Far From Home by Lorelie Brown

Author:Lorelie Brown [Brown, Lorelie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Published: 2016-06-02T04:00:00+00:00

It’s surprisingly easy to avoid Pari, despite living in the same apartment. Even when we’re sharing the same bed. Pari gets up early with her mom. I sleep in—or I at least try to—and ignore the mouthwatering scents that waft from the kitchen. Denial, my old friend, is back. But I rationalize that it isn’t as if I’m denying myself food in general. I eat. I sweep up handfuls of fruit to take to work with me, or I stop at diners and have eggs. I just don’t eat in the kitchen. That isn’t a warning sign, I tell myself.

It’s surprisingly easy to sleep in Pari’s bed. She’s always asleep by the time I get in, or still working to make up the time that she’s putting in with her mom. I brush my teeth and slip into the bed as if it’s a hotel bed. I’m happy it’s clean and soft. We don’t wake up piled on top of each other anymore.

I’m great at compartmentalizing things. It’s a gift. Or maybe a curse. I don’t know, but it serves me well.

I make nice with Niharika every time I see her. It’s here that Pari catches me, in the living room with her mother. Niharika has the TV muted, and she’s talking to me about the wedding plans.

I let it go in one ear and out the other. This is none of my concern. This is what makes Niharika happy, and in turn, Pari. That’s fine.

That’s all fine.

Pari is beautiful. She comes out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a dishcloth. I wonder what she’s cooking. Maybe if there are leftovers, I can sneak a little and take a Tupperware to work tomorrow.

“Tomorrow evening is wedding-dress shopping,” Niharika tells me. She pats my hand. “You’ll come for that, yes? I know Pari tells me you’re busy clearing up a big project before the wedding so you’ll have time off for the honeymoon, but there’s certain things we cannot do without you.”

My hand clenches on the back of the couch. “I don’t know. Tomorrow?” I’m buying time as I try to figure out what I’m doing. I can’t not be involved in buying a dress I have to wear in front of that many people. I bite my lip.

“I’m sure Julian will understand,” Pari supplies.

Julian is my boss, and the supposed project I’ve been pouring my time into is his. But it’s not as big a deal as Pari seems to be making it to Niharika. It’s Richard’s twenty-minute short film, the one he’s using to get back on his feet after cleaning up his heroin habit. I’m only supposed to be your average girl Friday on the project. But Julian is out of patience with the guy, so he’s putting in the minimum possible effort. I can’t blame him. I’ve added a few lines here and there, maybe cleaned up a character’s motivation, and Richard isn’t accepting changes easily.

But I have a lot of time on my hands. Patience has made him easier to deal with.

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