Where the Stars Fall

2 | Glimpses

LEANING AGAINST the handrail, I glance at my reflected image in the mirror. Open shirt and loosened tie. Jacket hung over the shoulder and crystal trophy in hand. Large brown envelope tucked under the arm and an overall grand-bloody-mess impression I refuse to look at any longer.

Tipping my head back against the wall, I close my eyes and take a steadying breath, listening to the lift humming softly as it ascends to the third floor.

Upon entering my flat, I toss the envelope onto the console table – photographs and proof of transactions that should incriminate the miserable fucking bastard. Then I throw myself on the sofa, the headache pounding inside my skull making it almost impossible to think.

"Hello, Brian." A soft voice cuts through the haze in my mind.

It's my sister, turning in the swivel couch to face me, a steaming mug in her hands.

"All good? Please, grab a seat. Make yourself at home."

Not missing the sardonic tone, Sue stares at me with narrow eyes. "How are you?"

"Aside from a raging headache? Fine, thank you."

"How was last night?" She keeps her voice even, her expression calm.

It's all fake, she's about to combust.

"Pretty uneventful. How was yours?"

She scowls at me. "Seriously, Brian. What was that last night? What happened to you?"

"Please, don't be mad."

"Yes, I'm mad – very perceptive of you. Actually, I'm furious!" Her sharp, green stare pierces right through me. "It's well past midday already. Where the hell have you been?"

I sit upright immediately and check the time myself.

"Shit, my flight to New York!" I mutter, the realisation that I only have a few hours to gather my stuff, say goodbye to the kids and get to Heathrow dawning hard on me.

"Do you know why I'm here?"

"I'm afraid I can't read your mind." I hunch forward and take a minute to hold my head between my hands, the throb against my temples only getting worse.

Sue sweeps her long hair back over her shoulder and tilts her chin upwards, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Why?" I ask.

"I think you need this." She hands me her cup of coffee and I take a grateful sip, hoping the caffeine quickly enters my system. "Do you know what day it is?"

I give a half shrug. No bloody idea.

Sue allows me the time to think more about it, her silent rage making my stomach knot as the quiet settles in deeper between us.

"I'm sorry," I breathe out after a while. For not knowing what day this is – a miserable one, that is for sure. For not showing up for dinner and leaving her all by herself last night. For ignoring her calls. For disappearing right after the ceremony. But mostly, for shutting myself away from everyone lately.

"You can't just say you're sorry, Brian. You have to pick yourself up! And stop letting people down!"

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?"

"So I'm just being over-dramatic?" Sue crosses her arms defiantly. "For crying out loud, look at yourself! You look like shit. I bet you spent the night with the first trashy whore who swayed her ass in front of you!"

No, I didn't spend the fucking night with a woman! That is the very last thing on my mind right now. But I'm too exhausted to argue.

I lean my head against the back of the sofa, and close my eyes, wishing I could tell her more of what's happening. But I can't. She wouldn't approve of any of this. She wouldn't understand.