“Sort of, my mom decorated the place. She’s a Hygge interior designer.” I’m surprised to learn that Kayla actually knows what Hygge is.
“What made her specialize in that area, the whole Hygge thing?” Kayla takes the mug I offer her and opens a couple of cupboards in search of sugar. She twists her mouth when she realizes there’s only coconut sugar. She throws me a frown but uses it anyhow.
“My mom’s a Dane. You could say it’s in her genes.” I smile at my teacup.
Kayla seems to have one of those epiphany moments. “That explains the whole genuine blond look you and Victoria got going on. And the insane shade of blue eyes you both have. I won’t lie, at first sight, I suspected some expensive bleach and colored contact lenses.”
I let out an amused snort. “All’s real. And you know just what a freak I am about unnatural things.”
Kayla grins. “First sight, I said at first sight. And yeah, I know. I know, everything plant-based, no processed shit, no what was it? Sugar. Essentially no everything-that’s-good-in-life.”
I shake my head, albeit in a fond way. I’m used to it. People who are worried that I should be eating more “nutritious stuff,” and if I’m sure I get enough vitamins/protein only because I’m a pescatarian that opts for gluten-free and dairy-free products. They usually preach their concerns while shoving processed food poison into their mouths. But, you know, to each their own.
I’m still a little spacey in my own joyful bubble, still high on my nocturnal correspondence with Liam. Not to mention the quick note I woke up to this morning.
Shift’s over, heading home to get some Zs. But since I’m a man of my word, here goes.
Weird thing . . . okay this one is not directly about me, but I live it vicariously through my grandad, my eighty-year-old grandad who’s . . . brace yourself, Anna, a DJ. An electro-swing DJ, nonetheless. And here’s another morsel about him. Ready? Before he retired, he used to be a cremator. So, see it’s plenty weird to be claimed by proxy.
Great day, Liam
“Just be happy it drives other people crazy.”
Something changed in Kayla’s demeanor while I got lost in my thoughts. I catch her absorbed, looking a shade somber, gazing out the window.
“Hey Kayla, you okay?”
She shakes out of her moment and frowns. “Let’s just say that if someone dressed as a clown invited me into the woods right now, I’d probably just go.” We both crackle in unison. She turns pensive again. “It’s just. Remember the guy I mentioned the other night at Poison.”
I fold my legs under me on the sofa and turn to her with full attention. “You mean, the guy who you said didn’t notice you?”
Kayla sends me a sad little smile. “Oh, he noticed me. Justin, that’s his name. He used to be my best friend when we were kids.”
I cradle my teacup in both hands, nodding.
“I had the hugest crush on him – who am I kidding? I’ve been silly in love with him since forever.” She sighs. “But he never saw me as more than a friend, a close one, yet still a friend.” She pauses to take a sip. “He got a job offer in New York a year ago and—” she shrugs. “I don’t know what happened or why, but we didn’t keep in touch.”
I nod.
“Well, whenever someone talks about him, I get into this mind spin. Pathetic really. I’m still very much hung up on him.”
“But you seem so together, confident, and all these guys flocking around you all the time. Didn’t Ricky call you a – what was it, a man eater? I was under the impression that you’re – how should I put it, umm, date a lot.”
Kayla gives me another smile of the grim variety.
I go on. “It looked like you’re playing those guys like it’s your job. You know when we first met you, Panda said that she thought you were the epitome of sexy. She even said, and I quote, “She looks like she’s going to lick innocent guys’ blood off her claws by the end of the night.”
Kayla bursts into boisterous laughter. She shakes her head. “I’m not sure why I’m telling you this, Anna, but I just feel like I can trust you.” She looks me straight in the eyes, pointer finger pointed at me in a warning. “No judgment, vocal or otherwise.”
I put my hand over my heart.
“A bit of a cliché, but looks can be so deceiving,” she says. “You can never really know what goes on inside someone else’s mind.” Her stare drops to her black polished nails. “I’m not that experienced.” She lifts her eyes to mine. “Not really.” Then she adds, “It was just a couple of guys.”
My mouth drops in utter bewilderment. I make sure to shut it right back. No judgment, vocal or otherwise. “How come?” Comes out hurried and surprised.
She twists her lips. “I mean I’ve fooled around plenty; you know you don’t really have full sex to climax.” She lets out a self-deprecating scoff/laughter. “But somehow beside the two, I’ve never got to the actual thing with others. I don’t know, till Justin left I always wanted it to be with him. I know, pathetic and stupid.”
I shake my head. “No, it isn’t. I get it. You loved him. You wanted him. Simple. It makes a lot of sense to me. And after he left?”
Kayla folds her leg on top of the other only to drop it a second later. She fiddles with the hem of her sweatshirt. “I really don’t know. All these random hookups, it just never felt right.”
I must say that I genuinely get her.
“So yeah, I heard through our mutual friends that Justin is dating someone now. I think it’s serious, and just the notion makes me want to have a good, full-fledged breakdown.” She laughs it off. “Now listen, not a word, please.”
“Not even to the girls,” I confirm. “It’s no one’s business.”
“Mm-kay then, where did you say we were doing this fishing thing?”
“Catch and release thing. The southwest corner of the lake near the aqua theater.” I check my watch. “We’d better get going. They should be here any minute now.”
“Panda bear, you have to step back, you nutjob, or I swear I’m confiscating that drink,” Victoria scolds Pandora who’s nearly losing her balance on the edge of the pier.
Kayla and I can’t restrain our laughter. They look ridiculous. Victoria in her tight pencil skirt, high heels, still in her work attire, walking briskly after a cheerfully singing Pandora who holds a fishing rod in one hand and a wine flute that spills a little more with each unstable step that she takes.
You see, it started off fairly decent with the four of us sitting on the pier, legs dangling over the deck, each with a fishing rod in hand and a glass of rosé by her side. Then it got a little funnier when Kayla who’s here with us for the first time, chided Vic and Panda each time they asked her to put yet another worm on their respective hooks.
“I don’t get it. You said that you do this fishing thing once a month and yet you can’t stomach putting a worm on your hook? Explain this to me. How does it work if you can’t even bait your hook?” she asked in feigned bafflement.