The layer

„… so, that was really amazing. We might try that again tonight ."

Peter had his forehead rest on his fingertips.

„Thank you Walter…for at least trying to keep your story youth friendly." He sounded exasperated. Evey looked around. Sandra was snickering into her hand while Jill sat there unfazed. However, Judie had pursed her lips in utter distaste, next to her sat James who had a blotchy face colour, his red ears giving his embarrassment away.

„Yeaah, sorry about that. Sometimes I cannot contain myself."

„We know that by now.." Raul who sat close to Evey murmured to himself. She tried her best to suppress her giggle.

Sandra who had calmed herself began to speak. She was wearing a headband with a wig attached to it. She looked less disfigured than Toby however the skin of her face told a similar story. Streaks of white scarred flesh divided bigger and smaller parts of her skin into a thick spider web like texture. Her eyebrows were drawn on with a pencil. But what really caught Eveys attention were her pale blue Eyes. They were mesmerising.

„So, how was your honeymoon, dear Sandra?" Peter asked to change the topic.

„It was great actually! Mike had made a huge effort to plan it and it really paid off!" She sounded happy.

In hindsight Evey had noticed that Sandra was missing the last few sessions. But as it wasn't untypical that members skipped a meeting or two, she hadn't really thought about it. The only members she hadn't seen miss a single meeting were Peter for obvious reasons, Judie and James.

But what did she know. After all, she had missed over half a year.

„Sorry to say that, but I'm just really happy! I have nothing to complain about. Sometimes I don't understand how I could be so lucky !"

„Sandra, no need to apologise. We certainly aren't here to solely complain. Your happiness is our happiness. Your marriage gives hope to those who haven't found their match yet." Peter said.

At least someone with a normal life, Evey thought.

„Just you wait until the honeymoon phase passes… „ Jill said. Oh boy… here we go again.

„Yes Jill. Mike's a man. And men are evil in general. We got the message." Raul commented.

„That's not what I said… Of course YOU would say that!"

„Oh f*k off!" he exclaimed and waved a hand at her.

„No! You f*k off. Typical of - a man- to generalise the arguments of a woman to dismiss her criticism as a whole. That's the male privilege speaking."

„Guys, please keep it fair.. „Peter warned.

„Male privilege?! Sure, you have found the best representative. Mutilated, gay and in competitive sports. You certainly know what privileges I had. All the obstacles I had to overcome to be where I am today. Surely all of it was privilege and had nothing to do with how hard I worked for it!"

Raul had an accident as a child. He had been playing close to a log fire, tripping over a canister of gasoline. Back in rural Colombia they didn't have the medical equipment to mend his third degree burns. So they did the only thing they could...amputate both of his legs.

There was no life for him there. He emigrated for a better future and devoted himself to rowing, his ultimate goal to participate in the Paralympics. This year he finally had been qualified to participate. Only to hear that it had been cancelled due to another worldwide pandemic. How many times had a pandemic stopped the world, Evey had lost count of.

„Fair enough. Maybe you are not the prime example. But my point is still valid." Jill huffed, crossing her arm before her chest. Probably the closest it would get for Jill to apologise.

Awkward silence.

„So.. There's more I wanted to announce.." Sandra said. Her words filled the space after their argument in an peculiar way.

„We're having a baby!" She beamed and the resonance it caused was extraordinary. Judie who sat next to her jumped in excitement grabbing Sandra's hands out of happiness.

The mood had taken a turn to the positive, people were given her gratulations. Some giving hugs or saying words of endearment. The seats left empty, for once they were closing the session on a happy note.

Evey felt joyous for her but to her own surprise not as much as she used to when her co-worker at BTN had announced similar news. Her life had changed drastically since then and having a family, the joy of having children, only felt like an abstract idea to her.

On her way home, a shop window of a small supermarket she never payed attention to stopped her in her tracks. It seemed to be some kind of minority shop, displaying items that had been banned before the revolution and were now available again. Standing in front of the glass, the random display of goods caught her eye.

Between bottles of vodka, books in a writing she couldn't read and a winking golden cat, stood a colourful, wooden, bottle-shaped figurine. The finish was chipped, some of the radiant colours dulled.

She had seen one these before. Staying on top of the shelf in her fathers study. Unpacked, in a line of small figurines, they all had smiled down on her. A babushka.

She didn't enter the shop. She headed home only to wonder how many hollowed layers it still might have had.

Yup.. Definitely a little confused where all of this is heading?

Sometimes I even don't know myself. V and Evey seem to have a story with its own mind.

There will be another one posted on Sunday.