Page 66 of The Missus
Keira smiled and nodded like that was all to be expected. ‘Well, that’s, err, fucking demented. But good luck to you both, I guess?’
‘Thanks, guys,’ Kelly grinned.
‘Yeah,’ Alanna said, visibly confused. ‘I hope you guys make it work.’
‘We will,’ Benjamin said. ‘Hope it works out for you too, Alanna. I really do.’
Kelly looked them up and down and added smugly. ‘Yeah. But if it doesn’t work out for you, you know, what witheverything, don’t feel bad. Not everyone has what we have.’
Alanna raised an eyebrow at that. ‘Interlocking emotional issues?’
Kelly and Benjamin looked at each other and smiled in a sick-making fashion. ‘Call it what you want. But it works,’ Benjamin said. They went in and shut the door behind them.
Keira turned to Alanna. ‘Wow.’
She was snorting with laughter. ‘Yeah.Wow.’
They went into the elevator. ‘Where are we going?’ Alanna asked.
‘I don’t know. Ineverknow,’ Keira said, flummoxed. She punched the button for the main floor. ‘We could get some coffee on the corner?’
‘It’s not as good as yours,’ Alanna said.
Keira had to smile. ‘Damn straight. But it’s not in this building full of lunatics, so I’ll suck back the swill.’
The elevator moved off. Keira, her stomach churning, remembered what had conveniently been forgotten for a few minutes. She decided to brave it since she didn’t have much choice. ‘Did you say something about… There was something you wanted to talk to me about?’
‘Oh,’ Alanna said, clearing her throat. ‘No, I was just… I was thinking about switching our internet provider. I think we’re getting screwed.’
Keira felt two tons of panic slide off her back. ‘Oh. Yeah, sure.’ She laughed. ‘We’re definitely getting screwed. I just never had the energy to deal with it. Feel free.’
Alanna smiled. ‘Great. I’ll get on that.’
It was OK. Keira had more time. She didn’t know what the hell to do with it. But she had it.
But then she remembered what she also had. Sandra. A dreadful house guest who wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.
‘I’ve changed my mind about the coffee shop. I can’t stomach that place. Could we maybe get a beer?’ she asked Alanna.
‘Thank god you said it so I didn’t have to,’ Alanna smiled.
Twenty-Seven
Alanna had been so close to saying it. To giving Keira both barrels of gut-busting truth. It was kind of lucky that Ed had appeared, and Keira had said that thing about love being a drain. Alanna didn’t need to say anything now, because she knew where Keira stood. Where she’d always stood, unchanged, uncompromising. And Alanna had found out without having to make herself look silly. Worse, damaging the friendship.
Keira came back from the bar with two beers. ‘How long do you think we need to stay out?’
‘God knows.’ Alanna paused. ‘But I hope you realise what this means?’
‘Your mother is broke and homeless, and I’m never getting her out of my flat? Yeah, that had occurred to me,’ Keira said with a sigh. She took a pull on her beer.
‘I’m so sorry you’ve been put in this position.’
‘It’s not your fault.’
‘It’sdefinitelymy fault. I believed her when she said a night or two.’ Alanna got a steely look in her eye. ‘Well, this can’t work long-term. She’s gonna have to work something out for herself. She can’t just expect to make herself my financial burden now that she’s set fire to her relationship.’
‘So what are you gonna do? Because I can’t see you kicking her out without somewhere to go,’ Keira said.
