Waterbound

1924

"They're wonderful."

They reached a young man who stood by the wall, holding a sequined purse in one hand and a drink in the other. His face lit up at Vera's approach.

"Wally," Vera said, taking the drink from him and linking her other arm through his. "This is Kate Brandt. I used to lodge with her whenever my parents were away."

"It's Werner now," Kate corrected. Another last name...she wondered how long it would take to get used to it.

Wally held out a hand. "Hi. Vera talks about you quite a bit. Nothing but the sweetest of things."

"Well, Vera is a lovely girl," Kate said, shaking his hand. "How long have ye known each other?"

"Oh, years and years," he replied. "We practically grew up together."

"It's funny how I didn't fall for you until just recently," Vera said with a smile.

"I suppose I just needed to be patient," Wally responded, leaning down to plant a light kiss on the tip of Vera's nose.

Kate couldn't help thinking that his patience and a generous checkbook must have gone hand in hand. If only he had thought to buy her earrings much sooner. "Well, I need to be gettin' back to me husband," she said. "Don't want to be leavin' him alone for too long. He might grow bored."

"Alright," Vera said but her attention was entirely on Wally.

When Kate returned to Hugh, she found him sitting at the bar, staring into his drink. She took a seat beside him and reached for the on he had ordered for her—a clover club—and took a small sip.

"Oh, you're back," Hugh said, without looking up.

"I am," Kate replied. She ate a raspberry off the skewer that sat across her glass. "That was Vera. She used to stay with me for a time back when I took in lodgers."

"Well, if you'd like to spend some more time with your friend, I can always head back to our room."

She laughed. "Vera can be a bit much at times, but it's just me here now."

Hugh tapped his fingers on his glass. "There aren't any more of your friends lurking about are there?" He asked.

"Haven't spotted any. And I wouldn't exactly call Vera me friend."

He raised an eyebrow. "She was important enough to run off with."

Kate studied him and her smile faltered. "Wait, are ye upset about me talkin' with her?"

There was a heavy pause and then, after a moment, Hugh sighed. "I mean this is supposed to be our honeymoon."

"Supposed to be?" Kate touched his arm. "It is our honeymoon, last time I be checkin'. I can't help it if other people show up to this bar. There are a lot of people here."

"I suppose not." He drained the rest of his glass in one swift motion.

She took another sip of her own drink. Her mind struggled to understand his sudden shift in mood. She had only spent a few minutes with Vera, hardly abandoning him for the entire night.

"Finish your drink," Hugh said suddenly.

"What?"

He pushed the glass closer to her. "Finish it," he repeated.

Kate drained the rest of her drink and set the glass down.

Without a word, Hugh took her hand and began pulling her to the door.