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Lin was seated in the corner of Costa with an ivory jacquard trench coat belted around her as if she were ready to flee. Beth had never seen her slender frame looking so slouched, and her dark hair was pinned up in a messy bun. Normally confident and impeccably made up, her Chinese-Malaysian features were puffy, her eyes and pallor betraying lack of sleep. Beth wondered if she was back on the prescription medication Jerome confided she’d developed an addiction to. She rose as Lin reached the table.
“I’m so sorry.” She hugged Beth tight.
Beth felt awkward and didn’t know how long to maintain the embrace. She took in the abstract painting on the wall behind them as she waited to be released.
There was moisture in Lin’s gaze when she finally let go. “How are you getting along with your brother?” she asked, sensing Beth’s awkwardness.
“He’s been a sweetheart.”
Lin seated herself and Beth noticed she didn’t have a cup before her. She dropped into the chair opposite.
Lin composed herself, wiped away the strands of hair that were sticking to her face and dabbed a bunched tissue at the raw edges of her wet nose. “I know you two aren’t close.”
How did she know that? But then, they’d had a fair share of wine chats. “I seem to be getting to know him for the first time. How are you holding out?” She knew it was the question Lin had been waiting for.
“Not good.” It looked as if she were about to lose control again.
Wasn’t Lin meant to be consoling her? As Lin had no children or family, she usually assumed the only worthy topic of conversation was the minutiae of her middle-class universe. Had she really offered to meet Beth because she wanted to convey her condolences, or because she didn’t have any other friends to talk to about her break-up with Jerome?
“I feel... like I’ve been emptied out.”
Beth nodded and put her hand inside her shoulder bag for a fresh tissue. She extracted a packet and gave one to Lin.
She took it and pressed it against both eyelids. When she removed it, the remainder of her mascara was smudged there. But the expression on her face said even she realised how incongruous her behaviour was in front of Beth. “I’m sorry. This is the very last thing you need.”
Beth didn’t know what to say to her, so just shrugged her shoulders. She eyed the tissues; they’d been redundant to her since she’d woken in hospital.
A black droplet darted down Lin’s face.
Beth supposed they were kind of on the same page. Even though Lin had Jerome walk out, for whatever reason, they’d both lost the man from their lives, whether it was because of death or a stupid lapse of judgement. But at least Lin still had choices. “Why do you believe it’s so definitely over for you two?”
Lin fixed her, the intensity of her regard obscured by tears and her lips suddenly sealed against more words emerging. Then she rose. “I shouldn’t have come here. I’m sorry.” She moved past Beth and headed for the door, her jasmine scent wafting over Beth.
Beth didn’t call after her but stayed in her chair looking at the abstract. A thought had already pricked the back of her mind. It had when Lin had spoken to her on the telephone.
Jerome’s forgiveness wouldn’t even be the start.
She knew Luc and Lin had worked closely together. Was Lin really so upset because of her infidelity and Jerome leaving, or was it about the other man she could no longer see?
