THE CAST

Starring:

Kylie Winters

Also Featuring:

Oliver Convery

Alex

Lalita

Claudio

Abbie

Maya

“I’m sorry baby, I’ve really fucked up haven’t I?”

“Oliver just wait for me to get home we can talk about this.”

“There’s nothing left to talk about, you said everything there was to say this morning.”

“I didn’t mean what I said this morning, I was upset. I love you, we can work this out.”

“That’s the problem, I love you so much Kylie and I don‘t deserve your love, I don‘t deserve your forgiveness, I‘m not worth working anything out with. Sometimes. . .sometimes I wish that I could go down the rabbit hole, back to time when we first fell in love and just start over and be the man you needed me to be. But it‘s too late now I can‘t be that man.”

“Ollie baby let‘s talk about this when I get off work okay.” Kylie looked up as her boss motioned for her to get off the phone, Friday nights at Babalou were always crazy, they needed as many waitresses on the floor as possible. “Oliver let me call you back, it’s starting to get busy.”

“You’re busy. . .of course. . .”

“Ol-” Oliver had hung up before Kylie could finish her sentence, she listened to the dial tone with growing fear. Oliver had seemed so despondent, so sad and lost. She felt something in the pit of her stomach that told her that she needed to get to him. She tried to swallow her fears and continued working her shift for another hour through the dinner rush but when she almost dropped an entire plate of food on one of the customers she knew that she wouldn’t be okay until she went to him. Business had slowed down and the other waitresses could hand the rest of the night. She gathered up her stuff in the back and rushed out of the door past her less than amused boss.

“Sorry Jack, I’ve gotta get to Oliver, I’m worried sick about him.”

“Your boyfriend needs a fucking shrink Kylie.”

She ran down the streets of Brixton, London the cool, spring air blowing her hair back. She raced up three flights of stairs to their flat her hands were shaking as she reached in her pocket for her keys. She flung open the door and looked around, met by an uneasy quietness.
“Ollie! Ollie! Oliver!” She walked through the rooms hoping to find him but he’d already gone. She held her head trying to think where he could’ve gone, hoping that maybe he’d just run to the store or maybe to the windmill for a quick drink. The phone rang, shattering her train of thought. She walked up to the telephone and stared at it, praying silently that Ollie would be on the other end, she picked it up her hand shaking slightly.

“Hello?”

“Yes is this the residence of Oliver Convery?”

“Yes it is?“

“Are you a relative of Mr. Convery?“ Kylie squeezed her eyes shut, griping the phone tightly.

“I’m his girlfriend, we live together.”

“Miss, I’m so sorry to inform you. . .” As the man on the other end of the phone talked, Kylie opened her eyes and saw a note next to phone.

Darling, don’t bother to wait up for me. I leave everything with you. I love you never forget that.

“. . .there was an accident and-” Kylie slammed the phone down, not wanting to hear any more. She screamed as though her body was being ripped apart. If only she hadn’t ignored her intuition, if only she had left work sooner, if only they hadn’t fought that morning. So many thoughts running through her mind in one mass jumble. The phone rang again, she stared at it before slowly backing away. She looked on the coffee table and saw a rough draft of Oliver’s novel sitting there, staring back at her, she scooped up the document and held it to her chest, then she turned and went into the closet, she was barely aware of her motions as she moved around like a robot, loading up her suitcase tossing in everything she needed, including his manuscript. Everything was a blur, she didn’t know anything, she just knew that she had to get out of there she felt like she couldn’t breath in that flat, in that neighborhood, in that city. She got on the tube and looked around as she held her suitcase tightly to her. She could see everyone laughing, moving on with their lives as though nothing was wrong but she couldn’t hear any sounds, it was as though everything was on mute. Somehow beyond her comprehension she ended up at Gatwick airport. She walked up to the counter to the fake, smiling woman.

“Yes miss how may I help you?”

“I need a ticket to Madeira please.”

“I’m sorry miss the next flight isn’t leaving for hours.”

“I don’t care I’ll take it.”

“Okay, would you like a return or one way?”

“One way please.” Kylie paid for the ticket and made her way through security, she sat staring off into space, hours had gone by like seconds, it was all the same to her. Twelve hours and one rented motor bike later she found herself on the tiny island staring out at the deep blue waters of the sea, sitting in a café. She looked at the couple in front of her, they looked like they could’ve been on their honeymoon. The man leaned forward and whispered in the woman’s ear as she laughed softly, Kylie looked away. The waiter came up to her and handed her a menu.

“Desejava uma bebida?” She stared at the waiter blankly. The waiter smiled at her patiently and tried again. “Do you speak English?”

“Yes, yes I do.”

“I asked you if you wanted something to drink.”

“Just a tap water please.”

“Sure, are you ready to order as well?” She looked down at the menu all in Portuguese and Spanish, she recognized one item on the menu.

“I’d like the paella please.”

“I’m sorry miss we are only able to prepare that for two people, would you prefer something else perhaps?” She closed her eyes, sobs racking her body. She tried to get herself together as the waiter and everyone sitting in the café stared at her as though she had grown another head. She realized how bizarre it must of looked, her bursting into tears over being told she couldn’t order the paella. She stood up clutching her purse.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

She left the restaurant and hopped on her motor bike driving down the dirt road trying to get as far away from civilization as possible. As she sped away from the touristy part of town she stopped finally on what seemed to be an secluded beach, she didn’t see anyone around her. She got off her bike and walked toward the water, still sniffling. The warm, breezy air felt amazing on her skin. She shut her eyes and took in the salty air, she plopped down onto the ground and slipped off her tennis shoes feeling the sand beneath her toes, she exhaled looking up at the sky. As she looked from the sky out into the water she noticed someone surfing in the distance. She squinted shielding her eyes from the sun, watching as he came into shore. As she looked him over she noticed he was beautiful his skin bronzed and toned from what was likely many days of surfing, he had longish dark brown hair that looked glossy and black from the water. As he walked slowly towards her she saw his sparkling greenish blue eyes shown like jewels. He smiled at her, setting his surfboard into the sand next to him.

“Boa tarde.” From what little she knew she understood it to mean good afternoon.

“Boa tarde.” He smiled widened.

“You’re American!”

“Canadian, actually.”

“Sorry, I know how much Canadians hate to be mistaken for American.”

“I don’t take it personally, but I guess you’re American, is that Midwestern accent I‘m detecting?”

“I’m impressed, I’m from Wisconsin.”

“Don‘t be, when you‘re a waitress you start noticing all the accents of the customers, it isn‘t rocket science.”

“Yeah well I’m impressed none the less. I‘m Alex.”

“Kylie.” She shook his outstretched hand. He nodded towards the her motorbike, loaded down with her suitcase.

“You just get in town?”

“Just this morning.”

“Where are you staying?”

“Um, I don’t know I hadn’t planned that part of this out.” He looked at her curiously for a moment, his eyes dropping from her eyes to her mouth then back to her eyes again.

“Well, you should meet Lalita. She has a house just up the road there, she rents rooms, I’m staying there. She loves visitors, I think she’ll like you.”

“How would you know that you just met me, you don’t even know me.”

“I recognize a fellow free spirit when I see one, come on I’ll take you up to the house.” She stood up noticing that he towered above her. Given that she was no shorty herself standing at 5’9 she took him to be around 6’3 or 6’4. She looked guardedly at him for a moment wondering if it was the best idea to be following around some stranger, but something in his eyes made her feel, despite his height and obvious strength, like she could trust him with her life. Besides, she did need a place to stay. She gave him a small wistful smile.

“Lead the way.”