AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER7
Packingup at the end of the weekend-long arts festival, Sylvie carefully wrapped the metal flamingo sculpture she’d bought from a local artist. As she did, her attention drifted toward Lauren.
Unsure of what strange spirit of cooperation had come over her rival, Sylvie had been grateful for her generosity in sharing the espresso machine. She’d bought the flamingo as a token of a gratitude, but now that Blondie had shown up to not help, she was taking the stupid thing home with her.
As sunset neared, Sylvie hurried to finish breaking down her tent before she lost all light. Sweaty and tired, she was more than ready to go home.
“Can’t you take the morning off?” Blondie hooked her finger into the empty belt loop of Lauren’s shorts.
Sylvie rolled her eyes. What did this woman not understand about their industry? There were no days off and especially not mornings. At best, with the hours they kept, they could offer evenings if they were willing to sacrifice sleep. Sylvie had yet to meet anyone worth the exorbitant cost.
“I’ve been away all weekend, babe,” Lauren replied with significantly more patience than her girlfriend deserved. “How about dinner? That little Italian place close to your apartment?”
Turning her back to the nauseating couple as if needing to shield her eyes from a solar flair, Sylvie stacked silver serving dishes full of pastry crumbs into her handcart. With a ringing crash, they landed one on top of the other as they bore the brunt of her frustration.
“Italian? Again?” Blondie complained like a cat with her tail caught in the door. “You know I don’t like to do carbs so late.”
“Gimme a freaking break. Who doesn’t like carbs,” Sylvie grumbled.
Clang. The last tray crowned the tower.
Sylvie turned just in time to watch Blondie bat her eyes like a deranged silent film starlet. With a vengeance, the acid from her late afternoon cafecito blazed a hole in her chest.
What the hell does she even see in her? She’s beautiful . . . I guess. But so what? Is that really all Lauren cares about? She doesn’t even get what we’re doing.
The vibrating in Sylvie’s back pocket was a gnat buzzing in her ear as she tried not to stare. With a yank, she pulled her cart closer to her leftover cases of water. As soon as she secured those, she could flee the gruesome scene.
Lauren succumbed to her girlfriend’s insipid charms, melting into her like a cheap candle.
Gross. Get a freaking room.
“How about . . .” Lauren’s smile was lightning cracking in Sylvie’s belly. “I’ll take care of everything really early tomorrow while you sleep in.” She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her girlfriend’s ear. “Then I’ll pick you up and we can spend a few hours together before I have to get back to work. Sound good?”
When Blondie craned her neck to kiss the taller Lauren, Sylvie averted her eyes. Even with her Costco-sized Catholic guilt, she could only self-flagellate so much.
How can you date someone and not know how important their work is? Do you have to try and be that selfish? They were tasked with carrying on generations of handiwork and sacrifices. They were in charge of protecting dynasties. With growing them. Loser Lou’s was built on fraud, but still. How could Blondie just not get it!
Tipping the handcart, Sylvie balanced it’s weight on the back wheels before giving it a hard tug. She’d known before moving it that she’d overloaded the thing, but couldn’t endure a second trip. She much preferred the aches in her back and arms. The pain in her chest and stomach triggered by being around Lauren and her girlfriend were too much.
Lugging the cart like she was trying to dispose of a dead body while sirens blared in the background, Sylvie hurried to the sanctuary of her car. Her biceps burned as she pulled the cart off the asphalt and over the grass to the loading zone where her Jeep was waiting with the rest of her stuff.
The buzz in her back pocket returned. A short blast this time. A reminder that a message was pending.
Sylvie waited to check her phone until she’d packed the back of the Jeep. Drying the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, she plopped into the front seat and cranked the AC to full blast. Her muscles twitched and trembled as they recovered from the exertion.
Her phone displayed two missed calls from Freddie and a voicemail. Guilt twinged in Sylvie’s chest, but it wasn’t strong enough to stop her from checking the message.
Freddie: Hey Sylvie. I found something. It’s not much but it’s a start. I’m getting on a plane to a conference in Ontario right now. I’ll be gone a few days. I’ll call you when I’m back so we can meet up.
After listening to the message twice, Sylvie leaned into the headrest. Her mind raced. She couldn’t guess what Freddie uncovered.
There was something to find. An answer? She wouldn’t keep me waiting if it was definitive answer. Maybe a clue? Which way does it point?
She listened to the message again, straining to detect any hint one way or the other in Freddie’s tone.
It was impossible. She was so neutral it would make Switzerland jealous.
Lauren and her girlfriend appeared in the distance, causing Sylvie to straighten and shift her Jeep into drive.
After a long weekend she was sick of seeing Lauren’s face. At least that’s what she told herself as she drove off, reflexively glaring at the blonde in her rearview mirror. She couldn’t stop looking, even if it was like absorbing a punch straight to the gut.
