2009

Following Francois into the kitchen, I say, "Francois, you remember meeting Kenny yesterday, right?" "Kenny?" "At the Refuge." "Where?" He is rummaging in the fridge, first taking out the huge container of potato salad which he drops onto the counter. "You don't remember?" And now my friend is standing leaning against the counter with his fingertips pressed to his forehead, as though enduring intense pain. "i can't talk about this right now", he says, returning now to the fridge. "Well, they're on their way over for lunch, right now, and should be arriving any minute." "Who?" "Kenny...and Amaris. The woman we also met there." "How do you know it's really him", says Francois, fixing widened and scared eyes on me. "Quite simple. When I texted him this morning, I did not give him the address. He lived here with us for five years. It it's really him, they will both find their way here without any help from me." "Christopher", hollers Carl from the living room. "Come out here. Right now!" "I'm helping Francois with lunch." "It can wait. Get out here. I want to talk to you." "Not in that tone you don't." "This is important!" Francois gestures with his head that I should go. "You bellowed?" say I standing and facing Carl from the dining room. "Sit down, please". He is pointing at the couch. "And I'm sorry for yelling. Please." "What." "I remember everything now." "Me too", says Erik. "About Kenny?" "He was with us, all the time. He came out to the house with us. And then I forgot, and he disappeared." He looks up at me, Erik too, obviously tormented. "What exactly has been going on?" "Kenny sent me a text today, saying that he wasn't there, that he and Amaris did see us in the coffee shop yesterday, but didn't go in. But they'll be here in a minute, and then, maybe something will be explained." "This has all gone way beyond creepy", says Carl. "I couldn't agree more". affirms Erik.