Chapter 29 - We Can't Run Forever

Kayla bounced her feet in the red cab as she made her way to Komar’s Bistro. Her heart pounded in her chest. She pulled the note out of her purse and read it again.

“Hey Kayla,

I know all this shit has hit you really hard, and I ain’t always the best person to talk to about these kinda things. I’m sorry for that. Been thinking about us and feel like we should talk about where things go from here.

Love, Craig”

Her heart fluttered as she recalled the scent of the tipperlily. She had seen one originally at the cathedral and loved it, and she had nearly forgotten all about it thanks to the harrowing events afterwards. It was such a beautiful gift and she couldn’t help but let her mind race. She caught herself repeatedly overthinking, and kept trying to bring herself back to Earth.

She couldn’t help herself and read the last line again.

“Love, Craig”

“Goddammit.” she muttered to herself, the butterflies in her stomach so wild she feared she might float away. Her galaxy pulled the memory of them together at the Gilded Roost, and the look on his face as she had started dancing sent shivers down her spine.

Don’t jump to conclusions.

The car descended at the stop outside the bistro, and it was all she could do to stop herself from running there. She practically danced through the front door of the beijinkind-owned bistro and nearly ran into the person at the back of the line to be seated. She attempted to flag down the attention of the host, a bejinkind in a glossy black vessel.

“I’m meeting someone,” she explained, “Could I just wander in and find them?”

“Sure,” the host replied cheerfully, creating a gap in the line for her to pass through. She floated through the tables and booths, swooning over the smell of fresh bread and the various seafood that dominated the menu. She hadn’t eaten much all morning and her stomach growled as she made her way further into the building.

She heard his laugh to her right and turned to see him sitting at the end of the room in a booth. A smile crossed her face as she strode toward him. He was apparently sitting with someone, though the booth blocked the person from her view. He was still laughing when he looked up and met Kayla’s eyes. She waved, but saw his eyes widen and the unmistakable look of guilt and fear flash across his face, the butterflies in her stomach faded at the look.

“Hey!” she said, rounding to the side of the booth. She paused and her heart sank into the hollow pit of her stomach that the aroma of the bistro had carved out.

A young woman sat opposite Craig in the booth. She had dark hair and expensive immediattire. She was gorgeous, wearing the prettiest smile Kayla had ever seen. She glanced up at Kayla, then to Craig and she seemed to make a connection, her eyes widening and she smiled warmly to Kayla.

“Oh, hi!” she said, waving to Kayla. “You must be Craig’s friend! He was just telling me about you!” She reached her hand out over their empty plates and glasses. It looked like they had finished their meal and had been visiting.

“Um ... hi,” Kayla said, her voice echoing in her ears, taking the woman’s hand. Craig seemed to snap to reality.

“Yeah,” he said, choking slightly on his drink. He held out his hand and gestured to them in kind, “Kayla this is Paige, Paige this is my friend Kayla.”

“We met last night at Garvook,” Paige explained, “We’re going back tonight, you should join us!” She scooted to the right to make room in the booth for Kayla, “Here, sit with us!”

Kayla didn’t move, she glanced at Craig and she could feel the lump in her throat growing with every passing awkward moment.

“Um, Paige ... I might need a moment with Kayla, actually,” Craig sighed, turning to the young woman. Realization hit her and she looked back to Kayla. Her face fell and she turned to Craig.

“Sure,” she replied, scooting out of the booth, “I was needing to check in with Erylara anyway.” she stood next to Kayla and gave her an apologetic look, “It was nice to meet you, I hope you come out to Garvook tonight!” And she walked to the exit, pausing once to glance back guiltily.

Kayla watched her leave, and then turned back to Craig.

“Um ... well ... we should talk,” he said, “Wanna sit?” he gestured to Paige’s vacant seat. Kayla nodded and sat down. The seat was still warm, and the young woman’s perfume lingered in the air.

They sat in awkward silence for a moment, unable to meet each other’s eyes. Kayla pushed Paige’s empty plates to the side and noticed that Craig had three empty glasses in front of him, all of which had clearly been alcoholic judging by their odor. The lump in her throat gave way to bitterness as the smell hit her. The galaxy of her QPU brought forward every memory she had of him day drinking during lunch or sometimes even earlier and she scowled.