Free Captivation by Nicola Moriarty Page B

strained her ears to listen for the noises from outside.
    ‘Fireworks?’ she suggested eventually.
    She uncurled her legs from underneath her and stood up from the couch to peer at the closed curtains that hid the balcony door.
    ‘Let’s take a look,’ Danny suggested.
    Juliette hesitated, ‘I haven’t been out there in such a long …’ she let her words trail off, laughing nervously.
    ‘Come on,’ Danny’s words were reassuring.
    Stepping tentatively out onto the cool tiles, Juliette swivelled around, squinting into the sky. A moment later there was another bang and she watched as a shower of sparks exploded in the night sky off in the distance, south of the beach.
    ‘I was right!’ she said, sounding pleased. ‘Do you see them?’ and then she looked around her, relieved to see that Danny was standing right behind her,that his shape hadn’t been altered by the night air, that she could still make out his blue-green eyes, his olive skin.
    ‘Beautiful,’ he replied.
    He stepped in close and Juliette felt the tickle of warm breath on her cheek and she relaxed into his hold.
    ‘Wonder what they’re for?’ Danny mused.
    ‘They’re like a private show, just for us,’ Juliette replied – because it really did feel like that, she couldn’t hear voices coming from the beach, no appreciative gasps from other onlookers. It was just them.
    ‘What’s the date today, though?’ Danny asked.
    ‘I’ve no idea.’
    ‘Really?’ He sounded surprised.
    ‘Wait, let me think.’ Juliette’s forehead creased as she concentrated.
    ‘I suppose we’re getting towards the end of January, aren’t we?’ she said eventually. ‘So … they must be for Australia Day,’ she concluded. ‘Or then – I guess we could be in February already. Maybe it’s a Valentine’s Day celebration?’
    She felt Danny’s head nod in agreement.
    ‘That seems right,’ he said. He paused, then added, ‘Do you know what day it is today – as in, which day of the week?’
    Juliette shrugged. ‘No,’ she replied, ‘no idea. It’s not important.’
    ‘I guess … I guess it isn’t,’ said Danny. But his voice sounded slightly concerned and Juliette turned to look at him.
    ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked.
    ‘Nothing, really. I mean, I suppose it’s alright, isn’t it, us just living in this world, this world of our own making – not knowing things like the date or the time?’
    ‘Of course it is. It’s perfect.’

    ‘And you – you still eat enough, don’t you? And you’re sleeping okay?’
    Juliette laughed and pulled Danny closer.
    ‘Stop worrying so much,’ she said. ‘Of course I do. Trust me, I’ve never felt better, never felt as good as I do when I’m with you.’
    They stood out on the balcony together until the fireworks finished, and when the last sparks fell in a shower from the sky, they led one another inside, closing the door and the curtains behind them – leaving that other world behind again – and they lowered themselves to the lounge room floor and made love, over and over, with Danny whispering in Juliette’s ear, ‘Well, if it is Valentine’s Day, I guess we should be making the most of it, shouldn’t we?’
    The following day, Juliette noticed that her phone was ringing much more often than usual. Each time she heard it she attempted to ignore it, to let it ring out, thinking that that would be the end of it – but each time it immediately started up again. Its persistent tones eventually beginning to grate on her, and finally she followed the cord to the wall and yanked it out of the power point. Danny watched her with a strange look on his face.
    ‘Why did you do that?’ he asked eventually. ‘Why didn’t you just answer it?’
    ‘Because I’m not interested in speaking to anyone but you. Those people out there – beyond these walls – they’re not real, they don’t really exist, not in the way that we do.’
    ‘Won’t they try you on your mobile?’ he asked.
    ‘No,’