Light Blue

The End- Harbour, Home, Heart

40

It's a forlorn sight as we drop off the key at the reception. Our bags all packed and the customary sunglasses on to signal the end. We didn't feel like celebrating.

"Au revoir," chimes the receptionist as she takes the key back.

"Au revoir," we reply grudgingly and we leave the hotel lobby for the last time. Paris is in full swing and we decide to take a taxi instead of the metro. Amelia and I talk lightly, about what we would miss and what was going to happen in the future. I had told her last night what had happened on the Eiffel Tower and not surprisingly she had given me a hug and a knowing wink. I roll my eyes as I remember that; she is definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Too soon the taxi arrives at the Gare du Lyon and as we walk inside, we take one last look at the distant landscape of the centre of Paris blurred in a summer haze. Amelia looks at me.

"Are you ready?"

I smirk. "Hell yes."

**

The train pulls out of the station, speeding up through a tunnel before coming out again into broad daylight. The scenery quickly changes from urban and industrial blending into rolling greens and wheat yellow. I toy with an empty coffee cup, chatting to Amelia about the highlights again and arguing with her about a certain Australian person. I wave the crumpled slip of paper in front of her.

"I dare you to call him."

"No!" she says, covering her eyes.

"Chicken," I taunt.

"No shush!"

"Bawk, bawk, bawk!"

"Oh shut up."

She grabs the piece of paper from me and quickly dials the number, shooting furtive looks for any train staff. The phone rings and we wait with bated breath. Five seconds, ten seconds.

"Looks like he's not going to pick up!" Amelia says triumphantly.

"Hello?" A distance voice comes from the phone and I point my finger at her and laugh silently. She mimes banging her head against the wall and lifts the phone to her ear.

"Hello there."

I can't hear what he is saying but she laughs.

"No, my friend gave me this number. Delilah?"

Something else and then: "Yes, the brown haired imp."

I lunge forward and try to wrestle the phone out of her grip but then I spy an attendant at the end of the train and I sink low in my seat, gesturing to Amelia. She turns and grins.

"Yes, it's very nice to speak to you, bye."

She ends the call and puts it down onto the table.

"Did he really call me a brown haired imp?" I ask immediately.

"Nah, I was just having fun."

I toss the empty coffee cup in her face.

"Classy Delilah." She wipes some drops of coffee of her face with a grimace. "He seems very nice."

"Yeah, better than the-"

"Biker psychopath?"

"Mm, yeah. But you two would go well together. The psychopaths together at last," I say nonchalantly. She throws the coffee cup back at my face and stands up.

"I'm going to the bathroom and let you think about what you just said. See ya." She narrows her eyebrows a she disappears down the end of the train compartment and I sigh. The last 24 hours had felt like a cloud of lightness and in that moment my thoughts turn very momentarily to Oscar. I wonder where he is now and what he is doing.