Man: Wanted - Chapter Six - Part Three

In Nocton Vale the River Mead ran down the north wall of the valley, hugging the border of Barton and keeping the riff-raff in before it slurped slightly south and ran along the edge of the town centre and then slunk off west. Tower Gates was part of the massive Riverside development that had taken place over the last ten years, but only a part. A great deal of land had been claimed back from the river that had formerly been mud flats and marshland at the back of Barton Mills.

Now there were dozens of shining glass buildings overlooking the water: the overpriced apartments of Winterbank and the plush new office buildings of Meadside. Next came Tower Gates, whose food court had balconies overlooking the river on the third floor as well as a couple of more subtle cafes on the ground. Beyond that was Bycastle, the old town, and then open country as the river trundled on.

Sangeeta and I got some baguettes in the nicer of those little river-front cafes and went to have them alfresco on the decking platform that sat on stilts just over the edge of the water.

The river was at its widest point here and the sunshine glittered on the ripples the rocks just under the surface made. It was deeper on our side and a much darker colour. Up the hillside on the other bank, nestled amongst the evergreens, were the grandiose and exclusive houses of Pinecrest. They were infinitely out of my price range but I occasionally peered up there whistfully.

I was gazing up there now but when I turned to face Sangeeta I saw she was studying me and I felt caught on the hoof. I tried a smile on her but it felt false.

“So...” she said.

“Yeah. I blushed again.

“So on Thursday, when you came in and had your nails done, was that really a coincidence?”

“Er...” The question caught me completely off guard. My mind went blank.

“Or did Geoff tell you about me and you decided to – I don’t know – come and check me out?”

What was a more plausible response? I gave her a squinting worried-looking grin and said, “Busted?”

Sangeeta responded with a playfully stern glare. “I suspected as much.”

The conversation kind of hung and we both just ate our baguettes for a minute, then eventually Sangeeta lowered hers and released a little sigh.

“Will you be straight with me?”

I squirmed inside then said, “Yes. Okay. I guess.”

“What is going on between me and Geoff? Do you know? What you told me last night... Was that really...?”

“How Geoff feels?” I shrugged.

“You said you misrepresented him.”

“Yeah. I think I did.”

I just had no idea where this was going. I was scared to come out with the words I wanted to, but was just as reluctant not to. And I’d always been too impulsive.

“So...?”

“He.... I... It’s hard to say.” I took another bite of my baguette to give me thinking time.

“Because I do like him,” she said. What I told you the other day: that was true. About it feeling like a fairy tale? I like him. I’ve said it. And I know he likes me; but I’m getting these mixed signals from him and from you and now I have no idea and things are going bad for me here in Nockton Vale and then there’s Rasheed...”

I touched her arm briefly. “What’s going bad? Your business?”

She looked into the sky then back to me and her eyes had become moist. Seeing that brought a smear of tears to my own eyes.

“Just put me out of my misery,” said Sangeeta. “Is Geoff interested or am I wasting my time, because right now he’s about the only good thing going for me.”

I pressed my lips together and frowned then before I could stop myself I said, “Yes. Of course he is.”

Of course he was. Why wouldn’t he be? I was almost in love with her myself, even as a woman. In either persona we just seemed to perfectly click.  And that frightened me.

She gave a little chuckle, a teardrop streaming down each cheek, then she wiped at her eyes. “I must look like an idiot.”

“Not at all.”

“I only just met the guy.”

“Here,” I said. “I have a tissue somewhere.” I rooted through my handbag, putting contents out on the table. “Somewhere. Yeah, here.” I gave it to her and sat while she dabbed at her eyes, wanting to do nothing if not put my arm round her.

“Thanks.” She lowered the tissue, handing it me back. “Is that Geoff’s ring?”

“What?”

She reached onto the table where the contents of my bag lay and picked up the ring from where I’d dumped it without even noticing. “Yeah. This is Geoff’s. It is made of stone. I wasn’t sure. I’ve never seen that before.”

“Er...” I didn’t know what to do. I felt possessive and afraid for it, despite my highly conflicted feelings on the subject.

Sangeeta held it up between forefinger and thumb, peering at me through the hole. “It’s nice.” Are you getting it cleaned for him or something?”

“Uh, yeah. Something like that.”

“I wonder if it will fit me.” She slipped it over the end of her first finger.

I jerked in my seat, reaching forward.

But Sangeeta snapped it off immediately. “Ow!” She smiled. “I just got a static shock off it.”

“Here, let me see,” I said, taking it off her as quickly as I could while still seeming to be natural about it. I shrugged. “Feels normal for me.” I dropped it quickly into my bag, my pulse pounding to imagine what would have happened if she’d put it all the way on.

Sangeeta had some more of her baguette and again we ate quietly, my mind sparking along the possibilities. Would she have changed into an Indian man? Or would she have turned into Geoff?

That was kind of staggering to imagine.

“So, what’s... What’s the story on that guy who came round my house last night? Rasheed was it?”

“Don’t ask. He’s the man my father wants me to marry. The last in a long line.”

“But you don’t want him?”

She looked thoughtful. “He’s not a bad man. Just a bit pushy. We get on fine when he isn’t trying to get into my life.”

“But...?”

“But... he is trying to get into my life. That’s the problem. And if he doesn’t take no for an answer now...”

“What would it be like marrying him?”

“Exactly.”

I slurped a mouthful of Diet Coke up my straw.

“Do you mind if I ask you something?” said Sangeeta.

I tried to hide my discomfort. “Okay. Sure. If you want.”

She looked at me very plainly. “What on Earth did you do to your hair?”

I stared back at her for a second then we both burst out laughing.