#eva visla

[zosa95]

[zosa95]

🍁Harvest Day Evening🍂

[zosa95]

[zosa95]

Mak: Today is your anniversary? Of what?

Markus: Gemma and I met exactly one year ago.

Mak: Jeez, you’ve only known her a year? You don’t let any grass grow under your feet. How’d ya meet?

Eva: It’s your first anniversary of meeting? The two of you are crazy!

Gemma: (laughing) Pretty much sums me up. Markus is less so. He’s the stable one in this marriage. I think I’m a bad influence!

Beatrice: How did you meet him?

Gemma: It all started when I signed up to be on his best friend’s bachelor challenge. I didn’t win, obviously. But Martin introduced us.

Eva: Excuse me! You know that is- It’s just-

Markus: I was smooth as ice. She never stood a chance.

Gemma: (timidly) Uh, excuse me. Are you, uh, meeting Martin Archer?

Markus: (lazily) Yeah. I’m his best friend, Markus Treiberg. Who are you?

Gemma: My name is, uh, Gemma, Gemma Treiberg - I mean, Gemma Clarke!

Markus: (amused) Have a seat, Gemma. Martin should be here with Alice shortly. How do you know Martin?

Gemma: (mumbling) I, uh, well, you see, I was kinda on his bachelor challenge.

Markus: (nonchalantly) I don’t remember seeing you.

Gemma: He fell ass over tea kettle the moment he met me.

Gemma: Hello, I believe we’re both meeting Martin and Alice.

Markus: Um, hi. I’m um, Markus. Martin and I used to live together. I mean, not live together- I meant it was the same house when we were teens, but not- I like women, like you, not men.

Gemma: (amused) How do you know I’m a woman?

Markus: Shit. I, um, I shouldn’t have-

Gemma: (laughing) Relax, I’m just playing with you.

Markus: (nervously) I’ve seen all your movies multiple times. And your music videos. And I keep an autographed picture of you by my bed.

Funny how time can skew your memory. Or maybe you’ve just exaggerated everything, and neither you nor your friends believe your bullshit.

[zosa95]

Markus returned from the bar with his fourth lager for the night. He finally felt relaxed despite being on a losing team. He slid into his chair and looked over for Gemma. Her chair was empty.

Joan: Gemma stepped out to take a call.

Mak: Yeah, someone named Dave called her.

Markus: Dave?

Markus winced, realizing that his voice came out louder than intended.

Mak: I'm guessing Dave is someone you don't care for? Who's Dave? Old boyfriend?

Markus scoffed and shook his head.

Markus: Number one fan, literal fan club president, and a bit of a stalker when we lived in Glimmerbrook...

Mak: And he has Gemma's phone number?

Markus shrugged.

Markus: He backed off after I had a chat with him. Of course, Gemma was pissed off at me and made it a point to invite him to our leaving party.

Mak shook his head and laughed. Then stopped upon spotting Gemma. She looked distraught and brushed past all of them to approach Thomas Watson.

The group watched as she laid her hand on Thomas's arm and leaned her head close to his. Thomas abruptly stood and raced for the door with Gemma watching after him. Then Gemma approached the tables, eyes swimming with tears. Markus stood and took a step towards his wife.

Markus: Gemma? What happened?

Gemma sniffled.

Gemma: (shakily) Not here. Too many people.

Jude: Come on; I'll clear the other room.

The group of friends moved into the room that Jude emptied and gathered around Gemma.

Gemma: Dave is - kinda - a friend of mine. The last time I saw him, he was moving to Moonwood Mill with his girlfriend, Blair. But tonight, Dave told me that he and Blair broke up shortly after moving. Next, Blair hooked up with Wolfgang Munch.

Mak: Whoa. Mila's son?

Gemma: Yeah. Wolfgang, Blair, Nancy Landgraab, and several others went on an expedition to Selvadorada. There was an incident. All parties of the expedition are presumed dead. Dave found out an hour ago because the authorities contacted him. Blair still had him listed as her emergency contact.

(simultaneously) Mak: Fuck. Jude: Shit. Morwenna: Oh no!

Gemma: It'll be all over the news tonight. The Landgraabs are big news as is.

Daisy: Poor Mila. I can't even imagine.

[zosa95]

Gemma's hands were covered in custard when her phone rang. She'd spilled a good bit of it when setting the tray down. Gemma turned to Markus, frowning. Very few people in her contacts were marked to bypass her phone's silent mode. Markus walked up and slid the phone out of Gemma's back pocket.

Markus: It's Edith.

Gemma: Answer it. She never calls.

Markus waved his hand, effectively silencing the group, and answered the phone on speaker.

Gemma: Edith? Is everything okay?

Edith: (cagily) Not exactly.

The sounds of sirens emanated from Gemma's phone.

Gemma: (alarmed) Edith! What has happened?

Edith: I planned a romantic date with Brad. It's not easy, you know, with our living situations, finding time alone. Anyway, I set things up all romantic like--

Gemma: Edith! Are you and Brad okay?

Edith: It's rude to interrupt, Gemma. Keep your knickers on. I'm getting to that.

Mak turned a laugh into a cough.

Edith: Is that Markus? Grope his ass for me. Heh heh.

Markus cringed, and Mak's shoulder shook with repressed laughter. Gemma bit her lower lip in impatience, almost drawing blood.

Gemma: Will do. You set up a romantic date?

Edith: Yep. It was amazing until I got a charley horse and kicked over a candle.

Gemma: Is everyone safe?

Edith: Yeah. No one else was there, and we got out. But I need your help.

Gemma: What can I do?

Edith: If I need an alibi, cover my ass. I was on the phone with you or some shit. And see if Markus's doctor friend can find us a new home. I think we're all homeless about now. Gotta go! The fuzz just showed up.

The call abruptly ended. Gemma sighed heavily.

Mak: (amused) I think I like her!

Cecil: (worried) Are we all accessories to a crime?

Jude: No, because that phone call never happened. And if it did, you didn't hear anything.

Cecil: Noted.

Mak: How old is Edith?

Markus: She's in her seventies.

Mak: I knew you liked them older, mate, but damn.

Mak laughed when Markus shot him the middle finger.

[zosa95]

Mak: You made it!

Markus: Barely. Where's Gemma?

Mak: Huddled in the inglenook with the rest of the Whiskeypedia team. Something's afoot. I have a feeling we'll lose again tonight. We need to separate Jude and Gemma.

Markus froze. Why would Mak say that?

Markus: (forced casualness) Why's that?

Mak: (grumbling) They're too fucking good. I'm sick of losing and Jude giving me shit about it. Even Gemma jumps on it. I think she's still mad at me for me giving her shit on Halloween.

Markus forced a laugh he didn't feel. He didn't care to think about that conversation or the following fight when Gemma hurled a remote at him.

Gemma: You're here!

Gemma planted a quick kiss on Markus's mouth before quickly moving past.

Gemma: Loo before the quiz. Later, losers.

Mak: See what I mean? Your wife has a mean streak. Let's go get a drink or three.

[zosa95]

Gemma: Did you get any rest?

Eva: I managed a catnap. I have never been so tired. Greta did not have colic, and she slept fairly well. Simon now seems determined to never sleep for more than an hour at a time.

Gemma: If there's anything I can do, let me know.

Eva: You are already doing so much. You and Mum are lifesavers.

Gemma: Beatrice said something about your mum taking soup to Lydia. Is Lydia okay?

Eva: Lydia's gout is flaring up. She'll be back on her feet soon.

Gemma: I'll take her some biscuits tomorrow.

Eva: She'll love that. You look like you have a secret. Spill it.

Gemma: I can't tell you. You're on an opposing quiz team, and so is Mak.

Eva: What? Jude told you something, didn't he? And he's my own flesh and blood! Jude is such a wanker.

Greta: Unca Dude is a wanker!

Eva: No, no, no! Greta, that's not a nice word.

Greta: (gleefully) Wanker! Wanker! Wanker!

Eva groaned, and Gemma bit her lower lip to keep from smiling.