Ex, The

by Moriarty, Nicola

  *

  Dinner was at a Persian restaurant, which Georgia hadn’t even known existed as it was tucked away on the ground floor of an office building and hidden from sight from the main road. It was the perfect choice for a cold wintery night, with the open wood fire and decorative rugs hanging on the walls adding to the cosiness. They shared lamb and chicken kebabs, and halfway through the mains, two belly dancers weaved their way through the tables, wriggling their hips and pulling people out of their seats to dance with them.

  ‘This place is gorgeous,’ Georgia said as their shared dessert was placed in front of them — homemade ice-cream with rosewater, saffron and pistachios, topped with Persian fairy floss.

  ‘Yeah, and we have to try the hookah lounge afterwards as well.’

  Georgia stopped with the spoon hovering in front of her mouth. ‘I’m sorry, what?’

  Luke grinned. ‘Hookah . . . not hooker,’ he clarified.

  ‘Okay, I’m not hearing a difference.’

  He laughed. ‘It’s hookah with an “h” on the end. It’s this pipe that you smoke. You can get all these different flavours like apple or peach or strawberry, but it’s minus the nicotine.’

  Georgia raised her eyebrows. ‘Interesting. And here I thought you were about to suggest a threesome.’

  ‘Well, I mean, if that’s on the table.’

  Georgia laughed and popped the spoonful into her mouth. ‘You wish!’

  A waiter approached their table. ‘Excuse me, sir, I have a message for you,’ he said, passing Luke a small slip of folded paper.

  Luke frowned. ‘Thanks,’ he said, opening it up.

  ‘What is it?’ Georgia asked, watching him read it.

  ‘Fuck.’ He scrunched the paper in his hand and then started looking around the restaurant, scanning the other tables.

  Georgia was taken aback; she’d never seen him look so rattled. ‘What? What’s wrong?’

  Luke handed the scrunched paper across to her. ‘I’m so sorry about this,’ he said.

  Georgia opened the crumpled paper and read the message inside.

  You can do much better than her.

  Georgia handed the paper back. ‘What the hell?’

  ‘It’s from Cadence.’

  ‘Are you serious? She’s here?’

  ‘She must be. Or actually, I’m guessing she handed them the note and left. I don’t see her anywhere.’

  ‘Luke, how did she know we were here?’

  ‘I have no idea . . . I didn’t say anything about where I was going when I left the apartment tonight. I mean, I try to avoid talking to her at all. Oh my God, she must have followed me. I don’t see how else.’

  ‘Followed you? Shit. That’s proper stalking stuff. That’s creepy as hell.’

  The feel of the restaurant shifted in an instant. It was no longer warm and cosy; instead it felt claustrophobic, stiflingly hot. The last mouthful of dessert seemed to be wedged in her throat. ‘This is horrible. Why would she do this?’

  ‘Because she’s petty and awful. I really am so, so sorry.’

  ‘Hang on, let me look at that note again.’

  He passed it back across.

  ‘Luke, I recognise this handwriting.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I mean I already got a note like this.’

  ‘What? When? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have said something to her straightaway.’

  ‘I didn’t know it was her! It was left on my car. It said I was ugly. I thought it was some kid’s idea of a prank.’

  Luke’s face paled. ‘She said that to you? Where was your car when she left it?’

  Georgia saw that his hands were shaking.

  ‘Out the front of my parents’ house. How is it even possible that she’d find me there? Is she following me too?’

  ‘This is bad.’

  ‘Can we . . . umm, can we please go? I don’t want to be here anymore.’

  ‘Of course.’

  Georgia didn’t even try to do their usual dance over whose turn it was to pay. She let Luke fix up the bill and stood waiting with her arms wrapped around herself. Her eyes were darting around as though at any moment a crazed woman might leap out at her from behind a pot plant. As she waited, she thought about that night she’d found the note on her car. How she’d been so blasé about it, how it had even made her laugh. How she had shouted out into the night that she was hot. It was humiliating. She wanted to reach back through time and slap herself. Wake up, Georgia, Cadence is way more trouble than you first thought.

  They walked briskly to Luke’s car, Luke keeping one arm around Georgia. On the drive back to her apartment, Georgia couldn’t help checking the side mirror every couple of minutes.

  ‘It’s okay,’ said Luke, one hand on the steering wheel and the other reaching out to hold her hand. ‘She’s not following us. That’s not her car behind us.’

  ‘Good.’

  Georgia didn’t even realise how tightly she’d been clenching her shoulders until they finally stepped inside her apartment and Luke placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed them down. ‘You’ll hurt yourself doing that,’ he said. ‘Sit down, I’ll get you a drink. You want tea or a proper drink?’

  ‘Proper drink, please. There’s a bottle of bourbon above the fridge.’

  Georgia settled onto the couch, pulling the throw rug over her knees, and Luke brought over two bourbon and Cokes. He sat down next to her and rubbed her shoulders again. Georgia picked up her glass and took a large sip.

  ‘Listen,’ he said, ‘I’m going to fix this. I’ll let her know that she’s crossed a line and that if she doesn’t stop, I’ll be going to the police.’

  ‘But how would that work? I mean, if you go to the police, the only thing you could really ask for is a restraining order, right? Is one creepy note at dinner enough for that? Plus, what happens when you tell them where you live? This woman is hassling me, but we still live together. They’ll laugh in your face.’

  ‘I know, I know. You’re right. I need to find a way to move out.’

  Georgia hesitated for a moment. There was one way he could escape from Cadence. But surely it was too soon, wasn’t it? Then again, it didn’t have to be permanent.

  ‘Luke . . . I know we’re in no way at this stage yet, but do you want to stay here for a while? Like, even if it’s only temporary?’

  ‘That is incredibly kind of you, but I honestly didn’t mean to make you feel like you have to offer.’

  ‘You’re not making me. And anyway, I’m not suggesting you officially move in, I just think that this might be the only solution.’

  Georgia paused. She was worried he was going to think she was overreacting, that he’d be frightened away because she was moving too fast. First, the invite to the family wedding, now this. But if he stayed there with Cadence, how was any of this ever going to end? As long as Luke’s ex still had him in her life, she was going to keep fighting to take him back. And what if she fought hard enough that she won?

  Luke stared back at her. ‘You know what?’ he said. ‘That would be an absolute godsend, but only if you’re sure.’

  ‘I’m sure. I mean, once you can afford it, you’ll get your own place anyway, right?’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  ‘You think that’ll make her stop?’

  ‘I think it will help. I think it will make her properly realise that there’s nothing between us anymore. That there hasn’t been for a long time.’

  Georgia nodded. Anything that got this woman off their backs was going to be a good thing. An idea crossed her mind then.

  ‘Hey, can I see a photo of her? If she’s following us and leaving notes on my car and stuff . . . I want to be able to recognise her if I ever see her.’

  ‘Of course.’ Luke reached for his phone and opened up the photo album then started scrolling through the images. ‘I don’t have many,’ he said, ‘but there should be something here.’

  Eventually he stopped on one and sh
owed it to Georgia. ‘This is her. Is she familiar at all? Have you seen her around?’

  Georgia frowned. It wasn’t a great angle. Cadence was side-on and her hair was partially obscuring her face. ‘I don’t think so. Do you have any other photos? Something that shows her face front-on?’

  Luke took his phone back and kept searching. ‘She’s one of those girls who gets self-conscious if you try to take her photo, so I don’t really have many good ones. She’s the type that has to have her makeup and hair absolutely perfect before she’ll even leave the house, so if you try to take a nice candid snap she’ll be grabbing the phone off you and deleting it, claiming it’s the worst shot ever. Sorry, I’m getting off-track. Here, is this one any better?’ He offered the phone to Georgia and she took a good, long look.

  The woman in the photo had strawberry-blonde hair, huge blue eyes and petite, pretty features. She thought for a moment about the overt difference in both looks and personality between Cadence and herself. Short blonde hair versus long, curly brown hair. Wears makeup versus struggles to choose an appropriate shade of lipstick. Did Luke have a type? And if so, was Cadence his type, or was she?

  ‘Hey, are you okay?’ Luke asked.

  Georgia realised she was still staring at the photo. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I was just noticing . . . she’s, umm, she’s very pretty. And ah, very different from me.’ She handed the phone back and added, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen her around though. But at least I’ve got a good image of her in my mind now so I can keep an eye out.’

  ‘Georgia,’ said Luke, ‘I know I used to date her, but can I be honest with you? I’m not the least bit attracted to her anymore. I never loved the fact that she always had to do the whole hair and makeup thing before we could go out. On top of that, her personality . . .’ He paused, looking torn. ‘I don’t want to sound like I’m being an arsehole, but she was kind of stuck-up. You know how I said she’s an artist? Well, I was never really a big fan of her art. She went to this crazily expensive art school and it was like she believed that just because she had the best training available, that made her talented. But the fact is, her art wasn’t selling . . . but you could never suggest that she might consider a part-time job because you’d get your head bitten off. Add to all that the way she’s acting now, and well, like I said, I’m not the least bit attracted to her. Trust me.’

  Georgia couldn’t help but feel pleased to hear all of this. Her own inability to choose a suitable shade of lipstick suddenly felt like a positive attribute rather than a failed life skill.

  ‘So,’ said Georgia, ‘the thing is, if I ever do see her . . . what am I supposed to do? Confront her? Tell her to leave me alone? Or ignore her? Or run?’ She was joking with the last suggestion, but at the same time there was a part of her wondering if she really did need to be afraid of this woman.

  ‘If you see her — although hopefully you won’t — just call me, okay?’ Luke put an arm around her and pulled her in close.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Georgia leaned on the counter of the nurses station while Rick sat behind the desk, directing a visitor to a patient’s room. The visitor moved off and Rick glanced up at Georgia. ‘Your favourite patient is back again,’ he told her.

  ‘Jerry? Yeah, I know. He’s making a name for himself.’

  ‘Pretty sure he’s already made a name for himself. You have too much of a soft spot for that old bloke. We don’t have enough beds to have him here every month.’

  ‘I know but . . . it’s Jerry. He’s a sweetheart.’

  Amber approached from the other direction and joined them at the counter. ‘What are you two slackers doing?’

  ‘Not slacking off. Just . . . pausing,’ said Georgia.

  A shout in the distance stopped their conversation.

  ‘What was that?’ said Georgia.

  ‘Coming from maternity,’ said Rick. ‘Just someone in labour.’

  ‘No, it’s not,’ Amber said, her voice sharp. ‘That’s a different sound. That does not sound like someone giving birth.’

  ‘How can you tell?’ argued Rick.

  But Amber had already moved away from the counter and started striding in the direction of the shout. A second later there was a different shout, clearly a man’s voice, and then a shrill scream and a crash as though something had been knocked over.

  ‘Shit, she’s right,’ said Georgia.

  Rick dashed around from behind the desk and they both hurried after Amber, who’d started running towards the commotion.

  When they pushed through the double doors into the maternity ward, it took Georgia a moment to take in what was going on. A tall man dressed in striped pyjamas was facing away from them, and opposite him two nurses and a doctor were spread out across the hall, all of them holding their hands up in a non-threatening manner. A rounds cart lay on its side, its contents scattered across the floor.

  ‘What —’ Georgia began, trying to figure out why they all looked so afraid of the man. Then he turned and Georgia realised he was holding a large knife. She gasped. It wasn’t as if this kind of thing hadn’t happened here before. Working in a public hospital in Western Sydney meant incidents as if this were par for the course. Last month a teenager in the throes of drug withdrawal had punched a paramedic down in Emergency. Another time, a sixty-year-old woman suffering from hyperactive delirium flip-kicked a nurse with surprising dexterity for a woman her age. But none of these had happened on one of Georgia’s shifts and she was horrified to realise she had no idea what she was supposed to do. That was when she noticed Amber slowly moving towards the man.

  ‘Mate,’ said Amber, her voice loud and clear, not a hint of a wobble to it. ‘You need to put that knife down.’

  It all happened in a flash. The man lurched at Amber, she swung one arm out knocking the knife out of his hand, sidestepped him, and then used his own momentum to tackle him down to the floor. One of the other nurses stepped forward along with Rick to help restrain him, and at the same time, two security guards arrived.

  The whole thing was over as fast as it had started, and Georgia was starkly aware of the fact that her only contribution to the entire incident was to stand and stare, while Amber had been a bloody hero. So why was Georgia the one feeling like she could easily have a panic attack right now? She did the only thing she could think to do — turned and fled.

  *

  Georgia saw the paper well before she reached her car. It was fluttering in the wind, fighting against the constraints of the windscreen wiper. One big gust and it might have been whipped away and she wouldn’t have known it was ever there. Her stomach clenched and her pace quickened. She didn’t need this right now, not after what had happened in the maternity ward. Not after the way she’d run away from the scene like a frightened child. In the end, her panic had subsided as quickly as it had risen up and she’d covered her quick departure by pretending she’d disappeared in order to get more help.

  So, this means Cadence knows where I work.

  That shouldn’t have surprised her though. Cadence had somehow found her car out the front of her parents’ house, so why wouldn’t she be able to find it in the staff carpark at the hospital? Social media. That was the problem. Everyone could find out everything about you in the space of a few bloody clicks. Thank God her home address wasn’t public knowledge.

  A thought occurred to Georgia then. Had she struggled to cope with that situation at work just now because of Cadence? Probably. With everything that had been going on, it was no wonder she was feeling more anxious than usual.

  Bloody Cadence.

  She reached the car and snatched up the note. For a moment, she considered tearing it to shreds without even reading it. Then Cadence wouldn’t have the satisfaction of having affected her. That would take away her power, wouldn’t it? But curiosity was making the paper burn in her hand and she opened it all in a rush, reading the words with her body braced for impact.

  You know you’re not going to be able to keep him, rig
ht?

  He’s MINE, bitch.

  Georgia’s entire body was trembling. How dare she? How dare she treat her this way? She looked around, wondering if Cadence was still here, watching to see how she’d reacted to the note. Now she wished she had ripped it up without reading it. Her shoulders and back ached from the tension. She hopped into the car and phoned Luke.

  ‘Hey gorgeous,’ he answered.

  ‘Hi.’

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  Her tone had already given her away.

  ‘I just found another note on my car from Cadence.’

  ‘Are you okay? What did it say?’

  ‘That I won’t be able to keep you. That I’m a bitch.’ There was a wobble to Georgia’s voice that she hated.

  ‘I’m so sorry. Where are you? I’m coming to see you.’

  ‘No, it’s okay, I’m leaving the hospital now. I’m all right.’

  ‘You’re not, I can hear it in your voice. I’ll meet you at your place. We can go out, stay in, whatever you want.’

  Georgia felt a wave of relief that he was insisting. The truth was, she did need him, very much. ‘Okay.’ She hung up and took a moment to steady her breathing before starting the car and pulling out.

  *

  They walked hand in hand to a cafe up on the main road. The first thing Luke had done when he’d arrived at her place was hug her warmly for a good few minutes. When he looked at the note his cheeks flared red. ‘She’s wrong. You know that, right?’

  Even though Georgia had been tempted to suggest they head to a pub for a few strong drinks, she’d decided to go with the more sensible option of coffee and a triple-choc brownie, considering it was a Wednesday night and she couldn’t let Cadence turn her into an alcoholic.

  They arrived and Georgia picked a comfy couch in the corner while Luke ordered.

  ‘God, I hope she stops when you move out,’ Georgia said when Luke joined her, placing their table number between them.

  ‘So, you’re still okay with me moving in with you?’

  ‘Of course I am! I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t.’