The Hart Hotel

Chapter Seventeen 18th April 2005.

Bonnie hums to herself, hurrying around the kitchen as she looks for a spare pen.

"Everything alright Bonnie?" asks Nathaniel.

She waves him off, "Of course, of course, just looking for a pen," she assures.

She huffs, slamming one of the kitchen's draws shut. Nathaniel's eye catches the large gold ring on her finger, a 'L' engraved in its exterior.

"That's a nice ring," Nathaniel compliments, trying to calm her down. She sighs, a small smile emerging as she touches the ring on her finger.

"I wear it as a necklace sometimes," she says.

"A gift?".

She nods, "Kind of, it belonged to my father".

"It's nice," he says, shifting in his place, "I think there's a few pens in the hall, where the telephone is.

Bonnie relaxes, "Thank you Nathaniel, I need to take Eric to his friend Daniel's house, he's been mithering to go for a while now," Bonnie sighs, "with everything going on... I think it'll be good for him to feel normal again".

"At least he can have some time to unwind, he seemed a bit distant the other day".

"I don't blame him," Bonnie says tiredly, "losing his parents, adjusting to it is just going to take... a long time".

Nathaniel gives her a disheartened look, knowing how much Aaliyah meant to her.

"And, after dropping him off I'm on a late shift".

"Always the busy bee, as normal".

"Don't remind me," she moans, walking towards the kitchen door.

"How's Noah doing?" Nathaniel asks, the other night still haunting his dreams.

"Oh, he's just under the weather," she sighs, "best to just... leave him up there, I've made sure he's taken his medication and left his lunch up there".

"Alright, how do I know if he needs me?" he quizzes, desperately wanting to question him about his sinister demeanour.

"He has a bell, if you hear it, he wants you. If not," she shrugs, "just leave him to sleep, he's a tired little thing isn't he".

"Yeah," he agrees, watching her as she hurries down the hallway, a piece of scrap paper in hand.

She opens the small cabinet draw and searches for a pen, "A-hah!" she cheers, pulling one out of the draw and scribbles something on the paper.

"Alright Nathaniel, I'll see you when I get in..." she sighs, "or I might not, depending on if I have to stay for a little while longer".

"Alright, I'll see you when you get back Bonnie".

Bonnie pauses, turning to remind him, "The police aren't staying any longer... they don't think that anything will happen," she informs him quietly.

Nathaniel nods, "Should we be worried?".

Bonnie shrugs, "I... don't think whoever hurt them is coming back".

She smiles at him shortly; without another word, she turns her back to him as she walks down the main hall.

"Eric!" she calls, "Hurry up we're going!".

Nathaniel turns, hearing the second door to the living room open, "Ok!" Eric calls back, shuffling out with a backpack in hand.

"Have fun," Nathaniel says cheerfully.

"Thanks," Eric mutters, rushing to catch up with Bonnie.