The Three-Month Rule

Chapter 31 - Red's Revenge

The front door slammed shut.

Heavy bags dropped to the floor of the house, echoing through its silent structure.

"Allie?" Tom called.

Bobby trotted happily into the hall to meet his master, his tail wagging frantically at the sight and smell of him.

"Allie?!" Tom called again, more desperately.

He ran into the kitchen, everything was neat and clean, but Allegra wasn't in there.

"Allegra?!" he called, running through into the living room, which Allegra also hadn't occupied.

He ran up the stairs, taking two at a time as worry began to shut his body down.

"Allegra?!" he repeated. 

He ran into the bedroom, where Allegra was stood, her back to the door.

Her long blonde hair fell gracefully around her shoulders, complimenting the red dress she wore, the white flower pattern on it bringing out her faded silver highlights.

"There you are," Tom panted, a lump in the back of his throat.

He hadn't even taken his coat off, and his body began to overheat beneath the many layers of clothes he wore.

"Allie, I can explain," he told her as he caught his breath.

"No," Allegra whispered, her back still to him.

She was folding some clothes into what looked like a case, intricate pants and bras neatly arranged within.

"Allie, please, stop –"

"I was hoping to be gone by the time you came, but..." she sighed, almost happily, and turned her face to the side so that he could her perfect winged eyeliner and her red lips, but she didn't not raise her eyes to him. "Look how that turned out."

"Allie, please let me explain –"

"You don't need to," a smile in her voice.

He stepped forwards, his hand reaching out to touch her.

"But I do –"

"No, you don't," she smiled again, but this time he could see it. "Because look what I found."

She turned to face him, holding her phone out to him to show him the pictures she took of Lucy's laptop.

He took her phone in his large, gentle, shaking hands and scrolled through the pictures. Shock complimenting the worry on his face as he read emails from Taylor to Lucy, asking Lucy to send red letters to Allegra and private information and photos of him and Taylor to paparazzi.

"You were framed," she told him, admiring the hands of the man she had grown to love so much. "Don't get me wrong, I'd still like to hear your side of the story," she said bitterly.

"So, why are you packing?" Tom asked, his mouth dry.

"I'm not," Allegra replied, confused.

"Then what are you doing with those clothes?"

"It's laundry."

She stepped aside, revealing a laundry basket that she had brought to his when she had moved in.

"Oh..." Tom said quietly, relief silently washing over him.

Allegra pulled Tom next to her so that they were both facing the door, a smile planting itself on her red lips.

"Tom, I'd like you to meet my sister, Naomi," she said.

Suddenly a tall girl with a long dark ponytail trotted in; fake tan on her once pale skin; perfectly winged eyeliner complimenting her blue eyes and the blue dress that was perhaps a little too short for her.

"Hi!" she squealed, darting towards Tom.

Allegra stood between them and put her hands on Naomi's shoulders.

"Naomi, remember what we talked about," she said quietly.

"Ok, ok," Naomi grinned shakily. "But can I have a hug?"

"Later," Allegra rolled her eyes.

"Ok," Naomi whispered, her blue eyes looking up at Tom who had a serious expression on his face.

"And this is Saoirse, my sister's best friend," Allegra continued as Saoirse joined them in the bedroom, clad in her police uniform.

"Nice to meet you both," Tom said, shaking their hands and making Naomi struggle to suppress her excited squeals. "Although, it's a shame about the circumstances," he admitted.

"Saoirse is here to help us," Allegra grinned.

"How?" Tom asked.

"Ladies, gent," Saoirse began, putting one arm around Naomi's shoulder and one arm around Allegra's, pulling the four of them into a tight circle, Naomi squealing again as she put her arm around Tom. "We're going to make a plan."