I walked into the TheChap all still reeling from my business meeting earlier in the day.
N: Hi. I am supposed to meet Meghan Ev...
M: Nooraaaa!
I turned to see my friend waving her hand.
Meghan Evans and I met in Madrid over a decade ago while we were both there as exchange students in high school. She from the UK and me from Norway. We bonded quickly and maintained a close friendship with frequent visits to Oslo or to London over the years.
The last two years though, we are both residents of the city of London. In the beginning, when I first got here from Madrid and she back from the US, where she studied, we buckled up in an apartment together along with her brother and his three friends and one girlfriend. It was the best of times and worst of times. Then when we all got a little on our feet, started getting jobs and paychecks we all went our separate ways, some even together.
We don't see each other as much anymore both being occupied with work and life and also the fact that we are total opposites. But, we share a past and have many of the same friends so we check in with each other occasionally, having drinks or dinner.
M: Hi - we hugged
N: Hey. Have you waited long?
M: No no 5 minutes tops. I ordered you an Aperol
N: Oh thanks - said as I sat down
M: What? - she was staring at me
N: What? - became self-conscious and started touching around my lips thinking my lipstick was unjust
M: You're weird! - she was still looking intensely at me
N: Ok - relaxed a bit because I knew what she meant and I wasn't the one to hide my feelings. I sucked at it actually. Everything I was feeling could always be read in my eyes. Anyone who knew me well enough knew that.
M: Seriously! Something happen? Your eyes are like... smiling or glistening or something
I smiled wholeheartedly then started laughing. In reality, I was about to explode with emotions all over the place so the laughter was very much welcomed. It relaxed me.
N: I met William
M: Your ex William?
N: Yeah
M: Omg! Where?
N: At work. He is Kristian Kearney business partner. They are the ones that want to set up the spa-wellness-training facility at our hotel.
M: Oh shit?! That's weird
N: Tell me about it
M: But how was it? What did he say?
N: It was shocking, I was not professional at all. I was like all over the place. Luckily they all got there before me so they knew about me and William knowing each other. William told them before I got there so they were all cool and smiles, even Simon. But still, you know it's my boss and this was an important meeting and I was out of it, took me half an hour to compose myself into a normal working mode.
M: Shit! Good Simon was cool though. So the meeting went well?
I sensed she wanted to get off the topic. I saw how her face lost interest in the conversation as soon as Williams name was mentioned. But I had to tell someone and she was practically interrogating me. I tried calling Sana or Eva as soon as we wrapped up the meeting with William and Kristian but none answered, both probably being at work. I have to try them later. They will be much better companions for this conversation than Meghan is.
I wouldn't have told her in the first place but since she was the first I saw after it all it was just natural. And also I thought the coast was clear now, that we are past all the weird stuff and can talk about everything like once two close friends and not tiptoe around each other because of someone elses' mistakes. But apparently, the coast ain't so clear nevertheless.
N: Yeah yeah. Anyway whats up with you? You had gossip? - I tried to lighten the mood after taking her cue and ending the convo about William.
Later that night as I lay in my bed my thoughts flew to todays events. Omg William is here and we are gonna be working together. That is such a bizarre situation. We didn't have much time to catch up afterward as I was rushed to another unplanned meeting and he was off to the airport, going to Atlanta for three weeks where he will a consultant on a case. But as we would be working together there will be video calls and meetings.
