by H P Tune
“Sunny?”
“Shhhh, that’s your only job—bring some bloody sunlight with you.”
“Mia?”
“Mmmm?”
“Thank you.”
“See you soon.”
Juliet stared at the floor for a moment. With one eye mostly closed and her head pounding, she slowly leveraged herself into a standing position and nodded at the driver, smiling as much as she could. She was ready to leave.
* * *
Of course, Mia had booked her to Edinburgh Airport in priority business class. Juliet shuddered to think how much the fare and the transport Mia had arranged for her was. She would find a way to pay her back. Somehow.
The paracetamol had kept her residual pain to a reasonable level on the short flight as long as she didn’t move, but she relied on the random kindness of a woman with long dreadlocks down her back who picked her pack up off the luggage belt and placed it on a trolley for her. The woman was gone as quickly as she appeared, gathering her own backpack as it arrived in front of her and hoisting it easily onto her back. Just another person for Juliet to be grateful to, and she could hardly believe the care everyone around her had provided her—strangers in lines and staff in hospitals, on aircraft. It was all a bit surreal. Perhaps humanity wasn’t at all as bad as she had come to believe.
Walking straight through customs at Edinburgh Airport without being given a second glance, Juliet found herself pushing the cart through a relatively thick crowd and bowed her head as she walked until she felt an open palm to the small of her back and she jumped.
“Juliet,” Mia said, falling into stride next to her and reaching across to take control of the luggage with one hand. She led them towards the end of the corridor, stopping next to a bundle of long chairs outside the restrooms and a small café. “Let me look at you,” she said gently, placing both hands on Juliet’s shoulders.
“Hi,” Juliet said, raising her dramatically bruised and swollen face. Juliet felt her lips tremble, and she couldn’t help but swallow loudly to keep the bile from rising in her throat.
Mia smiled. “You’re a mess,” she said, fingertips lightly travelling up Juliet’s neck until they tenderly touched where Juliet remembered the edge of red and blue coloured over her cheek. The coverings over Juliet’s stitches had been peeling just at the corners too, and when she had taken a last look in her hotel room mirror this morning, she’d noticed how the whole effect had given her a slight roughness in contrast to the soft, clean hair that was tied at her neck.
She nodded at Mia, and Juliet’s eyes unexpectedly filled with tears. She didn’t resist when Mia gently stepped closer and placed her arm around Juliet. Juliet relaxed immediately, propping her chin on Mia’s shoulder.
“I’m so glad to see you,” Juliet said. It was all she could manage without completely dissolving. She hadn’t known just how alone she had felt until Mia’s arm had wrapped around her without question.
“Me too,” Mia said. “I had no idea what to expect.”
Another few moments passed, and Juliet made no effort to move, trying to blink away her tears before stepping backwards. “You look good,” she said, changing focus, “and I like the hoodie.” Juliet bundled the thick fleecy material in a fist.
“I told you I would do a little shopping.”
“It was a good choice.”
Mia’s glazed dark brown irises betrayed her happiness as Juliet released Mia’s hand to carefully wipe at her swollen eye, unable to successfully blink away her emotion.
Mia said, “All right, so I figure we should get moving. It’s going to be dark for most of the drive back. But I desperately need a coffee to go and something to eat. You’ll have a coffee, right?”
“Ah…” Juliet hesitated, and Mia immediately headed them towards the café queue.
“Skinny latte, right? No, a caramel latte? Espresso? Damn, I swear I knew your coffee order when I was driving here.”
Juliet gave Mia an incredulous look. She could barely believe that they were in front of each other again and that things were anything but awkward. “Latte,” she answered.
Mia raised her hands up in the air as if wondering what the delay was.
“With one sugar,” Juliet added.
“Mmm-hmm, and what else? One of these packaged sandwiches maybe?”
Juliet shook her head quickly. “I’m not really a sandwich fan.”
“Oh, thank God, me either.”
“I could go for a Thorntons Bar.”
With her fingers grazing the counter, Mia collected a few different chocolate bars. “Can you eat crackers, or does it hurt to chew?”
“Sort of. I had some granola for breakfast and had to take really small bites.”
Mia added a cylinder of Pringles and requested a tub of grapes and two bottles of water as she withdrew her purse. Who knew where the grapes had been imported from in the middle of winter, Juliet thought, but she supposed that something nutritious to balance out the chocolate was probably important.
“Now, just so you know, I will probably ask multiple times a day, and I don’t want to be rude or to smother, but I genuinely care…” Mia handed over some money and took the plastic carry bag of items. They stepped to the side to wait for their coffee order.
“And?”
“Can we have a deal that you answer honestly?”
“Umm, can I know the question before I make that deal?”
“I just want to know how you’re feeling and if you are in pain or needing space or whatever. I want you to feel like you can tell me.”
“Of course,” Juliet said, probably a little too quickly.
“So, well, that was genuine!” She affectionately rubbed Juliet’s forearm.
“Sorry.” Juliet felt sheepish. “I will. I’ll make you that deal.”
“Okay, so how are you?”
“Not really one to just brush over things, are you?”
Mia shook her head.
“Well, to answer your question, I’m sore and stiff, but thanks to some painkillers earlier, I’m okay if I’m not bending or lifting. And I kind of can’t believe how relieved I am to see you.”
“Relieved?”
“Yeah, I wasn’t so sure. I know I wanted to come, but it just felt weird that we have only known each other what? A couple of weeks, three maybe?”
“That’s not exactly crazy,” Mia said slowly. “But I promise you I’m not a maniac that has a car full of axes.”
Juliet laughed softly, wincing at the painful tug to her ribs. “Besides, I trust you more than some people I’ve known for most of my life.”
Head dropping slightly to the side, she smiled. “I’m trustworthy,” she said slowly and clearly.
They were interrupted by the announcement of their coffee order. Mia collected two large paper cups with black lids. “If you can handle these, I’ve got your bags.”
“Easy,” Juliet said.
“It’s not far to the car; this airport is hardly massive. There’s a multistorey car park just across the walkway, maybe only a few minutes. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good.” Juliet watched Mia hoist her backpack onto her shoulders. “What are you doing? We can probably push the trolley through.”
Mia gave her a wide grin and a small wink. “I have always wanted to do this,” she explained.
“Carry a pack?”
“Be a backpacker!”
“You’re insane, Mia,” Juliet said, watching in amusement as Mia started to walk, day pack in one hand and large handbag in the other.
She wasn’t quite sure how to articulate her gratitude to Mia, so she didn’t and just fell into a comfortable silence. She needed to find the words, and she would at some point, but for the moment, she was content to just ride out the day. It all felt like a blur, as clichéd as it sounded, but she still wasn’t entirely sure how she went from having a few casual drinks to standing bruised and battered in Edinburgh Airport with Mia protectively looking her over.
“The car is just
over here,” Mia said, breaking the silence as she led Juliet from the elevator. “It’s the black Jeep.” She used the remote lock, and the parking lights flashed in front of them. Depositing Juliet’s belongings in the trunk, she then opened the passenger door, tossing in her handbag and their bag of snacks. The coffees went into the centre cup holders up front, and she held the passenger door open for Juliet.
“It’s a bit high,” she said. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Juliet quickly dropped her arm when she went to reach for the handle just above the doorframe. “Ouch.”
Juliet turned her back to the seat and slid, using her foot to step up and shuffle backwards. “Graceless, but effective,” she said, smiling.
“Looked good from here,” Mia said as she closed Juliet’s door and walked around the car to climb into the driver’s seat. She took multiple long gulps of her coffee before releasing a satisfied-sounding sigh. “God, that’s good for airport coffee.” Juliet nodded her agreement, sipping from her cup. “Okay, you good to go?”
“Yep, ready when you are.”
Pulling out of the parking space, Mia waved her hand towards the back seat. “I put an extra jacket back there, if you get cold. Or else it works well as a rolled-up pillow.”
“You thought of everything, hey?”
“That one’s for me, actually. I know how much you can ramble on. If you’re napping, I get some quiet time!”
Juliet’s stomach involuntarily moved as she tried to stifle a laugh.
“Don’t,” she pleaded. “Don’t make me laugh. Now I realise I’m looking a little fragile, but why don’t you fill me in with how you’ve been doing since Christmas?”
Mia cast a quick sideways glance at her before placing the parking ticket and her credit card in the machine and exiting. “Jeez, that took you at least five seconds to ask. Impressive.”
“What can I say? You’re a captive audience and there’s only so long I can wait for you to bring it up. I’ve learnt through the years that if you don’t ask, you don’t find out.”
“I’m not sure I’ve seen that on a greeting card.” Mia easily negotiated the city bypass to meet the M90.
“Mmmm,” Juliet said eventually, not buying into the misdirection, nor Mia’s supposed road focus. “And?”
“Shitty things happen to a lot of people, right? I mean, look at how you’ve spent the last couple of days. I’m just crap at anniversaries. I turn into a mess. I get all…miserable, and it all spirals until I’m kind of…fucked.”
“So every Christmas it’s the same?”
“Well, if every Christmas equals the last two, then I suppose so.”
“Shit, you’re hard on yourself. That’s not long.”
“You sound like the therapist I had. She told me the second year was the hardest. I threw some annoying little ornament across her room when she said that. She’s lucky it wasn’t the Zen garden, all that sand and crap. But who the hell tells some traumatised person—don’t worry, it’ll get worse? She was, like, a three hundred and fifty bucks an hour waste of space.”
Juliet nodded, rolling her eyes. “I had therapy once, and by once, I mean literally once. I never went back. He asked me my thoughts on God and the afterlife, though I’m still not sure what that had to do with my relationship breakup. I think he might have been Catholic and not so keen on counselling my type.” Her last words were emphasised with air quotes.
“Oh, don’t talk to me about Catholics. My family is…devout. As in, able to quote Bible passages devout.”
“You’re kidding?” Juliet asked. “How did they feel about…” she trailed off, mouth slightly ajar.
Mia’s expression, still staring at the road, had visibly tensed.
“Sorry, none of my business.”
Mia sighed. “No, not at all. They’re not…keen. That’s probably an understatement. Your family doesn’t mind?”
Juliet shrugged. “Not particularly. My family is a bit complex in plenty of other ways, though. Can’t have everything, I suppose. So, how long is this drive?”
“About or just under five hours, if we only stop once and don’t hit any ice or snow. The weather hasn’t been as bad today, thankfully.”
“I really could have caught a train, you know. I feel bad for everything you’ve done.”
“Life of leisure, remember? Besides, it was good for me to get out of the house. Misery and all.”
Tentatively bending forward, Juliet reached for the snack bag. “Do you mind if I open something?”
“Mmm, please.”
“Go me halves in a chocolate bar?”
Mia nodded eagerly. “Caramel good with you?”
“Perfect.” Juliet halved the chocolate and handed a piece to Mia, licking dripping caramel off her fingers and smiling with her good cheek. In any other time and place, Juliet probably would have done it slow and sexy in an attempt to flirt with Mia. In the current environment though, the adrenalin that she had been running on left her, and her knotted stomach felt settled.
She had made the right decision.
* * *
When they pulled up next to the main house, Juliet was sound asleep, head propped up against the window with Mia’s rolled-up jacket under her neck and ear. She had probably been asleep for almost an hour, though they had chatted constantly up until that point.
Mia left the car running, quietly taking Juliet’s bags from the back and placing them just inside the front door. It was dark and cold out, and a wind that cut right through her had picked up throughout the day. Mia shivered, returning to the car with her hands inside her sleeves.
“Juliet,” she said softly with the driver’s side door half-open, taken back to the moment she had to awaken Juliet in the airport lounge. “We’re home,” she added in a lyrical tone.
Juliet stirred, lifting her head and blinking in confusion as the jacket fell down her shoulder and onto her lap. “I fell asleep.” She looked around the car as Mia moved to close the door and reappear at the door on Juliet’s side “Thanks,” she said quietly. “I didn’t keep you much company there at the end.”
Mia shrugged and held out an arm for Juliet to use if she needed it getting out of the car. “No problem. I was concentrating on the road, and you were snoozing like a baby.”
Sliding out, Juliet landed on her feet with a slight jerk and lingered with her open palm above Mia’s forearm, as if ready to grab it if she lost her balance.
“Come on.” Mia waved her into the house. “I’ll give you a very quick tour around and then leave you to settle in for the night.”
“Thanks. You must be exhausted, aren’t you? It’s kind of late, and you have driven over ten hours today.”
“I really am. I’m pretty sure my bed is calling me, actually. I can put you out some dinner if you want, though.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’m fine. Just ready for some meds and bed.”
“Oh, you’re sore?”
Juliet nodded.
“Okay, quick tour then, just so you know where to find anything you need throughout the night. So, kitchen is here—there’s heaps of food in the fridge and the pantry. Cups and mugs are up there. Eat and drink anything you find, it’s all good. Janet and Martin are back soon-ish, so everything will be restocked. Or we can always pick up anything we need.”
“Janet and Martin?”
“Oh, staff. They’ve gone to visit family for Christmas. Janet is mostly around the house cooking and cleaning, that kind of thing. Martin is a driver, but he also manages the property and does general maintenance or, you know, problems with the horses.”
“Yeah,” Juliet said. “Of course.”
“They’re really nice. You can chat to them or ask them for anything, it’s no issue. Ah, through here is a sitting room. The fireplace is usually going. It’s really nice to read a book or magazine out here. There’s a television both here and in the lounge room, which is through those double doors. The other way out of the kitchen is the dining room, but I ne
ver eat there. Feels a bit weird sitting by myself at a setting for eight. Now through this way is my room, so if you need anything, just knock.”
“Beautiful,” Juliet whispered, poking her head through the door but respectfully not walking in. It was an impressive room, with the large king-size bed in the middle and its intricately designed dark wooden frame. Mia smiled to herself at the familiar sight of the bedside tables matched with carved-wood lamps atop, with just a couple of her favourite books sitting on one. To the side of the room, the two single reading recliners were positioned with a glossy table between. Mia imagined for a moment her and Juliet seated in them, overseen by the large piece of artwork that adorned the nearest wall.
Walking further down the corridor, Mia pointed to another room. “That’s set up as a study or an office. There’s a desktop computer, and there’s also a laptop—feel free to use them. There are no passwords set up or anything. That over there is just a spare room, a bit of a day room type thing.”
At the end of the corridor, Mia opened the last door and stepped through. “This is your room,” she said.
Juliet’s eyes lit up instantly at the sight of the guest bedroom. “This is amazing,” she said, “just stunning. I might never leave here.”
“I hope everything is okay. I’ve put some towels in your bathroom, and there are toiletries and things there. This place is mostly stocked for me right now, so unfortunately you get my shampoo and conditioner, face scrub, body wash, et cetera. But we can get whatever you like when we go out. Umm, what else? I’ve got the heat pretty high, but there’s a control just next to your bed. Ah, phone is on the table, and there’s a small fridge underneath the TV cabinet with water, juice, fruit, and yogurt in there, but like I said, just grab whatever from the kitchen. What am I forgetting? Oh, there are extra blankets in the closet. I put them on a bottom shelf. There’s also a bathrobe and a few spare shirts and things if you need them.”
Juliet spun around, voice unsteady as she stepped back toward Mia. “Mia, I…Just, thank you.”
“Oh, no drama. I’ll just go grab your bags while you have a quick poke around and see if I’ve forgotten anything.”
Juliet slowly eased herself to sit on the bed and remained perched on the edge when Mia returned with her bags.