Page 80 of The Missus

Alanna had to forcibly tell her eyeballs not to roll back into her skull.

‘So, how’s it going with you two?’ Benjamin asked with the slightest smirk. ‘You, err, hanging in there?’

Alanna’s brow creased. ‘Umm, yes, thanks. You two fine?’

‘Oh, well, I’m sure you can see how fine we are,’ Kelly said with a little sideways glance at Benjamin. What was this now?

Keira was clearly on the same page as Alanna but more likely to say it. ‘You two are being fucking weird. Why?’

‘Oh, nothing. We’re just checking in,’ Benjamin said quickly. ‘Hey, look, Mrs Nguyen came!’ They spun away to attack the old lady with their smug couple-ness.

‘What the fuck do you suppose all that was about?’ Keira asked, watching them.

Alanna chewed the inside of her mouth. ‘Not sure. There was a slight vibe of knowingness about them, though. Don’t you think?’

‘What, like they know something about us?’ Keira asked.

‘Yes.’

‘You think they know about the ruse?’

Alanna shrugged. ‘Maybe.’

Keira cocked her head philosophically. ‘I guess it doesn’t matter all that much now. They’re both done with us, so it won’t cause any drama in that respect. I know you probably wouldn’t want it getting to your mother, though, right? She’d never shut up about it.’

Alanna glanced over at her mother saying something to Jonty that she could tell, even from this distance, was disapproving. ‘I feel like if she wants to judge me, let her. If that’s what she needs to do to be, well, nothappyexactly, but whatever her version of that is, she can crack on with it.’

Keira looked at her. ‘So this is it? I meanitit. Getting a divorce, so to speak.’

Alanna nodded. ‘I’m not gonna go shouting about the fact that it was all lies, but I’m not gonna do anything to keep up the charade anymore. As long as that’s alright with you.’

Keira shrugged. ‘Let the chips fall where they may, I guess.’

Alanna wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she changed the topic slightly. ‘While we’re talking about this, what are your plans for…’

‘What?’

‘Your little adventures with strangers?’

Keira gave a rueful smile. ‘I’ll figure something out.’

‘What, though?’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ Keira said mysteriously.

It was funny that Alanna was even asking. Because she didn’t want to hear about all that. But she missed the time when Keira would talk to her about anything, unfiltered. They’d gotten there at one point. But somewhere along the way, that was gone again. Keira’s wall was right back up. Alanna didn’t quite know what had happened. She just knew it was sad. But inevitable.

Thirty-Two

Keira was talking to some woman who lived a few doors down from her, though she didn’t recognise her at all. ‘So, how long have you lived here?’ she asked the lady.

‘Umm, about three years. Of course, I know you’ve been here about eighteen months now, haven’t you?’

‘How did you know that?’ Keira asked.

The woman raised an eyebrow. ‘Seriously?’

Keira’s mouth quirked. ‘Oh. Yes, right. We had that… drink that time. Sorry.’