Tuesday & Max

30

WE CAN FIGHT OUR DESIRES

BUT WHEN WE START MAKING FIRES

"Hi, Tuesday," Richard says.

"What are you doing here?" Tuesday asks, wishing she'd managed to catch an earlier train and avoided this.

"To see Julia."

"Aren't you supposed to be in France?"

"Yes." His expression is surprised, as if he didn't anticipate that every last scrap of breakup evidence would've been dissected by her and Julia. "I sent my assistant."

They stand together, looking at the door. Tuesday feels uncomfortable about just letting him in. What if Julia doesn't want him here?

"Did you call first?"

"I think she's blocked my number."

Damn. "Oh, yeah."

"I'd ring the buzzer," Richard explains. "But I don't know if she'd ignore it, or..."

"If she's musical cooking and won't hear," they both finish together.

Tuesday laughs nervously. "Yeah. She does that. Hang on." Fishing her phone out, she calls Julia.

"Hello?" Julia answers after several rings. Tuesday can hear Disney tunes in the background.

"Hi. It's me."

"Did you forget your keys?"

"No..." Tuesday fidgets, looking over apologetically at Richard. He may have broken her aunt's heart, but it's still awkward to talk about him right in front of him. Especially if maybe, just maybe, he's here to try and fix things. "Richard's down here. Shall I bring him up?"

Julia is silent for a moment. She tries, and fails, to sound nonchalant when she asks, "Why's he here?"

"Um..." The awkwardness intensifies. "He didn't go to France."

"Why not?"

Tuesday tucks the phone into her neck and asks Richard, "Why didn't you go to France?"

Richard sighs, exasperated. "Can I have the phone?"

"He says can he talk to you on the phone?"

"No," Julia says.

"She says no."

"Can I come up, then?"

"He says can he come up, then?"

Julia sighs. "Okay."

Tuesday nods wordlessly and cuts her off, opening the door and shuffling up the stairs with Richard close behind. "Sorry," she mutters on the second floor. "I just..."

"You're being a good friend," Richard finishes. "You're being supportive family. It's okay."

"Thanks."

Julia is waiting in the sitting room doorway when they get into the front hall.

"What do you want?" She's cutting right to the chase this time. Tuesday feels oddly proud.