Lethe Vita

Chapter 11

The one reminder she told herself before walking out the door was to not forget the wine.

It stood to reason, then, that she had forgotten the wine.

The brand-new, expensive bottle of elderflower wine bought solely for Sofia's hen party.

She had asked Kai to turn back around when they were halfway to Sofia's. Kai said they could pick a bottle up on the way. Clare said she had raved about this particular wine and Sofia expected it to be at her hen party. She asked Kai if he would find it acceptable to disappoint Sofia.

Kai turned around.

He noticed the slumped form on the sidewalk before she did. As the car headlights began to accentuate distinguishable, discombobulated features, Clare commanded Kai to stop the car.

She raced out.

"Brenda!" she called.

Brenda jumped twelve feet in the air and shrunk more into herself.

"Brenda, it's Clare," said Clare.

"Clare?" asked Brenda. She squinted, repeated Clare's name, and then broke down.

Clare gestured for Kai to step out of the car.

"Brenda, my place isn't far from here," said Clare. "Can I take you to it? It's far too wet and cold for you to be sitting on the sidewalk."

"I - I," Brenda sniffled; though from sleet or misery, Clare could not ascertain. "I killed Dylan."

"What?" asked Clare, certain she had heard wrong.

"I killed Dylan," Brenda repeated. "He tried to touch me. I didn't want him to touch me. I told him to not touch me, but he tried to do it anyway. I shoved him and he fell and hit the bench and I got scared and ran and now; now the ceiling's crashed and I can't - I can't find my way home."

The color of Brenda's lips concerned Clare, as did Brenda's pallor.

"I'm sure Dylan's fine," Clare assured. "Out looking for you."

"He won't be looking for me," said Brenda. "He's a liar who doesn't care."

That was certainly a difference from the last time Clare had spoken with Brenda about Dylan.

She wondered what had happened to distort Brenda's view.

"Hei," said Kai, who kept a respectable distance away.

"Hei," said Brenda. "You're cute. He's cute," she added to Clare.

Kai flashed his award-winning smile.

Literally award-winning.

"Tonight, it is not the most appropriate weather for a seat on the sidewalk," said Kai.

"I ran until I couldn't run anymore," said Brenda. "Then the ceiling crashed and my legs gave out."

"May we take you to the apartment?" asked Clare. "You'll get hypothermia sitting out here. I've got a nice, warm, cozy apartment. You can warm up while I call Dylan and let him know where you are. I'm sure he's been searching for you everywhere, regardless of what may have happened between you two."

Though Brenda permitted Kai and Clare to help her into the car, she requested that Clare please not call Dylan.

Brandon and Valerie were also on that list, as Brenda believed Dylan may be with them.

"They think he's my daughter's father," she told Clare with steaming mugs of hot chocolate warming their respective hands. Kai had stayed long enough to ensure Brenda's injury hadn't flared up and she didn't require medical attention, before going on ahead to Sofia's with the wine as Clare had asked him to do.