,’ he murmurs in reply.

  ‘Zac? Hang on. What’s the story?’

  ‘I said he was a prick.’

  ‘His dad’s not going to give her the money,’ Paris says, watching both their faces. ‘So he won’t be her lover for much longer.’

  ‘But Seb, what about … Alex?’

  ‘I said to tell her to get rid of him.’

  ‘But, but …’ Evie is trying to piece it together in her head. The things Seb said on the bus; the words Paris Cuza just threw into the ring; Dana’s laugh and smooth brown skin; Alex’s eyes and the hurt that has waited behind them.