Encounters With Abigail

Chapter Four

  The week drags along, my migraine torments me until Wednesday and I spend pretty much all of Thursday in meetings with Edward needing to take an embarrassing volume of notes due to my brain being the consistency of slime but thankfully the clients seem happy enough and that is all that matters. 

  Finally, I manage to get my desk clear by eight on Friday and sneak out the back exit not wanting to be asked to another work event, my body is still too exhausted to deal with more socialising. 

  Considering I will have to deal with my sister's friends tomorrow I will need all the patience I can get, especially since my bruise is still shining proudly on my face and Anna is going to go through me for it.

  I need to order a taxi but can barely keep my eyes open, but if I don't turn up, Anna will worry and I've already caused her enough anguish this week, so I do what is expected of me and call the taxi, fighting my eyelids the whole way there. 

  Thankfully it isn't a long trip and before I know it, I'm in front of Abigail's house hauling my ass back to Anna's. Hopefully the guest bed has arrived, maybe I could lay down for a bit.

  I'm only halfway up the garden when the door swings open and she marches toward me, Anna might be wearing an adorable little pink dress but she is truly terrifying, ah shit, Anna reaches up grabbing my face in her hand's eyes scanning me. She touches my bruise I flinch, hissing at the pain and the rage emanating from her makes me fear for my life.

"It's fine, I walked into a door at work. Stop frowning you will get wrinkles" tapping on the furrows between her eyes, but she isn't impressed.

"Don't fucking lie to me Alex! You missed Thursday dinner and you only do that when you are hiding something" she prods my head again and I pull out of her grasp.

 "I already told you how I'm busy the now, I've had to work late every day this week just to clear my desk. I warned you in plenty time." Exhaustion is clear in my voice, and she can probably see it in my face. Anna is seething but instead of screaming whatever is rattling around in her head she just turns away from me stomping back into the house slamming the door behind her. I turn on my heels entirely too drained for this right now.

  The sight of flowers halts me, I raise my gaze and meet Abigail's, heart doubling in speed. How much of that conversation has she heard? We stand eyes locked for a long moment before I move to the side letting her pass. She walks forward and I take in the tight red dress that hugs her curves perfectly stopping just above her knees, showing those toned pale legs I have fantasized about being wrapped around me more than once.

  I take a step toward the gate when her voice rings out behind me "You not coming in?" my head spins around but Abigail isn't looking at me instead she is knocking on the door. Gliding toward her in a daze, when Anna opens the door, her smile almost splits her face as Abigail hands her the flowers. My sister loves nothing more than fresh flowers and I know that small garden out back will be filled to the brim with them as soon as possible.

 "Catherine, I'm so happy, thank you for coming around." She genuinely sounded like she was until her eyes meet mine over Abigail's head, she successfully hides her disdain for me welcoming Abi into the house. I expect Anna to slam the door in my face but it's left open, so I make my way inside.

   It is loud, grating on my last nerve, I follow Abi and Anna into the living room. Anna is introducing her to people but Abigail looks uncomfortable to say the least, I linger in the doorway trying to ignore Anna's friends cackling right next to me.

  When it gets too unbearable, I decide to join the group of faces I vaguely recognise and Anna leaves shooting me look that emphasises how close to erupting her temper is as she does. Sighing contemplating just going home so I don't ruin her whole night.