THE SECRET SEA: EXPANDED EDITION

2

In the midst of so much chaos, I find myself craving normalcy. I spend a few minutes charging my phone in the car before calling Eve. It's been months since we talked, so hearing the excitement in her voice puts me at ease. She suggests a place for us to meet. After hanging up, I instruct myself to engage in nothing but banal small talk. She doesn't need to know I'm homeless. I put two bucks of gas into my battered hatchback and drive across town to my lunch date.

The cafe is tiny but crowded. They serve sandwiches and soup and it's all so expensive but I wasn't going to make my only friend meet me at McDonald's. Eve arrives just as a waitress is seating me near the window.

Eve grins as she sits across from me in an antique wooden chair. Her facade is perfect as always. A shimmering bob of blonde hair frames a pale face and intense gray eyes. A vintage green dress from the last century drapes over her shoulders, fitting so well it makes me wonder if the designer had prophesied Eve wearing her frock.

"Couldn't wait for me?" asks Eve. Despite her playful tone, I can already tell that she senses something's wrong. She carries baggage too, but she's far better at hiding it.

"Sorry," I tell her, "the place was filling up, so I decided to grab a table."

"Relax Tim, I'm just fucking with you." Eve slaps a notebook on the table and puts her phone in her purse. "Mind if I scratch out a few lines while we chat? I had a couple of ideas on the way here."

I sip my coffee. "If I said I mind, would you care?"

"Of course not," says Eve, opening her ragged moleskine.

"I figured." Despite Eve's success, you'd never find her novels on a book store shelf. Call it adult fantasy or smut, each of her eBooks sell online by the thousands. She's happily raking up the cash in her niche, immune to any and all literary criticism.

"You there, Tim?" asks Eve, raising an eyebrow. "I don't mind an awkward silence, but I haven't seen you in a while and an update might be nice."

"Right," I stammer. "I'm...fine. How are you? What's the new book about?"

"Do you think a couple could have sex on a zipline without it collapsing?"

"Um...I'm not—"

"Actually, the collapse could be interesting. Never mind." Eve scratches something in her journal then closes the cover. "That's enough for now. You look like shit, by the way."

Always too honest. I run a hand through my disheveled, dirt-brown hair. "You look great, Eve. I guess I haven't seen you since the honeymoon. How's Steve?"

"Good. We only got back from Greece a few weeks ago. We decided to extend things a bit. Athens is intensely beautiful. We're considering moving there someday."

"Wow," I say. I'm already running out of words.

"Jesus Christ," says Eve, puffing her cheeks. "Will you just tell me what the fuck is going on? Your face is a roadmap of trauma."

In my quest for normalcy, I somehow forget Eve refuses to engage in small talk. I decide to rip off the bandage along with the scab. Just get it over with. "My condo burnt down and I can't afford a motel anymore. I'm living in my car, but that's not why I wanted to see you. I just...wanted to see you."

"Excuse me?" says Eve, shocked. "What happened?"

Combusting acetone rags fill my mind. "I don't know how it started," I say. "They're still investigating, but essentially, I lost everything."

Eve leans closer. "Are you okay? Were you hurt?"

I shake my head. "I had a bit of smoke inhalation but otherwise I'm fine."

I've never seen such empathy in Eve's eyes. "Oh my god, Tim. What about your art? You had that show coming up, right?"

"It's gone. I'll figure something out. You don't have to worry."

Eve stiffens in her seat and stares at me silently for a moment. "I'm buying lunch, and if you say anything in protest, our friendship is over!"

I nod. "Fair enough."

Eve's eyes light up as she twists her water glass. "Wait!"

"What?"

"Steven and I are renovating the garden shed in our backyard. We thought it would make a great little guesthouse. If you help us fix up the place, I'll let you stay there—rent-free—until you can get your shit together."

"Really?" I say with astonishment. "That's so generous...but there's no way Steven is going to let some dude camp out behind the house."

Eve laughs. "Please. Trust me, you're no threat to him, especially in such a pathetic state. Besides, you're like a brother to me. Stevie will be cool with it...he likes you."

My ego screams in pain, but I do my best not to let it show. "Oh, okay then."