40. Sarah
Sarah was not only jet lagged, but she was emotionally exhausted. That was her excuse for having a complete meltdown in front of Gabe.
‘Get. Out,’ she yelled as soon as she walked out of her bedroom and saw one, two, three… five bodies scattered around the living room. Not including Gabe. ‘All of you get the fuck out of my house!’
‘It’s my house too!’ Gabe protested when she started picking up the detritus the man-children had covered her home in and tossed them out the open window.
‘Not if you don’t get everyone out of here in the next two minutes. When I return from the shower, this house needs to be fucking spotless, and if I see any evidence of another human being other than you—although whether you are a human being is up for debate at the moment—then I will also evict you.’
She hadn’t waited for his answer and turned on her heel to march into the bathroom, slamming the door with all the force she could muster.
The initial numbness had gone, and anger was firmly in its place. What she was angry at, she didn’t really know. It was everything and nothing. She was absolutely furious with the world and raging at herself for being such a coward when it came to Theo. But who could blame her? Men hadn’t exactly proven their worth to her. Gabe was case in point. Her dad was an exception, but then she was probably biased. As for all the other men in the world, they could all take the express train to hell.
As she stood under the scalding shower, she tried not to think about Theo. She tried not to think about Bodie and the fact he might be her stalker, and she especially tried not to think about the fact she had been stupid enough to drink so much that she blacked out. Did she have no sense of self-preservation? Wasn’t she just asking for something to happen to her?
No. Why was she blaming herself? A woman should be able to drink however much the hell she wanted without worrying about her safety. That was just the guilt speaking. It seemed she was making her way through the stages of grief at lightning speed.
Someone banging on the bathroom door startled her out of her downward spiral.
‘Get out of the shower!’ Alexis yelled. ‘Let’s talk.’
‘I don’t want to talk.’
‘Then let’s drink. I bought everything we need for frozen margaritas.’
‘I don’t have a blender.’
‘As I said, I bought everything we need. Now hurry up and get out here before it melts.’
Sarah turned off the shower. She hadn’t realised how long she’d been in there, but the water was now tepid rather than hot. After she dried off, she slipped on her softest and most worn yoga pants and T-shirt. She towelled her hair but didn’t bother drying it, and rather than complete her full face-care routine, she just slapped on some eye cream and moisturiser.
Alexis was waiting for her when she stepped into the living room. The promised margarita was in her hand and Sarah didn’t hesitate, taking it from her and gulping a mouthful—which she immediately regretted when she got an instant brain freeze. Alexis sat on the couch, and Sarah lowered herself to the single chair, curling her legs up beneath her and cradling the margarita in her hands.
‘Why are you here?’ Sarah had texted Alexis on her way home from the airport and told her what had happened with Theo, but she had also told her not to come over.
‘Gabe called me. He said you were hysterical.’
Sarah snorted. ‘Of course he’d think I was hysterical. Bloody men and their patriarchal bullshit. You know hysteria was called that because?—’
‘I know,’ Alexis said, holding up her hand. ‘I was the one who told you about it, remember?’
‘Oh. Right. Anyway, I wasn’t hysterical, I was just mad.’
Alexis nodded slowly. ‘I get that. Actually, I expected something like this to happen sooner.’
‘Right? I don’t know why I’ve been so accommodating of Gabe. I should have kicked him out ages ago.’
‘So why today?’
‘There were five people in my house, Alexis. And their shit was everywhere?—’
‘Uh huh, and this is the first time it’s happened?’
‘Well… no. It has happened before but…’
‘But?’
Sarah dropped her head. ‘But… Theo.’ She took another long drink, wincing with the pain from the brain freeze, but not caring. She probably deserved it.
Alexis reached over and laid her hand on Sarah’s knee. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yeah… no… I don’t know.’
‘Was it because of the article?’
Sarah shook her head. ‘Not exactly, but I think that was the catalyst for it.’
Alexis tilted her head. ‘Explain.’
‘It just made me realise how different we are. He’s famous, Lexi. Like famous. And he’s gorgeous. He and Yu-jin look amazing together.’
‘Surely you don’t want him to end up with her?’ Alexis asked, her lips screwed up in disgust.
‘No, but she’s not the only beautiful woman in his world. And if he gets this acting job, he’ll be in Korea for extended periods of time.’
‘Your argument sounds way too logical and thought out,’ Alexis said, her eyes narrowing on Sarah. ‘Just how long have you been thinking about this?’
Sarah shrugged, dodging Alexis’ gaze.
‘Please don’t tell me you’ve been thinking this from the start?’
Sarah sipped her drink and remained quiet while still avoiding Alexis’ gaze.
‘Please tell me you did not go into this relationship with Theo with one foot already out the door?’
‘Of course not,’ Sarah protested, but even to her own ears, it didn’t sound convincing.
‘Shit, Sarah,’ Alexis said with a shake of her head.
‘I didn’t do it intentionally.’
But Alexis didn’t look convinced.
‘Come on, you’re supposed to be my friend. You should be on my side.’
Alexis took a breath and exhaled slowly. ‘I am on your side. I just think you and Theo are a great match, and if you had really been committed to it, it could have worked out.’
Sarah squeezed her eyes shut and sniffed. She would not cry. She didn’t get to cry since she was the one who did the breaking up.
Alexis patted her hand. ‘That’s the last thing I will say about it,’ she said kindly. ‘If you want to tell me all the horrible things he did and how detestable Yu-jin is, I’m all ears. Should we go and T.P. his house?’
Sarah smiled ruefully. ‘He lives in an apartment building. I don’t think we could buy enough toilet paper to cover it all.’
Alexis snorted. ‘Maybe I could enlist Elias and Levi to help?’
‘Thanks, Lexi. You’re the best.’
‘Mum! I’m here!’
‘Out the back!’ Fran called.
Sarah kicked off her shoes at the door and lugged her kit through the house to where her mother and father were sitting on the patio.
‘Daddy,’ Sarah said, trying hard not to cry.
He enveloped her in a hug, and she sniffed against his shoulder. Her dad’s hugs were the best. Comparable to Theo’s—no. Much better than Theo’s. Her dad’s hugs were better than anything and everyone.
‘Hey, what’s up, Sar Bear?’ her dad asked, the concern thick in his voice.
‘Nothing,’ she replied, pulling away and dabbing her eyes before he could see the tears. ‘I’m just happy to see you. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.’
‘Well, it’s nice to see you too. Do you want a cuppa?’
‘Yes, please,’ Sarah replied before turning to her mother, who was looking at her strangely.
‘What?’
‘Nothing,’ Fran said, picking up her ever-present tarot deck and shuffling.
Sarah stood behind her mother and draped her in a cape. She pulled a brush through Fran’s long locks and tut-tutted at the ends.
‘You really should let me cut off a few more inches,’ she said, despairing at the state of the split ends.
‘No. Just the usual, please.’
Sarah sighed. She was a hairdresser—a hairdresser with international experience now—and her mother still wouldn’t listen to her.
‘How was Japan?’ her mother inquired, seemingly casually, but Sarah read more into the tone.
‘It was fine.’
‘Just fine?’
‘It was great. An excellent opportunity for the business.’
‘Here we go,’ Dave said, bringing out a tray of cups of tea and a plate of Tim Tams.
‘Thanks, Dad,’ Sarah said, smiling at him.
‘What about the man?’ Fran asked.
‘Man? What man?’ Dave asked, looking from Fran to Sarah and back to Fran. ‘Is that stalker back?’
Fran flipped over a card and hummed. ‘They were both there,’ she mused.
Sarah froze.
‘Both? Both who?’ Dave asked.
‘Sarah’s soulmate and the stalker,’ Fran said, as if it was blatantly obvious.
‘The stalker was in Japan?’ Sarah asked carefully, her mother’s hair forgotten.
‘That’s what the cards say.’
Sarah shook off the creepy feeling that skittered down her spine. She didn’t believe in her mother’s predictions, remember? The woman hadn’t been right about anything except… except she had predicted running into Theo. And then there was the dream…
No. Sarah refused to believe that after all these years her mother was actually getting psychic divinations. It was all a coincidence.
Sarah refused to acknowledge that Fran might actually be right, because that would mean not only had she broken up with her soulmate, but Bodie was her stalker.