Page 2 of Kept
“Hey, did any of you drop a book?” I ask loudly as they walk past, holding up the heavy tome. But they shake their heads and continue their conversations as they head to their seats.
Placing it onto the seat next to me, along with my bag, I lean my head back and catch my breath. My eyes take in my frazzled and messy appearance in the reflection of the bus window, before adjusting to the dark outside, as the bus slides away from the park. Frowning I press my face to the glass and peer into the shadows on the tree line.
‘Is that a man standing there?’
I shake my head. Obviously, the run has driven all rational thought from my head – it must just be the dark and vegetation playing tricks on my mind.
Finally, my breathing in control, I put my shoes back on and pick up the book. It is thick, heavy, covered in a tan-coloured leather and debossed with the words; ‘Mors Rapit Omnia.’
“Latin?” I murmur, “maybe a book on rabbits?”
I open the front page and realise this book must be important to someone, someone with a beautiful pen hand, because it is a journal.
I feel kind of squeamish reading someone’s journal, like I’m peeking into someone’s private thoughts. But there doesn’t appear to be an inscription on the inside cover, so I’ll need to read a little to see if I can ascertain who owns it.
‘Yeah right, like I really need an excuse.’
I jump in guilt as the bus goes over a bump and my phone rings.
“Hi, Margarita.”
“Whereareyou?”
“I was rostered at the canteen this evening, remember?”
“This late?” I can almost hear her frowning on the other end of the line.
“Well, there was the faculty meeting, followed by the parent-teacher interview night.”
“But to keep you after dark? That is so fucked, especially when we don’t get overtime.”
“I know, but by the time I’d helped clean up all the food and organise the kitchen ready for the morning, one thing had led to another. The principal said to lodge a claim for time off in lieu.”
“She would, snotty bitch. She also probably has a car, and I’ll bet she didn’t offer you a ride home.”
“Clearly not,” I snort, “or I wouldn’t have had to pelt through the park like a maniac.”
I sigh as she begins her inevitable lecture.
“Yes, I know it was stupid. Next time I’ll take a cab.”
“Drug addicts, murderers, rapists, this is not the same as the town you came from, this is a big city. You have to be more careful.”
“Says the woman about to go on a date with someone she met online,” I chuckle.
“If I don’t like the look of him, I’ll walk right on out,” she laughs. “Anyway, I was waiting for you, but now I know you are on the way, I’m leaving, OK? Don’t forget to feed the cat. I’d do it, but I don’t want to get all dirty.”
As she says this, I conjure up an image of her tootling out the back to the alley to feed the cat in her expensive high heels and no doubt, tight little black dress.
“I’ll feed the cat. You have fun.”
“Always. Bye.”
I hang up and shake my head. She is a crazy idiot, but meeting her at my new job and taking her up on the offer to share an apartment is the best thing that has happened to me since moving to this city.
I knew we would be friends from the first day we met. I’d asked her, given her name, if she could teach me Spanish.
“I’m as Mexican as they get,” she laughed, “but English is my language.”
