Perfect Strangers

“Casper proposed when she was eighteen and Myla busied herself with the preparations of the wedding, by this time Myla was barely speaking with her mother, they didn’t talk, they just screamed at each other all the time. Myla would block out Victoria’s rants by strumming her finger on anything she could, I couldn’t help but assume that her mother had something to do with what happened to her.”

“Myla told me she doesn’t get on with her mother and I’ve seen what a bitch she can be. Has Myla ever told you what happened to her?” Kai asked barely above a whisper.

She shook her head. “Casper and I both tried to find out, in different ways, of course, but she would either brush it under the carpet or clam up and withdraw back into herself for a few days, besides at the time I was dealing with my own grief. It hadn’t been long since I lost my brother so my focus wasn’t really on Myla.”

There was a long silence between them as Darcy and Kai finished their drinks. Raking his hand through his dark locks, he dropped his head as he mulled over all the conclusions he seemed to be jumping to.

“Darcy, what happened the day of the wedding?” He finally asked breaking the deafening silence.

“Casper tried to break it off with Myla two weeks before the wedding, but he couldn’t do it, every time he tried she had some kind of meltdown and it resulted in him staying with her. The day of the actual wedding, Stan came around and said he knew what had been going on between us for the last six months, he gave Casper an ultimatum, me, or Myla, but Casper had already chosen, he’d chosen me, because the night before I found out I was pregnant.”

“Oh, my god,” muttered Kai.

“I told him to grow some balls and tell Myla straight but he wanted to flee, so that’s what we did. Whilst we were boarding the plane, Myla was left groom-less at the church.”

“What happened to the baby?” he asked, peeling the label from the bottle in his hand.

When she didn’t respond straight away, he looked up and watched her purse her lips, her eyes filled with tears. He could see her body lightly tremble as she tried to fight to keep her composure. “Charlie was still born eight months later. He would be seven years old by now.” Her composure crumbled and the dam of tears broke free, automatically, Kai reached over the table and took her hand.

“I’m so sorry… to hear that,” he said hoarsely struggling to get the words out. Spotting some paper towels on the side, he stood to his feet and grabbed some, handing them to her as she wept, he suddenly felt like shit for asking.

“I’m sorry, I should go,” he mumbled and shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortably.

Dabbing at her eyes, she sighed and gave him a small smile. “I wish I could change what happened you know, but I can’t. Casper wants desperately to apologize to her, he wants her forgiveness, it’s been eating away at him for years. I saw today, with my own eyes, neither of us will ever have her forgiveness.”

“You’re probably right, you two were the most important people in her life and you both betrayed her trust,” he replied with a small shrug.

“I know, and I’ll forever have to live with that. I hope you’ll make her happy, Kai. She needs a strong man by her side, someone who can be honest with her, and stand up for her. Don’t worry, I’ll say nothing of what I know, your secret is safe.”

“Good, make sure you don’t. I’d rather Myla had the opportunity to come clean about us to her family, in her own time, in her own way and with me standing by her side.”

He turned to leave, and as he passed through the hallway he spotted something that made him smile. “Can I borrow this?” He asked picking it up from the table.

“Sure, it’s Myla’s anyway. I never had a chance to give it her back.” she replied wistfully wiping her face, she sighed again.

*

Walking back towards the house, replaying in his mind the conversation that had just taken place, he realized he had more questions than answers after Darcy’s revelations.

What happened to her? Pushing through the main gates he ambled up the driveway, passin

g Victoria on the way. She smiled and gave him a small nod. Kai stopped and turned around, watching her walk regally as if the world owed her something, towards the gates, where he had just come from. Did her mother have something to do with what happened?

Pushing through the side gate, he headed towards the summer house. He wasn’t expecting to see her there, he thought she would still be out power walking off her anger, but there she was, tape measure draped around her shoulders, her hair a wild mess and her eyes completely glazed as she stared off into the distance. His eyes glanced down to where her hands were and his heart slammed to a standstill in his chest as he watched her forefinger frantically tapping away on top of the sewing machine.

“Jesus Juliet, what the hell happened in your past?” he whispered.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

He came to a standstill in front of her and gently placed his hand over hers to stop her frantic tapping, he felt her finger slow to a stop and he let out a small sigh of relief.

“Myla,” he whispered gently. When she didn’t respond, he pulled a chair with his foot towards him and sat behind her, keeping his hand on hers he slid his free arm around her waist and pulled her carefully back into his chest. She melded into him without resistance and he kissed her cheek before resting his chin on her shoulder.

“Talk to me, Juliet.”

“About what?” She asked monotone.

“About anything. What you’re thinking, how you’re feeling, anything,” he gently replied.