Agony Aunt

Chapter Forty-One

The flickering flame on the lone large red pillar candle that was lit in the centre of the wooden coffee table caught my gaze and a sudden chill ran down my back from the unnerving silence that engulfed me like a blanket. I usually didn't mind having the apartment to myself, but it was Friday evening and Jacob had left for a three-day conference this morning and wouldn't be back until late night Sunday night. 

After Lilly finished her classes today she brought home an olive branch with her which just so happened to be comprised of my favourite Indian coconut and lime wild rice, three different types of curry and garlic naan bread. The gesture had taken me aback and I wasn't going to refuse comfort food, so we sat and ate together in agreeable silence. We still weren't able to string together a conversation yet, but at least we were no longer openly avoiding each other. 

Things had changed in the last six weeks since she and Jacob had their secret conversation. Not just between the two siblings, but also between Lilly and myself. I couldn't put my finger on why it was different, we were merely stuck in this indistinguishable transition where everything seemed calm but outlandish. I still had no idea what was said between the two of them and every time I would broach the subject with Jacob he would get all jittery about it. 

After we finished eating, we sat together and watched a film. I didn't expect her to keep me company with Jacob not being around, however, it was nice to feel her presence once again. That was until a couple of hours later when Lilly stated that she had an errand to run, which I assumed she was going to visit Carson and didn't feel like she could directly tell me. 

That was about an hour ago and since then I had been stuck to the same spot on the sofa with my bare feet resting upon the wooden coffee table and my laptop open on my knees. I wasn't used to spending Friday evenings alone, it was Jacob and I's time together since that was the only night he didn't work. Yet here I was experiencing the most uneventful evening in a very long time instead of our cosy dinners and lovemaking. Guess I better get accustomed to it if I was going to be a doctor's wife. 

It was also the last weekend in March and everyone, well at least everyone I knew, was thinking about the exams that were looming in just over a month. They weren't just any exams either, for those of us whose courses were coming to an end these would be the final exams we would ever take as students. 

It felt rather bittersweet, and although most of our social circle had either last-minute assignments to finish with an imminent deadline or were thinking about their exams, they had never let their training for their future careers get in the way of a good party before. I believe the lack of partying was due to the need to take a minute and be rather nostalgic about the last four years of university life. Whether my friends wanted to admit it or not, we were all feeling a little unsteady about spreading our wings and taking our flight out into the world. 

I sighed deeply at the distracting thoughts of my future and placed my laptop down on the table, I needed a drink if I was going to get through the rest of the evening. I shuffled into the kitchen, quickly taking out the half-open bottle of wine from the fridge and a clean glass from the cupboard. Once back in the living room, I poured the wine and took a big gulp, now perched on the edge of the soft, fluffy sofa I scrolled through my emails. I stopped at one that had a subject header of Forgiven Friendship, it sparked my curiosity so I opened it.