Julia Palmer turned around, glancing at the young woman with a puzzled expression, unsure of who she was and how she knew her.
The woman moved closer, almost slipping on the ice, but Julia caught her…
“Angelica? Angie Mitchell? Wow, where have you been?”
“I was just passing by the school and thought I saw you. I couldn’t believe it… How are you? What have you been up to? You seemed so busy when you left, and we just sort of lost touch.”
“What do you mean lost touch? I tried calling, but you were unreachable…”
“I lost my phone back then, and life just got in the way. But enough about me. How about you?”
“Hey, why are we standing outside? Come over to ours. You know what? We’re hosting a small gathering with friends tomorrow, why don’t you come?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to impose…”
“Nonsense! We’ve known each other since nursery. Here’s the address. By the way, where are you staying?”
“In a hotel.”
“Come stay with us! We recently bought a three-bedroom place.”
“When did you get it? Oh sorry…that’s the realtor in me talking, haha. No, Julia, work is covering my hotel, but thank you.”
“So will you come?”
“I’ll try, Julia…it was lovely to see you…Oh, by the way, your husband? Is he around…or are you not married?”
“I am! Don’t you remember Boris? We got married!”
“Boris?”
“Yes, Boris Benson. Surely you remember? He went to the school near my house and lived in our building…remember how he used to give us rides on his bike, on the handlebars and the backseat?”
“Ohh…Boris? So you married Boris? Yes, I remember somewhat.”
“Yes, we’ve been married for eight years now with two children, Michael and Anna. What about you?”
“That’s wonderful, Julia, I’ll come for sure…we’ll catch up.”
“I’m so glad we bumped into each other.”
“Yeah…”
Over dinner, Julia, known at home just as Julia or Mum, told Boris she had run into Angelica.
“Which Angelica, Julia?”
“Angie Mitchell. Don’t you remember? You used to give us rides on your bike, me on the handlebars and her on the backseat.”
“Oh, I remember how silly we were, haha. We asked you to take turns giving us rides…and then you started giving only me rides. I even thought Angie might have been upset. Maybe she had a crush on you, Boris…oh, childhood…”
“Uh-huh. So why the sudden talk about her?”
“I told you, I bumped into her.”
“In town? What’s she doing here? Or does she live here?”
“No, she’s here for a course. Apparently, she’s in real estate now.”
“Real estate? I thought she studied for something else?”
“I’m not sure; I’ll find out tomorrow…we lost touch after moving apart. Why did you think she studied something else?”
“Well, everyone studies something, don’t they?”
“True. I’ll ask her tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? You’re meeting again? Haven’t you forgotten, the Walkers are coming?”
“I haven’t forgotten. I invited Angie to join us.”
“What do you mean? Why?”
“Come on, Boris, she’s a childhood friend…and yours too, by the way.”
“How’s she a friend to me…”
Julia worked as a primary school teacher, adored by her students. She always dreamed of this job, feeling like she flew on wings to and from work, despite the exhaustion.
Today, Julia seemed preoccupied with something. Everything was fine, so what was bothering her?
There was a nagging feeling she couldn’t quite place.
Upon returning home, she and Boris began preparing dinner together, as usual. Despite everything appearing alright, Julia couldn’t shake off the sticky feeling, feeling like she might cry.
What was happening?
Friends arrived at seven. They had one child, a toddler around Anna’s age, who entertained everyone with his antics.
Their five-year-old, Michael, didn’t want to play with the little ones, retreating to his room to watch cartoons.
The adults sat around the table, chatting and laughing. Slowly, Julia began forgetting that uneasy feeling when suddenly, the doorbell rang, startling her.
“Who could that be?” Julia asked nervously.
“Y’know, you did invite their childhood friend over, what’s her name…Amy?” Boris teased with a laugh.
“Oh right…Angelica…yes, of course.”
Julia opened the door to a stunning, perfumed, freshly styled Angelica, snowflakes sparkling in her hair.
“My, my, look at you, my friend…”
Lightly brushing her cheek against Julia’s, the fragrant, sparkling Angelica handed her coat to the host and gracefully floated into the living room.
“Everyone, meet Angela,” Julia introduced with a slightly dull voice, noticing Boris’s face change and seeing Robert sit up straighter…
Throughout the evening, Angelica was the center of attention, laughing and contributing to every conversation. All were charmed by Julia’s childhood friend, but Julia…Julia had an unsettling feeling.
Moreover, Angelica, under the guise of humor, made cutting remarks about Julia, sharing childhood stories that cast Julia in a negative light.
Julia retreated to the kitchen, her eyes welling with tears. What was going on? The kitchen window opened onto the balcony, as did the large living room.
Julia didn’t turn on the light, simply leaning against the window, when she heard voices from outside…
“Well dear, you’ve got yourself a nice setup,” she heard her friend say. “A three-bedroom place, you say? Meanwhile, I’m stuck in a one-bed? You’ve got money to raise kids, yes? Your missus even drives a car…”
“Hand over the cash for the kid. I don’t care about your troubles; I need a nice three-bed, just like your darling wife’s…or else…”
Julia didn’t listen further. With a stony expression, she walked back into the living room where the remaining guests were entertaining the kids.
“Julia, is everything alright? You look pale…”
“N-no, all’s well…I…I just felt a bit off after that wine…Where did everyone go?”
“Boris went for a smoke, and Angela too. She smokes, apparently?”
“Oh? I didn’t know…”
Julia tried to enjoy the evening, make conversation, but everything felt forced. Her thoughts were in turmoil, leaving her restless.
Boris and Angelica returned, with Angelica seemingly twice as jovial, drinking wine, while Boris appeared…lost?
Soon everyone would leave…and he would leave too, Julia thought, already bidding her husband farewell in her mind.
There was no doubt they were lovers, how did he manage it?
He never stayed late at work, they did everything together, his phone, his computer, everything was open…how well he’d hidden it…
Julia barely waited until the guests left, recognizing that they understood something was happening, as they gathered their things.
Only Angelica continued to act like everything was fine.
As the door closed behind the guests, Julia sent the children to their room and sat down, facing Angelica and Boris.
“Well, you two, when did you plan on telling me? Tell me, Boris, if you’re so in love, why me? What do I have to offer? My salary is modest, there’s no inheritance…why lie to yourself? Pack up and go with her. Is it MY house you’re after, Angela? Well, it’s on the mortgage, you can take it…I’ll find somewhere for the kids and me.”
“So envious back in the day and still the same? Take him, enjoy…”
Boris tried to speak, but Julia wouldn’t let him.
“Haha, what’s got you worked up? Why would I need him, your dunce…he owes me, or rather, the child…”
“What child?”
“Julia, let me explain,” Boris tried to approach his wife, but she held him back.
“Boris, do you have a child with this…woman?”
“Borris, do you have a child with this woman?” Angelica mimicked Julia and laughed, “Well, why aren’t you saying anything?”
“I’ll explain everything, Julia.”
“Try to, and then I’ll explain…or rather, I’ll tell. Remember the summer after our graduation? When you’d gone away with your parents? Your Boris enjoyed spending nights with me and…naturally, I ended up pregnant…”
“Why?” Julia’s eyes were teary, seeking answers. “Why? What did you need me for then?”
“She’s lying, Julia.”
“I remember nothing, it happened once, at Rus Ellison’s farewell, I first had some real drinks…”
“She stuck around the whole evening, kept topping up my glass…I’m not excusing myself, I’m at fault…she showed up a week later saying I’d…that I’d attacked her and now she was…pregnant… She claimed her mother was forcing her to report it but that she loved me too much to do it…said I just needed to marry her…
I refused, she threatened, cried, pleaded. Then she said I’d regret it.
I told her if the child was really mine, I wouldn’t abandon them and if I was in the wrong, to let them punish me.
She never reported it, avoided any steps, and then you left for studies, I followed…our families moved, I lost track of her…
Five years ago, just after Michael was born, she resurfaced. Demanded money for the child…
“And?”
“I handed over all my bonuses, side-gigs, the salary raised…I handed it all over for the child, they didn’t deserve any harm…
“Of course,” Angela slyly interjected, “all these years, you’ve accumulated quite the sum.”
“So that’s it, Julia…The child is innocent.”
“What’s your child’s name?” Julia asked.
Boris and Angelica responded…with different names.
“Oh, really? So is it Alex or Leo, Angela?”
“He’s got a double name,” Angelica tried to dodge.
“Have you ever seen your son?”
“Not in person, she sent me photos, I put them in a separate folder…I…well, a child…I…Julia, I hoped to continue supporting him…”
“Boris,” Julia asked slyly, “that folder wouldn’t be labeled ‘AAA’ by any chance, would it?”
Boris reddened and nodded.
“Oh, I thought you’d lost your mind, keeping photos of some boy who acted in children’s movies. Angela, do you take him for a fool? Five years of payments, and you send him slightly edited actor’s photos?”
“Screw you both. I got my revenge…Saw your Boris, and a plan formed…didn’t work out back then, but now it did, and he fell for it, the fool.
Goodbye for now…”
“Stay put,” Julia blocked her path, “do you really think you can just leave? You’ll return everything my husband gave you, friend.”
“Yes, I’m leaving, just like that,” Angela responded with a smile, “you’ve got no proof, those were gifts he gave me because he always liked me, not you, you plain donut.
I’ll prove in court we were lovers, that he simply bestowed gifts, so ease up and be grateful it ended this way…friend.”
Angelica left.
Julia and Boris sat in silence for a long time.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was scared of losing you…”
“How childish, Boris…modern man, claiming pregnancy a week later, what’s…your excuse…?”
Boris spread his hands, defeated.
“I promise, Julia, no more secrets…”
Please carefully review this text—if you feel the author has used an incorrect expression, if it seems unrealistic, if nobody speaks like that anymore, if you don’t like what the author is doing, and the author isn’t constantly apologizing for mistakes…
Then we’re not on the same page.
Listening to your opinions about my ‘badness’ isn’t welcome here.
This is my domain, and my companions come here seeking good vibes.
Close the page and quietly exit, as the commenters of drivel and stupidity are getting banned.
And I don’t care if you don’t care.
The exit is over there…
