Chapter 5

by Meg V

Lex and Kaira, inseparable little things. They had once even had matching outfits, for special occasions, Mrs. Martin-Kobayashi would say. They would hang on to each other’s words, complete each other’s sentences. But today, in the loud buzzing of the café, Lex’s animated chatter soon became white noise. Curiousity had gotten the better of Kaira – she wondered why Lex was back in her world again. Was it really fate like she had said on the tube? When she had left Switzerland, she had hoped this day would never come. She had been careful, changing her email, her online social profiles left non-existent.

Kaira watched as a drop of creamy brown latte travelled slowly down her mug onto the table, her mind blank. She didn’t understand all that about Afghanistan, about Paul. Her first reaction had been shock, her eyes had even watered. It was truly horrifying, but not for the reason people would think. She shifted in her seat to study Lex’s face better. Lex had aged, but in a way only a lucky few can. Perhaps it was in her great genes - she was a carbon-copy of her mother. There was the tiniest hint of wrinkles around her eyes, her face framed by her layered bob of purple-red, straight as spaghetti. It was a wonder she conformed appearance-wise, she was so different in every other way. It surprised her sometimes how well they used to get along; opposites really did attract.

Lex didn’t seem bothered by her now silent companion. That’s what she was like, one moment serious, the next cuckoo, carefree; she used to envy her so. Her life must look effortless to those that don’t really know her, but Kaira had been around long enough to see her as the remorseless ‘Mr. Hyde’, or in this case, 'Ms. Hyde'.

Kaira just caught snippets of Lex’s monologue – mundane gossip, basics about her life in France, a stint in Sweden where she was on a magazine cover (how Lex!), a lazy Indian summer, then back to Switzerland. As she stirred her coffee and glanced at the clock, 9.50 am (oh dear, she hadn’t even called work), something occurred to her - the country names – she wondered where she had seen them listed, in that very order.

Blocking out Lex’s voice again, her thoughts shifted to the letter – when she found it on the carpet by the door, she had noticed the lack of postage stamps. That same moment, she had recognised the hand-writing and the stamps had been forgotten. Paul was here in London, still alive. France, Sweden, India, it was all in there, unmistakably in Paul’s tiny scrawl. Of course she remembered it well. But she couldn’t fit the jigsaw together, what was Lex’s role? Was Lex lying to her? She wouldn’t put it past her, after all, it’s not like they had even been on speaking terms for years. But here they were at Prèt a Manger, catching up. Perversion or desperation, she wondered… she couldn’t comprehend what would compel any person to tell such a fib. Paul’s letter had no mention of Lex. If there were no stamps, she could assume that Paul hand-delivered it; did he know where she lived? Her heart began to race, her mind a flurry of over-activity. The main question dawned on her – why did Lex say he was dead… she hadn’t quite seen the big picture yet.

Suddenly, she felt a strong urge to leave. She needed to get home. Where had she even put the letter? On the chair? She hadn’t left it in the sun, that much she was sure about. She didn’t give a damn about Jenna’s chihuahua, or Fen’s divorce. Why did Lex care anyway, she never used to gossip so much. Apart from countries, she hadn’t really gone into detail about her actual life. So what if Lex was popular in Sweden, with her exotic looks, and her French accent; it didn’t matter to her. She’d gotten past the envy; she was a different Karia Marie.

“Lex, hun, I have to go now. I can’t be too late to work, they already hate me for it!” she abruptly announced. She hoped Lex hadn’t noticed her inner turmoil.

Lex stopped mid-sip and stared at her, pouting. She didn’t like being interrupted, especially for something as trivial as work. “K! No, not fair! Come on, it’s been years! I told you to call them!”

“I’m sorry, but I really have to get going. This was great, really, really great! Look, give me your number, and I’ll ring you once I’m home alright? Maybe you can come over?” She paused, handed over her phone, and stood up to collect her things. “Lex... I can’t believe you’re here again. I promise I’ll call.”

Lex watched her, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she frantically put her coat back on. She doesn’t reciprocate as Kaira bends over to kiss her cheek goodbye. She continues to sit there, quite still, no sign of emotion on her face as she hands Kaira her phone back.

“Later then”, she states plainly, as Kaira disappears through the swinging doors.

*

Kaira smiled weakly at a few familiar faces as she got off the bus, making no effort to connect with small talk. Changing her slow pace to a more central London brisk-walk, she kept her head down deep in thought and sped home past the newsagents and row houses. It had started to spit again, but it was still warm. She should be home before she gets too damp. Just when she couldn’t fit another thought in her head, her phone rang.

“Hello?”

“K! Where the hell are you! This is getting ridiculous! I can’t believe you’d do this to me!” Arlo’s voice boomed into her ear, anger in every syllable. Steady, reliable Arlo, whom she had hurt many a time unintentionally.

“Yeah I can explain… I… I’ll be there. It’s only at 2, there’s plenty of time yet. I just have this thing... I have to do this thing.” She was distracted, she could see her front door a few houses away, but something was different.

“Bullshit Kaira.” He had put up with this long enough. “You know, this time, I can’t… I just don’t believe…”

“Arlo I have to go.” She said it so fast - it was like one long word. She hung up, slowly slipping her phone into her bag as she edged towards her gate, her eyes wide with worry.

The door to her house was open.