Epiphany: Reminiscence

III. Memento

Four more weeks until the most anticipated play of the season at Illios Theatre. You would expect the actors to be eagerly preparing, as it would be normal. But...

"Just what is in her head!? She's really calling me at this time of the year? I can't believe that she's doing this..." Whining over the phone: Lucia. The person receiving all the whining: Luke Harrington, her friend and colleague from work. Her current complaints were all at Flavia's address. Just this morning, she called and told Lucia to urgently pay a visit to Barton Le Clay. Of course, the two almost got in a fight, but Lucia knew it was pointless to argue with her inhumanly stubborn aunt. The fight was lost in the moment she started complaining...

"Maybe she really has something important to talk to you about. Who knows, a far-away aunt or something might have died and left you a huge inheritance. Now that would be devil's luck," Luke replied, trying to find the good part of this whole business and, at the same time, trying to change Lucia's mood into better.

"Yeah, or maybe she wants to redecorate and called me and Santa to help her."

"Call me if the Easter Bunny appears. That guy never stopped at my house."

"Very funny, mister White Hare. And maybe he never stopped to your place because you've been a bully. Who knows?" Lucia giggled, showing Luke that he indeed choose his words well.

"Amelia is so going to fire me this time..." She continued, gulping as she heard her boss yell something at some newcomer in the theatre.

"You know just as well as me that she wouldn't do that. You're an excellent actress and an important member of our team. Hell, you write most of our plays! She just can't afford to lose you."

"Yeah, but she could still make me work overtime. Besides, with her personality, you never know when she'll end your contract, just like that, on a whim," she added, as if having her boss fire her was her dearest dream. But she knew she had to be realistic and take that possibility into account.

"Luke! Stop talking to God knows who and come help already!" Amelia's shouting voice was heard, making Lucia have to distance the phone from her ear. Luke was already sweating, seeing the demon boss approach him.

"You heard her, Luke. Go before she begins throwing with paint cans in you," Lucia found herself pitying him.

"Yeah... I better do that..." Luke nodded, gulping. "Take care, alright? And don't be too harsh with Flavia. Bye!"

"See you tomorrow!" And with that, the call ended, Luke returning to the work he had to do, and without her knowing, also taking over Lucia's share. He couldn't help himself but do it, having always seen Lucia as his most precious friend. And despite her refusals to go out with him, he wanted to at least keep this friendship unchanged, till the day she will actually say yes. Hope dies last...

Back on the road to Barton, Lucia, now left alone with her thoughts, begun to wonder what exactly was Flavia's reason for calling her, going as far as to call it an emergency.

"She couldn't be pregnant, right? Or maybe she plans on selling the house... Please don't tell me she wants to get a divorce! Christian is too cool!" She begun speculating, but each of these were worst case scenarios. But each of them send her shivers, making her remember how much would Lucas cry when she didn't join his games and making her wonder if she would be able to stand another child. And for nothing in the world would she allow that house to be sold.

Ultimately, in order to stop these thoughts, she turned out the radio and begun singing along.

An hour later, her red Matiz came out of the oaks tunnel and stopped in front of the old gates of her childhood's house. Her premise for not entering the yard and leave the car outside the gates was that she wouldn't stay too long there. With some luck, she thought, she could be back in London by nightfall.