Being Grey (Beings Trilogy) Page 11

  I called Robbie earlier and asked him a big favour. The police are releasing my car back to me, but after Poppy laughed that it might be covered in blood and yuck, I'm not keen to collect it myself. Robbie agreed immediately, perhaps excited at the prospect of blood and yuck on the bonnet?

  When the car is back tomorrow, I'll drive to Bath and spend a couple of days with my sister. Lisa was excited on the phone. She'll have a few lectures to go to, but not enough to spoil our time together.

  So Sunday turns out to be another slob day. After roast pork with mum and dad, I wobble home and park myself on the sofa for a movie. I'll give it half an hour before there's room for ice cream.

  Die Hard is on and I love a Bruce Willis action flick. It's almost midnight and Poppy has just walked in, bearing all kinds of Tupperware. Parker had made Cook bake all day for us, and we have desserts and pies in all shapes and flavours.

  "You're going to have to eat most of this yourself," I explain with a mouth full of gateaux, "I'm going to see Lisa for a couple of days. I'll leave when Robbie shows up with the car."

  Poppy nods, mouth too full to speak.

  And hour and a big bit later, Bruce saves the day and the film ends to some whooping from Poppy! It’s almost 2am and it’s been a great night.

  When I wake, the sun is high in the sky and I can hear giggles from downstairs. Lots of them.

  I pad down barefoot, and sat huddled in the lounge window seat is Poppy, Annabel and my Mum, the three of them laughing and blushing.

  "What's going on?" I ask, making them all jump.

  "Oh, Alice!" Poppy screams, "come and see! Robbie brought your car back!"

  Dread sinks in my stomach. What did the police do to my car? I have no idea what chemicals the forensics use and judging by the giggling and the look on these three faces, it must be so bad it's funny.

  Instead of joining them at the window, I head straight for the front door, throwing it wide open. And I must still be dreaming!

  My little Golf is having a wash. And oh my, it needs one more often. Robbie and Stefan are bare-chested in heat, the sun light bouncing gold off their tanned muscles. Soap suds, water and two fit half naked men. I could wake up to this more often. I look back at mum and the girls with my mouth open in a big ‘O’ and Annabel falls off the seat laughing. She’s gotten awfully giggly lately.

  I turn back to the boys just in time to see a loaded sponge flying at me that lands square in my chest. The boys laugh and my old Hello Kitty tee is soaked. I slam the door shut on reflex and turn around and see the three females’ heads peeping out from the lounge doorway. I have suds in my birds-nest hair, and am sopping wet. We all start laughing at the same time and Poppy jumps up screaming “Let the games begin!”

  Some time later, we're all sat in the back garden drying off in the sun. Even mum played tough and everyone ended up soaked. We girls had gotten the hose pipe so the boys were worse off.

  It must have been quite a sight for the neighbours.

  "I filled her up and checked your tyre pressure too." Robbie says, "You never did get to buy the petrol, did you?"

  I laugh, "No!" The car is hardly damaged at all - just a small dent and a lot of scratches. It'll do until I can get it to a garage next week.

  "When will you be back from Lisa's?" Annabel asks.

  "Thursday, probably." Three nights is more than enough for a good catch up.

  "Well, don't kill anyone else in the car!" Robbie smiles, "It's far too exhausting washing it!"

  “But far too much fun watching.” Mum sighs.

  Chapter Thirty One

  It took me just over two and a half hours to drive to Bath. Lisa’s small flat is a beautiful Cotswold stone terraced that has been converted. She lives in the basement flat with the most beautiful garden at the rear. The flat can be dark at times, but in this summer heat, at least it is cool.

  She sees me pull in to her road and runs out to give me a visitors parking slip. All the streets in Bath this close to the town centre are for permit holders only.

  After a big hug and a huge grin, she helps me inside with my bag. As expected, the flat is absolutely spotless. To anyone else, you’d think Lisa was a clean freak, but I know that she probably got cleaners in over the weekend so the place looks just right. I’m flattered.

  “I was expecting you earlier!” she says as she puts the kettle on.

  “I know, but the boys got the car from the police station for me this morning and ended up spending an hour trying to clean it all up for me.”

  “Urgh!” Lisa says, “Well at least there wasn’t too much damage.”

  Lisa doesn’t know about my ability. And mum and I have discussed at great length why she should never know. Anything out the ordinary just doesn’t fit in to her life. When puberty hit her, she stopped believing in anything make believe. Mum says that as the older sister, she just wanted to grow up too quickly, and anything mystical or unproven simply took a back seat.

  So, we decided long ago that there were some things that Lisa just didn’t need to know.

  She’s studying economics and politics at the University of Bath. I’m not sure what she wants to do with her life, but whatever it is, she’ll excel. Her Being is pure. I’m sure once she completes her degree, and decides on her future, we’ll make sure she does well. I’d try to do that for her even if I had no ability, no contacts.

  “How are you coping with it all?” she asks as she hands me my tea.

  We walk out to the garden, which is stunning, and take a seat under the dappled shade of an apple tree. I know what she’s really asking is how am I coping with having killed a man by accident.

  “Actually, it hasn’t really affected me at all,” I answer honestly, “I think knowing that he had just shot the assistant and had robbed the place makes it easier.” And knowing that he had a damned Being goes unsaid.

  We spend the next couple of hours just catching up. I tell her about bumping into Jason Long Legs again and that I’d been out on a couple of dates with him. This, she finds hilarious, especially as she knew him better than I did back then – he was in her class, after all. “He used to follow you around like a little puppy!”

  “I know.” I laugh, “He’s not quite so keen now though. He seems good at playing it very cool.”

  “That’s because he’s not a little boy anymore. Did you know he carved your name on his desk in school?”

  Oh really? “No, I did not!”

  “He got detention and six months of the other boys teasing him for it. But he was a sweet kid and clever too. What’s he doing now?”

  “Trainee mechanic.” I say.

  “Oh.” I guess she expected more for him. “That’s nice.”

  That ends the conversation about Jason.

  We order Chinese to be delivered. As is always the case we’ve ordered enough to feed six. Left over’s go into Tupperware for tomorrow. We may have no shortage of money, but Lisa has become a student in every way.

  For dessert, Lisa pulls out a bottle of white wine. “I know you don’t drink much, but you’re almost eighteen and you should learn that there’s nothing nicer than relaxing in the garden on a summer’s evening with a cool glass of chardonnay.” She gives me a sister’s wink.

  Decision made, we spend the rest of the evening relaxing and watching the sun set. It’s the perfect end to a perfectly normal day.

  Chapter Thirty Two

  Today Lisa has lectures in University. It’s a gorgeous day, so I don my shorts and decide to do a bit of gardening as Lisa’s garden is atrocious, and I’ve lost a flip flop in the lawn somewhere.

  The lawn mower is in a tiny shed at the end of her sixty foot garden. I feel like an explorer just making my way down to it. I could happily spend three weeks sorting this place out for her. I love gardening.

  Lawn mowed, eventually, I celebrate with a bacon sandwich under the apple tree. I’m covered with grass cuttings and I haven’t stopped sneezing for an hour, but I also feel satisfied and lazy
.

  I daydream about Poppy’s party, about seeing Ian again. Jason is also there, but in my vision he’s perfectly fine with me being Ian’s date and not his. It all gets a bit ugly when Robbie and Stefan decide to try and kill Ian in front of 200 guests.

  I’m dragged back to reality by the doorbell, and quickly make my way through the house. It’s a courier, “Miss Shaw?” he asks. I am as well as Lisa so I nod and he hands over the small envelope and his little electronic signature gadget. I sign, which naturally doesn’t look anything like my signature, and close the door behind him.

  The envelope is addressed to me.

  Frowning, I carry it into back into the garden, searching for a ‘from’ address. But its blank, there’s no other information on it.

  Gingerly, I open it. I’m not expecting anything from anyone, and it makes me half excited, half nervous.

  Inside, is a single sheet of beautiful thick cream writing paper, the kind that costs a fortune for 6 sheets. The handwriting is classic and slants heavily to the right. It’s signed, ‘with love, Ian’.

  My heart skips several beats and I feel stunned. What on earth is going on? Why is he writing to me?

  Of course, I won’t know the answer until I read the letter.

  My Dearest Alice,

  Though we have yet to formally meet, our two encounters have left me breathless. I only hope that you have also felt the attraction

  I hope that you are enjoying your time with your sister, Lisa. Bath is a beautiful city steeped with history and culture.

  Looking forward to seeing you again very soon.

  With love,

  Ian.

  Did I say I was stunned? Now I’m flabbergasted. Gobsmacked. This is wrong on so many levels.

  So why am I smiling?

  After five seconds of amazement, the paranoia sets in. How did he know where I was? How does he know Lisa’s name, or that she is my sister?

  Instinctively, I run to the door, swinging it wide. I’m out in the road, turning around, I wander behind parked cars, check windows facing the street. Stare at passing cars. I’m looking for him.

  A gust of wind suddenly hits me and I’m pulled out of my mild panic by the sound of my sisters’ front door slamming.

  Damn. Now I’m locked out.

  With no shoes on.

  It should be funny, but the humour escapes me. I can’t shake the feeling that he is here. Watching me and probably laughing at my predicament.

  Thankfully, the next door neighbours have a spare key (they’re also students at the Uni and have known my sister all year). When I shut the door behind me, I lock it and put the chain on.

  I lean back against the door and try to get my breathing under control. I close my eyes, but all I can see is his face. Dark eyes that don’t look, they penetrate.

  And he’s attracted to me?

  Stop it. I’m not flattered. I’m spooked.

  Aren’t I?

  By the time Lisa arrives home from her lectures, the house is fragrant with roast chicken that smells fabulous and I’ve laid the table in the garden for dinner. I’ve made a green salad and boiled some baby potatoes to go with the meat. I’d had to keep myself busy with something.

  Thankfully I’ve managed to get my nerves under control. I’m worried about Ian knowing my sisters address and even that I’m here, but there’s no need to panic Lisa.

  “Dear lord!” Lisa exclaims, “Who are you and what have you done with my sister, and my garden for that matter?”

  Giggling, we eat in the sunshine and discuss what a difference a few extra plants and some flowers could make.

  “So how about you?” Lisa asks. I know where the conversation is going because we always have the same one when I come to spend time with her.

  I shrug.

  “Alice, you are such a bright and intelligent thing! Why can’t you decide what you want to do with your life? You can’t live off the family money forever, you know!”

  “I do, stuff!” I say, defensively. Like make sure pure Beings get amazing jobs and make sure damned Beings are removed from society (that sounds much better than saying I kill them).

  “Like what?”

  “This week, I’ve been helping Lady Howard prepare for Poppy’s eighteenth.”

  “So you’re thinking about event management?”

  Actually, I was thinking about throwing parties but that sounds better. “Well, maybe. You should see what we have planned! I can’t wait to see how it’s coming along when I get back.”

  “It’s bound to be spectacular if it’s a Howard affair.”

  “It will be.”

  “But seriously, little sis,” she only calls me that when she is being serious. “Have you thought more about going back to college to do you’re ‘A’ levels?”

  “Actually, I thought I’d skip them and perhaps do a degree through correspondence.”

  “Really? But you’re like this social butterfly! Surely actually being in college or Uni is more you? You’d be the life and soul.”

  I’m flattered she thinks I’m fun at the same time as being annoyed that she thinks I’m living off family money. Lisa is only two years older than me, but sometimes she thinks mum is too soft and she has to step up. “It’s a bit late for this year anyway.” I say, “Everywhere will be full by now.”

  Lisa huffs. “That’s a poor excuse, and you know it.”

  I smile my cheekiest grin. “Besides, if I did go back to school, what could you possibly moan at me about?”

  “Oh! That’s low.”

  “I love you sis, but I’ll sort it out eventually. I was actually thinking about travelling.” I haven’t, but it’s a decoy I can play with her for a while to lessen the nagging.

  “Good idea! See some of the world, meet new people, new cultures. Isn’t that what your friend Annabel did?”

  I nod, “She has some amazing stories and has met some incredible people.” This makes me think of Glen and how she knew exactly the right person to speak to ensure he got a great job and the way she could speak to him. If I am to help people with my ability, perhaps I should get out more and meet more people? Actually not a bad idea.

  “Maybe I could come with you?” Lisa smiles.

  Maybe a bad idea. “I’m not waiting another 2 years for you to finish your degree.” I say, “But I could go now and then we could always go together later and I’d know the best places to hang out?”

  Lisa laughs, “You’re nothing but a job dodger.”

  “A job dodger?” It sounds funny.

  “I just made that up!” Lisa’s giggling. “Shall we go out?”

  “No.” I say too quickly. “I think I’m shattered! I worked hard in your garden today!”

  “And I’m very grateful.” Lisa replies.

  I keep thinking that there is nothing I’d like more than to be out tonight in the hope of meeting Ian. Talking to him. Touching him.

  But not tonight.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Last full day so I’m shopping, again.

  Today I am learning that my student sister would give Poppy a run for her money. Bath has quite a small town centre, but there are side streets and arcades running from it everywhere. And Lisa knows them all.

  And she just has to shown me each and every last one of them.

  I’m doing well out of the smaller boutiques though. I’ve bought Poppy the most beautiful full length summer dress that I know she’ll adore – it’s vintage and unique. Robbie has a t-shirt with ‘I’m a killer, not a lover’ printed on it (I’m sure he’ll see the funny side of it). For Annabel, I found a gorgeous pair of bohemian style earrings that I think will look amazing on her but I’m not sure if they’re her style unfortunately. Stefan got some shot glasses. Not exactly unique, but he’ll get more use out of them than the others will of their gifts!

  The day has been hard work, so we stop for a late pub lunch at Lisa’s local, the Bell Inn. It’s cool and quiet in there today, as the lunch crowd has emptied
out already. We get a table near the back and Lisa goes up to the bar to place our order. And that’s when I feel something.

  It started out like a memory. Not unpleasant, almost like daydreaming when you know you’re wide awake, pleasant though. It’s as if a subconscious alarm is going off. I look around the restaurant and then I really look around.

  The guy at the end of the bar, obviously a regular judging by his friendship with all of the staff, has a pale grey Being. The group of three mummies with, thankfully, sleeping babies, are all varying shades of grey. The two young men finishing off their third beer, and that’s only since we’ve been in here, both a middle shade of grey. Nothing spectacular. Everything normal, just as it should be. Normal people enjoying a normal afternoon at the local.

  And then they walk in. A man and a woman, a couple? I’d guess they were both in their late twenties and to my shock; they’re making their way directly towards me.

  Luckily, Lisa gets to me first. She places my diet Pepsi in front of me and starts chit chatting about the days shopping which we are surrounded by. I’m hardly listening though. The couple stopped when Lisa appeared and are now leaning on the bar watching me. Are they two ‘Gifted’? Their Beings are magnificent, radiant. But they look at me with such curiosity that’s its unnerving.

  I jump when Lisa suddenly says, “Are you even listening to me?”

  I also manage to knock my Pepsi over, Poppy style, but Lisa just laughs and calls me clumsy. I go to the bar for a new drink and a cloth.

  “I’m here visiting my sister.” I say when I’m close enough for the couple to hear me. “She doesn’t know.” Sometimes it’s far easier to simply state the obvious before someone says something that you have to make excuses for.

  The man nods, “We were across the street and we sensed your presence. You’ve a strong one for someone so young.”