It Takes Two | ✓

Chapter 11

"You're back from work already?" Gabe heard Alice call out as he followed Trist into the house. Then he rounded the corner and saw the smile drop off her face. "Oh."

The girls were there too, sitting on the couch. They were watching Gabe but they didn't say anything.

He must have looked a mess. He felt exhausted and by now the bruise on his arm had spread and darkened enough that it was unmissable. There was no pretending everything was fine.

Trist headed over to the kitchen and had a hushed conversation with Alice, both of them shooting occasional glances in Gabe's direction. Gabe felt awkward just standing there, so he went and sat down in the armchair.

"Hey," he said to the girls.

Sophie held out a packet of biscuits to him. "Tim Tam?"

He took one. "Thanks."

Alice came out of the kitchen with Trist lingering behind her. "Girls, can you give us a few minutes alone to have a chat?"

"Yeah, of course," Sophie said, and Bee nodded her agreement. Sophie placed the packet of Tim Tams on Gabe's lap before they both headed off towards their bedroom.

Trist headed back into the kitchen, but he was still there. Still within earshot. Gabe decided he preferred it that way.

Alice sat down on the couch nearest the armchair and leant towards Gabe with her elbows on her knees. "Trist told me a bit about what's been going on with you. Or at least the parts he knows about."

"Okay," Gabe said, which was a terrible response but he didn't know what else to say.

"I'm so sorry, Gabe. I had no idea anything like that was happening. I never would have sent you back if I thought you might not be safe."

"I know," Gabe said. "It was my choice."

Gabe had heard Trist coming up behind him, but he still jumped when something cold touched his arm. Trist sat down on the arm of the armchair and pressed the improvised cold pack he'd made out of a tea towel and a bag of frozen peas more firmly against Gabe's bruise. Okay then.

"Well, you have a place here as long as you need it, okay?" she said. "Trist agrees too. Don't you, Trist?"

"Yup," Trist said. It sounded unenthusiastic and forced, but somehow Gabe still believed he was sincere. Perhaps because he was still fussing over icing Gabe's bruise. Did that even do anything hours after an injury occurred? Gabe didn't know and he didn't really care, he just appreciated the attention.

"I should probably go and call Sally and let her know what's going on," Gabe said.

"All right," Alice said. "You let me know if you need anything, okay hun?"

"I will. Thanks."

Gabe hadn't expected Trist to follow him back to his bedroom, hadn't expected him to sit down next to him on the bottom bunk and press the peas back against his arm, but there he was and Gabe found it oddly comforting.

He found Sally in his contacts and held his phone to his ear.

It only took her a few seconds to answer. "Hey, Gabe. Is everything okay?"

"Not really."

There was a beat of silence. "Are you okay?"

Gabe looked down at the bag of peas pressed against his arm. "No. I mean— yes, but no."

"Gabe."

"Adam took a swing at me with the rolling pin. I managed to block it with my arm, but... he'd been aiming for my head. If that had landed..."