The Three-Month Rule

Chapter 8 - Red Letters

On Thursday evening, the doorbell rang twice. Allegra plodded to the front door, stretching slightly in a dressing gown as Bobby joined her side, panting in excitement.

She twisted the handle and pulled the door open a little, peering out to see who it was before opening it fully.

"Evening," she smiled happily as the distant heat from the evening's sun hit her.

"Good evening. Delivery for Miss Allegra Mullins," the young man in uniform said, returning her smile politely.

"Uh... That's me," she said slowly, surprised.

"Here you are ma'am, thank you," he smiled as he handed her a big white box with a pink bow wrapped neatly around it. It was so light it didn't feel like it had anything in it. "Have a good night," he said, gesturing to her with one hand and walking down the path he had ventured up.

Allegra shut the door, eyeing the package up and down, and stroked Bobby gently on his warm head, making him pant happily again.

She used a small pen knife to cut open the tape on the side of the box, and a large bouquet of flowers rolled delicately out. A collection of salmon-coloured roses lay sweetly on the table top in front of her, labelled with a note that read - 'My dearest Allegra, 'love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs'. All my love, Tom x x x'.

"I wonder who these could be from, Bobby," Allegra smiled happily, patting Bobby on the head again.

***

The door opened and closed quietly, startling Allegra and making her scared. She muted the television and picked up the closest thing to her that she could use as a weapon.

She positioned it above her shoulder, ready to strike, and paced slowly and quietly into the hall.

No one was there. A fresh, cool breeze rushed past her, stating that someone had clearly entered the house.

"Hello?" she called, her voice a nervous wreck. "Who's there?" she walked towards the kitchen, looking at Bobby's bed on the other side and noting that he was not there.

She panicked.

Quickly, she turned around and seized the home phone, dialling two nines before a pair of hands grabbed her.

"Me," the male voice said. Allegra screamed and elbowed the stranger in the stomach, making him double over in pain as she turned to him.

"Tom!" she gasped, discovering who he was. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

"That's karma, I guess," he laughed through gritted teeth, straining as he stood up straight again.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, wrapping an arm around his back to support him.

"I thought I'd surprise you," he explained as he walked into the living room and sat on the leather sofa.

"Well, congratulations, you managed," she scoffed. "Wait, how did you know I was staying here?" she asked him, looking out the window at the dark night.

"Well, for one, the lights were on, and..." he paused, smiling slightly. "Did you get my delivery?"

"Yes, thank you," she grinned, motioning to a vase she had found that were now home to the beautiful roses.

"The delivery man was a close friend of mine. He called me and told me you were staying here," he shrugged, clearly proud of himself.

"Oh," Allegra blushed.

"So, I came back early," he smiled at her red cheeks.

"But... Didn't you finish your appointments?" she asked with concern.