Jess, a mutual acquaintance had replied, “Where’s Kyla?”
“Off on an adventure of a lifetime… ;) Will tell you more when I see you. Lunch Tuesday?”
Kyla wondered what Tristan had said to Daisy. She wished she could be a fly on the wall at that lunch date! Facebook’s “What’s on your mind” on the top of the page made Kyla snicker.
If only I could tell them what’s on my mind, huh?
She glanced at her own profile page and shook her head at how different life had been only a little over a week ago. It was filled with pictures of sunsets, sunrises, food porn, and other sky scapes. Her profile picture was of hers and Daisy’s matching pink painted toes on the beach last summer.
She heard a bing sound. A chat window was open,
“Heyyyyyyy gurl… how are you on the internet right now?”
It was Daisy on the Facebook chat window.
Oh shit!
K: *Hey you. How are you?
D: *Still in shock over your news! How are you even online rite now?Kyla didn’t know what to say. She wished she knew what Tristan had said to her.
K: *What did you hear?
D: *don’t play coy you lil biatch, lol. That gorgeous as fuck fiance of yours said you weren’t going to have online access for at least a month out there
Kyla’s eyes bugged out.
K: *What did Mr. Gorgeous as Fuck fiancé say, exactly?
D: *Don’t tell me you broke up?!?
K: *Not at all. I’m just curious about what he told you.
D: *that you guys were on your way to Kenya for an eco tour but you needed him to pack because you had to fly out first for something urgent and that after the tour you were then going to dig wells for the poor or something like that and then get married. He told me about his transfer to Spain for work so you would’nt be moving back afters. I gotta say, coulda knocked me over with a feather. Where r u now”
Kyla chewed her lip and typed slowly, totally winging it.
K: *kind of like an Internet café. Back in civilization for a bit. Was just about to email you and say Hey. Sorry for leaving without telling you. It was all very sudden.
D: *Well I won’t pretend I’m not hurt that I didn’t even know you were engaged…. You’ve always been private but how could you keep a secret like that from your bff? Damn he’s gorgeous, Ky. R U Happy? R U having lots of “The Sex”? ;p
K: *Oh “The Sex” like you wouldn’t believe! Lmao. Sry Gotta dash now. I’ll be in touch when I can. R U ok? Sorry to leave you in the lurch.
D: *Naw, the 6 months of your share of the rent he paid more than covered me. As a matter of fact I got a possible lead on a new roommate already. I can send you a cheque. send me ur address.
K: *Keep it. Put it toward your own dream ecotour
D: *Srsly, Ky?
K: *Yes! Thanks for being my bff. I’ll be in touch, k?
D: *Soon, I hope. WANT to see wedding pics! Ooh I know!! I’ll leave that extra $ in the bank for now and if you want a maid of honour, lmk and I’ll fly to wherever you’re having your wedding!*
Kyla felt her chest get tight.
K: *Sounds great. You’re the best! TTYL. Xoxo
D: *XO. Luvya girlie! Ciao bella!”
She logged out and crawled into the bed to take time to decompress. That felt like work! Seconds passed like minutes and minutes seemed to take eons. She resisted the urge to chew her fingernails.
Ecotour? Well-digging in Kenya? Tristan sure knew how to set Daisy up to be accepting and excited for Kyla, rather than suspicious about her leaving. Those were two things Daisy would’ve done, for sure. Of course Kyla was sure Daisy wouldn’t have believed those things about her out of the blue like that, except for the fact that Tristan had hypnotized her to believe that they were true.
Suddenly, he rushed into the room and headed to the mantle. She sat up.
He twisted a bulb on the garlic bulb wreath and there was an audible click. Then he opened that part of the wall like a door. It revealed a safe. He twisted it to and fro a few times and then grabbed a duffle bag out of it and closed it.”
“What’s going on?” She clambered to her feet.
“This is our bug-out bag. I’m loading this in the car and I’ll be back for you in 3 minutes. You’ll hear an alarm. Don’t panic. After you hear it know I’m on my way to you. If anyone comes in before me just be stoic, okay? I’ll be back first, though, so no worries. Put your shoes on.” He shut the safe door, kissed her quickly, and then disappeared with the bag before she had a chance to ask questions.