Chapter One Carys #4
I can’t help but laugh. ‘No, no. Just being safe. Follow my finger with your eyes,’ I tell her. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Miri,’ she says. ‘And that’s Sara.’
‘Okay, Miri, I’m Carys.’
‘Not Cherry?’
‘I think she misheard.’ I glance back at where Dolly awkwardly pats Sara on the shoulder as she bawls. ‘Did you break up recently?’
Miri releases a fresh barrage of tears that splatter all over her crop top. ‘A month ago. And it was amicable. Well… I thought so. Sara thinks I don’t want to settle down.’
I position her along the road’s centre line. ‘Walk along this towards me.’ Miri complies and thankfully walks evenly. Neuro exam clear. Just an obvious case of heartbreak, and battered finger.
‘And I know sleeping with Lily was stupid. I only want to be with Sara and Leonard. I’m just… frightened.’ She shakes her head and her ponytail flicks like an angry cat’s tail. ‘I guess that’s why… I did all this. It’s not just the cat.’
I’m not sure how to politely suggest not resuming the screaming. ‘You stopped traffic to talk to her. So, go talk to her. Be honest and tell her what you told me.’
She sniffs, and the tip of her nose wiggles. ‘Do you think she’ll want me back?’
‘You won’t know until you ask.’
‘Okay.’ Miri shakes out her shoulders. ‘Will you come with me?’
We reconvene between car and bike. Despite the traffic jam, Miri and Sara need privacy, I think.
I return the first aid kit to the helpful man’s car, and Dolly follows me. ‘Do you think they’ll be okay?’ I ask, as the boot closes slowly.
‘I’ve seen worse.’
‘Worse than causing a major traffic incident?’
She tilts her head. ‘It’s really more a minor incident.’
It’s such a funny thing to say. Perhaps she’s some kind of couples counsellor, or hostage negotiator.
‘Queer girls can be vicious,’ Dolly laughs, and I’m not sure if I’m allowed to laugh in agreement, even if I don’t know if I do agree.
‘Oh,’ I say uselessly. ‘This is all new to me.’
‘Lesbians or public fights?’
‘Both.’ We both laugh then. ‘I guess I’m just a homebody.’
‘A homebody first aider in a killer dress,’ she says, and I feel heat rush to my cheeks.
Before I can reply, cheers sound around us. Between car and bike stand Miri and Sara kissing, a kiss of apologies and wishes and hopes and wants.
I really hope they can make it work.
‘Me too,’ says Dolly, and I realise I’ve said it out loud.
I know I shouldn’t stare, but I am captivated by their kiss. When they break apart to clear the road, their arms outstretch so their fingertips touch until the last minute.
Like they never really want to let go of each other again.
That’s the kind of love I want.
We dash back to our respective cars, as the traffic starts moving quickly.
‘Oh, finally,’ says Mike. ‘Victor and I were worried the show was going to have our necks.’
The show?
Dolly’s red lips flicker into a smirk. ‘Off to a warehouse you definitely didn’t have to sign an NDA about, Cherry?’
It all makes sense now. The dress, the hair, the general Goddess demeanour. Dolly is so beautiful, she was made for television.
I nod my head a little too enthusiastically, like a toy dog on a car dashboard.
‘Well,’ she says flatly. Something has changed, but I can’t read her; autistic occupational hazard.
Is she worried about us knowing each other? Production did background checks, and I can imagine making sure we didn’t know each other was part of it. If they found out about this, maybe they’d make one of us leave? That would be unfair. Especially when we’re just helping.
I step a little closer to her. ‘Let’s keep this between us.’
It’s her turn to nod, though she does it slowly, considering. I catch a lovely scent, maybe her shampoo or perfume. ‘We’ll be perfect strangers. Just to be safe.’
‘Just in case.’
The traffic has started moving, so we get into our cars.
Everything that just happened hits me at once – the new situation, the new people, Dolly, the hum of the traffic. I practise my breathing, my tapping, and feel the rush in my blood ebb. When I glance out the window, I’m pretty sure that Victor has been driving us in circles to buy me time.
Despite that, when we finally do pull up in front of a red-brick warehouse, I’m still not ready to be a person.
It’s busy outside. Furniture is being unloaded from vans, and crates of water bottles are stacked high, passed by people shouting into walkie talkies.
Someone waves Victor into a parking spot, and once in, he looks back at me through the mirror. ‘Need a moment?’
I nod silently.
And so, Victor makes a very slow million-point turn, manoeuvring the car 180 degrees into the space.
It’s just enough time to get a hold of myself. Yes, I’m late but I’m here, actually here, where I’m going to find a husband.
‘You can do this,’ Victor says softly to me, and I believe him.
‘I think you’re my guardian angel,’ I say, and he winks. I’m going to miss him. Perhaps the only reasonable adjustment I’d be brave enough to request is having an emotional-support Victor on set.
‘I think you were an angel for someone else today. You’ve a good heart, Carys. I’ll be watching for you!’
My door opens, revealing a very tall woman whose hair is scraped up into a messy bun on the top of her head.
‘Carys!’ Reb cries, pulling me up and out the car. I’ve met my chaperone Reb before as it’s her job to look after me while we film. ‘Wow, you look gorgeous. Doesn’t she look gorgeous?’ She directs the second part to Victor, who has got out the car to open the boot.
‘That she does.’ He sounds so proud that I want to cry.
Reb glances at her phone, and growls.
‘Everything alright?’ I ask.
‘Oh. Yeah. Don’t worry about the growling and scowling. It’s just work, isn’t it.’ She laughs heartily, and I try to work out where her accent is from. Midlands, I think? Reb slips her phone into the back pocket of her light denim jeans, and takes the suitcases from Victor.
‘Give ’em hell, Carys,’ Victor says, gently placing a hand on my shoulder. I pull him into a hug. Maybe it’s not socially acceptable, but I want to say goodbye. I hope I get to see him again.
He drives away, and I look up at the warehouse, trying to take in every brick, every blacked-out window.
When you’re about to start the rest of your life you want to remember every detail.
We pass crew members who wave politely at me, and I make a note to try to learn all their names when we get going.
‘Need anything before we go in?’ Reb asks, gently dragging me from my thoughts.
I shake my head, and hold out my phone for her to take. ‘I’m ready.’
Reb pockets my phone, holds open the great glass door for me, and I slip through into the dark.
Time to go find my future husband.
Time to start my life.