Hades

Chapter Twenty Six - The Deception, Part Two

Chapter Twenty Six: The Deception Part Two

The phone line crackled with static as Aya inhaled sharply. She twisted the cord around her fingers, trying to buy time to think of what to say. What could she possibly say to him?

'Aya?'

That kind, familiar voice, a little deeper than how she remembered it, came over the line again.

'Aya, are you there?'

Why was he calling her now? She forced her vocal cords into strenuous motion. 'I'm here, Connor.'

'That's a relief. I've been worried about you, it's been so long! Have you been avoiding me?'

His tone was teasing but carried a note of truth. Aya had indeed spent the last six years avoiding him.

'Not at all,' she said.

'Oh, Aya, it's so great to talk to you again.' She could practically hear him tearing up over the phone line, and pictured him removing his glasses and wiping his eyes.

'I guess he's still a wretched cry-baby. Comforting to know some things never change,' she thought.

'How have you been?' asked Connor, and even though he could not see her Aya lowered her eyes, blushing.

She had dropped out of university early and had flitted from one unsuccessful job to the next, barely making enough to get by year by year. Her life was a pathetic waste of existence since the day he'd left her side, but he didn't need to know all of that.

'I'm fabulous, of course,' she said, 'but what about you, eh Mr Successful? I hear your thesis got published.'

'Yeah, it just felt right going back to teach at the Uni after all they'd done for me. Between constantly going out of the country on digs of course.'

'Of course,' echoed Aya, smiling despite herself. 'I should have guessed you'd end up a professor of archaeology. You've been into that kind of thing since we were little.'

Connor laughed, and the static line buzzed. 'Maybe so, but I can't stand being away from Nanoe for so long. She's really good about it, but...y'know...'

Aya knew all too well, and something cold squeezed her heart when he said Nanoe's name. He'd never spoken her name like that. She knew the direction in which the conversation was headed, and decided to take control.

'Congratulations on the wedding,' she said. 'Sorry I couldn't make it.'

Connor was quiet for a moment. Then he said, 'I really wanted you there Aya. It would have meant the world to me. I know it's selfish of me to expect you to rush out of town when your life is so busy, but...'

'I would have made it if I could,' she lied, in tone that suggested the finality of the matter. 'So what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call, after all this time?'

'What, a guy needs a reason to call his best buddy?'

Aya flinched at the word 'buddy', marvelling at how a grown man could still be so clueless, so oblivious.

'I do have an ulterior motive actually,' he continued. 'I didn't think it felt right to catch up six years worth over the phone, plus the bill would be horrendous, so how would you like to get together?'

Aya would have liked nothing more and nothing less, and yet she heard herself saying, 'I have a pretty hectic schedule this week Connor, maybe some other-'