Cross the Line

Part Five

Chapter 5

Sitting across the cafe table from him, Naomi felt awkward. She’d really judged this man, based on the rantings of someone who clearly wasn’t of sane mind. Maisy. Beautiful, funny, Maisy had written pages of fantasies about Conor. She’d had some sort of infatuation for him, and it had seemed to be her life’s work to snare him. Conor, Simon had told her was completely oblivious to it, but he didn’t object to Naomi sharing such personal details with his friend, if it helped her to clear the air. He knew that they’d got off to a dodgy start, and now he felt obligated to help ease that rift.

Naomi had been devastated after reading the journals, now she felt that she knew so little about her best friend. She also realised that like Simon’s parents she’d been guilty of ignoring the blatant facts of Maisy’s decline, so she had guilt two fold, towards Conor, but also to her departed friend. Looking back she attributed erratic behaviour to wild teenage ways, but it was much more than that, and somewhere deep down she’d known that all the long.

Coffee and a sandwich wasn’t as inspiring as it could be, but she’d missed breakfast, and anything would’ve felt good now that she was feeling a little more human. Conor was sat opposite, not pressuring her, but by the look on his face, he was enjoying just looking at the huge double cheeseburger that had just been laid in front of him.

                “Do you know how I know Simon?”  She finally ventured, he paused the huge burger a hair’s breadth from his mouth.

Placing it back on his plate, he rested his elbows on the table and steepled his fingers, “I presumed that it was through law, you said you knew him when you were a student.”

She shook her head, “I was his sister’s best friend, Maisy.”

Conor suddenly turned white, a hand dropped to brush hers, “oh Naomi, I am so sorry...I was on my honeymoon when she...”

Nodding she averted her eyes, it was still such an overtly painful thing to think about, let alone vocalise. BUt the genuine sadness and empathy tugged at her heart strings, if she ever doubted what Simon had told her, then she’d believe that Conor had nothing to do with Maisy’s demise at that open and honest reaction, “I didn’t realise you were married until Simon explained that.”

                “Divorced.” He sighed, hating that this was torturing her.   

She nodded, “I’m sorry to hear that. Anyway...” she started to explain her friendship and then in more detail his perceived role in it all. He was stunned, the uneaten burger still sat in his hands.

                “Wow!” it was the only word that came close to explaining his amazement. Such a horrendous mess. “I didn’t meet her more than a couple of brief times, I didn’t know her...”

Nodding Naomi stared up at him, “I know that now, and I’m sorry that I was so negative when you arrived, it was childish to blame you for anything really...” She sighed, “normally I’m so level headed. But she was my best friend...”

Conor was in shock, that poor girl had had some sort of crush on him, and he had a role albeit unconscious in her death. He felt guilty, responsible, tehn he thought of Simon. Shaking his head he met Naomi’s eyes, “I would’ve...” The statement ended with a sigh.

Reaching out she laid her hands on his, “I didn’t tell you this to make you feel bad, I was trying to tell you...” She sighed too, “I was using that grief to explain my despicable behaviour...and now I’ve just made you feel guilty. I am such a cow!”

                “I don’t think there’s any possible good feeling out of this. But it does mean we have a truce?” There had to be something good to come out of this, surely?