completed by my flipflops. He would laugh at me for years and years. Lizzy had to swear by all the best things in her life (veganism, cozy blankets and herbal teas) she wouldn’t let my secret out. The cab took me home first, cause Lizzy lived a block further, so I kissed her on the tanned cheek, took my suitcase with no new boots inside, and got up the stairs.
And there, to my utmost surprise, I saw a bunch of red and pink roses in a gorgeous antiquish vase standing by my door. I couldn’t help but smell the fresh flowers, bringing the summer joy to the windy rainy Friday night. I could see a note between the flower buds.
“Welcome home, love! Thought England might look too colorless for you now. Xoxo”.
Season 2
Episode 1
Chloe is in doubt and I get a premonition (?)
Things were getting closer to Halloween, stores filled with spooky candy and scary outfits.
I really loved all that as a kid, but now time goes by so fast, seems like you don’t get a chance to stop and enjoy or to really wait for a holiday. Everything rushes into your life before you can think of it.
– Sexy nurse or a crazy nun? – Lizzy asks as we move along the racks.
– Do they have an XXL cushion costume for me? – I sigh, – Spain didn’t do my body any good, except for the vitamin D, I guess.
– You’re too harsh on yourself, Al, buuuut , I did see you back at the hotel bar drinking a milkshake, not plant based milk, I suppose, ha? – she gave me that detective look again. – Oh well, I swear it was only for the purpose of investigation! I needed to know if Spanish milk tasted better than British, and I proudly can assure you it did not.
– I shan’t listen to your excuses, – she snorted, – your metabolism has already punished you anyways. Evil biker or a cat woman?
– A what? Oh, right, costumes. I really want to bail this time, but Kevin has to go and promote himself and I am his trophy or cheerleader or strong back to rely on.
– You can use the word girlfriend if it seems appealing, – Lizzy looks right into my soul.
– Girlfriend is boring, – I find my excuse, – you always tell me to work on my synonyms cause my posts and hashtags irritate you. See, I AM working!
She smiles and takes a purple dress witch costume for herself and a Cleopatra for me. Off we go.
I take a cab to the little place on Hollins road where I am to meet Kevin for a bite. He loves their authentic breakfast and as we both had an opening this Friday morning sharing some nice food seemed like a great idea.
The cold air got into my nostrils as soon as I pushed myself out of the warm cab, realizing that winter is just around the corner. Still have no idea where to spend Christmas: have snowy Sweden with the folks or some palmy distant resort with Kevin as the alternatives. Both would suit my blog very much but the last variant would mean leaving Lizzy alone here as Kevin is always too jealous of her “stealing” our precious moments. Whatever he means by this.
At first I tried to explain him the importance of my friendship with Lizzy: several years ago she lost her parents in a car crash and as she has no siblings I tried to fill in this open wound space. We have been besties since high school and there is no other person on the whole planet and within our galaxy, I suppose too, who could make me feel like home better than this short haired polar fox. Thinking of this made my heart sink a little and get my mind closer to the Swedish vacation. Lizzy would be so happy and my parents too – they have always seen her as a part of our family. Maybe even Jason could make it, he always brings extra festivity to the holidays.
Kevin was already there as I entered, eating the authentic breakfast.
– Oh, hey, hon, sorry, was starving! Ordered you a flat white for starters, check the menu, they have some new stuff which you might like. Even some greens on greens as your friend would appreciate, – he looked really cheerful.
– Sure, no prob, I am not even properly hungry, – I said to Kevin and then replied to a waiter hurrying to ask what I wanted, – just a toast, please, veggie one.
Kevin threw me a sarcastic glance.
– Who could have thought that you can be so easily influenced, – he mumbled not even looking at me.
– There is a good side to it, Kev, YOU also can totally get me do whatever you want.
– I didn’t intend to be harsh, but it sort of came out like that.
– Let’s change the subject, shall we?
– Course… we are going to that club in Manchester on the 31st, right?
– Of course, we are, – I smiled in celebration of the subject change, – I will be a Cleopatra, sooo
– I get the Mark Antony part? – He laughed.
– Yes, you are too handsome for a Caesar!!
– I am glad you still think so!
At this moment I had a sudden vision, I don’t know how you can call it. Something you have never experienced in reality and which feels totally real with all the details like smell and sound. The word “premonition” comes to my mind, but I don’t believe in such things, nor can I be sure I was having a glance into the future.
The scary part was that it lasted for only several seconds, but took me completely out of the surrounding reality: I had to grab the table’s corner to be sure I was physically there, in this particular restaurant with this particular man.
– Are you all right? – Kevin asked worriedly, – you are so pale, I guess you were too hungry for a cup of caffeine on an empty stomach. I will go ask if your toast is coming any time soon and I will make sure it has some cheese on it. I nodded having no strength to say anything or protest the cheese.
I was still partly somewhere else, on the shore, looking into someone else’s dark eyes, feeling so happy my heart was going to explode into millions of pieces. Smell of a corndog, sea salt mixing with sweat on my skin, on his skin… The way he held my hand as if it was the only thing keeping him at peace in this world. The afternoon wind playing with my long salty hair, seagulls fighting over something nearby, a young woman in a colorful swimsuit running towards her curly haired toddler…
– There you go, Ally, I’m telling you, this vegan thing will get you to the hospital one day, – Kevin looked sincerely worried, – have a bite and get your powers up.
– Thank you, – I said with a weird feeling of embarrassment, – you are so kind.
The toast was amazingly good, and by the time I got done with it, I almost felt like myself again. Myself. Realistic sarcastic Allison and not some nut with “flash forwards” or premonitions. Why do I even think that it is from the future? Maybe it is just a collision of two parallel universes and if so, I must be happy that the other me somewhere out there is having a much more fulfilled life and a one in a lifetime relationship. How crazy is that to be jealous of yourself in a parallel world?
We talked about Jeronimo and his cars and the good money he has paid us for the promotion, then discussed Kevins career plans (which seemed a bit too fantastic to me, but I am all in for heading to the stars, not looking down) and then just sat there in silence watching the traffic behind the window. The good silence. Between two people who know each other for so long that they don’t have to speak constantly to be understood or to feel at ease.
We shared a cab and kissed each other goodbye.
Lizzy has a spare key from my apartment and is free to come whenever she feels like, and I was sure to find her there, cause it was another Friday.
– You’ve missed the intro, – I heard Lizzy shouting