by Mark Ayre
This time it was Angel who closed her eyes, who took the breath. When she opened them again, total calm had crossed her face. She nodded.
"Okay."
"Okay, what?" said Alice.
"It's clear," she said. "Prison changed you. I've been trying to deny it, but you are no longer fit to head this family. I've given you enough time."
"And now?" said Alice.
"Now I will avenge Rori. As she deserves."
"Don't you dare insinuate I am letting Aurora down," said Alice. Her voice quiet. Deadly. "She was my daughter."
"Yes, mother, she was. Then you went to prison and left me to run your business and raise your children. I treated Ariana and Aurora as though they were my own. Over the years, they came to see me, not you, as their mother. Especially Rori. She and my Ollie became like brother and sister. He would have done anything for her, and I will do what is right for her. Because a good mother will go to any lengths to protect or avenge her children. That's what you used to understand."
Alice's hands were clenched by her side. Abbie saw she was once more counting to ten in an attempt to contain her rage.
With forced calm, she said, "You need to think carefully about what you're saying, Angel."
"I've done nothing but think these last few weeks. Now it's time to act. That means dealing with Louis, and it means dealing with this bitch."
As Angel nodded her way, Abbie said, "I do hope there’s someone standing behind me."
Angel gave a false smile and, with it, twisted her elegant beauty out of shape for the first time.
"You're about to find out what happens when you mess with my family."
Turning that hideous smile to her mother, Angel nodded with mock deference.
"See you soon, mummy."
Turning on her heel, she strutted from the room, leaving Abbie thinking and Alice shaking in her wake.
Eleven
They listened as Angel disappeared down the hall and out the front door. Waited in the silence that followed.
Ana's arrival and accusation had put everything on a knife-edge. With Abbie having overcome this perilous situation, bringing Alice to the point of accepting help, Angel's intervention had once more thrown things into turmoil. Abbie didn't know if Angel's threats would make Alice more determined to get her house in order or lead her into despair. Unsure how much influence she would have over the Angel outcome, Abbie would none the less try to keep Alice on the right path.
"About tonight," she said.
"No," said Alice. "I'm thinking about tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"The joint birthday party. Alex and me. It's a tight-knit, family event, but plus ones are welcome. So far, Tony has no one to bring. Isn't that sad?"
"Tragic."
Alice pretended to ponder, then clicked her fingers as though inspiration had arrived and needed a spark to ignite it. "I know, how are you fitted up for tomorrow evening? I guess you don't have plans."
A bitter smile accompanied memories of midnight just gone, when Abbie had woken from her dream awash with anger. She had checked her phone. That last text from Bobby…
"Actually, I did have plans," said Abbie. "Something I was quite looking forward to. I was going to cancel."
"For me? That's too kind."
"Saving your life is my job and duty. It comes before all else, and talk of parties won't distract me from my goals."
Abbie expected another joke in response but instead saw genuine sadness overcome Alice. Realising her situation was the source of the upset, Abbie shifted in discomfort.
"Don't pity me," she said. "I've made my peace with this life."
"And that's what's so sad," said Alice. "You're still young, but one day you might wish to start a family. No lifestyle should preclude you from that. I'll have to think about this."
"Not for long, if you die tonight."
"That's true," said Alice. "Okay, okay, so if I still live and breathe, you'll attend my party? Otherwise, you intend to keep your prior engagement?"
"Correct. If you live, I’ll come unless Tony doesn't want to take me, or your daughter has me murdered before I can."
"Won't happen," said Alice.
Abbie chose not to comment on this. "Will you let me help keep you alive?"
Alice stroked her chin, considered.
"I'll think about it. I need some time, and with Angel on the warpath, it's probably best you stay out the way a little while. Is that okay?"
"Sure."
"Give me your number. If I don't call by eight pm, you should leave town, get home and get some sleep before your engagement tomorrow. How does that sound?"
From her bag, Abbie took a second slip of paper on which she had written her number. She handed it to Alice.
"I was looking forward to the prior engagement," she said as Alice took the slip. "I hope you give me a reason to cancel."
The two women looked at each other. Alice smiled. It was a motherly smile and, to Abbie, it was like looking at the sun. Closing her eyes, she hoped they weren't watering.
"Tony wanted to see you before you left," said Alice as Abbie opened her eyes. "Will you wait around?"
"Tell him I'll be out front," said Abbie. "I need some fresh air."
Closing the front door, Abbie stepped away from the house, stopped, looked to the sky, closed her eyes, and took several deep breaths.
After what had become an oppressive indoor atmosphere, the sea air was bliss. The seagulls' swooping and squawking was the perfect white noise, helping to wash away the darkness of her memories and this latest situation. Abbie could stand this way forever. Or until one of the birds did its business on her head.
The door opened and closed as someone stepped outside. Abbie took a final deep breath and lowered her head as Tony spoke.
"Mum said I'd find you out here. I was worried you might have left."
"And deprive you the pleasure of another thirty seconds of my company? How could I?"
Tony came to Abbie's side. She glanced at him, then ahead. Facing the houses opposite, they stood with their hands in their pockets, Abbie enjoying the cold air on her face, Tony worrying.
"My ears are starting to hurt," said Abbie after a while.
"What?"
"It's your silence," she said. "It's deafening. Why don't you quiet down by saying what's on your mind?"
Tony stared at her. There was that sense again that he couldn’t quite work her out. Abbie liked that. It wasn’t enough to stop him doing as she asked.
"What happened in there?" he asked. "Mum wouldn't say anything. Told me to rush out here."
"Maybe she doesn't want you to know."
"This is my family. Don't keep things from me."
Abbie looked Tony's way again to find him still staring at her. He was trying to look strong, but his hands were shaking. He looked afraid.
"Your delightful sister Angel has had enough of waiting for your mum to punish those who have harmed your family. She plans to take matters into her own hands."
Tony released a frustrated breath. "I told mum this would happen. She should have killed Louis by now."
Abbie smiled, shook her head. "She doesn't know for sure Louis is to blame."
"Not 100%," Tony agreed, "but close enough. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Angel’s like Ana. If she wants to punish Louis, she won’t kill him; it'll be Jacob or Kyle. If mum killed Louis, Angel would be unhappy but would have no reason to murder the boys."
Abbie looked back at the sky. The earnestness with which Tony rationalised killing a father to save the sons was almost funny. Like he couldn't see where the real problem lay.
"Your mum thinks we'd make a cute couple," said Abbie. The comment took Tony by surprise. He stammered but didn't speak. Abbie continued. "To be honest, even if I was of a mind to date, I'm not sure I could stomach the family Christmases with your sisters." She shuddered.
"It's only Ana and Angel," said Louis. "Rori was the sweetest kid, and Alex is fun-loving. Afraid
of responsibility and allergic to hard work, but not cruel. She's my only full sibling, and we've always been close. When Aurora died, she was heartbroken, but she never even called for retribution. Said it didn't matter. Said nothing would bring Aurora back."
"Sounds like a smart girl."
"Not so much," Tony chuckled. "Getting older terrifies Alex. You can guarantee, right now, she's off making some terrible decision, probably involving a guy, maybe drugs. It's as though she thinks, once she turns thirty, she'll receive an electric shock every time she tries to have fun."
Abbie smiled but didn't speak. It sounded as though she had met the wrong two sisters. For a brief moment, Abbie regretted not being sent here in time to save Aurora, but that kind of thinking was unhelpful. She forced it away. Remembered Ben's teachings. Always focus on what you can do. Never on what you can't.
"Are you still going to try help mum?" Tony asked.
"Yep."
"You'll have to be careful. Angel’s well connected. She'll come after you."
"Someone always does," said Abbie. “My bigger concern is whether she’ll go after Jacob and Kyle. They need protection. But I can’t deal with that now. I've bigger fish to fry."
"Such as?"
"Finding a hotel. You know anywhere?"
He did. Abbie relinquished her phone, and Tony input the address into her Maps app for an independent place half a mile inland. A ten-minute walk from Alice's home.
"It's not too expensive, I don't think."
"Money's no issue."
Once the address was in, Tony stood by her side, phone in hand. When, after thirty seconds, he hadn't returned the handset, Abbie raised an eyebrow in his direction.
"Anything else?"
"Uh, no," he said but still didn't return the phone. Abbie held out a hand.
"Give it then."
"Sorry, yes."
He held the phone over her hand. As she began to close her fingers, he jerked it away.
"We're not both enjoying this game, Tony. FYI."
She met his eye, and immediately he looked away. Not before she got a sense of what was going on in his head.
"Your mum told you to invite me to her birthday party,” she said. "Don't worry. Forget it."
She knew Tony wasn't looking for a pardon. She hoped he wouldn't say he’d love her to be his plus one.
"I would love you to be my plus one."
Abbie didn't sigh.
"But I thought first I could take you to lunch. Today. After you’ve got your head down for a bit of sleep."
The words came in a rush, like a kid asking a crush to be his date to the school dance. It was sweet, but that bashful smile made Abbie think of Bobby, and her heart throbbed in anticipation of that upcoming loss.
"Probably not a good idea," she said.
Tony's face crumpled. He almost accepted her rejection but, at the last second, said, "Why not?"
"Lots of reasons."
"Such as?"
Abbie sighed. Her head swam with thoughts of Bobby; she lacked the strength to go through the standard spiel about how Tony would never see her again after tomorrow, rendering a date pointless. For whatever reason, she certainly wasn't going to mention that she was kind of, sorta, in a way, seeing someone.
"Seeing as you still have my phone," said Abbie. "Might as well add your number."
For a second, Tony looked at her, suspecting a trick, then bowed his head and entered his number and name.
When he was done, he returned the phone and said, "I would love to take you for lunch. It doesn't need to mean anything. To be honest, it would just be nice to spend time with someone beyond my family. And it would help me stop thinking about Louis and Aurora."
Abbie wagged a finger. "We call that emotional blackmail."
Tony flushed. "Sorry. That's not what I meant to do."
"I know." Abbie searched for a reason to see Tony again. Would it not be helpful to learn more about Angel, who was now after Abbie? Or Ana, who might come seeking revenge? Abbie wasn't sure. Liking him wasn't reason enough. As ever, she needed to remove emotion from the equation. A task she was finding increasingly tricky in all encounters.
"I might call," she said, raising a hand to forestall the growing hope in his eyes. "But don't count on it. Assume I won't, and focus on your mother."
Tony presented curious eyes. "Has she agreed to let you help?"
Abbie looked at the house. Part of her wanted to rat Alice out, to tell Tony his mother planned to walk headfirst into a mortal situation this very evening. But that wasn't fair. It would be selfish. Abbie would be doing it because she couldn't face losing the subject of her latest dream rather than because it was right. In their short time together, Abbie had come to like Alice. She would not betray her now, even to her worried son. Besides, the victims she came to save rarely died on day one. It had happened only twice.
"Unconfirmed," said Abbie. "She's on the fence but don't worry, whatever Alice says, I'll protect her.“
This was honest. Maybe Tony read the truth of her intentions in her eyes because he smiled. She guessed he could have stayed out the front of his house with her for the rest of the morning, but it was cold, and she had to go. Their talk had reached an end.
"I need sleep," she said. “In the meantime, I meant what I said about Jacob and Kyle. Speak with your mother. Ask that she put her feelings about Louis to one side and consider what Angel and Ana might do next. Alice must have connections of her own. If someone can keep an eye on the boys, they should. Right now, you don’t know Louis killed your sister. You need to avoid a war.”
“Forget war; I don’t want my family responsible for the death of innocent teenagers. I’ll speak to mum,” Tony said. “And when you wake, if you want to get lunch…”
"I'll call. "
Tony wanted to say more but nodded. Abbie wanted to say more, but anything else would be driven by emotion, not what Ben would call operational need.
"Go to your mother," Abbie said. "Assume I won't be able to help."
"You want me to protect her?"
"I want you to spend time with her. Tomorrow's her birthday, and she might not live to see the end of it. Ignoring that, she's your mum, and she loves you."
She gave him a piercing look then showed him a piece of herself, completely unplanned.
"You have no idea what I'd give for a mother like that. No idea at all."
Abbie went straight to the hotel, booked a room, and placed the do not disturb sign on the door before locking herself in.
The room had what Abbie needed and no more; double bed, armchair, ensuite wet room. The single window was small, and the curtains did a top job denying access to the weak morning sun.
Abbie undressed, dumped her clothes and bag on the bed, her phones on the bedside table, and entered the wet-room. Under boiling water, she waited until her skin reddened, then got out, wrapped up in a towel, and returned to the bedroom with wet hair clinging to her back.
After mostly sorting her hair with the pathetic dryer that came with the room, Abbie lay in bed and checked her phones.
One message.
Bobby.
It was just after nine in the morning. Abbie was exhausted to her bones, but her mind remained restless, energetic. Her brain was a jumble sale of different considerations and memories. She had to push through thoughts of Harry and Paul and Ana and Angel to get to what mattered (Louis and Alice) and what she cared about (Bobby).
When she closed her eyes, the fragmented memories and plans and considerations scrambled over one another, battling to be top of the pile. They screamed and yelled for Abbie's attention. The din of ideas was almost enough to drive her insane.
One image rose above the others: Alice in the face of Angel's fury.
Abbie would deal with whatever Angel threw her way. No problem. More worrisome was what might happen with Louis and Alice. Having been unsure whether it was worth saving Alice, Abbie now found it an intolerable thought that the woman, sixty tomorrow
, would not live to see the end of her birthday.
Abbie remembered Alice talking about her first husband, implying she had killed him. Then, later, talk of how her anger at her daughter, Ana, could only have come from experience. These two incidents were linked. Abbie was sure.
She and Alice were alike in many ways. That made Abbie more determined than ever to ensure the older woman's survival.
That Alice's image, not Bobby's, climbed to the top of the thought pile and would not be removed told Abbie much. More than anything, it confirmed what she had to do.
Taking her illicit second phone from the bedside table, Abbie unlocked it and checked Bobby's message.
Morning you, how's it going?
Abbie closed her eyes, forced Bobby forward. That smile; it was like a knife to the heart.
She typed a simple message.
I can't see you tomorrow or talk for the next few days. I'll explain more later. Bye.
Send.
It wasn't as definitive as she would have liked. Hopefully, it would dissuade Bobby from sending multiple messages or calling. Once Alice was safe, Abbie would cut ties properly. Permanently.
It had to be done.
Chucking the phone back on the bedside table, Abbie pulled the duvet close around her and shoved her face into the pillow.
Now, memories of Bobby fought their way to the top. That smile, the easy flow of their conversations, the lightness in her heart when they spoke.
He made her happy.
That was the problem, wasn't it? Abbie wasn't supposed to be happy. She was supposed to save lives.
And that was precisely what she was going to do.
Twelve
Shivering and starving, Abbie woke a little over four hours later, at a few minutes past one in the afternoon.
The moment she woke, still groggy from sleep, the memories swamped her, covered her, tried to drag her down. Most people would have submitted to the past's deadly power and would have remained in bed, wallowing for hours if not days. Experienced in the art of defeating black thoughts, Abbie dragged herself from bed and forced herself to take her second shower in five hours.
