Thirty-Eight Days

by Len Webster

  “Showtime! Better run, Noel. Good to see you. Catch up with the boys soon!” Craig said as he patted Noel’s shoulder.

  “Yeah, good luck!” Noel called after him. He watched as Craig turned to face him.

  “Don’t need luck, Noel.” He had always been a cocky bastard.

  Leaning onto the bar for a moment, he collected his thoughts before he going back to dinner with Clara. It was getting difficult to see her as Alex’s little sister, and it was getting too difficult to tell himself no. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed; he would just have to pretend to be that asshole she met on the first day. Getting off the bar stool, he made his way back to Clara.

  “Noel?”

  The familiar voice calling his name made his heart ache at the sound of it. He turned to see the owner of the voice. He couldn’t believe she was there in front of him. The last time he saw her she had blonde hair; now it was a red, almost crimson in colour. Her bright blue eyes were still majestic and beautiful. That all-too-familiar smile beamed at him. It was her, the girl he left behind, the girl he first loved.

  “Valerie.”

  Choosing a dessert was hard, but it wasn’t as hard as sitting across from Noel. It was even harder acknowledging the fact that she had such feelings for him inside of her. Since yesterday at the diving boards, she kept wondering what to do with said feelings. She couldn’t possibly be falling for him. Pushing the thought away, she concentrated on the menu. It was better choosing a dessert rather than contemplating what to do with her harboured feelings.

  “Miss Lawrence,” she heard their waitress, Stacey, say. Clara turned to smile at her, only for her heart to sink. Stacey held in her hands a small chocolate cake with a message iced on it.

  Happy Birthday, kiddo! Love always, Alex.

  She knew what was coming. The live performer of Pa La Blue would sing her happy birthday. She looked over to the bar to see Noel was nowhere in sight. Relief washed over her. He didn’t know it was her birthday, not that she expected him to.

  “I’m going to kill my brother!” Clara threatened.

  Stacey tried to stifle her laugh.

  “I can’t believe he did this all the way from New York! Do you really have to sing me happy birthday?”

  Stacey nodded with a playful smirk.

  “Fine! But do you mind doing it now before Noel returns? He doesn’t know it’s my birthday, and I don’t want to make him feel bad,” Clara asked as she kept her eye on the bar. She turned her attention to Stacey as she nodded to the pianist. The singer in the sparkly long black dressed walked off the small stage steps towards Clara’s table.

  The performer smiled at Clara before she sung a slow version of Happy Birthday. It was sweet that Alex set it up, but she could have gone without the attention of the other diners. Clara also knew that this birthday surprise would have costs Alex, Pa La Blue wasn’t known for their happy birthday performances. When the singer finished singing, the restaurant filled with applause. Clara’s cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

  She quickly blew out the candle and took out her phone. Clara didn’t care that it was three in the morning in New York. Alex deserved the early morning text message.

  Clara: You’re an asshole! Don’t do that again! Thank you, Alex. I love you, you jerk!

  Locking her phone, she placed it on the table as Stacey brought two slices of cake. Clara looked at Noel's piece; the cake had no icing to indicate her birthday and she smiled gratefully at Stacey, who winked at her. As Clara sat there, she couldn’t help but wonder what was taking Noel so long. He said he would just go say hi, but how long does that take? She hadn’t seen Craig since Alex’s graduation pool party almost five years back.

  “Stacey, don’t clear the table. I’ll just go find Noel,” Clara instructed as she got out of her chair and made her way over to the bar.

  As she entered the bar she couldn’t see who was who in the dimly lit room. She walked to a bar stool and looked around; there were small tables and chairs located in the brightly lit section of the bar opposite to her.

  “Noel?” she called out, but got no answer. She wasn’t sure where he sat or where Craig was, but Clara saw Noel from the corner of her eye walking towards her. She couldn’t help but feel the butterflies in her stomach flutter and her heart beat rapidly.

  “You’ll never believe what Alex just ordered for us. Crazy, I know, but you sho—” She stopped mid-sentence; something in Noel’s face frightened her. He looked pained, almost disgusted to see her, and it confused her. He looked down at her and took in a deep breath.

  “Go home, Clara,” he said sternly, the aggression quite clear in his tone.

  “What?” she said, startled.

  “I said go home, Clara. NOW!” he growled at her, causing her to take a step back. She had never seen such hate in his eyes since their childhood.

  “What? You want me to go home?” she asked again.

  “Alone!” His hands form tight fists, his knuckles turning white. She was speechless. She couldn’t find the words needed to respond to him. It felt like he had just punched her right in the stomach, all breath fleeing her. He didn’t meet her eyes, looking back for a moment, and Clara followed his sight.

  Sitting at the small table was a woman with crimson hair in beautiful curls. She circled the brim of her martini glass with her finger, and opposite to her, a beer and an empty seat. The realisation hit Clara like fifty tones of water crashing over her. It was his.

  Looking back at Noel, his eyes searched hers, but Clara glanced at the woman sitting with a martini in her hand. When the woman looked up at the beer in front of her, Clara took a startling step back. She knew the woman. A tight ache in her chest engulfed her at the realisation.

  Valerie.

  Her name drove a stake through Clara’s heart. Her eyes met Noel’s. He was emotionless towards her. She tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. But to no avail.

  “Go home, Clara,” Noel said cruelly. The bitterness and hate stung her. His eyes were empty as he turned and walked away, taking the seat in front of Valerie. Noel never looked back; instead, he continued to talk to Valerie, his hand stroking hers. Clara took two steps away before turning and heading back to her seat.

  Sitting at the table, the sight of her birthday cake made her sick. Two more tears started to fall before her vision was completely blurred. She saw a napkin brought before her, and looked up to see Stacey holding it out. Smiling weakly, she took the cloth and dabbed her cheeks and under her eyes.

  “For what it’s worth, she isn’t as pretty as you.” Stacey smiled sympathetically.

  “Thanks,” Clara replied. As sweet as Stacey was, she didn’t know what she just saw. She didn’t know who Valerie was to Noel. To Noel, she was it. Valerie was the one that got away. The understanding of just who Valerie was knocked the air completely out of her. No matter how much Clara cared for Noel, she couldn’t compete.

  “Some birthday,” she muttered and glanced at both slices of cake.

  Sighing, Clara looked away from the cake. “I’d like the bill, thank you, Stacey.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll go grab it for you. I’ll wrap up your cake, too,” Stacey said as she vanished from Clara’s sight.

  As she took a step back from the table and walked towards the register, pain engulfed Clara’s body. Why did it hurt so much to see him leave her for Valerie? Her heart was telling her why, but her head refused to believe it.

  It’s meant to hurt when you fall for someone.

  After signing for their dinner, Stacey handed Clara back her credit card and her boxed birthday cake.

  “Thank you,” Clara said with a small smile before walking out of Pa La Blue and onto Lygon Street. She could see the bright lights from the restaurants across the road through her blurred vision. She hated the fact that her eyes brimmed with tears. Making her way to her Lexus, she stopped inches from it when she realised Noel had the keys with him.

  “Damn it!” she cursed, her hands crus
hing the boxed cake. She shivered. The coolness of the wind hit her skin; her short dress offered little protection from the elements. Letting out a heavy sigh, she turned and started to head home. It would take thirty minutes on foot to get back to her apartment. Clara knew she was in for a painful walk ahead of her; her heels would only add to the pain. She didn’t want to go back and and ask for her car keys, she couldn’t face Noel. She was just relieved that she had Noel’s set in her clutch.

  Valerie would have Noel in a second, and she hated the jealousy that settled in her. Clara knew Valerie still held Noel’s heart, and she was simply not Valerie.

  “Clara.” She stopped at the call of her name as she hit the last restaurant on Lygon Street. It was an old Italian place that she had never been to. She looked around to see who was calling her. Rising from his seat, she watched Liam walk to her, leaving behind his company of friends.

  “Hi, Liam.” She mustered the best smile she could. The black-and-red logo of an unknown band’s name on his shirt caught her eye.

  "What the hell are you doing out here on your own?" he asked as he looked around her to see no one nearby. She wasn’t sure what she would say, but Clara didn’t want his pity.

  "I… uhh, had dinner plans," she half-lied, but she could tell he wasn’t buying it.

  "Are you walking home?" His concern was evident in his question.

  "Yes."

  Liam frowned. "No, you're not! I’m coming with you." The determination on Liam’s face made her frown. He cared more than he should.

  "It's a half-hour’s walk!" She tried to reason with him.

  "That’s why I’m driving," he added. His concern for her safety warmed her.

  "I don't want you to go out of your way. Honestly, Liam, you and your friends have a lovely evening." She tried to sound as sweet as she could to get him to stay, but the glare he gave her told her otherwise.

  "These boys will be just fine." He waved off her statement.

  "Liam…" Clara tried protesting. She heard a chuckled from behind Liam and she peered past him. Liam’s friend nursed the drink in his hand.

  "Listen, sweetheart, do what Liam says. He isn't going to give up; he'll even carry you home if you continue to protest," Liam’s friend yelled towards them. Clara could just see his blue eyes under the fairy lights. His friend was right; there was no way Liam would let her simply walk home alone.

  "All right, fine then!" she sighed in defeat. She had never seen Liam smile so happily before. Liam turned around back to his group of friends, said his goodbye, and grabbed his jacket from behind his chair.

  “My car is this way,” he said, pointing to Clara’s right. Before she started to walk in the direction of his car, he stopped her.

  “Here, Clara, you must be freezing,” Liam said as he draped his jacket around her. She could smell him on it. She would have protested, but the scent of him and his kind gesture were too good to turn down.

  “Thank you,” she replied simply as they walked to his car.

  "Wanna talk about it?" Liam asked as he quickly glanced over at her and then back on the road. "Oh right, you don't talk about it," Liam said daringly with a smirk. She let out a genuine laugh.

  “I’d rather not, but thanks for the offer,” she replied as she looked out the windshield. There was a moment of silence before Liam spoke first.

  "Listen, Clara, I'm determined to have you open up to me one day. To trust me. I won’t give up," he said, eyes planted on the road. Clara stared at him. Most guys would say that kind of stuff without meaning it, but Liam seemed to mean every word.

  "You see that bag on the back seat?" Liam said, waking her from her thoughts. Clara turned around to see a gift bag sitting on the leather seat.

  "Uh, yeah," Clara said, turning her attention back on him.

  "Well, I was in Sydney yesterday and only got back a few hours ago. If I didn't have that emergency meeting with a client, I would have brought this to your place this morning. It's for you," Liam said as he glanced at Clara’s surprised expression.

  "For me?" she breathed out in surprise.

  "Happy birthday, Clara!" This time he took his eyes off the road for a second and smiled brightly at her; his genuine affection caused her heart to melt.

  "You remembered my birthday?" she asked so surprised.

  "Of course, plus Don made sure I wouldn't forget."

  Clara didn’t take her eyes off him as he continued to smile while he drove. She reached back and grabbed the bag off the back seat, struggling a little with it before placing it on her lap.

  He remembered my birthday.

  "First open the large wrapped box," he instructed as he looked over at the bag.

  Taking out the large box from the bag, she cautiously tore the gold paper away. In her hands was a box of Winter's assorted chocolates with a sticky note underneath the logo.

  “…Minus the white choc nuts!”

  Clara laughed at the sticky note.

  "How did you know I hate white choc nuts?" she asked, mystified at his present.

  "At Maggie’s party. She asked if you wanted one, and your face was hilarious; you looked like you wanted to hurl. Now take off the lid."

  Removing the lid from the box, she saw the vacated spaces where the chocolates once were. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, expelling the horrible feeling she had only moments before. She looked at the inside of the lid to find another sticky note.

  “Read the card on the small box and open it.”

  She couldn't help but love the mystery of his present, let alone the thoughtfulness of it all. Liam had really paid attention. Clara followed the instructions of the sticky note and read the card out loud, it simply said, “Open me!”

  Inside she found a small cellophane bag full of white choc nuts with a silver bow around the wrapping with another sticky note attached to it. She read it out.

  “To Liam, Enjoy! –Clara.”

  She let out another laugh, her heart warming to him.

  "So I guess these are for you," Clara said, inspecting the sticky note.

  "You shouldn't have," he played as he bowed his head at her.

  "I didn't know you liked them." She placed the bag of white choc nuts on her lap.

  "I don't. But I'd eat them so you don't have to," he answered with a wink.

  "I wouldn't put you through that kind of torture." Clara giggled.

  "Think of it as a noble deed. Okay, open the bag that’s inside of the bag," he said, glancing over at it before looking back at the road.

  Clara took out the small bag and pulled out the item. It was something she never expected in her whole entire life.

  "I hope it's the right one." Liam’s doubtfulness was bordering on overly attractive, and Clara saw a side of him she had never seen before.

  "How did you?" she asked breathlessly as she stared at the small toucan plush toy with a red bow tied around its neck.

  "Maggie's party. I learnt two things about you that night. One, you hate white choc nut squares. And two, your favourite animal was either a toucan or a penguin. You couldn't make up your mind before your ex-boyfriend took you away." She could hear the resentment in his tone.

  That party was so long ago, and yet he still remembers.

  “But how did you know I loved toucans more than penguins?” she asked, bewildered. The sweetest smile she had ever known developed on Liam’s face.

  “Well, the way your eyes lit up when your said toucan told me. You looked like you drew a memory when you said it, and I just knew,” he said, pulling up to their apartment building and parking the car.

  A memory of toucans?

  “Stay there for a second.” Liam smiled as he got out of his car and opened his boot. Clara sat there a little confused, but she shrugged it off. Seconds later he closed his boot and opened her door, holding his hand out to her. Clara looked up at Liam and took his hand as he helped her out of the car. She started to remove his jacket when he stopped her with another gift bag
.

  “Don’t take off the jacket just yet. Let me see you in it properly.” She was confused by his request, but didn’t refuse. It was too cold not to have it draped over her. As they stood outside the gates of the apartment building, he handed her the gift bag.

  “What’s this?” she asked curiously at the silver bag.

  “Read the card.” He beamed. Clara looked at the scribbled writing of the card.

  “To Clara, Happy Birthday! Love, CeCe.”

  “She’s my older cousin’s three-year-old daughter. You met her briefly when she was here in Melbourne a few months back. She really liked you and thought you were pretty. I took her out this afternoon when I was still in Sydney. She had never been to the aquarium before. While we looked at the penguins I told her that you liked them, too. We went to the gift shop and she insisted I buy the pretty girl a penguin just like hers. I hope you don’t mind, because she doesn’t take no for an answer,” Liam explained.

  Clara took out the stuffed penguin and saw Sydney Aquarium stitched on its flipper.

  “I remember her! I can’t believe she still remembers me,” Clara said as she smiled at the toy. She put the penguin back in the bag and looked at the card again. She could see the faint pencil line under the crayon written letters. It made her heart melt that Liam helped CeCe write the card.

  “Well, it helps if I talk about you all the time to her.” He smirked. Clara rolled her eyes at him.

  “Tell CeCe that I love it!” Clara said as she got on her tippy toes and gave Liam a kiss on the cheek. When she removed her lips from his cheek, she could see the tenderness in his eyes.

  “Hey! I got you a toucan as well, shouldn’t I get another kiss?” he argued. Clara smiled largely and shook her head.

  “No, just CeCe! You better tell her I love this!” Clara laughed as she started to walk towards the apartment lobby doors. She heard Liam lock his car and run up to her before holding open the lobby door.

  “You know I can walk myself to my apartment?” Clara asked bluntly as they both waited for the elevator.

  “Yes, but it’s against my nature to let a beautiful woman walk home alone. When I said I’ll take you home, Clara, I meant to your front door, not the sidewalk,” he explained as they entered the elevator. Liam pressed the sixth floor button. They rode the elevator in silence until it reached her floor. As promised, Liam walked her to her door.