Alec Hardy: A Short Story

14

- A . H -

I turned into a car park and got out of the car. (Y/N) got out too and looked at the building.

"KFC? You worked in KFC as a teenager?" She followed me to the door and I nodded.

"What do you wanna eat?" I asked her.

"Let's get the 6 piece bucket. It's not as if we are feeding the girls too." She shrugged as we walked up to the counter. The cashier was stood waiting to take our order.

"Hi. Can I take your order please?"

"Yeah but first a quick question. Is Marshall still the manager here? Marshall McLeod?"

"Yeah I'll go get him. What's your name?"

"It's Alec, tell him his Little Alec Hardy's back. He'll understand." She leaves to go and find him.

"He got the position of manager a few weeks before I left. He's only a couple years older than me." The cashier came back with the manager. He hadn't changed a bit.

"Alec?" He grinned.

"It's me!" I grinned back. Marshall went through the door to come out to where we were stood. He hugged me straight away.

"Wow you've grown up! Got a beard and everything!" He teased.

"You haven't changed!"

"I know. Lucky really, ain't I?" He chuckled. "How've you been?"

"I've been alright. I've come back to visit my mum for the weekend."

"Oh yeah. Whereabouts you living now then?"

"Down south in Dorset. Broadchurch."

"I think I heard that place on the news last year." He mumbled.

"Yeah. I was kind of involved in that." I chuckled. I found my police ID and showed it to him.

"Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, hey? You've gotten far." He chuckles as he handed it back. "And is this the missus?" He nodded towards (Y/N).

"We aren't married, yet, but we're together. This is (Y/N)." I smiled as they shook hands.

"Very nice to meet you. This ones definitely a keeper, believe me." He smiled to her. She chuckled.

"Thanks, it's good to meet you too." She smiled nervously. I snaked my arm around her waist, she was quite tense. I knew that she didn't like meeting new people when everyone else knows each other.

"So, have you got a family started?" I asked.

"Yeah. Just the one though. He's 9. His mum and I are married now too. What about you?"

"Yeah. I've got a daughter from my last marriage, she's 16. Then there's (Y/N)'s little one who I consider as my own." I smiled softly.

(Y/N) smiled widely.

"Yeah, she's 6 and she's from my last relationship. He's amazing with her." She smiled to you.

"I bet." He chuckled. "Right, I won't keep you long, you obviously came in for food, not just to talk to me." He rushed back behind the counter. "Okay what can I get for you?"

"I just wanted to come and see a good friend but food included? That's great." I teased.

"Actually... I've got something for you. Count it as a present for coming back and seeing me, wait here." He rushed off into the office and came back with his phone.

"What's that?" I frowned.

"It's something new. New tech and all that. It's a club card, you can use my discount." He chuckled as he scanned his phone. "Right, what do you want?"