The morning was foggy, with waves of grey smoke concealing the backyard grass. I sipped my tea, sitting alone at the kitchen bench, watching through the window as the fog crawled its way towards the house.
My mobile rang, jolting me from my thoughts. I looked at the caller ID and weighed up my options. I took a slow breath before answering.
‘Hello.’
‘Val, it’s Sam, how are you?’
‘Fine.’
Sam paused, as if waiting for me to keep up niceties. I didn’t. He continued,
‘Sorry to ring on your day off, but can you come into the shop this afternoon? I’ve got an appointment I just cannot miss.’
I absentmindedly ran my hand along the kitchen bench. My skin caught on a small piece of glass I had missed from last night. Clasped between two fingers, I held it up to study in the dim morning light.
‘Not another coronation, is it?’ I asked, not being able to help myself.
‘Oh, I’m afraid not,’ he said. His tone shifted. ‘I was sorry you couldn’t make it the other night. June said you were feeling a bit under the weather.’
Did she now?
‘Guess I’ll have to wait until the next new moon,’ I said.
‘Well,’ he laughed. ‘It’s a half crescent moon tonight! Maybe we can make an exception?’
In the distance, a lone dog started to bark, momentarily distracting me from the conversation.
‘I thought you had an appointment.’
‘Too right, too right. How does three till nine sound?’
‘Nine?’
‘I’m trying to tap into that late-night shopper market.’
I stood up and took my tea to the sink, tossing the piece of glass down the drain.
‘There’s meant to be a storm tonight,’ I said.
‘Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little water, Val.’
I held the phone away from my face and rolled my eyes. Putting it back to my ear, I put on a fake smile.
‘Nine it is,’ I said, hanging up the phone.
I hadn’t seen June all morning. I heard her leave for work before the sun was even up – avoiding me at all costs it seemed.
At least she’d be happy I was taking on an extra shift, showing initiative.
I spent most of the day lounging on the couch. The weather was cloudy, humid and dreary, giving me no reason to leave the comfort of indoors.
When I finally left the house for work, I saw my bike had not one, but two flat tires. Upon inspection, it looked like I’d somehow managed to run over two nails. What were the chances?
‘Great. Definitely won’t make it by three.’
I pulled out my phone to call the shop. Strangely, it rang out.
Regardless, I started to make the trek down the hill.
Even in the shadows of the overhanging clouds, the weather was humid, with the heat building to an unimaginable stifle.
There were a few building sites on the way down the hill, which narrowed down the locations of the flat tires’ mystery.
In the distance, I could see Bruce standing on a roof with a group of tradies. They were tiling a newly developed two storey bungalow.
He clocked me right away and started to descend a ladder. I couldn’t bring myself to walk away any faster in the heat to escape him.
He was slightly puffed when he reached me on the footpath.
‘Thought you weren’t working today.’
‘Are you keeping tabs on me?’ I asked.
‘Maybe.’
‘Your dad called me in. Working till nine.’
‘Huh,’ he said to himself.
‘What?’ I asked, concerned. Bruce looked up at me, still distracted.
‘Nothing.’
He abruptly turned and headed back to the construction site. I tried not to think anything of it as I continued down the hill, but I couldn’t help but remember Bruce’s earlier whispered words – ‘we’ll talk later’.
A few minutes later, I heard the pounding of footsteps behind me.
‘Wait,’ Bruce called out. ‘I’ll head over to see my dad. Walk together?’
I didn’t say anything, and we headed into town in silence. I could just make out the shopping strip, my eyes darting to June’s car out the front of the vet clinic.
Bruce followed my gaze.
‘You look tense’, Bruce observed. ‘Something up between you two?’ I wasn’t about to tell Bruce about my fight with June, so instead I changed the subject.
‘What were you going to say to me the other day?’ I asked.
Now Bruce looked concerned. He looked around him, like a small child with a secret.
‘Not here,’ he said. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the small laneway between Alexis’s Salon and Clear Mountain Island Tourist Information. The two brick buildings kept the narrow lane cool, and it was a reprieve from the humidity for a moment.
Bruce still held my arm, keeping me in place. His next words surprised me.
‘There’s nowhere safe right now.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ I asked.
‘Don’t close the shop tonight.’
My stomach flew to my throat.
‘Why?’
‘They don’t want you home,’ Bruce said. I could feel myself coming closer to some answers.
‘Who’s they?’
Before Bruce could say anymore, Eleanor poked her head around the corner. She had her CMI Tourist Information lanyard on and a bright smile. Bruce released his hold on my arm.
‘Well hello there, you two. I thought I spotted you guys rushing in here. What’s with this sneaking around? You haven’t taken a shine to our ol’ Brucey boy, have you Val?’
‘Not likely,’ I said automatically. Bruce shot me a mock-offended look, having seamlessly reverted back to his slimy self.
‘Eleanor,’ Bruce smiled. ‘You know I never kiss and tell.’
He turned back to me and winked. My face involuntarily scrunched up.
Eleanor giggled as Bruce brushed past her. He stopped to let his hand smoothly reach up to move a lock of hair off her face. As he turned to leave, he smacked her on the butt. Eleanor let out another giggle.
‘Jesus,’ I whispered.
‘Oh, Val, don’t be jealous.’ Eleanor cackled, losing some of her charm. She turned her back to me and watched Bruce’s retreating figure. ‘Sharing is caring.’
‘You can have him’, I said, pushing past her. I felt a cold chill run through me and looked over at Eleanor. We locked eyes and she was no longer smiling.
Clouds Behind the Moon is written by Olivia Hides and will be published serially throughout the year.