Julia Paulson turned around, looking at a young woman but unable to place who she was or how she might know her.
The woman approached, nearly slipping on the icy pavement, but Julia caught her just in time. She was stunned.
“Angelina? Angie Anderson? Wow, where have you been?”
“Oh, I was just walking past the school and thought I saw you coming out. Couldn’t believe my eyes… How are you? What’s life like? What are you up to? You left so abruptly last time, all business-like, and then we drifted apart.”
“What do you mean drifted apart? I called, but you were never available…”
“I…lost my phone back then… Things got a bit hectic. Anyway, enough about me, how are you?”
“Hey, why are we standing outside? Come over to ours! You know what? We’re having a small get-together tomorrow with friends. Why don’t you come along?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to impose…”
“Don’t be silly, you’re no imposition, we’ve been friends since nursery. Here’s the address. So, where are you staying?”
“At a hotel.”
“Come to us then! We just bought a three-bed recently.”
“When? Oh, sorry…that’s just my inner estate agent talking, haha. No, Julia, the hotel’s on the company tab, thanks for the offer though.”
“So will you come?”
“I’ll try, Julia… It’s been so good to see you… Oh, by the way… your husband? Do you have one, or…?”
“Of course! We got married, didn’t you know?”
“You and who?”
“Boris, Boris Brown, remember? He went to the school just down the road from mine, lived in our building… Surely you remember? He used to give us bike rides on the frame and carrier!”
“Ohhhh… Boris? You married Boris? I vaguely remember something now.”
“Exactly. We’ve been married for eight years now and have two kids, Mike and Ann. What about you?”
“Lovely, Julia, I’ll definitely come… We must catch up.”
“I’m so glad we bumped into each other.”
“Yeah…”
Over dinner, Julia, known at home as just Jules or Mum, told Boris she’d met Angelina.
“Which Angelina, Julia?”
“Angie Anderson, remember… the one you used to take us cycling, me on the frame, her on the back.”
“We were such goofs, haha, do you remember? We insisted you take us both in turns on the frame so the other wouldn’t get upset.”
“And then… you kept taking me and eventually only would take me… I think Angie got a bit miffed.”
“I even wondered if she had a crush on you back then, Boris… Ah, childhood…”
“Right. So why bring her up?”
“Because I met her.”
“In our town? What’s she doing here? Does she live here?”
“No, she’s here for some course. Seems she’s into real estate now.”
“Real estate? I thought she studied something else?”
“No clue, I’ll find out tomorrow… we kind of… lost touch after we moved apart. Why do you think she studied something else?”
“Everyone studies these days…”
“True… I’ll ask her tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Did you plan to meet? Remember, the Smiths are coming over…”
“Yes, I remember, that’s why I invited Angie too.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Come on, Boris! She’s a childhood friend… Yours too, by the way…”
“Hardly…”
Julia, an adored primary school teacher, loved her job. She always seemed to glide to work with joy, leaving, though tired, yet fulfilled. Today, however, something weighed on her.
Something nagged at Julia. But what? She couldn’t quite tell.
At home, preparing dinner alongside Boris, as they always did, everything seemed normal, but Julia couldn’t shake a sticky feeling; she felt on the verge of tears.
What could it be?
Friends arrived at seven. They had just one toddler, a peer to their three-year-old Anna, who brought joy to everyone.
Mike, their five-year-old, refused to play with the little ones, retreating to his room to watch cartoons.
Their guests sat around the table, chatting, having fun, and Julia found herself slowly forgetting that unsettling feeling, until the doorbell rang, making her jump.
“Who could that be?” Julia asked, inexplicably nervous.
“It’s your childhood pal, remember… Angie…” Boris replied with a chuckle.
“Oh yes, Angelina… right.”
Julia opened the door to reveal a stunning, perfume-scented Angie, hair freshly styled, twinkling snowflakes still in her hair.
“Wow, bestie, you look…”
Barely brushing her cheek against Julia’s, perfumed, sparkling Angelina casually handed her coat to their host and glided into the large living room…
“Everyone, meet Angela,” Julia introduced, her voice somewhat flat. She noticed a change in Boris’s expression and a straightening of their friend Oliver’s shoulders…
Throughout the evening, Angelina was the life of the party, laughing, engaging in every conversation, charming everyone. Yet Julia couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling.
Additionally, Angie, masking it as humor, peppered her stories with little zingers that portrayed Julia in a less flattering light.
Slipping to the kitchen, Julia felt tears welling. What was going on?
The kitchen window faced the terrace, which also had a door leading out from the large living room.
Julia didn’t turn on the light; she simply leaned against the window when she overheard voices…
“Yeah, sweetheart, you’ve done well for yourself,” Julia caught Angie’s voice. “A three-bedroom flat, you say? While I squeeze into a one-bed? You’ve got your ducks in a row, haven’t you? Plenty for starting a family, huh? Your wife’s got a car and everything…”
“Fork over child support. I don’t care about your issues; I want a decent three-bed, not worse than your wife’s… Or else…”
Julia didn’t listen any further. Stoic, she re-entered the large room where friends entertained restless little ones.
“Julia, what’s wrong? You look off…”
“No, nothing… Just some wine that’s hit me funny… Where’s everyone else?”
“Boris went for a smoke, Angie too, apparently she smokes?”
“Does she now? News to me…”
Julia tried to join in, chat, but everything felt forced; her thoughts swirled, and she struggled to calm herself.
Boris and Angie returned, with Angelina’s laughter echoing even louder, wine glass in hand. Boris seemed… off? Shaken?
Soon everyone would leave… and he’d go too, Julia imagined, mentally preparing to say goodbye to her husband.
Their affair seemed without question. When did he find the time?
No late nights at work, everything out in the open, his phone, computer, always accessible. What a façade he kept up…
Julia barely waited for the guests to leave, painfully aware something was up.
Only Angie remained nonchalant, continuing to revel.
Once the door shut behind their guests, Julia sent the children to their room and took a seat, fixing her gaze upon Angelina and Boris.
“So, lovebirds, when were you planning on spilling the beans? Honestly, Boris… If this is love, why bother with me? What do I offer? My salary’s meager, no inheritance waiting in the wings, why suffer through? Pack and go to her. Your heart’s set on MY home, Angie? It’s mortgaged, take it. I’ll sort out a place for the kids and me.”
“You envied me in childhood and still? Take him, enjoy…”
Boris attempted to speak, but Julia silenced him.
“Haha, what’s come over you? What do I need him for, your… doormat… He owes me. For our child…”
“A child?”
“Julia, let me explain.” Boris started towards his wife, stopping as she motioned.
“Boris, a child with that… woman?”
“Boris, a child with this woman?” Angie mimicked Julia, laughing, “Why so quiet?”
“I’ll explain everything, Julia.”
“Do try, then I’ll add my part… Actually… let me go first. Remember the summer after school? When you left to study? Your Boris eagerly spent nights with me and… it naturally… ended up with me getting pregnant…”
“Why?” Julia asked, eyes filled with tears. “Why would you want me?”
“She’s fibbing, Jules.”
“I remember zilch, just, one time, at Russ’s party, the first time I had moonshine.”
“She was there, hanging on all evening, refilling my drink… I’m not making excuses, it’s my own fault, but she came a week later claiming I… forced myself on her… saying she was pregnant now… She claimed her mum wanted to press charges, but she swore she loved me and would never do that… Told me to just marry her…”
“I refused, she threatened, begged. Then said I’d regret it.”
“I told her if it’s true, if the kid really is mine, I’d never abandon him, I deserved punishment if guilty.”
“She never pursued charges, I urged going to the police, she refused… I suggested a hospital…”
“Then you went to college, I followed, our families moved, she dropped off the radar…”
“Five years back, when Mike was born, she reappeared.”
“Demanding money for a son…”
“And?”
“I gave all bonuses, side jobs to her, any pay raises went to her for the kid, can’t blame him…”
“Of course,” Angie inserted slyly, fiddling with her drink.
“So, here we are, Jules… The kid isn’t to blame.”
“What’s your son’s name?” Julia asked.
Boris and Angie simultaneously said… different names.
“Oh really? So Alex or Sam, Angie?”
“He’s got a double name,” Angie fumbled.
“Have you ever met your son?”
“Not in person, just photos she sent, I filed them away separately… I… well, he’s a kid… I… Jules, I would like to continue supporting my son…”
“Boris,” Julia’s voice poised, “is that folder labeled AAAA?”
Boris flushed and nodded.
“Oh, phew, I wondered if you’d lost it, keeping photos of some child-actor from old films. Angie, you played him for a fool, didn’t you? He’s been sending you money for five years, and you’ve been sending touched-up photos of this actor?”
“Pfft, whatever. Took you for a ride. As soon as I saw Boris, the plan formed… Failed the first time, thought I’d try now, and he fell for it.”
“Right, goodbye then…”
“Wait,” Julia barred her exit, “You think it’s that simple? You’ll return what my husband paid. Every penny, friend.”
“Yes, I’m off, just like that,” Angie replied with an amused smile, “You’ve got no evidence, he gave me money because he preferred me, unlike you, plain Jane.”
“I can easily prove in court we were lovers, and your darling husband lavished me with gifts, so keep calm and count your blessings… friend.”
Angie left.
Julia and Boris sat in a pregnant silence.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I was afraid of losing you…”
“Silly boy, Boris… Really? How could you believe pregnancy kicks in so soon?”
Boris simply spread his hands, at a loss.
“I promise, Julie, from now on, no more secrets…”
Before you continue, if you feel the storyteller used a turn of phrase poorly, or if this could never, would never, happen, or if no one has spoken like this in a hundred years, or if you don’t happen to like what I do… or demand constant apologies for errors…
We aren’t meant to cross paths.
Don’t bother informing me about your rebellious ways in your golden years; frankly, not interested.
Trying to incite anger or shame me is equally pointless.
I’m a human being made of flesh and bone, not candy to be universally liked.
Whining about my so-called ‘badness’ is unwelcome.
Here, in my corner, friends come for good vibes.
Kindly close this page and leave quietly, commentators of the unsavory and nonsense are swiftly blocked.
And I do not care that you do not care.
Exit is just there…
