Brett put the truck into park and turned off the ignition. Eddy was about to jump out from the passenger seat when Brett reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
"Um, Eddy?"
Eddy looked at his pulled sleeve, then looked up at Brett.
"Yeah, Brett?"
"This job we're going to... I took the call and made the booking arrangements. I've arranged everything by myself, including going over to the customer's place and giving a quote."
Eddy smiled.
"Oh okay. Thanks for doing that. There's nothin' wrong with that is there?"
Brett bit his lower lip.
"Well, no I suppose not but look, um.., I just wanna tell you whose place it is and that you need to pretend that you don't know this person."
Eddy furrowed his brows.
"Huh? Okay... so who is it?"
After a moment of hesitation, Brett spoke.
"Eddy, it's Edwina and Brad's place."
"Oh..."
When Brett knocked on the door, it opened slowly and a tall blonde woman gingerly showed her face.
"Hi.. it's Twoset Removal."
The woman looked relieved. She opened the door fully.
"..Hi guys, Brett right?"
"Yes, we spoke on the phone. And this is Eddy."
"Hi Edw.. I mean, yeah, I'm Eddy."
"Hi Eddy, I'm Edwina. Nice to meet you. Please come on in."
I know you're Edwina, I've had a crush on you for years !
"Thank you for coming, guys. Brad's gone to see his brother, he's usually out for about 2 hours."
Brett quickly made some mental calculations as he looked around the small flat.
"Okay that should give us enough time to pack and load the truck. Have you packed your valuables, Edwina?"
"Yes. And I've put pink post-it notes on the furniture that comes with me. There isn't much.. cos I'm leaving most of it behind."
"Okay.. let's get started straight away..."
Eddy called out to Edwina who was sitting on the living room sofa.
"Um.. excuse me, Edwina?"
Edwina slowly looked up.
"Yes.. um.. sorry your name was..?"
All those years I've crushed on her and she doesn't even know my name..
"It's Eddy."
"Oh, that's right. I'm sorry, there's been so much going on lately, I'm struggling to remember anything new..."
"That's okay... um it's about your dining suite.. most of these chairs don't match but you just want these two that do..?"
"Yes, please. I'd like to just take those two matching ones. The table stays here"
"Um.. may I ask why they don't match?"
"Oh.. um.. Brad.. my .. partner.. he broke them.. He.. breaks them when ...he gets angry. And.. I had to keep buying .. a new.. set of chairs.. but ..he kept.. so nothing matches.. excuse me..!"
Eddy stood in shock as Edwina excused herself and walked away towards the bathroom.
"Eddy..?"
Brett came out from the kitchen where he was working"
"Brett... I.. "
"Eddy.. please don't ask her any personal questions."
"I'm sorry.. I completely f*cked up"
"It's a delicate case.. so if you're not sure if it's okay to ask her, just check with me, okay?"
"Yeah.. of course.. I'm really sorry."
"Edwina?"
Edwina looked up from the sofa again.
"Yes Brett?"
"We're ready. The truck's been loaded up with everything. Eddy's waiting in the truck and keeping an eye out for Brad's car. Are you ready?"
"I.. I don't know."
"Edwina, you told me that you had to do this."
"Yes.. yes I do."
"Okay. Are you going to leave a note or are you gonna text him later?"
"Oh.. I.. I haven't thought that far."
"That's okay, you can think about that later. I think we should get going..."
"I'm scared Brett... He's so fragile. He needs me."
Brett bit his lip.
"Edwina... he's a grown man. He will be okay."
"You don't understand.. he's very sensitive."
"He will be okay. And you said that you needed to get away so that you can be okay, remember?"
Edwina's face was covered in tears.
"Okay.. okay.. you're right. Let's go.."
Edwina wiped her tears as she stood up.
"Oh.. um.. should I leave my house key on the table?"
"I think you should keep it with you for now. You can always return it to the real estate agent later without seeing him."
Edwina repeatedly wiped her tears.
"Okay.. okay... let's go.."
"..Not hungry, Eddy?"
Eddy looked up at Brett. He looked concerned. Eddy looked down at his plate of food he had not touched. Normally when they have lunch after they've finished a job, Brett has to remind Eddy to slow down so he wouldn't choke on his food.
"Oh.. well, it wasn't a very big job today was it..."
"No I suppose not... Hey Eddy, are you alright?"
"I just have a lot of mixed feelings about this, y'know.."
"I suppose you would. You used to really liked her."
Eddy looked up at his business partner and boyfriend.
"Um.. yeah.. I did. Sorry."
Brett shook his head.
"Hey you don't have to apologise Eddy. I understand. It was before us. It's okay."
"That Brad.. he's.. he's such an ars*hole.. He had it in for me as well.. always telling me to f*ck off and stop gawking at his girlfriend.. I wasn't.. I swear..!"
"Eddy.. it was her choice."
"Yeah I know. It just still hurts to see someone you.. cared about.. make such a horrible choice. I.. I would've never hurt her like that..."
I worshipped the ground she walked on.
I appreciated every essence of her presence.
"No, of course you wouldn't."
"Brett.. do you think she'll be okay?"
"Well, it's good that she's taken the big step.. we can only hope things will start to look up for her.."
"Yeah I suppose. I really hope so."
Edwina had barely any furniture in the tiny studio apartment she had just moved into.
Her social worker had said this was good for her. That she would be safe from now on.
Her removalist Brett, to whom she spoke to at length was very kind and helped her muster up the courage to move out by reiterating her words that she had to do this.
The other removalist.. she couldn't remember his name.. looked vaguely familiar. But she could not remember a lot of things these days.
She sat down in one of the two chairs she brought along.
She then covered her face with her hands and cried.