My Dinosaur Era Chapter 29

 

wait, first this, says patrycja

she pulls out a bottle from her bag, tequila

drink first, I tell you a story, she says

she takes a swig, passes it to me

I drink too, pass it over to ginny

she takes a small slug, winces, hates tequila

could just say no, never going to happen

so, I was walking back from my swim, I went through plaza nueva, past sorginzulo, in case you were there still, but you had gone, when I was the other side of the square, I saw a woman, she was sitting alone at another place, she looked like she was crying, upset, you know, says patrycja

oh, what was wrong with her, says ginny

you’ll see, ok, says patrycja

sorry, carry on, says ginny

so I say to her, hey, are you ok, she looks at me, says nothing. I say again, are you ok, she shakes her head a little, like she is not sure if she is ok, this is strange, so I sit down, I take her hand and she cries, this time big tears, people look at her, I say come, come, come with me, says patrycja

was she a local or a tourist, I say

you’ll see, ok, says patrycja

sorry, carry on, I say

we walk a little, away from the square, too many people, I feel bad, she’s still crying, we sit at small cafe that I know, we take coffee, I let her calm, after a while she tells me that she is looking for someone, that she has been walking around all day, she can’t find them, now she is upset, says patrycja

oh, poor woman, who was she looking for, says ginny

she said she was looking for a man, says patrycja

there is silence between us, ginny takes some more tequila

her face is scrunched up, what is happening

I say why, why are you looking for him, why you can’t find him, why don’t you call him, says patrycja

I watch patrycja’s mouth as the words come out

it is like they are on a time delay, out of sync by a few seconds

she says she doesn’t have number, all she knows is that he is bilbao and he likes a pintxos bar on the big square, he goes there when he comes here, says patrycja

petula, I say

yes, that is her, you have spoiled my surprise, timmy, says patrycja

she’s here, in bilbao, says ginny

yes, that is what I said, says patrycja

so what did you say to her after that, I say

I asked her if she had anywhere to stay, she said no, she was only here today, no where to stay yet, was going to a hostel maybe, says patrycja

did you know it was her, that we knew her, says ginny

of course, it was obvious, there has never been one petula here, never will there be two, says patrycja

wait, so did you tell her that you knew me, I say

no, I said nothing, says patrycja

why not, I say

like I said before, I have surprise for you but you have to decide if you want it, says patrycja

I take the tequila bottle, let the booze flow down into me

I said nothing, she caused you pain, maybe you don’t want to see her, I don’t know, could be anything, says patrycja

ok, so where is she now, I say

at my place, resting, I said I would go back later, help her find this man, says patrycja

fucking hell, says ginny

I become transfixed on the three pairs of feet at the end of the bed

mine, bare, pink, sun tan line around the ankle

patrycja’s, darker, longer toes, flip flops

ginny’s, smallest, nails painted black, wriggling

timmy, are you ok, says ginny

no words appear, my mind is a tremendous blank

do you want to see her, says patrycja

no words

you don’t have to, says ginny

yes, I can tell her something else, this is all up to you, says patrycja

I sit up straighter on the bed, take a deep breath

she came here to find me, I have to hear what happened, this is no small thing, I say

are you sure, timmy, says ginny

yes, I am sure, I need to know, I say

ok, so this is what we do, I need you to think some more, ok, like cool off, ok, so I will go to her now, in two hours, I will meet you with her at sorginzulo, unless you text me to say you have changed your mind, ok, says patrycja

ok, I say

patrycja kisses me on the cheek

turns to ginny, kisses her on the cheek

rolls off the bed, stands, stretches

ok, two hours then, yes, says patrycja

I nod, patrycja leaves

ginny shuffles over to me

how the fuck did she find you here, she says

maybe just a guess, I did say I might come here, I say

how do you feel about seeing her, she says

terrified, I say

you can still change your mind, she says

do you think I should see her, I say

I really don’t know babe, I really don’t, I mean, I know you want to hear her side of things but you know, what the fuck is going on, she says

I pick up the tequila bottle, not much left

do you want some, I say

nah, you need it more than me, she says

I drink what is left

what the fuck is going on, I say

ginny holds my hand, we stay like this

breathing together

staring at our feet