Page 41 of The Truth About You and Me
‘Good.’
‘So my vinyl?’ he asks, looking to the bag on my shoulder.
‘I’ll get to that in a bit. I actually wanted to meet for another reason.’
‘Oh?’ He takes another sip of his drink.
His blond hair is longer too. I used to love the way his hair was always doing its own thing, like it was waging its own rebellion. It looks scruffy in comparison to Jack’s.
‘I wondered if you might help us with something? It’s about the night we broke up?’
He frowns. ‘What about it?’ He adjusts the zipper on his leather jacket.
‘Well Jack thinks you might have met before.’ I look to Jack who gives me a small nod that lets me know this is the person he saw that night.
Luke gives Jack a thorough up and down. ‘No. I don’t think so.’
Jack begins, ‘We bumped into each other, outside the White Lion pub?’
Luke wipes his milk froth away with the back of his hand and scans Jack’s face. ‘I don’t think… wait. You’re the guy who knocked into me.’
Jack tilts his head, questioning. ‘I bumped intoyou?’
‘Yeah, too focused on your phone to watch where you were going. You need to unplug, man.’
‘Wait, so you didn’t push him?’ I ask.
‘Push him? No!’ He shakes his head and takes another sip.
Jack’s hand is tapping his thigh. ‘Luke? Is it OK that I call you Luke?’
‘Well, that is my name; don’t wear it out.’ He grins as if that’s the most original comeback ever spoken.
‘Right. Well, you see the thing is, Luke,’ Jack continues, leaning forward on the table, ‘I had an accident that night. A head injury. I’m just looking for answers, that’s all. We’re not here to accuse you of anything. I’m trying to piece a few things together.’
‘Can you tell us exactly what happened?’ I ask Luke.
‘I’ll try but there’s not much to tell. After we’d, you know “gone our separate ways”’ – he air-quotes; I’d forgotten that he did that – ‘I was on my way home and this guy…’ He gestures with his cup.
‘Jack,’ I correct.
‘Yeah, you, well as I said, you were on your phone, bumped into me, said sorry and that was it.’
‘You didn’t say anything?’ Jack asks.
‘Yeah, well I did tell you to watch it, or something like that. I might have yelled a bit actually. I was a bit emotional for’ – he looks pointedly at me – ‘obvious reasons, but that was it.’
‘Nothing else?’
‘No, man. I swear down.’ Ugh.Swear down? My memories of my time together with Luke are filled with moments where he’d make me laugh, when he would cook delicious meals and was patient. Endearing even. And he liked me too, despite keeping my distance as much as I could. He didn’t push me for more. I’d tried to make it work. God how I’d tried. To prevent his musings and critiques, but his words always had a way of getting through. That’s why I made the decision to keep my distance after that night. From people as a whole. Until Jack, I had started to accept my lot in life. I can’t have the kind of easy relationships I see around me every day, on the screen, in love songs. But right now, if I’m going to help Jack, I need to know Luke’s telling the truth.
I clasp my hands together and rest them on the table next to Luke’s so that my pinkie is close enough to touch his skin. He doesn’t notice. I take a quick glance at Jack, but he’s focusing on Luke’s face. ‘It’s important, Luke. Do you remember anything else? Anything at all?’ I prompt.
He shakes his head and continues to look at Jack.
‘No.’
‘Can you try again? Try really hard to remember that night.’
