by M R Field
“Oh my God, yes it was,” Hazel agrees, wiggling her eyebrows at me. “It was only a matter of time before you both went, ‘kaboom.’ ” She draws her hands in front of her, moving them out like an explosion.
“Oh, they kaboomed.” Trice stacks the last container before heading in the direction of the kitchen. “They totally kaboomed.”
I take a sip of my beer and chuckle knowingly, even though we didn’t ‘kaboom.’ ” today. Our first time was definitely an explosion. Seven years of sexual tension had caused me to have wrist burns that night. Fun times. I often think of that time, during nights when I am alone and my fingers want to wander, or when my dreams decide to spice things up a bit. I shift on the couch, trying to stop those thoughts from coming. That’s all I need, to call Theo up to relieve me when I haven’t seen the girls for a while.
Josh cracks open another beer that he had on the floor next to him and stares at me for a moment. “You know what they say—those who are quiet know how to rock the floorboards. Yeah, I’m guessing from the look on her face that he sure knew how to cause a splinter or two while making good use of his heat-seeking missile—”
The sound of the front door opening distracts us for a moment, until a few sets of footsteps make their way down the hall. With the heavy thumping, it is a wonder Gian is still asleep.
“You know what I like to call a heat-seeking missile?” Hazel interrupts, staring back at Josh. “Nipples.”
Josh splutters his beer, and we all crack up.
“I swear, Gian could find them in the dark. They’re a honing beacon with a hidden GPS.”
“Hey,” Alex greets as he strolls in with his sister, Lily, behind him. “What did I miss?”
“Hazel’s nipples,” Josh splutters and clears his throat from his beer cough. Alex shrugs as his movements stop by the bookshelf, his face unaffected. These conversations are just regular for us. Kudos to him for continuing to move on his merry way.
“Hi.” Lily’s soft voice wavers as she gives us a gentle wave. Her shyness has always been so endearing, and once the fire at Robbie’s bar occurred, we began to see her gradually appear at social gatherings to catch up with Alex. They catch up weekly, but their relationship is slightly strained, mainly due to the piece-of-shit wanker Richard that she is dating and living with. None of us like him, but for some reason, she does.
“Where’s Bea?” Alex’s gaze travels the room, searching for her like a needy puppy. I am surrounded by the love bug and it’s contagious. Six months ago, I would’ve waved that shit away, but now … my chest warms as it tickles the butterflies into a frenzy.
Trice returns carrying a tray of ice cream bowls, and I don’t miss her face light up when she sees Alex. “Babe, I thought I heard you come in. You guys want dessert?” She sets the tray down on the coffee table, and he openly checks out her behind.
“I will later tonight.” His voice lowers as she turns her head to him and growls.
“Babe! Seriously? Not in front of your sister!” Lily shifts uncomfortably, but shakes her head with a shy smile.
“It’s fine. I’m not bothered.” Lily says.
“Well, take a bowl, as I brought in extra. Alex might need some to keep his mouth occupied.” Trice raises her eyebrows at him as we all reach in.
“I got another visitor at work today,” I begin, as I dig my spoon into the creamy chocolate ice cream. I look up at Trice and shrug uncomfortably. “Brit came in again. She wants me to make her dress.”
“Oh,” Trice mutters, as her head tilts towards her bowl.
My gut tightens, but I continue, “Even after being told to fuck off twice, she came back with her fiancé.”
“Who’s this?” Alex’s gaze travels to Trice’s tense shoulders and he moves closer to her.
“She was a friend of Stacey’s,” Trice adds casually. Alex’s demeanour changes, and he puts an arm across Trice’s shoulders.
“Babe,” he says.
“I’m okay.” Her voice brightens as she looks up at him. “Honest.” Flicking her eyes to me, she startles when she sees my frown. “I’m honestly okay.”
“Well, they demanded that I make her dress, but I told her that it wouldn’t happen unless she told Ryder, her fiancé, what she did in high school.”
“Oh.” Trice’s eyes flutter to her wrist. “That was a long time ago.”
“It was. She did tell him, though.” I tap the spoon against my lip before continuing. “I kinda said I’d make it after she did that. Now I’m not so sure that was the right thing to do.”
Trice lowers her bowl and spoon and brushes Alex’s hand away to step closer, moving to sit next to me on the couch.
“It’s fine. Honestly. Yeah, that was a shit time in my life, but I can’t dwell on it. She apologised to me all those years ago, and I forgave her. I might never forgive Stacey, but I’d like to think that the karma bus will run her over one day.”
“I did it for you. I feel guilty for not being a louder voice when they hurt you.” I sigh, the regret tightening my stomach.
“No, never think badly of yourself. They would’ve found me somewhere else, and often they did. Be grateful it wasn’t worse.” She rubs her tattoo. “I don’t see what they did to me anymore. I’ve replaced that memory with a better one. I turned an act of hate into an act of love.”
Across her left wrist, the letter A, with stars and moons within, covers the shocking scar that Stacey had given her. Alex has the letter B tattooed for his nickname for her, Bea.
“Phew. I almost had a panic attack just then.” I hold my chest for a moment.
“It’s nice you’ve forgiven her.” Lily smiles at Trice, and I feel a little better. Even she understands the grief her brother went through to get Trice.
“Forgiveness can happen, just so long as it’s deserved. We’ve all got flaws—you’ve
just gotta try and ignore the crazies. No one is perfect,” Trice adds.
“I am.” Josh declares, proudly. Holding his beer up.
“Shut up, Josh,” I scoff.
“Oh, cue the piano music! I’m feeling sentimental,” Josh jokes.
“No!” Hazel panics. “That’ll set me off.” Grabbing her chest, she whines, “Oh, and my milk builds up when I’m emotional. I’ll probably leak.”
“Trin, don’t stress, hon. You’re loyal to a fault. I’m glad you made her sweat a bit before deciding to do her dress. It’s great people are talking about you.” Trice flicks her long plait over her shoulder as she shifts beside me.
“So …” Josh raises the Twister board from the ground in his free hand. “Let’s make a start, shall we? Now that Alex is here, I can have something to watch. Point that tushy in the air, Alex. Give us all a show. Got that?” He winks at him before setting the game on the floor to unpack.
“On that note …” Alex thuds his bowl on the table before turning to his sister. “You ready for a lift?”
“No Twister?” Her brow raises, while she stares at Alex.
“Sure, but I’ll tap out for this one. You’re game?”
“Definitely. I haven’t played this for ages.”
“I might do some stretches.” I stand and raise my arms above my head cockily. “Need to be primed for kicking Josh’s arse.”
“You know,” Josh muses, “if you brought this with you to the club, I bet you’d raise revenue that night easily. Customers would come far and wide to witness the magic that is Robbie’s bum. No dry seat left in the house.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Josh!” Alex groans, holding out his hand. “Just give me the spinner.”
“I’ll sit out for this one, too, I want to listen out for Gian just in case,” Hazel adds, shifting in her seat. “Let’s watch them get tangled up.” She giggles.
“Still think it’d work better at the club. Even your security guards could get involved. Especially the hot blond one.”
“Leon?” Lily asks she timidly kicks her shoes off in the corner. A slight blush lines her cheeks as she pulls h
er hair back in a ponytail.
“That very one.” Josh clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Jeans were made for that man’s body.”
I kick my sandals off in the corner but not before I see Lily bite her lip and smile. The few times she came to the club last year, Richard never gave her that blush nor did he give her that faraway look that she has going on now. Interesting. I can see a crush is brewing. I bet he has her all in knots inside. Ugh. If only she’d dump the douche.
We assemble around the mat as Alex and Hazel get ready to spin the dial. I stare Josh down, pointing to my face and then his with the “I’m watching you” gesture. He flicks his hands back and mouths “Bring it, bitch,” as we continue our stare off.
“Let’s go!” Hazel calls and I bend slowly, ready to spin a colour.
I’m about to tease Josh again when Alex howls to the side of the coffee table. “What the fuck are these?”
Turning, I find him holding the notepad open to the sketches I’ve drawn and begin to giggle.
“Oh!” Trice giggles. “Those are my bridesmaid outfit ideas. You like?” She tilts her head, not giving anything away as she smiles sweetly. “I like the one with the frills on the front, personally.”
“Better hope there isn’t a gust of wind, or you’ll might be flashing your morning glory,” Josh quips, moving over to Alex to show him the sketches.
“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Alex seethes.
“Mission accomplished!” I throw one hand in the air in victory.
“I’ll bring a stage fan,” Trice jokes, “to keep me cool.”
“You’re so easy to annoy. Almost too easy.” I tease.
“Say, what?” His glare turns to me, and I laugh.
“Okay, ladies. Enough of the gossip session. Fuck, we’re not on daytime TV. Alex, loosen the fuck up, and let’s get this started. Now, game on!” Josh stands on the mat and points to Hazel, who flicks the dial to start.
Time to show the mighty Josh how the firecracker does it. First step, tripping him up. Accidentally, of course.
The man stands at the edge of the cliff with his arms out, his toes tipped downward to fall into the midst that faces him. “Everything feels as it should be. Unless this is a dream?”
TTE
THEO
Our meeting sails through one hour quickly into the next while we debrief about our current projects. As my workmates discuss the progress on their designs, I notice the time on the clock behind Cole’s head and clear my throat to make an excuse to visit the water cooler by the window. Taking a plastic cup, I lean down and fill it, casually turning my head to the side. Like clockwork, Trin’s figure comes into view as she sashays around the corner towards the comic bookstore. I don’t feel jealous at her infatuation with my novel or the “mystery writer”—just a keen sense of pride. Here’s hoping she still feels it when she discovers it’s me and doesn’t try to neuter me.
Her notepad, clasped in hand, makes me almost chuckle at the thought of the potential designs she quizzed me on earlier to make Alex blow a gasket.
Her smooth shoulders catch fragments of the cherry blossoms that are across her skin. My memory automatically pictures every blossom and branch, as her skin is as familiar to me as my own. My fingers twitch, wanting to touch her smooth skin. To make her flesh red with my hands as her head flicks back in ecstasy. She is oblivious to my stare, and part of me is still thrilled by it. The moment is cut short as she skips through the comic store’s entrance that leads straight down into the dark stairwell.
I toss my empty cup into the trash to return to the table, lamenting the fact that each Friday I’m not there to see her initial reaction to the novel. This edition is going to be good, too. I tried to capture the intensity of our own kisses in Adam and Mila’s, wondering if she has picked up on the secret words in there yet. Part of me knows the second she does, she’ll know it was me, but I’m not ready yet. For weeks she’s traced the tattoo on my back, with the inscription of, “When the day fades to dark from light, you’re the only face I see at night” which are the secret words I had written for her. Instead, her fingers trace the tattoos along my spine, not realising they are the map of us.
I pull out my seat and sit, determined to try not to think about her holding my gift to her. What she has been waiting on. I’d like to be there with her. Our setting is casual, so the guys won’t bat an eyelid at my short absence if I decide to “duck out for a minute,” but I can’t. It is too risky, especially as the clerks in the store know me. So, I do what any self-respecting boyfriend does—I slump in my desk chair. Except flying under the radar isn’t always easy, considering Letty knows what I did.
Amongst the guys, we only pay close attention to the drawings and sketches we create. The project discussions, how the clients have given us feedback for what they wanted, and any troubles we find along the way all take our focus. We brainstorm ideas and give each other constructive criticism, all the while keeping it low-key. Cole does his best not to carry on too much, unless the stress makes him a bit of a prat.
Letty, being the only female in the office, notices everything. From Stuart’s fascination with wearing ties with roses on them (Letty is convinced it makes him perpetually single), to my preoccupation with the window on Fridays. It hasn’t taken long for her to crack me. After all, I absently doodle my character’s silhouette on my sketchpad with similar features to Trinity.
Today though, Letty is not preoccupied with watching me by the window with a knowing smile. In fact, over the past few weeks, she hasn’t been that interested in anyone.
The lack of personal threats to staff has stopped too. If she wasn’t threatening to maim you for chewing with your mouth open, then there was something wrong.
“Any other business, before we finish up?” Cole shuffles the papers in front of him in a neat pile as we all shift in our seats.
“Yes.” Letty taps the table next to her laptop. “I believe there is still business to conclude.”
Cole’s face tightens momentarily, before he turns his face away to state,
“Oh, never mind. We can conclude the excess next week. I’ve already kept you all back over-time, and I’m sure you’re eager for the weekend.”
“My resignation,” Letty seethes.
I flinch, staring at her. You’ve got to be kidding me.
“What about it?” Cole’s lips thin as he reluctantly looks back at her.
“You haven’t accepted it.”
“That’s because you’re not going.” His hands grip the stack of papers tightly.
“I believe I am!” She slams her laptop shut and stares back at him.
“We’ll talk about this later.”
“You know, I think I’ve had enough of your chats,” she says, rising from her seat to press both hands on the table. “I’m going, whether you like it or not.”
What the fuck is going on?
“Look, Leticia …”
“It’s LETTY, YOU TWAT!” Pushing back her chair in haste, she storms over to her desk and snatches her purse. Turning back to Cole, she raises her middle finger and yells, “Have that as your resignation. No reason to keep me now!”
“Stop being ridiculous. You can’t leave—”
“Too late, jackhole! Booked my ticket to Toronto. How’s that for leaving?” She slams the door, and I’m struck numb for a second. What the fuck is going on?
“Letty!” I jump up, dumping my things to run after her.
“Theo.” Cole’s voice drums across the room. “Leave her. Please. Just leave her.” He grips the pages in his fists before slamming them hard against the table.
“I’ll keep you updated with the clients. I’ll compose an email of the latest adjustments to the new office block,” my workmate Garry says, looking around the room with a tight brow.
“Thank you.” His sombre voice leaves no trace of giving a shit.
“No worries.” He replies. Looking at the guys at the table, I make eye movements to t
he door to get their arses up. I pick up my sketchpad and phone, while they shuffle out of their seats and head to the door.
“I’ll leave you to it,” I say, and walk out. Putting my phone to my ear, I call Letty. Her voicemail picks up, and I leave a message.
“Letty, what the fuck just happened back there? When you get this message, call me back. Cole is not himself and is actually showing emotion. What the fuck is going on with you two?”
After a few minutes, I get one shitty text.
Letty: I’m sorry, Theo. Can’t talk about it. Goodbye.
I try to call her back and get her stupid voicemail. She’ll tell me eventually. Until then, I’ll just keep trying anyway.
The wrought-iron gates slide across the driveway as I roll in slowly on my bike. The late sun has started to set, but I can still see his place clearly. I can’t help the whistle I make as I roll my bike across the driveway. This house is fucking huge. I’ve never seen grass so well kept, except for in the movies. Living in concrete suburbia has made me forget that there are areas in Melbourne with big gardens.
Pulling my helmet off my head, I pat my hair down before placing the helmet under my arm, while tucking my other thumb under the strap of my backpack. My boots crunch against the asphalt as I walk to the door, marvelling at the neatly landscaped garden. After spending the past hour worrying about Letty and, as predicted, her ignoring my calls, it is time to forget for the night.
The front door opens as my sister Elly stands behind it, a huge smile across her face.
“Hey!” She pulls the door back to step out onto the stair. “I could hear that bike a mile away.”
“That’s the point.” I grin as I shift closer to her. She moves into my chest and hugs me briefly, my right arm hooking around her back for a moment. Still need to work on this hugging business.
She shakes her head as though she can read my thoughts and steps to the side. “Bienvenido.”
I step into the brightly lit foyer. Smooth floorboards line the corridor while a red-rimmed carpet sits in the centre of the boards as the walkway. I can’t help but smile at how similar these boards are to those at our restaurant. I shake my head. His restaurant.
