Please Don't Leave Me Here Read Free

compliment?’ Brigitte orders a flat white, scrapes out a chair, and sits opposite him. ‘How are things with you and Rosie?’
    He shakes his head. ‘Don’t ask. She’s vegan now.’
    â€˜And training for the marathon?’
    â€˜Uh-huh. Looks like a stick insect. She’s gone all weird, had her hair cut really short. Something about turning 40.’
    â€˜Well, you always had a thing for older women, so— ’
    â€˜And what’s with the no-sex-ever thing?’
    â€˜Too much information, Ryan.’
    â€˜You’re a woman. Thought you could help me figure this stuff out.’
    She shrugs and yawns.
    â€˜How come you look like shit?’
    â€˜Late night.’ She’s bubbling to tell him all about it — like a silly teenager. Ryan probably knows Aidan; the Melbourne film industry is a small community. The waiter brings her coffee. She stirs in some sugar and sucks the spoon.
    A woman pushes a baby in a jogger pram along the street. Ryan looks over at the cakes on the counter. ‘You and Sam still having sex?’
    â€˜Ryan!’
    â€˜What? Don’t be such a prude, Brigi.’ He turns his empty cup around on its saucer. ‘Well, are you?’
    She twists her mouth.
    â€˜How often?’
    She shrugs and sips her coffee. ‘So what is going on with you and Rosie?’
    He leans back and crosses his arms. ‘Rosie says I have to get a real job. I’ve just picked up this series of insurance TV commercials that’s going to pay heaps. Not good enough for her. Says it’s too hard paying off the mortgage with just her income.’
    â€˜Well— ’
    â€˜Like I don’t contribute, which is total bullshit.’
    â€˜You agreed to the McMansion, so— ’
    â€˜I was happier when we were renting the house in Groom Street and I had that role in Neighbours .’ He looks out the window. A man in lycra cycles past on a state-of-the-art bike.
    â€˜That house was shit. It was falling down and— ’
    â€˜At least we had a bit of money left over at the end of the fortnight — for a pizza or bottle of wine, something.’
    â€˜Sam’s on at me to get a job, too. Not sure what he expects me to do with the twins. He has no idea what childcare costs.’
    â€˜Maybe Maggie and Doug could babysit.’
    She laughs at the idea of her parents-in-law doing anything to help her. ‘Want another coffee?’
    â€˜I want a beer. Let’s go to the pub.’
    They walk past the fish-and-chip shop, the hair salon where a woman’s having a blow wave, and across the road to The Royal. The bar is empty. Ryan goes up to order drinks, and Brigitte takes a table by the window.
    She sips her orange juice slowly. Ryan drinks his beer quickly and gets another.
    â€˜You and Rosie are really having problems, aren’t you?’ she says.
    â€˜Think it’s pretty serious this time.’
    She reaches across and squeezes his shoulder.
    â€˜Sure you don’t want a beer?’
    She shakes her head. ‘You know I’m not drinking. And it’ll be time to pick up the kids soon.’
    â€˜Come on — one won’t hurt.’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Come on.’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜You sure?’
    â€˜OK, just one.’
    The beer tastes good.
    â€˜Ever wonder if you’re with the right person, Brigi?’
    â€˜What, like a soul mate?’
    â€˜Suppose so.’
    â€˜No such thing. What’s the probability of finding the one right person out of all the billions of people on the planet?’
    â€˜Thought women were supposed to believe in that shit.’
    She shrugs, sips her beer, and looks up at the specials board, pretends to read it, doesn’t want to talk about this anymore.
    â€˜Brigi! You’re not having an affair, are you?’
    â€˜Don’t be stupid, Ryan. Where would I find time for that?’ She laughs, and finishes her drink.