Someone Lost, Something Gained

Hattie groans loudly from the kitchen, then there comes a thump. Veda pauses on the bottom step of the staircase before making her way to the other room. Hattie rarely lets her frustration out audibly; it’s always in slamming doors and stomping footsteps and scowls.

“Everything okay?”

Hattie clenches her hair in her fingers, glaring down at the notebook in front of her. “I hate school. I’m going to fail and be the laughingstock of the family, and my mother will gloat that she told me so. Why didn’t I drop out when I moved here?”

“Because you’re a strong, intelligent young woman who wants to better her life. You want to be around dead bodies and science-y shit and solve crimes. A nerdy Sherlock Holmes, if you will.”

“Sherlock Holmes is already a nerd. Your comparison doesn’t even make sense.”

“Hatchling, listen to me. You’ve got this.” Veda lowers herself into the seat across from her cousin. “What are you stuck on?”

“You can’t help.”

Veda frowns and tries not to let her feelings be hurt. “I’m not exactly stupid.”

“I know. But do you know chemical formulas and their reaction with various bodily fluids? Do you know how much time it takes a body to break down and DNA not be viable?”

“Well, depending on different factors, the rate changes. Decomp begins immediately after death. Then the internal organs begin breaking down twenty-four to seventy-two hours once the heart stops beating. Bloating begins eight to ten days after, nails and teeth fall out within several weeks, and the body starts to liquify after about a month.” Veda pauses and thinks. “Don’t know the rate of DNA decay, though.”

“It’s absolutely terrifying that you knew all that offhand.”

“What can I say, I like horror enough to look into the science behind it. Hattie, breathe. You can do this. If no one else will tell you, I’m proud of you. I have faith in you.”

Before Hattie can say anything, her phone starts vibrating across the tabletop. She lets out another groan when she glances at the screen. Mouthing ‘Dad’, she reluctantly picks up the device, answering the call on speakerphone. Veda heads to the fridge to grab a soda while her cousin greets John.

“Hattie, please stop screwing with your cousin. Phil is constantly over here bitching about glitter bombs, and Maria whines about how many emails she gets in a day.”

“Whatever do you mean, dear father?” Hattie asks, her tone dripping with innocence, and Veda claps her hand over her mouth as Coke comes out of her nose. “I haven’t spoken to Maria since Veda read the will.”

“Henry...”

“Look, I can’t promise we can stop what’s been started. I honestly expected it to take longer than two and a half weeks before they got annoyed. And seriously? Two glitter bombs is all it took for Phil to complain? Lightweight.”

“They’re annoying me.”

Hattie sighs. “I refuse to stop. Did Phil even tell you what Maria did to warrant this?”

“No, he just said they were being bombarded with glitter and emails. Really, Henry? Emails about Viagra?”

“My oh-so-wonderful cousin decided to go to the one hospital she should never have gone to, considering the restraining order which I know she knows about. She also decided to tell Veda that our grandfather died to get away from her.”

Silence reigns over the line. Veda exchanges a look with Hattie, shrugging at her cousin’s look of confusion. John is Hattie’s father; how should Veda know what he’s thinking? Finally, John clears his throat.

“I couldn’t reach you, and your voicemail was full.”

A click, then Hattie’s phone beeps as the call ends. Veda dissolves into giggles, and Hattie follows soon after. Once they’ve calmed down, Veda wipes excess soda from her upper lip and nose. She grabs a towel to wipe up the Coke from the floor.

“So, uh, he approves.”

Hattie shrugs. “I knew he would. At least he has a heart.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Always figured him for a softy when it came to you.”

“I’m his favourite.”

“As if there’s competition,” Veda mutters as she digs her phone from the pocket of her sweats pocket. “The Hell?”

“What’s up?”

“Liam’s messaged me on the ‘book.”

Liam Payne
Veda, ring me NOW.

Under that is a phone number. Veda’s hands start trembling as she reads and rereads the message. What could possibly be so important? Oh, god, something’s happened to Niall. He’s fatally injured or dying or—

“Hey, calm down. What happened?”

All Veda can do is cross the room to show Hattie the message. Her hand stretches out to rub along Veda’s back, ordering Veda to match their breathing together. After a long minute, Veda can think clearly. Hattie smiles gently and taps on the number. Veda switches the call to speakerphone. She needs her cousin to hear, especially if it’s something that will turn Veda’s world upside-down.

“Liam? Who’s died? What happened? Do I need to rush to the hospital or something?”

Liam pauses then groans, cursing under his breath. “I’m so sorry, Veda. I didn’t even think you could take the message that way. I promise everyone is fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something, and I didn’t want you to ring me right as I was walking through the front door.”

“Oh, my god, you’re such an asshole. I can’t feel my heart anymore. I think I’m the one dying.”

“Stop being so dramatic,” Hattie says with a roll of her eyes. “You’re fine.”

Veda sticks her tongue out at Hattie but turns back to the conversation. “Okay, so we’ve determined there are no funerals in the near future. What’s up?”

“Well, our favourite Nialler has a birthday coming up in a few weeks. We’re planning a party, and I wanted to see if you maybe wanted to come.”

Veda chews on her lower lip before asking what day. He tells her it’s the thirteenth of September. She promises to get the day off; it’s Niall’s first birthday since they started dating, and she absolutely wants to be there.

“Um, can Hattie come, too?”

“Definitely! The more, the merrier. Besides, it’ll be nice to see more of your life outside of your boobs.”

“He saw your boobs?” Hattie squeaks.

“Purely accidental, I promise.”

“Oh, Veda, one more thing.” He sighs, and Veda’s heart beats faster in her chest. “His mum is coming.”

Veda stares at the phone, eyes wide and jaw dropped. Finally, she manages, “I have to meet his mother?”

“Is there a problem?” She can hear Liam’s frown in his voice, the panic edging his tone.

“Nope! There’s no problem,” interjects Hattie, smacking at Veda’s hand when Veda slaps her arm. “Veda would absolutely love meeting his mother, as long as his mother doesn’t mind the implications of the dirty things her son does to my cousin.”

Veda snorts. “Okay, one? Those are completely consensual actions. We are both very willing participants, thank you very much. Two, I thought you didn’t want details of what Niall and I get up to.”

“I don’t, but when you come home with hickeys, it isn’t hard to guess what you’ve done.”

Veda laughs even as she promises Liam they will be there with bells on. Liam exhales sharply, thanking her. She doesn’t understand why - she has never given any implication that spending time with Niall is a hardship. On the contrary, she loves being with him.

She glances at Hattie. “Think Niall might kill me if we threw him a party here?”

“Inviting the neighbours?”

“Of course. It’ll give him a chance to meet them properly. You know Nonna loves any excuse to pry into our lives, and no one will accept us hosting a party without them being involved.”

“Oh! We can have the party after his birthday, so he doesn’t suspect a thing!”

Decision made, Hattie and Veda split up to talk to the neighbours, though Hattie is quick to designate Veda as the one to tell Nonna. Veda watches her cousin skip down the pavement toward Mister Thompson’s house, then shakes her head.

Why wouldn’t Veda be the one to tell Nonna? After all, it’s her boyfriend’s party they’re planning.

Nonna agrees immediately, to absolutely no one’s surprise. Veda is only surprised Nonna manages to close the door with how far into her thoughts she is. The older woman was mumbling to herself about the menu before the door shuts. Veda shakes her head and makes her way along the street.

By the time Veda and Hattie meet up on the stoop again, everyone has been informed of the party. The Marion kids, Tommy, and Becky have promised to help decorate. The Nadirs offered to bring food as well, so Nonna has to cook fewer dishes. Veda knows there is going to be too much food. Carlos and Xavier even pitch in with a promise of bringing games for the kids when the party get dull.

“You’re grown-ups. Grown-up parties are the most boring things ever,” Carlos whined, while Xavier nodded enthusiastically.

Veda sits on the stoop and watches as her neighbours congregate. Even with the distance, she can hear their planning, splitting of the tasks, themes and decoration ideas. It’s a mish-mash of accents and voices, high and low. She wonders to herself how she never saw - really saw - how beautiful they are.

The way their warm, giving spirits shine through.

The depth of their love for one another. And her.