Squared Up

Arthur tended to stay much later in the office than he needed to. They closed at 5:30 normally, but he normally left at 6:30 at the earliest, usually 7 or later. There were days - more than he’d admit - that he stayed and slept in the office. It made sense. The city didn’t have many lawyers, and he always had something to do, plus there’s nothing waiting for him at home except for the occasional football game on the TV. At least those were the reasons he was using to convince himself. He knew that he should probably join something to stop himself from becoming married to his work, but he didn’t see any need to change his habits at the moment. He had plenty of time, after all.

Today was one the rare days when he left on time. Well, almost on time. It was pushing 6:15PM and he was walking home for a change. Normally he would take the tram, but it’s only about 15 minutes and he wanted to get something from the cafe for breakfast tomorrow morning.

He was a few shops down from the cafe when a girl approached her. It wasn’t unusual to have clients who recognised him to approach him in the streets, but she was definitely not a client that he could remember coming to him for a consultation. A young woman in her 20s. Arthur searched his mind for any recollection of her. A client, the daughter of a client, a friend of Yvette’s? Unlikely, or maybe her face had just slipped his mind.

“Sure.” Arthur said, frowning a little at her invitation. She seemed… familiar? But Arthur couldn't quite place it. "But I have to ask, Miss, do I know you?"

"I doubt that," Arthur said, understanding the intention behind her words. Learning that those services weren't illegal on the island gave him a bit of a shock when he first arrived, though he had gotten used to it. After all, most European nations followed laws similar to the ones found here.

The narrow reality. While he had heard this phrase used here before, he had never learned what it meant. Arthur made a mental note to ask the girl about it, later on.

"That's alright. I have time to spare," he replied, heading in the direction of the cafe. Normally he didn't spend his evenings having coffee with a strange girl that he had only a vague recognition of, but it wasn't like he had anything better to do.

Once they were settled at the table, Arthur took a better look at the girl in the improved lighting. Still, vague recognition but no concrete connections. "I guess we could start with names. I'm Arthur."

"Nice to meet you too," Arthur said. Luciana. Not a name he had ever heard before either, though people went by interesting names around here. Or maybe she was adopting a name different from her given one. People did that a lot as well, if they didn't want to be associated with their old self. But why would she approach him if she didn't want to think of her past life?

He ordered a chamomile tea. He didn't want anything too caffeine heavy, as addiction is a risk he tried to avoid with the best of his ability.

"I am not originally from here, no," Arthur said. He really ought to ask her what the narrow reality meant, but now was not the time. "I grew up in the UK, mostly. Outside of here. Are you from there?"

Maybe another student from his alma mater, recognising his name or face? He didn't keep in touch with most of them at this point.

Arthur found the Luciana's enthusiasm and openness a bit refreshing from other people. Normally, people weren't so open around him. They mostly come to him to discuss legal problems, and they all seemed to have the belief that anything they said would indict them. It was not the case, but it made for pretty shoddy conversations.

"I would be excited, too, if I could travel the world so freely," Arthur commented, trying to keep the conversation going. "There are lots of places I have wanted to visit, but I never had the time to go. The Day of the Dead is such an interesting tradition, as well,"

His order arrived, and he took a sip from the mug before continuing.

"My family came from Stockholm, Sweden, but we immigrated to the UK when I was young. Sweden is a nice place. You should visit, if you get the chance. " He said.

"No. Sadly, I'm not. I'm one of the very few legal professionals on the island, so it's very difficult for me to take even a few days off," Arthur said, giving a halfhearted smile. Though sometimes it's nice to fantasise, Arthur wouldn't know what to do with himself aside from work. When he still had Valerie, she took charge of getting him out of the house and the office, but for the last decade or so, most of his life had comprised of work.

Arthur loved his work. But he knew that it wasn't good for him in the long run, and sometimes he couldn't help but wonder what he'd look like 10 years down the road.

"Sweden?" Arthur paused, trying to collect the hazy fragments of his childhood memories. "Stockholm is beautiful. A big city with many waterfronts. And very nice parks. I left there when I was 7 or 8. A long time ago."