Advent Stories #21 | The Break Up

Brodie woke up before the house hold, he’d slept in the smaller living room, or tried to, the boys made up a bed for him, but he didn’t get much sleep. The fight between Francesca and Blu kept playing in his head, and all he could see was how hurt Blu was by whatever it was his mother did.

He knocked on the door of what was been their bedroom, but no answer. He knocked again, nothing. She probably doesn’t want to see anybody so he returned to the living room where he stayed up watching TV. They’ll talk later.

‘I’m sorry.’ Franny says to Roland, she didn’t have a good night’s sleep either, everyone is mad at her she knows, but she is a one way train of destruction when she has a bee in her bonnet. She was only trying to help by forcing the conversation around Leila Sterling because Blu was adamant she did not want to cause any more trouble between Brodie and his mother. As soon and Francesca saw Brodie in the kitchen she had an idea, turns out it was the worst of its kind.

‘I’m not the one you should be apologising to Franny.’ Roland is still irritated. ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’

‘You know what that woman is like-’

‘I don’t care what she’s like. What happened between the two of you happened over a decade ago. Blu is meant to be your best friend. What you did to her, was appalling.’

‘I get it, but I was only trying to help.’

‘By doing what? By outing her feelings to the man she loves. You think she’s happy about the way she behaved?’

‘I don’t think so I just… I’m sorry.’

‘And as I said, I am not the one who needs your apology.’ Roland gets out of bed.

‘You do. You all do. I shouldn’t have behaved like that. Brodie had just driven down to see Blu and I had to ruin it.’

‘It’s always shoot first with you Franny. I’m going to take a shower.’ Door slam.

He wants to get away from her, Franny cannot blame him; she would want to get away from her too. She makes her way out of the bedroom, ties her robe around her and heads up the hall to Blu’s bedroom. She knocks but no answer. Her friend banished all of them from her life so why would she answer. Well Franny is determined so she knocks again, and again, and again… but Blu is even more stubborn when she wants to be. Franny let herself in the bedroom, the bed is made, and there is an envelope on it addressed to Brodie. She checks the wardrobe, no clothes, no suitcase. no Blu. Shit.

‘Where’s Blu?’ Franny barged into the kitchen where Maya, Dada, Seamus and Basil are having breakfast.

‘Oh look if it isn’t the Grinch.’ Dada says ignoring Franny’s question.

‘Fine I get it, everyone is mad at me I screwed up-’

‘That’s your problem Franny, you never stop to think it’s always after the fact. Now you’ve slept on it Roland has probably told you off-’

‘Yes I screwed up and I don’t expect anyone to forgive me. Has anyone seen Blu?’

‘She’s in her bedroom I suppose.’ Basil answers.

Brodie walks into the kitchen laden with warm bread from the village bakery. Blu loves warm bread.

‘She’s not there.’

‘What do you mean she not there?’ Dada asks, about to head upstairs.

‘What’s going on?’

‘Blu is not in her bedroom, she left this for you on the bed.’ Franny hands Brodie the envelope.

‘I knocked on the door but she didn’t answer this morning.’ Brodie tears open the envelope to read the note Blu left. It was short. ‘She’s gone back to London.’ He informs his friends who are standing around waiting for him to read the note.

‘What did the note say?’ Franny asked

‘Just that. Anything else is none of your business.’ Brodie says before heading upstairs to their bedroom; he is going to have a shower, get dressed and leave. Enough of this. He’d tried.

‘She’s not here.’ Dada informs Brodie, coming out of their room.

‘I know. She left a note. She’s gone back to London.’

‘Ai.’

In the privacy of the room Brodie re-reads Blu’s note.

Dear Brodie

I am sorry for what I did and the way I have behaved afterwards.

Francesca was right, what I did was awful, I know that without her having said it.

I hurt you and I’m sorry. By the time you get this I should be in London or half way there.

I should probably tell you why I ran but I can’t, that is a conversation you should have with your mother. She knows why. I choose not to come between you and her any more than I probably already have, unintentionally.

For what it’s worth, I do still love you and I hope you can forgive me one day. I hope you find someone who loves you just as much as I do, if not much more because you deserve the happiness I did not give you a chance to have.

All my love,

Blu

*

‘Are you happy now?’ Simi rounds on Francesca, having just learned that Blu has gone back to London.

‘No I’m not.’

‘You should be. It’s what you wanted wasn’t it? Make people mad, drive people away. What happened to make you such a miserable cow?’

‘I’m sorry!’ Franny is in tears, ‘I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.’

‘Well what did you think was going to happen?’ Maya asks with obvious impatience, ‘that you’ll say all that but she’ll still forgive you? Francesca what you did to her is unforgivable. And what’s worse, she told you what happened, something she did not tell Brodie but-’

‘You don’t understand!’

‘I don’t want to understand. You are a bitch.’

‘Maya,’ Adam tries to placate the situation.

‘No Adam, she has to be told. I’m done. Can we get a car to pick us up I need to get out of here. I’ve had enough of Francesca and her toxic behaviour. And I agree with Blu, I don’t care what you do with this place, sell, don’t sell. I don’t care anymore.’

One by one the friends peel away from what used to be their happy place. This place holds so many memories for them and in a way this feels like a break-up of the group.

*

There is a knock on the door, as Brodie zips up his weekend bag, he’s had a shower, is dressed and ready to hit the road, not just to London but to the rest of his life. He booked a plane ticket back to New York. He has to get on. He doesn’t want to speak to his mother or anyone else about what happened. If Blu is not going to tell him then he’ll talk to his mother at some point but right now he has to be far away from this mess. He answers the door. Francesca.

‘What do you want?’

‘I know you’re mad at me-’

‘I’m not mad. Being mad would indicate I expected more from you. I don’t. I’m only disappointed that you had to dime on your supposed best friend like that.’

Franny nods, she deserves that. ‘Are you going back to New York?’

‘What’s that got to do with you?’

‘Brodie you need to talk to your mother, she knows what she did.’

‘Is that what you were talking about at Annabel’s? After you left our table she came after you. What was that about?’

‘She needs to tell you herself. I won’t. But if you won’t talk to her, talk to Logan.’

‘Logan? What does he have to do with this?’

‘Talk to him before you leave. That’s all I’m going to say on that. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.’ Francesca walks away in tears.

What does Logan have to do with any of this?