Heartbeats in Moonlight

Chapter 7

Amelia looked over her shoulder, signalled and pulled out into the road. With her mind still on her argument with Jack from days ago, she asked, "Do you think I should talk to Jack before we go?"

"What would you say?" Ella settled back into the seat and just looked over at Amelia. It was clear, that Amelia was still worried about her relationship with Jack.

Amelia said nothing as she thought about. Would he listen? What could she say? "I don't know." She shrugged, and Ella could feel Amelia's anxiety. The reason they got on so well is the fact that they understood each other's reaction. Even when their reactions were contained in their own minds. "I really don't know." Every time Amelia thought about the situation she felt queasy. She shrugged again and kept her eyes on the road.

Puzzled by the tone of anxiety she picked up in Amelia's voice, Ella questioned softly, "Ames? What would you say?" Even just bring that up, reminded Ella about the issue with David. Back then, she had thought about their conversation, what she could say to David, but, back then, she couldn't work out how to approach him.

Amelia sighed loudly. "Just try to explain things." Just like me, back then, Ella filed that in her brain. "I guess, I just wanted to explain." Amelia sighed again, "I just want us to go back to our original relationship." Ella understood that. She has the same problem with David. Ella often wished she could go back to her late teens, rehash their meeting back then and then modify the situation. Actually, just one particular situation, said the voice in her head. Amelia was still talking, "We got on. You know. We hit it off. It was so easy to talk to him. Like we knew each other for ages. Our whole lives. We talked about anything. We just got on. Really well."

Ella's mind wandered off as Amelia's statements reminded her about her relationship with David. They got on. Really well, back then, thought Ella. She tried to focus back on Amelia's voice and tuned back into their conversation.

Amelia said matter of fact, "You know, we became friends. Me and Jack. We were good. I thought we understood each other. Now, I feel like the progress we made was just an illusion. I became his foe!"

"A foe?" Ella snorted.

"An adversary. An antagonist." Amelia mumbled, and as per normal. When she is stressed she tended to revert to her job and hobby. In her job she studied language. So she gave Ella synonyms.

"I know what a foe is!" Ella laughed. "And he isn't your foe, he is a fool!" Just like David! Indignation exploded in Ella's mind and she was sure her battle to contain it would be seen by Amelia. "Ames, Jack is a prize fool! Like his brother."

Amelia sighed. "You know the brothers are not fools, I assume you meant David, not Jack's other brothers! In any way, Jack was direct." It was so sad to watch all that she had established with Jack going up in a puff of smoke. Everything disappeared: embryonic camaraderie, open smiles, shared secret laughter. Amelia rolled her lips, licked her lips and said softly as she remember his tone and his words, "He was kind of, well, really direct."

"You mean rude? Like David was at the shop." Back to David, her mind remonstrated in her head: Why was she spending so much time thinking about David today? The last two years she had managed to keep David off her mind. It was deliberated. She knew he had girlfriends, gorgeous girlfriends, but she had never seen him with his girlfriends showing any public display of affection, not even holding hands. Ella had deliberated avoided any social events where David, and his girlfriend, might appear. But now, given Amelia fancied David's brother, and given that she is Amelia's best friend, Ella knew she would have to attend particular social events.

"That is not true, Ella!" Amelia corrected with a snort.

"It is! He took offence. His recommendations were rubbish! I just pointed that out to him! And he took umbrage."