GAME ON - GoM 2

11

Alex realized she'd been at church longer than she'd thought because Claire waited for her with a just-baked pie to go with her favorite tea. The clock on the wall told her it was past ten-thirty. She wanted to go to bed, don't say a word, close her eyes and wish she'd somehow wake up to find out that the last twenty-four hours had been only a bad dream. But her niece was dead worried, so she played along and sat at the breakfast bar, to have her tea with pie and answer the girl's questions.

However, Claire didn't ask anything. She circled the bar and threw her arms around Alex, to hold her as tight as she could.

It was a complete first for Alex, the idea that she could find this kind of comfort and understanding in her niece. A good first, though. Especially in the middle of such a shit storm. She held the girl back and rested her forehead on Claire's shoulder, simply breathing. When she straightened up, Claire stepped back to sit on the next stool.

"Tom called me," the girl said. "He was worried 'cause you wouldn't pick up. He's waiting for you call, no matter the time."

Alex nodded and tried her tea. What was she to tell Tom? She was so out of answers, so out of ideas, so lost...

"I don't know what to do." She sighed. "I mean, about Tom."

Claire frowned. Not at her aunt's words, but the fact that she shared her doubts. She kicked herself out of her surprise. "You still wanna keep'im outta this."

"Yeah, a light-year-away out. But I don't know how I'm gonna do it. If I don't call'im, he's gonna knock on our door by midnight. If I do call'im, he'll ask what's going on over here. If I tell'im, he'll floor the Yukon over before I hang up. If I don't tell'im, he'll know I'm lying and come over." Alex shook her head. "What do I do?"

Claire grimaced. "Tell'im not to come? At least for a couple of days, or a week. Till we have a better picture of the situation and decide what we're gonna do."

"I don't think that'd work. As soon as I say demon, he'll be halfway to Bold Peak."

"Then don't say only demon. Say also Gregory. Say Harry."

Alex shrugged, not sure that would work either.

"The real problem is that you do want him here," said Claire."

"No. I don't want'im here. I want'im with me. Maybe at some other planet?"

"Oh, well, then make room for two more in your spaceship."

Alex let out a bitter scoff and patted Claire's hand. She knew she didn't need to say it. Which was good, because she was in no shape to voice anymore mixed emotions. She hated the certainty that whatever was about to happen would drag Claire along. And at the same time, she was glad to count Claire by her side. Which was another huge first for the girl, who was used to her aunt thinking of her as a liability rather than someone she could actually rely on.

The girl saw Alex produce her phone and smiled, nodding at the kitchen door. Alex managed to smile back and forced herself to grab the fork and sink it in the pie, waiting to be alone. At any other time, she'd be devouring the pie. But at that moment, her belly felt like a catalog of knots.