Page 54 of The Retreat
When Flora finally turned and saw her, her expression flickered. She knew something was up right away.
‘Talia. What are you—’
‘Can we talk?’
Flora glanced at the driver. ‘Are we done?’
The driver nodded and got to stepping. Even he could smell the trouble coming.
Flora slapped on a too-bright smile as she turned back to Flora. ‘Is everything—’
Talia didn’t waste time. ‘Who texted you this morning?’
Flora’s smile faltered. ‘What?’
‘I saw the message: “So, when are we going to take this thing into the real world? I’m tired of just talking.”’ It wasn’t hard to quote it. Those words had been spinning around her head all morning.
Flora’s face shifted. ‘You went through my phone?’
‘I didn’t. It lit up. I saw it.’
‘So you assumed I was cheating on you?’ Flora said, offended.
Talia folded her arms. ‘Should I not?’
Flora actually laughed. ‘Christ, Talia. Do you know how paranoid that sounds? It’s a work thing.’
‘A work thing,’ Talia repeated, incredulous.
‘That message was from an artist who’s been trying to get me to come out to see his work for weeks. I couldn’t find the time. He’s being very pushy.’
Talia shook her head, no. ‘Don’t treat me like an idiot. You’ve been distant for weeks. You barely touch me anymore. You’re always out—’
‘Out?’ Flora’s voice rose. ‘How would you know? You’re the one who’s never home. You’re the one buried in work every night of the week.’
‘I’m doing it for us—’
‘No, you’re doing it for you. Because it’s easier than having to be vulnerable for five minutes. God forbid you let someone actuallyseeyou.’
Talia reeled. Her jaw clenched. She was a lawyer, and she understood the tactics being deployed. ‘You’re deflecting.’
‘I just think it’s convenient,’ Flora went on. ‘Every time things get difficult, you vanish into work.’
‘I’m not vanishing,’ Talia said. ‘I have deadlines. That’s not the same thing.’
‘You’re never home.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘I didn’t mind it, at first,’ Flora went on. ‘The late nights, the weekends. I told myself it was temporary, that once this case was over, you’d… make time for what matters.’
Talia sighed. ‘Flora—’
‘No. I’m not trying to fight. I just…’ She softened ever so slightly. ‘I miss you. And I don’t know what I’m meant to do with that.’
‘You think I don’t miss you too? I’m trying to build something here. Something for both of us.’ She didn’t understand the direction this conversation had taken. Talia wasn’t the wrong one, was she? It was Flora who was wrong.
But, somehow, it was getting hard to remember exactly who was at fault.
