"Alice, are you sure about this?" Maria asked, as she hovered next to her anxiously.
"I have never been this sure for anything," Alice assured. She reached out and grabbed her friend's cold hands. "Please let me do this for you, Maria!"
"I haven't seen Birgitta ever since I went against Cora," Maria began. "I don't even know if she's...,"
"She is alive!" Alice informed. "I had already asked Mendaline to find out before I brought you here to see her."
A tear escaped Maria's eyes. "Oh my Alice," She cried. "How long had you been planning this?"
"A while!" Alice allowed. The truth was that she had been trying to find out about Birgitta ever since she had gotten her memories.
Alice had decided that even if she and Maria never talked to each other again, she would still make sure Maria got to see her sister.
So with Mendaline's help, Alice had found out all she needed to know, including when would be a nice time to meet Birgitta.
According to Mendaline, Birgitta rode a taxi and often worked a night shift. Which was exactly why Alice and Maria now stood at the side of the road at nine in the night, in the cold and chilly air, waiting for Birgitta to show up.
Alice had chosen the spot Mendaline had said Birgitta would definitely show up at. However, after standing there for almost an hour, refusing four taxis, Alice hoped she didn't have to kill the witch.
After standing a few more prolonged minutes, a taxi came to a halt right in front of them, and a lady stepped out. Maria's tightened grip on Alice's hand told her that they had finally found the right taxi.
Alice found it impossible to believe the woman in front of her was in her late thirties. She found it even harder to believe that the woman was Birgitta, Maria's sister.
Where Maria had an endless amount of love for dresses, Birgitta looked like she had never worn a dress before. She was dressed in a black sweater blazer, over slim jog pants and brown Gary boots. Her red hair, similar to Maria's, was tied up in a neat ponytail. Her eyes were covered in mascara and black, heavy eyeshadow. Her lips were decorated with pink lip gloss, and Alice was pretty sure there were plenty of other things Birgitta had applied on her face, that she was not familiar with.
"My dear, a young lady like you shouldn't be standing here all alone, that too so late in the night!" Birgitta said.
Alice couldn't help but notice that Maria had a soft and melodious voice, while Birgitta had a rough, and if not unkind, strict voice.
"Where do you want to go?" Birgitta asked.
Alice chanced a glance at Maria, who was looking at her sister with a look that held so many emotions. Joy, sadness, guilt, admiration, and most of all, love.
"Little girl?" Birgitta called out, making Alice finally look away from Maria.
Alice forced a smile. "Yes?"
"Are you okay?" Birgitta asked. "You look like you've been punched by an invisible force!"
Alicke couldn't help but laugh. "I am fine!" She replied.
"So where do you want to go, dear?" Birgitta asked again.
"The hospital!" Alice blurted out, naming the first place that came to her mind.
"Just the place for a girl who said she's fine a minute ago." Birgitta remarked.
'Well, this is going great!' Alice thought in annoyance. "I actually wanted to visit my friend who is ill." She covered up.
"Which is why your friend is in the hospital." Birgitta pointed out.
Alice had to say, the woman was sassy. She heard Maria chuckle and was glad that her stupidity was of some use.
"So which hospital?" Birgitta asked.
"St. Thomas Hospital?" Alice asked.
"That's almost at the other side of town!" Birgitta gave a heavy sigh. "But since you're alone at this time of the night, I have no choice but to take you. It's not safe these days." She gave Alice a look. "Where are your parents, missy?"
'Dead!' Alice thought. "They're waiting for me at the hospital." She lied.
Birgitta nodded as if that made perfect sense. "Well, at least I won't have to worry about how you'd get home." She indicated her yellow taxi. "Come along then, we have a long way to go!"
Alice settled herself in the backseat of the taxi, which smelled like leather and cigarettes. She looked at Maria, who was seated next to her.
"She smokes when tensed." Maria informed, looking a bit ashamed. Alice shook her head, letting her know that it was fine.
"You're very kind Ma'am, doing so much for a girl you barely know." Alice acknowledged.
Birgitta looked at Alice from the rear-view mirror. "That's not what I get to hear from my kids."
"You have kids?" Alice asked, surprised.
Birgitta laughed for a good while before answering. "I have grandkids, missy!" She informed. Alice looked at Maria for reassurance, but her friend's gaze was stuck on her sister.
"But I know what misled you," Birgitta continued, racing past a red light. "I have maintained myself so well you would think that I'm still in my sweet sixteen!"
Alice had been wrong to think that Knave was self-obsessed. Birgitta surpassed him. However, Alice couldn't help but admire her. Where Maria was careful, composed, kind and shy, Birgitta was confident, bold and positively reckless. If that was a thing.
"You've grown quiet!" Birgitta observed.
"I was just thinking." Alice replied.
"If you're thinking about your friend, I'm sure she'll be okay!" Birgitta assured.
"I know she will!" Alice said, looking at Maria, who took Alice's hand in hers.
"If I may ask Ma'am, how many kids do you have?" Alice asked.
"You may not ask!" Birgitta replied, finally stopping for a red light, letting Alice know she did follow rules when she wanted to.
Alice looked tensely at Maria who said, "She is just joking."
"I was just joking!" Said Birgitta at the same time. Alice smiled. "I have three kids and two grandkids, both twins," Birgitta informed. "My daughter, who is the eldest and the mother of those two devilish twins, is one of the top lawyers in London!" She said, with pride in her eyes. "And my other two sons are pretty much useless." Birgitta laughed. "So much for having sons!"
Alice let a minute pass before asking, "And your husband, Ma'am?"
"Oh, I am not married, dear." Birgitta casually informed.
Alice waited for either her or Maria to tell her that she was joking. When no one did, Alice turned to look at Maria for reassurance the second time.
"I would make sure she had a husband If I were there!" Maria said. Alice nodded, knowing she would.
"Still think highly of me?" Birgitta asked.
Alice did not miss the sarcasm. "I am sure you had your reasons." She replied. The truth was that despite what Birgitta told her, she was not disgusted. She knew that a clever woman like Birgitta, despite how reckless, had reasons.
Alice was proved right when Birgitta explained, "I had a psychotic boyfriend, or whatever you want to call him," She chuckled. "The crackhead almost choked me to death!"
Alice could feel Maria tense beside her, making her wonder if this was the first time her friend had learned this.
"And do you know what day he chose?" Birgitta asked rhetorically. "The day he asked me to marry him." She overtook a van, cutting into the lane of the opposite car, gracefully ignoring the blaring horn of the angry driver.
Alice found herself desperately wishing that she would not have to get admitted into the hospital Birgitta was safely driving her to.
"I was four months pregnant with my last born then," Birgitta continued, as if she had not just risked everyone's life. "I had no idea, until I fainted in my daughter's high school. The next thing I know, a doctor is staring at my face, telling me I'm pregnant."
"You must be very brave, raising all your kids on your own." Alice said.
"I had help," Birgitta admitted. "My parents were very supportive." She sighed. "Good old lads supported me till their last breath!"
Alice was immensely relieved by the information. At least Cora had chosen decent people to raise Maria's sister.
Alice wondered how, despite being so wicked, had Cora managed to find such good people like Birgitta's parents, Alice's father and Tristan. The reminder of her father and Tristan brought tears to her eyes, but she was quick to wipe them away.
Maria must've sensed her mood change, as she always did, because she put a gentle hand on Alice's shoulder, smiling kindly when she looked at her.
"What about you, young girl?" Birgitta asked. "Do you have someone?"
"I'm engaged." Alice allowed.
"Well, don't let him choke you!" Birgitta said.
"Uhh, thanks?" Alice said, not sure what to say to that.
"You know girl, I don't know if it's your trustworthy face or something else, but there is something about you," Birgitta began. "I don't usually start sharing my life history with my customers."
"I guess, I just give off that vibe?" Alice suggested.
Birgitta considered this. "Perhaps!"
The rest of the ride was just Birgitta talking a great deal about clothes and fashion, in which Alice found herself reliving the moments she had spent with Tristan in her mind. She couldn't help it. Fashion was not something she got, which was why her mind had drifted off to everything that had happened and seemed stuck on Tristan.
Alice had been avoiding the thought of losing him for so long, that now when she had nothing to distract herself with, the reality shook her insides to an extent where she had to stifle a scream. It felt like someone had ripped her heart out. She felt raw and intense pain.
The only thing anchoring her was Maria's presence. "It's going to be all right, Alice!" She said. Alice gave a nod of gratitude.
"Oh, it's nothing to waste your tears on!" Birgitta scolded.
Alice, realizing she was crying, quickly wiped her tears. "What isn't?" She asked a little hesitatingly.
"My foundation, of course!" Birgitta replied. "The one that fell in the toilet?"
"Right," Alice said, glad she zoned out on that story. "I guess, I'm just emotional."
Birgitta scoffed. "That will take you nowhere in life!" She said, bring the car to a stop. "But for now, we reached the hospital." She turned to face Alice. "That would be eighty-five pounds."
"Eighty-five?" Alice asked, sure she did not have any money on her.
"I put it in your pockets!" Maria informed her.
Alice felt inside her pocket, and as Maria had promised, found exactly eighty-five pounds, which she gave to Birgitta.
"It was great meeting you, missy!" Birgitta said, taking the money. She felt inside her jacket, pulling out a card. "This is my card," She said, offering Alice the card. "Call me whenever you need a drive late at night."
"I definitely will!" Alice said, accepting the card. She made her way out of the cab.
Maria was right beside Alice, clutching her hand tightly, as she watched her sister pull away. A few minutes later, the cab was completely out of sight.
As soon as Birgitta was gone, Alice hugged Maria. Neither said a word, but remained hugging each other, sharing the pain they both felt.
After a long while, Alice finally broke the hug. She smiled at her friend. "Can you teleport me home now?"