Are You Jealous (part three)

Are You Jealous

(part three)

He saw an unfamiliar name. He saw Presby’s name in the subject line. He was unsurprised to see a spare deconstructed logo behind an outline of city towers…

Which drew itself further to become a chair and desk. The background was a dim, dove grey. Gabriel scrolled, and a photo emerged from the right, captioned Henderson Young. A tiny icon enabled disabling of the animation. The animation had run its course by the time Gabriel had disambiguated this.

Mrs. Pinion. I will call you Eva. It was your own request. You will recall our very pleasant chat at lunch: you, McFadden, and I.

“Why are you reading that?”

She was over his shoulder. She took up the clock she’d left on his desk, her movements conveying fault upon him. “McFadden wanted to invite you to his gathering. Henderson copied yours instead of mine by mistake.”

“Well. But.” I do read things I find people have sent me…

He spared himself saying the last aloud. Thoughts peppered in. Henderson not a minion of Presby’s, to arrive with such importance. Presby sliding a leatherbound memo book across, untucked from a breast pocket with a degree of fuss, Eva writing things for him…

Henderson watching amiably, seated on Eva’s other side.

The clock struck six. The clock’s chiming mechanisms built complications of leitmotif that grew with the passing hours. Eva’s eyebrow was raised in defiance.

The noise subsided.

The vividness of the little scene subsided. “I’m sorry. You say Klaus…”

“I don’t know who you mean.”

“Presby. McFadden.”

“I hope you feel better soon, Gabriel.”

Her mood seemed to brighten. He thought this brightness had a putting-trials-behind-oneself edge. “Where should we have it? Would you like it in the kitchen?”

“I would. I very much would.”

Until a door closed below, Gabriel averted his gaze from the stranger’s email.

Then he read. Henderson Young had a clock in mind, English, early 20th century. He felt it was within Eva’s range, suitable for a beginning collector, a classic Westminster. You, McFadden, and I. Not that Gabriel kept to any particular schedule, being always flexible midday. Still, Eva could have lunch in town. She could have lunch with two men and not bother to mention it.

The next email was from Klaus.

Gabe. Our gatherings are quite informal, and as I must consider you a friend

He could not tolerate being called Gabe.

He had confided this to Eva.

“I’ll remember that.” Nestled on the sofa, arms wrapped around a tasseled pillow. She had squeezed it, lowered her head, looked up at him.

Perhaps…rather than enchanting, foreboding.

A horrible intimacy it was, to carry confidences outside the home and share them as little amusements. He had no proof she’d done that.

3

Are You Jealous

Are You Jealous (part four)

(Stephanie Foster, 2016)