“One does not laugh unless one deems something funny, Dear Alexis.” One needs to get the fuck out of here before one puts her broken foot in it. Help!
“I told her a joke,” Bryce added quickly, sensing my inability to find my maturity and act responsible in this bizarre situation.
“Well...let’s hear it then?” she probed, with an encouraging flick of her hand.
“Dyslexic man walks into a bra,” he said, stone faced and in an extremely flat tone.
Again, I couldn’t contain myself and burst into laughter. Nic and Lucy followed suit and Bryce couldn’t help but chuckle along with us.
Deirdre just looked downright confused. “How does one walk into a bra? Was it hanging out to dry?”
***
We stayed at the cemetery for a couple of hours longer, Bryce and Lucy recalling moments of their childhood, a childhood which sounded just like most—innocent, fun, and full of love-filled moments. Gareth—or Deirdre, I should say—continued to nosily retract little pieces of information from our lives. She was actually an endearing, if not an overly inquisitive alter, and it wasn’t long before I relaxed around her and took her not at face value, but character value.
“So, Alexis Dear, how did you break that ankle of yours?” Deirdre asked as she tilted her head to the side to study my boot. “That’s quite an odd looking contraption you have there.”
Bryce pulled me to my feet and helped me balance while getting my crutches.
“Well, I fell down the stairs...” I paused, standing on one foot, feeling slightly uncomfortable in explaining to Deirdre of the series of events that led to my fracture. I couldn’t help shake the feeling that she kind of already knew.
Bryce handed me my crutches which I secured in place under my arms.
“And how did you fall, Dear?”
“I don’t know,” I said rather sharply.
Lucy placed her hand on Gareth’s shoulder. “It’s time to leave, Deirdre,” she said softly as she turned him around to face Lauchie’s grave. I noticed him put his hand to his head for a moment.
“Deirdre normally leaves and Gareth returns about now,” Bryce whispered into my ear.
Moments later, Gareth turned to face us and almost instantly I could recognise his demeanour, it was so surreal. He lowered his gaze looking embarrassed, I’m assuming because he realised what had happened. I tried to ignore him and act as though nothing had happened, thinking that was the best thing to do.
Lucy and Nic had already started walking to the car, so Bryce and I turned to follow, Gareth behind us.
Bryce stopped. “Shit! Give me a second,” he said then turned back toward the graves walking past Gareth. He kneeled down and placed something small at the base of his father’s headstone.
Gareth slowly walked up to me as I watched what Bryce was doing. “You didn’t have to tell her,” he said quietly, sounding partly angered and partly dismayed.
I looked up at him. “Sorry?”
“Sam. You told her about my condition, and now she is ‘taking a break to clear her head’.” He held my gaze.
“Gareth, I’m sorry, but she deserved to know.”
“I liked her, Alexis. A lot,” he bit out as he leaned in closer, giving me an uncomfortable chilled feeling.
Unpleasant as it was though, I could see the sincerity in his eyes. He really does like her. I tried to reassure him.
“Gareth, give her some credit. She may just need some time to come to terms with it.”
“That’s just it, I do give her credit. She’s smart and, because of that, she’ll stay away from me,” he sighed. “Once, just once, I wanted to be selfish and have a normal relationship.” His shoulders slumped and he walked away as Bryce approached. That’s just it Gareth, it wasn’t normal. Hiding something like that is not normal.
“Is everything alright? What were you and Gareth talking about?”
“Nothing,” I dismissively answered.
“Alexis, don’t keep things from me. Not where Gareth is concerned.”
I exhaled in defeat. “I told Sam about the DID and he is unhappy about it.”
“Fuck!” he said quietly as he looked up after Gareth.
I felt I needed to defend my actions and it annoyed me, but deep down I knew this was not so black and white. “She had a right to know. It was killing me.”
“You should’ve told me of your intentions first.”
“Bryce, I’ve never run anything about my life past anyone for approval. I’m not about to start doing it now.”
“Gareth’s situation is complex. You know this,” he said with an irritated sigh.
I turned and began to head toward the limo. “Of course I fucking know this. Have I not just been having a conversation with Deirdre for the past hour? That was probably one of the most complex situations I have ever found myself in.” I approached Danny who was waiting by the open door, but turned back to face Bryce, lowering my voice. “Listen, I had to tell Sam. I would not have forgiven myself if anything happened to her. And again, she had a right to know.” I gave him the end-of-story look before I awkwardly climbed into the limo.