by A. E. Murphy
He nods, looking as chilled as I feel. At least the clothes he’s wearing cover his entire body. Why didn’t I wear a stupid jacket?
“We should go. It’s cold and I’m so tired I think I might pass out.”
“Are you okay to drive?” He asks, reminding me of the night he saved me from the side of the road.
Am I? I’m tempted to say no just so I can sit beside him in the car for a while.
“I’m fine.”
“Good, because we need to go. I need bed.” Hayley grabs my hand and pulls me towards my mum’s car.
I turn and wave at Isaac over my shoulder. “See you in school on Monday.”
“Drive safe, girls.” He calls back and heads to his own car.
It’s not until I’m halfway home that I remember the shoes I left by the steps. I curse, but don’t bother going back for them. It’s late and I don’t think I can handle it.
Chapter Fifteen
Eloise
I arrive at the school at nine. I decided to let Hayley sleep in, mostly because she wouldn’t wake up and also because I’m a good friend like that.
On sluggish and aching legs that don’t seem to have recovered from last night’s school scare, I make my way towards the school, annoyed when I see only a handful of people inside tidying.
“I’m guessing nobody showed up for the boring bits then?” I comment dryly and grab a bag.
Mr Price Senior wants everything packed away properly so that it can be reused one day.
“Maybe more will come when it’s past ten,” Mr Price Senior says around a large yawn.
“Where’s Judith?” I look around for the sweet woman, expecting to see her in her chair attempting to help.
Mr Price glances around the small group and says quietly, “She’s been appointed a carer, so I left them alone to get acquainted.”
I wince along with him. “How’s she taking that?”
He gives me a look and he doesn’t need to respond for me to know she’s not taking it well.
“Where’s Isaac?” I speak his actual name without thinking and the look Mr Price gives me is to be expected. “Sorry… Mr Price Junior… I meant…”
He doesn’t comment and only shrugs. “Probably sleeping in like the rest of them. They did have a long night. I’m surprised you’re here. I wouldn’t blame you for taking the morning off.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if I tried. I’m like my dad in that way. If there’s something to be done, I can’t just sit back and watch.”
“Definitely a trait you should be proud of.” He winks at me and moves away when his name is called.
The taking down is a lot easier than the putting up and we have the entrance done in little to no time. It’s the rest of the school that proves to be a pain.
Only Hayley shows up at noon, along with Wesley, but nobody else bothers. Not even Mr Diplock or Isaac. I’ll be telling them what I think about that when school starts again on Monday. Arseholes… leaving me to do all of the work.
“So we’ll be making an announcement when school reopens on the amount of money that has been made for our chosen charity,” Mr Price says as we sweep the floor side by side. “But I thought you’d want to know before then.”
“I don’t mind waiting…”
“Just under five thousand, and that’s after we take away the money that Crystal sponsored the night with.”
My mouth drops open and suddenly my aches and pains vanish, only to be replaced with glee. “Are you serious?”
“Yep. Deadly. I can trust you to give her this?” He holds out a brown envelope with Crystal’s name written on the front.
I nod and stuff it into the inside pocket of my jacket. “I’ll take it to her as soon as we’re done here.”
“That’s okay, you go. I’ll have the janitors finish up tomorrow.”
I don’t argue with him. I’m too eager to share the amazing news with Crystal.
“See you Monday,” I call happily and skip out of the school with a beaming smile on my face.
As I’m rushing along the path I text Hayley and tell her I’ll meet her at mine in an hour. I need coffee and Crystal to celebrate.
I don’t think I’ve ever jogged anywhere in my life. That just changed. The money is making me paranoid. I’m worried I’ll get mugged or lose it, so I keep a hand over my jacket where the envelope is hidden.
The café is open when I arrive, as I knew it would be, and I find Crystal sat in the back room with her feet up and a mug of tea between her hands.
I drop the envelope on her lap, startling her slightly. “What’s this?”
My smile widens as I drop into the seat beside her. “Have a look.”
She peels open the envelope after handing me her cup and runs her fingers over the notes inside. For a long moment she doesn’t speak, she only stares into the envelope with a glazed look in her eyes. “How much?”
“They made just under five thousand. That’s after they took away the money you spent.”
Her eyes glisten and so do mine. “This is excellent! I never expected them to be able to pay me back.”
“I know, me neither,” I admit sheepishly, sipping from her cup before handing it back to her. “We should celebrate.”
“Irish coffee?” She suggests.
“Hell yeah! You sit; I’ll make.”
“Good lass.” Her hand grabs my wrist as I go to stand and her warm eyes find my own. “I’m so proud of you, of all of you. You’ve done a good thing.”
“Not without you.” I clear my throat in hopes it’ll remove the lump there. “I think I need that Irish coffee now.”
“Good lass,” she says again, smiling softly. “I know you’re probably exhausted, but we close up soon. Would you mind helping the girls? Then you can bring the coffee through.”
“Of course.” I am exhausted, but I can see Crystal looks worse than I am and at her age she shouldn’t be pushing herself. I’ll recover; I’m not sure that she will.
I wave to the girls as they serve the last few customers and get to work loading the dishwasher and cleaning the sides down.
We work together cleaning the tables and emptying the machines with mild and tired chatter. Every step I take just feels like one step too much, but I keep going, yawning every few seconds.
The bell above the door jingles, but I don’t look up. “I’m sorry, but we’re closing.”
“Actually I came to speak to you.”
I spin and look at the handsome male wearing a white shirt and dark jeans. His blond hair is my favourite part about him; it touches the top of his collar, curling slightly on the ends. Not many men could pull off a longer hairdo, but he’s one of those that definitely can pull it off.
“Hey,” I breathe, standing with a rag in one hand and a bottle of spray in the other.
“I am so sorry I didn’t make it today. I overslept.”
I check the clock on the wall and quirk my brow at him. “Until six at night?”
His teeth sink into his lower lip and his eyes scan the girls as they pull on their coats and grab their bags ready to leave. “Until two, but I had a few things to do when I woke up.”
I turn back to the table I was cleaning and lift a chair to rest it upside down on the surface.
A firm chest presses against my back as arms come around me and help my shaking, weary arms guide the chair to the table. I stop breathing and tense when his jaw skims against my ear. It’s smooth and soft; he’s shaven and he smells divine.
I can’t tell if I imagine it, but his body seems to linger against mine and his jaw seems to rub against my ear. I’m certain I hear him inhale and that thought alone causes a shiver to run through my body.
“I know it was your birthday yesterday,” he says quietly and his breath fans through my hair.
He steps away, leaving me weak, wobbling and cold. “Yeah, I didn’t make a big deal out of it.”
“I know…” He lifts the next chair and turns it over, resting
it on the table. “I… I…” I’ve never seen him look so nervous. His hand reaches into his back pocket and fumbles with something. “I should go.” He rips his hand away and runs it through his hair. “I just wanted to apologise for not helping today; it was wrong of me.”
“It’s okay.” I’m not lying. Shit happens. I’m hardly going to hold it against him. “You weren’t the only one who didn’t show up. We got it done though, so it’s all good.”
“Do you need any help now? With anything?”
I look around the clean café and shake my head. “No, I’m going to enjoy an Irish coffee with Crystal and then I’m going home.”
He looks shocked for a moment. “Irish coffee? The one with Baileys?”
“Yep.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?”
I’m not really sure what he means. “I’m eighteen; it’s totally legal now. Besides, it’s not like I’m doing shots of hard liquor.”
“No…” He scratches his head and looks up to the ceiling as if searching for an answer. “I know.”
Huh? “You know what?”
He gives me a look that I don’t understand. “No, I mean that I know.”
Blink. “You know what?”
“Don’t play coy; you know what I’m talking about.” Why the hell is he getting frustrated?
“I’m not being coy. I genuinely don’t have a clue what you’re talking ab…”
“I know that you’re pregnant.” He blurts, the words coming out in a jumbled mess, but not so jumbled that I don’t understand him. “I didn’t want to say anything; it’s your business…”
“Wait…” I hold up my hand to silence him as a nervous giggle escapes me and my heart breaks slowly into a thousand pieces. “Is that the reason you’ve been nice to me this entire time? The lunch time study sessions, the rides home, the inviting me to your parents… it’s because you think I’m pregnant?”
His stern face falters. “Well…”
Oh my god, I’ve been so damn stupid. “I’m not pregnant!” I throw the rag on the table. “Who the hell told you I was pregnant?”
He opens and closes his mouth before finally answering. “I overheard a conversation in class between you and Hayley. It’s okay, Elle… I’m not judging you.”
“Holy fuck,” I choke out and rub my temples with my fingertips. “I’m not fucking pregnant.”
“If you terminated, I completely understand…”
A rush of air leaves me. I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. “Stop, just stop. I’m not, nor have I ever been, bloody pregnant!”
“But I heard…”
“You heard wrong! I’m not even sure what you heard to make you assume that I’m pregnant or ever have been!” I know I’m shouting, but I’m embarrassed and extremely angry. More so at myself for thinking that maybe he enjoyed my company a little more than he should. “God. I can’t believe this…”
Isaac winces and scratches at his neck. I’ve noticed that this is something he does when he’s feeling uncomfortable. “If you were, you know that you could tell me… right?”
“Oh god, please… just stop trying to relate to me. This is so weird on so many levels.” I drop the spray by the rag and move to the door. “I think you should go.”
“Elle…”
“No, please. This has been mortifying enough. I really…” A thought comes to mind. “Did you tell anybody?” When he doesn’t answer, my entire spine straightens and stiffens. I turn to him, directing my anger at him. “Whoever you told, you better un-tell right now! Okay?”
“Of course.” He mutters and moves to the door. “I am so sorry. I should have just spoken to you first. I just didn’t know how to handle it.”
I lower my head and close my eyes, needing for him to be gone when I reopen them. “Please just go, please.”
“Right.” The bell jingles as the door opens, but I still don’t open my eyes. “I’m really sorry, Eloise.”
I lock the door behind him and close the shutters before finally making the coffee. I’m surprised Crystal didn’t come and see what the commotion was.
I step into the back with two cups of Irish coffee in my hands, still feeling annoyed and embarrassed at myself for ever letting myself believe that Isaac might have liked me as more than just his student.
“You will never guess what just happened,” I say as I place the cups on the table in front of the couch.
I turn to Crystal, ready to give Isaac a piece of my mind through her, but find her slumped forward in her seat, her forehead against her arm. Her other arm rests limply by her side.
“Crystal?” What an awkward position to sleep in. I smile and push her shoulder back.
Her head lolls and my heart stops beating.
“Crystal?” I whisper, my hands shaking frantically as I push her silver hair from her wrinkled forehead. She doesn’t stir. She doesn’t move. My hand flies to my mouth and tears blur my vision. “Crystal, no… no.” No… No… Not now. “Crystal, please…” I drop to my knees before her and shake her shoulder once more.
She’s so still, so calm. Her lips are parted but no air passes through them and her eyelids, which usually flutter when she naps, remain closed and still.
I let out a sob and scramble to find my phone in my pocket. I don’t know what to do.
Tears burn trails down my cold cheeks and my thumb slips over my screen, struggling to press the appropriate numbers.
“I… need an ambulance.”
Isaac
I sit with my head against the steering wheel, feeling extremely moronic. I should go back and apologise again. How stupid of me. I humiliated the poor girl.
Going back will only make it worse.
I’m jolted from my thoughts when the sound of sirens pierces the silence and an ambulance blurs past me with a police car on its tail.
A feeling of dread overcomes me and I just know… I don’t know how, but I feel it. I know where it’s going. I watch it in the rear-view mirror and pray that it doesn’t turn left. If it turns left… I dread to think.
My heart melts when it makes the turn I prayed it wouldn’t.
I pull out of my parking space and spin the car around. I’ve never chased an ambulance before, but this feeling I have inside… I just know something isn’t right.
It’s not my business; I should just go home.
Instead I find myself pulling up outside the same café I left not long ago, directly in front of the ambulance and police car.
I wait for a moment, just to see what’s going on as people leave their homes and stores and begin to gather around on the other side of the road. Many of them hold their hands to their lips, clearly as scared as I feel inside.
It’s not until a body is brought out on a stretcher minutes later, covered by blankets from head to toe, that I finally climb from the car and push past the paramedics and police officers. I ignore their orders and search for the poor girl. It’s wrong, I know it is, but I’m praying it’s not her under those blankets.
My entire body perspires with panic as I burst into the back room, desperate to see her fiery red hair and blazing eyes.
When I do, the relief that floods me is unbearable and before I can stop myself, I’m gathering the sobbing girl in my arms and holding her close.
I press my lips to her hair and whisper soft words to her as she clings to me, as if I’m her anchor.
“She’s dead… she just… died…” She hiccups into my chest, her entire body shaking. “I… we… I made coffee but…” Her fingers twist in my shirt as she holds me tighter still. Her entire body sinks into mine as if she wants me to absorb her, to shelter her from the pain and shock. I don’t know what to do or what to say, so I only hold her and hope it helps in some small way.
“I’m so sorry, Elle,” I say hopelessly. I feel useless. I feel so fucking useless. “I am so sorry.”
She sobs again and nuzzles her forehead into my neck. I don’t let her go. I know it’s not appro
priate, but at this point I don’t give a fuck.
“I’m taking her home,” I say to the officer by the door.
“No need, I’m here.” It’s a man I recognise as the one in the group of parents I scared, the one who screamed and stumbled into the other man. He looks at me curiously and I can see he wants to ask who the hell I am, but he doesn’t. Instead he pulls a reluctant Eloise away from me and guides her from the café, with his arm around her shoulders. “Thank you…” He says to me over his shoulder, before leading her to his car.
I follow them onto the sidewalk, my heart breaking with every sob I hear leave that poor girl’s mouth.
I don’t hang around; there’s no point. The police can handle it from here.
I can’t believe Crystal is dead. She’s been a solid member in this town since way before I was born. That woman was alive during the Second World War.
This is a tragedy that is going to affect everyone. It tears at my heart.
*****
There’s a strange quiet through the school come Monday when everyone returns. Everybody, as expected, seems to be shocked by the death of such a beloved member of the community.
Eloise doesn’t show up for class and I’m not surprised. The poor girl needs time to mourn and grieve.
Hayley, the forever happy go lucky girl, looks depressed. She stares blankly at her paper throughout the entire lesson, only moving when the bell rings.
I pull her to the side as the class filters out through the door, as silent as they were when they came in. “How is she?” I ask again, not caring if she finds it inappropriate.
“She’s…” She lets out a breath and shakes her head. “She’s not good. She’s heartbroken.”
I nod because I don’t know what to say. “Will you…” Will she what? Send her my love? My condolences?
“I’ll tell her you asked after her,” Hayley mutters, shifting her bag up her shoulder.
“Is she coping?”
“She’s coping better than most, considering…” She shifts on the spot and looks up at me with teary eyes. “She wanted to come in today, but her parents wouldn’t let her. They said she needs time to heal.”
