Page 6 of Sorry, Not Sorry
‘I was a guide at the Cultural Archive Centre. Have you finished or is there any other part of my life you’d like to dissect while you’re at it?’
‘Hey, I’m not judging you. It’s all good, Del. We know you don’t do commitment, but we love you anyway.’
Delilah’s grip tightened on the mug and her knuckles turned white from the strain of not hurling the contents at her brother-in-law. She had happily joked about her serial career moves in the past, but things were different now. She loved her job, and just the idea of being fired made her feel physically sick.
‘Okay, you two, that’s enough!’ Salome frowned and glanced meaningfully in Maya’s direction. ‘Young ears are listening.’
As if sensing he might have upset her, Farhan flashed Delilah an apologetic smile before going to release Arin from the highchair. ‘Come on, my son. I think the ladies want some alone time. Maya, grab a couple of the juice boxes from the cupboard and let’s leave Mummy and Auntie Del to chat.’
As soon as the door shut behind her husband and children, Salome reached across the table to touch her sister’s hand.
‘What’s wrong, Del? You know you can tell me anything. Is there a problem at work?’
With Farhan having just painted her as an unserious job-hopper, there was no way she could admit to Salome she was at risk of being fired. Instead, she swallowed the words she really wanted to say and the reassurance she desperately needed and forced a smile. ‘No, no… it’s nothing. Work’s been incredibly busy, and I haven’t been sleeping well. I suppose… it just feels like a lot, sometimes.’
Salome nodded sympathetically. ‘I get it, hon. But Del, you would tell me if there was something wrong, wouldn’t you? You know I’m always here for you.’
‘I know, Mama,’ Delilah said, pulling her hand away, ready to change the subject. ‘Which reminds me, I haven’t been to the cemetery for a couple of weeks. Have you?’
‘No, I meant to go yesterday but Farhan was called into the office for an urgent meeting and there was no way I was taking the kids on my own. I’m still cringing after the last time when Maya pulled the flowers out from the grave next to Mum’s. Besides, the weather’s been crappy over the past few days, and the ground gets so muddy this time of year—’ She broke off and examined her sister. ‘Del, are you sure you’re okay? If you’re feeling… well, you know, anxious or upset, you don’t have to deal with it alone and?—’
Delilah cut her off with a dismissive wave of her hand. ‘I’m a counsellor, Sal. If I need help – and I don’t – then, trust me, I know where to get it.’
‘We all need help sometimes,’ Salome said quietly. ‘If I didn’t have my sessions with Alison every fortnight, I don’t know how I’d cope. It wouldn’t hurt if you at least tried?—’
Delilah groaned loudly and dropped her head onto the table. When she raised it again, she looked her sister straight in the eyes. ‘Please, Sal. Can we talk about something else?’
Salome opened her mouth and then shut it without a word. For a few moments she sipped her tea, and the silence was broken only by the low hum of the fridge and the muted sound of Maya’s shrieks coming through the kitchen door from the living room.
Salome finished her tea and dropped the mug onto the table with a thump. ‘Okay, fine, let’s talk about something else. You said you bumped into Mrs West on the way here again. What happened?’
It wasn’t the change of topic Delilah had been hoping for, but anything was better than Sal trying to coax her back into therapy.
‘I don’t know what the woman wants from me,’ Delilah said with a resigned sigh. Her mind went back to the brief encounter outside and, remembering the look of scorn laced with contempt on the older woman’s face, Delilah pounded her fist on the table in frustration.
‘I’ve apologised to her God knows how many times and she still won’t give me the time of day! I know she’s nice to Maya and acknowledges you and Farhan, but she’s always evil to me. I honestly don’t know how you can stand to live next door to her – she’s unbearable!’
Salome pushed her chair back from the table and reached over to pick up Delilah’s empty mug. Standing up, she studied her sister pensively. ‘Look, I know the two of you have your issues, but she’s really not that bad.’
‘Hang on, whose side are you on here?’ Delilah looked up in disbelief.
‘You know I always have your back, hon,’ Salome said calmly. ‘But to be fair to the woman, you did leave her son at the altar.’
4
FOUR YEARS EARLIER…
Delilah stared at the blue recycling bin, wondering how to get it open without dropping the armful of packing boxes she had just crushed.
‘Hey, do you need a hand with that?’
The voice came from behind her, and she turned, craning her neck to see around the precariously balanced pile of cardboard. It took one look at the man with chocolate-brown skin and full, sensuous lips standing on the pavement for Delilah’s mouth to fall open and her heart to wobble.
He walked up the garden path towards her without waiting for an answer – which was just as well since she suddenly found herself struggling to find the most basic of words. A moment later, he was standing close enough for her to see the dark flecks in his light brown eyes and a faint stubble along his sculpted jawline. His sudden proximity set her heart racing, and the faint lemon scent of his cologne wafted into the small space between them. She could feel her face burning and couldn’t prevent the tiny gasp that escaped her when he leaned in closer to flip open the dustbin lid.
‘Um, thanks,’ she mumbled, mortified by her body’s response to the attractive stranger. She quickly crammed the torn cartons into the wheelie bin, dropping a few pieces of cardboard in her haste.
He dropped down to pick up the bits just as she crouched to retrieve them, and their eyes locked. Mesmerised, she couldn’t look away, and for a moment neither of them moved. Then Delilah blinked and stood up abruptly, trying to catch the breath hovering somewhere around her chest. He slowly straightened and without the cardboard barrier between them, she had a clear view of a lean, muscular body in jeans and a T-shirt.
