Free Downsizing by W. Soliman

knew you would.”
    “ Easy for you to say,” Maxine
responded, rolling her eyes. “You’ve no idea how worried I’ve
been.” She opened the door and ushered Cassie in ahead of her. “I
must just ring Mum and tell her. She’s away on an Open University
residential week, but I know she’ll be on tenterhooks. Has Noah
called whilst you were waiting, by the way?” She looked round as
though expecting him to appear from behind the sofa. “He said he’d
drop by.”
    “ No, I’ve not seen him today but,
as it happens, it’s him I’ve come to talk to you about.”
    “ Oh yes.” Her mother’s mobile was
switched off so Maxine hung up without leaving a message. “What
about?”
    “ I’m getting married,
Max.”
    “ Congratulations, Cassie! No
wonder you’re looking so radiant today.” Maxine beamed, genuinely
pleased for her friend. “So you’ve decided to accept Graham after
all. I’m sure you’re doing the right thing. I know you had the
jitters a few weeks back when he started hinting about marriage
but, really, you two are made for each other.” She frowned. “Hang
on, though. What’s this got to do with Noah? You said you wanted to
talk about him.”
    “ Listen to me, Max, I’ve got the
most fantastic news. It’s not common knowledge yet but, obviously,
since you’re a good friend to us both you’ve got to know because we
want you to be at the wedding. So Noah left me to come round and
tell you.”
    Maxine felt the furrow on her brow deepen.
There was something about the malicious glint in Cassie’s eye that
worried her. “What are you talking about, Cassie?”
    “ About Noah, of course! It’s not
Graham I’m going to marry, silly, it’s Noah.”
    Maxine’s stomach lurched as the gist of
Cassie’s announcement struck home. Her vision blurred, and she
simply gaped at her, too stunned to speak a word.
    “ I knew you’d be delighted for
us.” Cassie whirled about the kitchen. “We’re mad about each other,
you see, and Daddy’s arranging for us to get married at Caxton Hall
as soon as possible. Noah says he can’t wait for Mummy to arrange a
white wedding, which she’s a bit miffed about, but I’m too happy to
care.” Maxine remained rooted to the spot, still staring inanely at
Cassie. “Aren’t you going to congratulate me, Max?”
    “ I…I—”
    “ Noah won’t accept Daddy’s offer
of a flat as a wedding present, but that’s just his silly pride
getting in the way. I’ve said I’ll live on Broad Street if that’s
what he really wants, but I don’t expect it’ll be for long. I
popped into an estate agent this morning as a matter of fact.” She
flapped a sheaf of papers under Maxine’s nose. “Someone’s building
modern flats on the site of the old grange. The ground floor ones
have adorable little gardens of their own and they’d be just
perfect for us.” Cassie paused in her ramblings and glanced at
Maxine. “Max, are you all right?”
    Almost in slow motion, the cup in Maxine’s
hand fell to the tiled floor and shattered. She mouthed something,
but no sound escaped her lips.
    “ What’s wrong, Max, aren’t you
glad for us?” Cassie puckered her brow. “You’ll still be Noah’s
friend, and mine. You’ve gone a bit pale. Are you all right?” She
paused, looking mystified. “Surely you didn’t think you were
anything more than Noah’s friend, did you?”
    Maxine fled from the room, clasping a hand
over her mouth. With Cassie’s cruel words resonating in her ears,
she only just made it to the bathroom before she threw up, reaching
again and again until her throat was sore and there was nothing
left inside her. She sank to the tiled floor, rested her pounding
head against the cool porcelain, and waited for the tears to
come.
    As betrayals went, this one took pride of
place. The man she loved and who’d given meaning and shape to her
existence didn’t really care about her at all. In fact he cared so
little that he’d not even bothered to tell