Signal to Noise(55)

“I like comic books and albums from the 60s,” she said.

“And Jacques Brel.”

Ah, touché. He remembered that.

The server put the tart and tea before Meche. She poured a bit of milk into the cup and smirked.





“YOU CAN JUST take them and drop them off at my mom’s place.”

She shoved the box aside with her foot.

“I can drive you back to your mom’s place.”

“I’m not leaving right now.”

“I could wait.”

“Aren’t you going to get in trouble at your job?” she asked. “You’ve been with me for two hours.”

Not that she cared what his job thought. She just wanted him out of the apartment. When she was with him she had the bizarre sensation that ants were running up and down her arms. It was terribly irritating.

“I’m not a surgeon. People are not going to die if I show up late. It’s marketing.”

“Oh, yeah. Marketing,” Meche said, folding the flaps of another box. “What do you do, like peddle potato chips and shit?”

“I’m a Creative Director. I oversee the copy chief, the art director, and—”

“Wasn’t that what I just said? Peddle and shit.”

He looked amused as he sat on the floor of her father’s living room. Like he was having a really good time though she had said nothing nice to him all morning long.

“What do you do in Oslo?”

“I’m a coding monkey. Didn’t I say that?”

If she had not told him, then she was sure her mother had.

“When you’re not coding.”

“I don’t know. I watch TV. I take care of Svend.”

“Is that your boyfriend?”

“It’s a very big fern. I have several ferns but I only baptized one because if you name more than one inanimate object you’re heading into crazy cat lady territory.”

“That’s the rule?”

“Yeah.”

He smiled and she felt herself smiling back, which was not what she had been going for. Unfortunately, Sebastian had a way of disarming her. He’d had it when they were kids and he still had it now. Even though she knew she shouldn’t allow herself to be disarmed, that such behaviour led to shameful ruin, she was smiling.

“As much as I’d love to have a long chat about Pteridophyta, I really need some time to work and you’re distracting me.”

“Just how distracting am I?” he asked scooting closer.

Meche slammed a record against his chest, her eyebrows knitted together.

“Just carry these downstairs and get out, will you?”

He grabbed the boxes looking mightily amused, like that time when he had all the answers to the Spanish Literature quiz and she got none, so she sat at her desk in a panic while Sebastian smirked at her. Later she threw a piece of sandwich at the back of his head, but she didn’t have a sandwich at the moment.

“Don’t forget I’m taking you to the movies.”

“Go back to planet deluded,” she muttered.

She closed the door behind him and plucked a record sleeve from a pile.

“What do you think, Steve Perry?” she asked, smirking at the single—it was Oh Sherrie—and then tossing it to the floor because she realised she was talking to an inanimate object.





Mexico City, 1989





THE FIRST DAY back in class was usually a quiet, lazy progression of hours which everyone—teachers included—took easy. They were all recovering from the festivities. It was not a day for great happenings. But this year something very big did happen.

It took place right after English class. Sebastian, Meche and Daniela were sitting in their usual configuration.

Isadora Galván walked over towards them and in plain sight of about half a dozen other students, paused before Sebastian’s desk.

“Thank you for the nice Christmas present,” she said. “I’m wearing it today.”

“You’re... ah... welcome,” Sebastian said.

“A bunch of us are going to the movies tonight. Do you want to come?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Good. Let’s talk after school.”

Just like that Isadora bounced away, short skirt swaying, dazzling smile lighting the classroom. Gone and gone, leaving half a dozen students—as well as Meche and Daniela—completely stunned.

“Did I miss something while I was away?” Daniela asked.

“I’d say we both did.”

“I bought her a necklace,” Sebastian replied.

Meche’s voice was caramel-coated razors. “Gee, purchasing affection.”

“What do you know about it?”

“She just invited you to make Constantino jealous,” Meche said.

Daniela noticed how Sebastian twitched at that, as though he’d been zapped with a small taser. His eyes fixed on Meche and Meche rolled her eyes in turn.

“We need to change into the lab coats for chemistry. I have to wash mine again. I spilled something on it,” Meche said.

Daniela and Meche headed to the bathrooms. Meche grabbed the coat and placed it in the sink, rubbing it quickly.