“Did you know that Noah’s organising a party for your birthday this weekend?” I asked in a soft voice. I felt like I was doing her a kindness by telling her. Who knew how she’d react if he kept it a secret and then suddenly there were all these people in her house who she probably hadn’t spoken to in years.
Vee stared at me as though trying to comprehend what I just said. Tension filled the hallway as she hissed, “He’s what?”
I scratched my arm, growing nervous. Maybe I should’ve kept my mouth shut. “Noah had me deliver some invitations today …”
Her eyes started to bulge, and she flew down the stairs. I followed as she burst into the living room and threw her almost empty vodka bottle at Noah’s head. He was standing by the window, talking to someone on the phone, but he spotted her just in time. He ducked, and the bottle smashed into the wall, shattering to pieces.
“Listen, Tad, I’ll have to call you back.” Noah said calmly, ending his call and slotting the phone in his pocket. His eyes were livid as he levelled them on Vee. “What the ever-loving fuck, Veronica?”
“You’re throwing me a birthday party!” she yelled in anger. A normal person would’ve been excited at the prospect, but Vee was far from normal. I didn’t expect her to be thrilled about the idea, but I didn’t think she’d be this mad.
Noah’s expression sobered, his eyes coming to me. “You opened one of my invitations?”
“No, I … Principal Hawkins caught me trying to deliver one, and he opened it right in front of me.”
“John Hawkins?” Vee demanded. “Who else did you invite?”
“Just a few people from town,” Noah answered. “I had Estella deliver special invites to Enda Riordan, Matt O’Hare, Lydia McBride and Principal Hawkins, since they were all such good friends of our parents.”
What little colour was left drained from Vee’s face. Then, she flew at Noah, bashing him in the chest, fury pouring out of her. “How could you! They’re the last people I want to see!” she kept yelling, and I heard Sylvia stir in her bedroom down the hall. She was probably wondering what all the commotion was about. I stood back, well out of the way of Vee’s fury.
Noah grabbed hold of her thin, pale wrists. The look in his eyes made my blood run cold. “How could I?” he questioned. “I’m doing this all for you! I thought you’d appreciate the effort.”
Tears ran down Vee’s face as she slowly shook her head. “If you cared about me at all you’d leave all that in the past where it belongs. Instead, you’re trying to dredge it back up. I know you’re up to something. Whatever it is will end in disaster. It always does.”
Noah turned away from her, raking his hands through his hair as he stared out the window. He didn’t say anything for a long moment, then finally he turned back around, infinite sadness in his eyes. “Look at you, Vee. Look what you’ve become. We need to put everything behind us so we can finally move on. That’s all I’m trying to do.” He stared at her desperately, and she lost some of her steam.
I had no idea what they were talking about. Vee’s posture slumped as she stared back at him.
“I have put it behind me,” she told him weakly, then turned and left the room. I stood still, listening to her ascend the stairs before closing her bedroom door. Noah and I were both silent. I was completely in the dark as to what kind of history he and Vee were fighting over, but I had an uneasy feeling I didn’t want to know.
And that was why I didn’t ask about the party, nor why Vee was so crazy upset about it all.
No, I didn’t ask about any of that. I took a few steps across the room until I stood in front of Noah, hands on my hips. His gaze rose to meet mine, and I studied him a moment.
Then, when I’d finally built up enough courage, I asked, “Who’s Aleksy Mazur?”
7.
A slow smile spread across his lips, the tension and anger of the moment before gone completely. He had a look in his eyes I didn’t trust. Not one bit.
“Aren’t you full of surprises,” he murmured.
“I saw the name on your ID card when you asked me to take out your wallet yesterday.”
His eyebrows did a quick jump. He didn’t say anything for a long, long moment, and I started to worry. There were way too many thoughts flittering behind his eyes, so green they were like pieces of broken glass eroded smooth by the sea.
“What are you plotting?” I asked, nervous.
“Not plotting. Just thinking.”
“Are you going to tell me who he is, or are you just going to keep staring at me all creepy?”