Even in the midst of the chaos of the train platform, the unusual scent slices through and muffles all the noise with its strangeness. The briny smell of salt air flares through my sinuses, making me feel stunned into awakeness. From this central hub in Ivalier, I can't see or hear the ocean. But it makes itself known just the same. Painted over the sky is the blue of forget-me-not petals. Thin wisps of white clouds draw stripes in the sunlight.
Overhead a white gull sweeps through the crowd and steals a strip of jerky from a man's hand. The stranger curses and throws his balled up napkin at the sky as a few of the other travelers try to contain their giggles. My father groans when he steps off the train to stand beside me. Andrius approaches us from where his train car let out at a different section of the station, looking equally rested.
"No sleep on the train, huh?" I ask And as he sets down his rucksack and rubs his hands over his face. It was clear he failed to get a wink on our trip from Leaven to Prophia either. It seems this trip wasn't any easier on him.
"I don't know how you sleep on these things. It is nauseating."
"I'm inclined to agree," my father adds. "I think I'll head straight to the hotel."
Andrius looks at him with hope in his eyes, then bites the inside of his cheek as he looks down at me. "Will you be okay on your own if I do the same? The hotel we booked isn't far from his and... I think I need to lay on a bed that's not on wheels for a little bit."
"I'll be fine. Claude's letter said he'd meet me here anyway. It's not like I'll get lost. I'll meet you at the hotel later for dinner?"
"Sounds good." Andrius wraps his free arm around my shoulders and pulls me close for a hug. The inner diamond of his ring glints in the bright sunshine.
Behind us the train bellows one final time to announce its departure with a new collection of riders. My father waves to me with his free hand as he heads off with Andrius, both of them saying something about finding ginger soda on the way. The few people who remain on the stone platform clear the way for Andrius without any effort on his part. However rare centaurs are in Leaven, they must be a hundred times more rare on The Silver Coast. It makes me feel even more relieved that there's a hotel with rooms that accommodate them. I pick up my backpack again and turn in circles, my eyes hunting for Claudius. It has been a little over a year since we've seen each other. But he can't look that different.
"There you are."
I spin around toward the voice, making myself dizzy when paired with all my other turns. A different version of Claude stands before me, a wide smile creasing the underside of his stormy eyes. Outside of the house, I never saw him dressed so casually. The hem of his denim pants are stuffed sloppily into the tops of leather boots that are more rustic than anything I ever saw him wearing in Leaven. Similarly only one side of his short sleeved shirt of snowy cotton is tucked into the side, as if he forgot the other half. The biggest shock is his hair. The usually slicked back black is loose and long. Parts of it are flopped over his ears, his forehead, curling around the sides of his neck.
"Hey!" I greet in surprise. "You grew out your hair! I almost didn't recognize you."
His smile falters and he puts a hand on the back of his neck, smooshing some of the hair flat. "Um. No. I actually just got it cut. I'm just not combing it back anymore. Why? Are you saying it looks weird?"
"No," I answer instantly. "It looks great. Much more you."
"Oh." The cocky smile I remember him having immediately fills his face with sharp, glistening white. "Where's And? I thought he'd come with you."
"Oh, he and my dad are going to the hotel to nap. They didn't get any sleep on the train."
"Your dad?" he repeats in disbelief. "He and And are talking?"
"Yeah. I... I don't want to jinx it but, they're kind of getting along," I lower my volume as I finish the sentence. "Dad loves that Andrius created his own business. He's trying to get him to reserve a spot at one of those big design expos. And says he doesn't feel ready for something like that but I think he's secretly really flattered. You know how my dad is. But anyway."
"Anyway," he echoes. "You ready to divorce me?"
People exiting the most recent train look at him in shock as he asks so loudly. Claudius continues to smile down at me. I can't tell if he doesn't notice them or just doesn't care. Either works for me. I laugh and accept when he offers to hold my bulging backpack.
"Born ready," I tell him.
As we leave the coverage of the roofed platform, I hold up a hand to cover my line of sight from the burst of glaring sunlight. Once I can look, I gawk at the brightly colored spread. Rough, pale stucco makes up the exteriors of the homes and businesses we pass as we walk through the winding streets of equally fair cobblestone. The roofs are curved, ceramic tiles of various sunny shades.
"By the way," I note uncertainly, "my dad is fine with not coming to the wedding if it's weird. He's just never seen the coast and wanted to check out some designers here, so-"
"Huh? Oh, it's fine. Mar and I have been inviting everyone we know on a first name basis. Setting up our place and the new shop has taken so much work we've barely gotten to know anyone in the last year here. We figure what better way to get to know our neighbors than to invite them to a party with an open bar and free cake?"
"I can't imagine a better way," I agree. "By the way, thanks for dressing up for our divorce."
"Fuck off," he says through a chuckle. "People are so casual out here. It was actually weird at first. I wore a suit to a job interview right after we moved and everyone acted like I was on my way to a funeral."
Cringing, I look down at my simple, but slightly dressier than my usual attire in Prophia, linen pants and billowy silk top. And I think about the dress I packed. "I can still dress up for the wedding, right?"
"Oh, that's a requirement. Here."
I stop short and turn to look in the direction he points. A brassy placard beside the door of the square building lists the names of the four people with offices inside. One being Arthur Ahlman, the attorney Claude found to handle our divorce. Since we're cutting it so close with his wedding, we agreed over letters we should be sure to get it right.
Inside I have to blink away the jolt to my vision caused by the sudden shift from sunshine to relative darkness. A wide stripe of cobalt carpet stretches down the hall like a stripe of sea slicing through the sandy walls. The alternating doors are each marked with another metal sign displaying a name and credentials. Claude and I give each other one more look before he opens the door for us to enter together.
True to his comment about the styles of this coastline, even our attorney is dressed more casually than I would have expected. No tie and his sleeves are unevenly rolled. The stocky man pops out of his seat behind his desk with a shocking amount of exuberance, making the thin salt and pepper plop of hair on his head bounce. I wonder if he knows we equally want to be divorced or if he is always like this. Maybe to offset the usually negative energy of a couple splitting up. By the time he stops shaking my hand, the corresponding arm feels tired from the rapid up and down. All of us take our seats and I notice the thick stick of papers resting on his desk between us all. I glance sidelong at Claudius and catch him sighing before he notices me doing the same.
.
"And almost done. Initial from both of you here. Signatures on the bottom lines."
I rub at a cramp in my hand as I finish signing another line. The stack being dwindled down to what looks like only two sheets of paper makes hope swell in my chest. I'm starting to wonder if I didn't sleep as well on the train as I thought.
"Okay," Arthur says, nearly dancing in his seat with endless energy that doesn't match his gravelly voice. "And any shared property?"
"No," I reply confidently.
