Correspondance, November and December 1988

The day after she met Dave Martyniuk, Meg sits staring at the single sheet of pale blue stationary on her desk.

What is she supposed to write? It was nice to meet you? That's not exactly going to ring true, in light of the way the meeting went.

After several more minutes, Meg picks up her pen and writes:

Dave,

I'm glad that we finally had an opportunity to meet. I hope we'll get to talk again soon, and I hope things are going well for you.

Sincerely,
Meg

She hesitates for a moment, and then adds her address under her name.

After another -- and longer -- moment, she writes her phone number, too.

And then folds the paper in thirds without rereading it, seals it in an envelope, and drops it in the mail before she can think herself out of it.

Montreal, 17 November 1988

"Could somebody get that?" Olivia yells, when the phone rings, and since Carrie is out, Meg figures that means her.

"Hello?" she says, catching the phone on the fifth ring.

"Meg?" says the caller.

"Yes," she says, cautiously. She doesn't recognize the voice.

"Oh, good."

"I'm sorry, who is this?" she asks.

"It's Robert."

"Oh," Meg says. "Hi. Um, are you looking for Olivia?"

"No," Roe-bear says quickly. "No, please, I really don't want to talk to her."

"Okay," Meg says. "What, um . . . why are you calling?"

"I lent Olivia some albums. I'd like to get them back, but I don't want to see her or anything, you know?"

"I can see that," Meg says. It's reasonable enough.

"So I was hoping you'd answer and I could ask you, if you'd mind getting them from her and giving them to me."

"Oh," Meg says. "Um, sure."

"Great, thank you," he says. "Is this evening good?"

"Not really," Meg says, with a glance at the clock. She's meeting Alain in about half an hour.

"Okay, then, how about tomorrow evening?"

"I can meet you tomorrow morning, on my way to class," Meg says, firmly. That way she has a reason to not hang around and chat. "Around ten, in front of my building."

Same time and place he met her last time.

"Oh, yeah. That would make sense," Roe-bear says.

"I'll get them from Olivia, then, and see you tomorrow."

"I really appreciate it, Meg."

"It's no trouble," Meg says. "I need to go. Um, bye."

"See you tomorrow," Roe-bear says.

Meg looks at the clock again. There should be just enough time to explain and get the tapes from Olivia before Meg has to leave to meet Alain.

Assuming, of course, that Olivia knows where she left them.