Lies That Bind Us by Hart Andrew

Author:Hart, Andrew
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781503953994
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Published: 2018-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Simon was right about the generator. It ran smoothly and quietly, and the lights in the living room didn’t so much as flicker as the storm outside gathered and eventually blew itself out. Even so, it was a short evening. Whether it was the lingering effects of jet lag, the swimming and walking around, or the heavy food and constant drink, we all faded fast, particularly after Simon and Melissa decided to call it a night.

“I’ve got some reports to read,” said Simon, following Melissa to the stairs on their side of the house. “I’m beat, but my body’s not quite ready to sleep. I’ll give it an hour and then come shut the genny down before I crash.”

“I can do it,” I said. “Save you coming back down.”

“Nah,” he said. “I promised the owner I’d take care of it. He pretended he was worried we might burn the place down, but I think he’s more concerned I’ll mess up his shiny new generator. If you’re all in bed by the time I come down, I’ll see you in the morning.”

We said our good nights and then dealt with the sudden realization that the five of us would now have to deal with each other without the couple who was the social glue holding us all together.

“So, Gretchen,” said Brad. “Who are you exactly?”

We laughed a little crazily because we had all thought it, but Gretchen just smiled and shrugged in a way I had already started to see as familiar. When she looked abashed, as now, she lost all her superficial resemblance to Melissa, who could show every emotion but embarrassment, and she shed at least seven years, maybe more. She was still pretty, but she looked lost and vulnerable in ways I found disquieting, and I found myself wondering again how someone so conventionally good-looking could, beneath the occasional party-girl persona, seem so insecure.

There’s trauma there, I thought. Somewhere in the past.

“I told you, silly,” she said teasingly, like she was reprimanding a toddler, “I’m a friend of Simon and Mel’s.”

“Well, yeah,” said Brad. “And I’m a Beatles fan, but I’ve never met Ringo.”

“Ringo?” said Gretchen, befuddled. “That’s a person?”

“How did you meet Simon and Melissa?” said Kristen before Brad could say anything else.

“I went to high school with Mel,” said Gretchen.

“Really?” said Marcus.

Gretchen gave him another look of innocent puzzlement—she had a sack full of them—as the rest of us processed this. For all the physical resemblance, Gretchen and Mel were different in the way that animal species were different: Mel a jaguar, all grace and presence and power. Gretchen was . . . I don’t know. A stick insect. A fruit fly. Something from another continent entirely. A different planet.

“She was older than me,” said Gretchen. “Two years.”

“Still is, I assume,” said Brad.

“What?” said Gretchen. “Oh. Right. You’re funny. You should be on stage.”

“I am,” said Brad, reaching for the wine bottle. “And my club has an eight-drink minimum.”

“So, high school, huh?” said Kristen.

“We weren’t really close,” said Gretchen.

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