Page 13 of Reflex
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Allegra Hutton stared at the text message lighting her phone screen again.It said nothing.Told her nothing.What did fine mean?Every woman on the planet knew it didn’t actually necessarily mean fine.In fact, it almost certainly meant the opposite.Nor did she like the tacked on ending suggesting she’d have to wait days for additional information.Mind you, the message was from Xane, not Spook, so maybe he didn’t realise how often she and her man communicated.
Not that Spook was hers exactly, but she thought of him that way, even if he wasn’t as committed as she’d like.
Actually, she didn’t precisely know what they were.More than friends, but not quite lovers.Two frantic encounters notwithstanding.
The last time she’d seen him in the flesh was in July.They’d hooked up at an industry awards ceremony.She’d been presenting the trophy for Best Single, and he and Xane had been there representing Black Halo.
That had also been the night they’d signed her to work on the new album.Of course, by October that had gone tits up.First her dad had needed constant care, and then her oldest brother, Ewan, had arrived home from the Arctic with frostbite.She had another older brother, and two younger ones, but they’d all magically zipped out of town at the same time leaving her holding the bandages.
Their dad was gone now, passed at the start of the year, and Ewan was no worse for wear after his ordeal, but she’d lost out, both on the Black Halo contract and her relationship with Spook.
Goddammit.She needed to hear his voice, to know he was all right.
Alle hit call, but the connection went straight to voice mail.“Fuck,” she muttered.
Her brother’s monstrous black fur-baby lifted its head and zapped her with a school teacher stare.
“What, you don’t approve of my language?Well, I don’t approve of you spraying all over the furniture, or being sick in my shoes.”
The cat didn’t blink.
“I’m worried about him, okay?You didn’t hear what I did.That crowd was insane.For all I know, he’s missing a couple of limbs by now, or they’ve pulled out all his hair.”Or he’s been squashed under a mass of writhing fangirls and suffocated.That sort of shit happened when crowds got out of hand.“I know Xane said he was okay, but I don’t trust him not to be lying.It’s fishy.He’s usually more forthcoming.”
At the mention of fish, the cat was at the door mewling.“That’s right,” Alle chastened it.“Think with your belly.It’s no wonder you’re the size of three average moggies.”
She let the beast into the hallway.Ewan strolled past her on his way to his room from the bathroom.“Thought you were asleep,” he muttered.
“Not so far.”Nor did she expect to get a whole lot of rest.
He gave her another once over.“Something up?”
“Kinda.Maybe.I don’t know.It’s probably nothing.”She leant against the door meaning to push it closed, but Ewan slapped his hand against it, bringing the movement to a stop.
“If you’re fretting this much, it’s probably not nothing.What’s going on, sis?”
Alle sucked her lips.
“Is this a Death By Chocolate moment?Do I need to go and boil some milk and see if my polar bear jumper is clean?Mm?”
Slowly she nodded, and tears welled in her eyes.
“Hey, baby sis.”Ewan wrapped her in the sort of hug only a large beardy man could give.“Come downstairs, and I’ll get on it.Whatever it is, you know this’ll make it right.”
Maybe not entirely right, but she appreciated the sentiment.She’d know that her big brother was there for her, and that she didn’t need to worry alone.
It only took him a couple of minutes to have her tucked up in the snuggle chair in the bay window with a drink that was so laden with squirty cream and marshmallows it required a spoon to tackle it.He’d gone way overboard on the raspberry sauce too.The polar bear jumper came down to her knees, and smelled a bit musty.Either he’d dragged it from the back of a drawer, or rescued it off the floor.Either way, she didn’t actually mind.It smelled of him.Kind of earthy with a few base notes of aftershave.
“So what’s the deal?”Ewan settled beside her in a pair of joggers and a T-shirt with a misshapen neck.He gave his full beard a scratch.
Alle explained what had happened, omitting the details of the conversation she and Spook had been having when the mob descended.
“Okay, let me get this straight.Xane Geist of Black Halo texted you to say Spook, also of Black Halo, is fine.So, is it Spook you’re worried about, or are you fretting because you think he’s avoiding talking to you?”
“What?No.Ewan, you didn’t hear how bad it was, and I don’t know, there’s something off about it all.I don’t think I’m getting the full story.”
“Or maybe, it’s late.They’re an hour ahead, and he’ll call you when it’s convenient.”
