Page 84 of Only After We Met
But I think you’re incredible, Rhys.
You’re brilliant. Independent. An adventurer. Brave. Sincere. Reserved (that’s not bad). Handsome (I’ll never repeat that again). Smart. You can spell (predictably, that matters to me). You’re tender sometimes (you were the night you found me lost in Paris). You’re sincere. Direct. Fun. A little gross (you probably think that’s a virtue, that’s why I’m putting it in). Creative. Contradictory. Melancholic. Aloof (that will be sexy for your future fans). Authentic.
From: Rhys Baker
To: Ginger Davies
Subject: Mmmm
I see you’re doing well in my absence, Ginger. Very good. I especially like you calling me brilliant, authentic, and gross.Now I know what to put on my CV. And…you’re right (I’m not especially stubborn, am I?), it is hard for me to talk about certain things, but I think a lot of people are that way. Try and ask James about kids, and pray he doesn’t take off running. I’ll wait for the results of the experiment.
From: Ginger Davies
To: Rhys Baker
Subject: RE: Mmmm
I’m sorry to tell you that I did talk to him about it, and it went fine, normal. He wants to be a father and hopes he can get married someday, even if he doesn’t know when. He’s not so weird. If everyone was like you, the human race would go extinct. No one would ever go out with anyone longer than a couple of months. I guess every person is a world.
From: Ginger Davies
To: Rhys Baker
Subject: DONE!
It’s over, Rhys! I’m SO happy! I’m speechless. A little dizzy too. These days have been chaos, that’s why I haven’t written you (but you haven’t written me either, I guess you’re busy swimming naked or having some other wild adventure). I passed all my classes, two with the highest grade, and I got an A on my final project. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so proud. I’m terrified too, because starting a new life like this all of a sudden is scary. ButI’m also excited. This week, I’m moving. For now, I’m living in my sister’s apartment. She has roommates, Michael and Tina, but it turns out Tina’s moving in with this boyfriend she’s only known for a few weeks, and that works out great for me.
What else…? The worst thing was saying goodbye to Kate. She’s staying with her parents in Manchester for a while; then when November comes, she’ll look for a job in London.
I feel like a bottle of champagne full of bubbles and the cork has just shot out. I’m going to finish packing my bags. Then I’ll say goodbye to every wall, every corner, every patch of grass I’ve walked on all these years…
I know, I’m getting sentimental.
I’m done. I hope you’re well. Kisses.
41
Rhys
I was going to meet with Owen at the club I worked at every night. But it was daytime, and it wasn’t open yet. When I got there, I waved. A woman walked over and smiled before giving me a kiss on the cheek. Her name was Alexa. She had long blond hair and legs that wouldn’t quit. Everything about her was long. I could easily look her in the eye. I remembered how with Ginger, I always had to bend down to do that. And I thought of the impression she made on me when I first saw her in front of the ticket machine, a year and a half ago or more. So short. So funny. So pissed… She reminded me of a child’s cartoon.
Alexa was the total opposite.
We sat down at a table, and Owen brought over a few beers while we started talking. At first, all I did was listen, getting the lay of the land. I still wasn’t sure this was a good idea. Why did I want anything else? I was happy with what I had, right? My job was perfect, simple, with no obligations and no goals. So what was I hoping for from this? Fame? I’d never been interested. Money? I had tons in savings, and I’d never even felt tempted to touch it. Personalsatisfaction? Maybe. Feeling like I wasdoing somethingbesides just getting drunk and wandering around.
“The lyrics are perfect!” Alexa beamed at her brother before resting a hand on her heart and looking at me. “So deep. Just… I just want to change the gender, obviously. I’d like to give it a run-through. I just need to get the harmony.”
Of course. I’d written it from a guy’s point of view.
“Sure, we can change that up.”
For the next half hour, I played the song several times while Alexa tried to match the lyrics with the music. She sang the chorus a couple of times, making her brother smile. He seemed to think it was going well for a first meeting. She could sing. Her voice was sweet but strong. Her version was more straightforward and sadder until it peaked, then the change was brusque, potent.
“Where can we meet to rehearse?”
“I don’t know. Here. Or my place. Wherever you like.”
Alexa nodded, and her brother got up to take a call. I took a sip of my beer, and she hummed the chorus again. She’d gotten it down fast. And she hadn’t argued or given me any headaches. I’d been worried about that when I took on the project. We looked at each other with satisfaction.