She glanced down at her watch over the drone of the vacuum. Crap. She was already running fifteen minutes late for her date with Michael and yet Angela had left her with a shit-load of jobs to finish before the evening was over.
Angela had left only two hours ago and it was a time Sarah had been dreading. Ten months ago, she couldn’t have cared less. Ten months ago, if she’d found out Angela was leaving for three weeks for New York to attend a business conference, it would have been the equivalent of winning something like American Idol. But this wasn’t ten months ago, this was now. Sure, Sarah would be on her own for three weeks, and that was great….but Justin would be right there beside her.
Only that morning Sarah had awoken to an emotion she hadn’t felt in a while, and that was one of pure happiness. Nothing near to the corrupt false happiness that people who visited Angela would see. But this was one of utter content. Something Sarah was unsure she had the ability to feel.
Even Justin and Angela’s antics at the table could not have penetrated what she was feeling now. So what if they were practically having sex while they ate their toast together? They would be leaving that evening anyway. Sarah made her way over to the opposite end of the table and began pouring herself cereal.
“So…” she began, well aware of the fact they were blatantly not listening to her. “…When are you two leaving?” There was no point in trying to dance around the topic. Angela only understood things the blunt way. That, and the fact she could care less if Justin disliked her or not. She disliked him back.
Angela groaned as she got off Justin’s lap and went to put the bread away, clearly irritated of the mere appearance of Sarah. “What do you mean us two?”
“Well, you’re going to that conference thing right? Sooo….Justin isn’t staying here….”
It was the look on Angela’s face that caused Sarah trailed off in the horror of her sudden realisation. There was no way he was staying in this house. Surely that was utterly out of the question.
“Actually…” Angela continued, “I was meaning to tell you. We were discussing it last night and….Justin’s movin-”
“Whoa whoa whoa….what! But it’s only been like, nine mon-”
“Ten”, Angela corrected. “It’s been ten months since we’ve been together.”
“That’s not the point, I mean...”
Sarah was at a complete loss for words. It had taken a few seconds to register what Angela was saying but once it had sunk in it remained there, stinging the corners of her brain.
“So Justin’s….moving in?”
Angela nodded in delight. “Wonderful isn’t it? Nice to have a man around right Sarah?”
Yeah, nice and wonderful for who? Sarah had a feeling the next three weeks were about to span out into a decade….
So that’s the position she found herself in now. Twenty minutes late for her date and she’d only just finished the vacuuming. It would still take at least another fifteen to get the restaurant. Sarah stashed the vacuum in the cupboard and bounded down the stairs into the living room. Justin was sitting in a rather zombie-like fashion in front of the television. His back looked stiff and he was perched on the edge of the sofa, looking extremely uncomfortable. Yes, so Sarah had a bit of a dislike for the man, but the last thing she wanted to do was stoop down to his level and become entirely uncivil. She had made a decision if she was going to be alone in this house with him, she might as well get used to him being around.
“You can make yourself comfortable if you like. There’s plenty of beers and stuff in the fridge.”
Justin didn’t flail an inch. He remained in the exact position, concentrating on the movie on TV. Sarah edged her head round the door. He was watching Braveheart? Maybe he hadn’t heard her.
“Um…Justin-”
“Shut up! This is the best part...”
Sarah scoffed and headed towards the door. God she was never going to try that “being civil” act again. If Justin wanted things to be awkward between them from now on, so be it.
Sarah shivered slightly in the coolness of dark. She had forgotten a jacket, but by no means was she re-entering the house. She would just have to accept the fact she had underestimated how cool the temperatures could drop sometimes.
Sarah made her way to the garage and the idea suddenly dawned on her. Angela was gone now, and Angela had left her car. Angela had gone, and Sarah had the spare keys to Angela’s Porsche. It was perfect. She would break up with Michael (as she highly expected this was what he had to say to her) and drive off in Angela’s Porsche. Sarah’s spirits were elevated as she climbed into the swank silver vehicle and made her way down the driveway and on the road that lead to the depths of Montgomery.
Sarah arrived to make her timing exactly thirty minutes late and prepared herself for what was about to happen. Maybe her attitude about everything had been a little care-free. For everything that had happened for the past few months, it was always Michael that had been the one who was willing to listen to her problems. It was always Michael that was there to pick her back off her feet. So why was she feeling so laid back about this whole situation? In her mind she knew she would definitely miss him
Inside Balintyne's, the décor couldn’t have been less appropriate for the occasion it was so renowned for. There was a light, jazzy feel and the music was up-tempo and often highly irritating to those had just experienced a tough break-up. Sarah didn’t think she would ever understand who this place had gotten a reputation like the one it currently had. Without it, it would have been such a nice area.
Michael had booked a table right down at the far end of the café, in the shadows of the corner. He glanced up apprehensively as Sarah strode over to join him. He was dressed down considerably. His face was sunken and the bags under his eyes were accentuated in the light. Sarah knew he smoked, but this was unlikely to be the reason he currently looked like he did. He was generally a handsome man. He had a dazzling colour of blonde hair usually, but today it looked duller, not his normal vibrant shade at all. His eyes were normally an intense tone of blue, but today, Sarah detected a tinge of grey. Whatever Michael had to say to her, she wasn’t sure she was going to like it.
He motioned for her to take a seat. “Hi”, she whispered cautiously. She felt as though if she talked any louder his fragile state would fall to pieces.
“Hey,” he coughed coarsely. “Are you eh, hungry?”
Sarah glanced down at the table. He’d already ordered, but he only had a glass of water. Sarah was starving, and had purposely missed dinner when Angela offered it to her, but she had a feeling Michael intended to do more talking than eating.
“Erm…no, I’m ok actually.”
Michael nodded and remained stony faced for a moment before collapsing forward, balancing his head on his hand. “Oh God, I…”
Sarah jumped forward, holding onto his free hand sprawled across the table. “Michael! Michael are you…”
Sarah wasn’t exactly sure what to say next. This wasn’t entirely how she had expected the evening to go. She rubbed Michaels’ hand gently, trying to comfort him in the best way possible. He remained this way for several minutes, muttering sentences under his breath, rubbing his temples in an effort to relieve the stress of whatever was on his mind. It took a while, but eventually he came round, lifting his head to met the now anxious eye’s of Sarah. Sarah got the feeling there was more to their breaking up than she had expected.
“Sarah I…” he broke off, his voice now falling another octave. “Things have been…difficult lately…”
Oh God. Couldn’t he just say it? How many ways were there to “I’m breaking up with you?” It was beginning already. From the now on the evening would flow. Breaking up with Michael and then returning home to the all friendly Justin. Just one awful thing after another really…
