Deep Water by Mark Ayre (best big ereader TXT) 📕

After what had become an oppressive indoor atmosphere, the sea air was bliss. The seagulls' swooping and squawking was the perfect white noise, helping to wash away the darkness of her memories and this latest situation. Abbie could stand this way forever. Or until one of the birds did its business on her head.

The door opened and closed as someone stepped outside. Abbie took a final deep breath and lowered her head as Tony spoke.

"Mum said I'd find you out here. I was worried you might have left."

"And deprive you the pleasure of another thirty seconds of my company? How could I?"

Tony came to Abbie's side. She glanced at him, then ahead. Facing the houses opposite, they stood with their hands in their pockets, Abbie enjoying the cold air on her face, Tony worrying.

"My ears are starting to hurt," said Abbie after a while.

"What?"

"It's your silence," she said. "It's deafening. Why don't you quiet down by saying what's on your mind?"

Tony stared at her. There was that sense again that he couldn’t quite work her out. Abbie liked that. It wasn’t enough to stop him doing as she asked.

"What happened in there?" he asked. "Mum wouldn't say anything. Told me to rush out here."

"Maybe she doesn't want you to know."

"This is my family. Don't keep things from me."

Abbie looked Tony's way again to find him still staring at her. He was trying to look strong, but his hands were shaking. He looked afraid.

"Your delightful sister Angel has had enough of waiting for your mum to punish those who have harmed your family. She plans to take matters into her own hands."

Tony released a frustrated breath. "I told mum this would happen. She should have killed Louis by now."

Abbie smiled, shook her head. "She doesn't know for sure Louis is to blame."

"Not 100%," Tony agreed, "but close enough. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Angel’s like Ana. If she wants to punish Louis, she won’t kill him; it'll be Jacob or Kyle. If mum killed Louis, Angel would be unhappy but would have no reason to murder the boys."

Abbie looked back at the sky. The earnestness with which Tony rationalised killing a father to save the sons was almost funny. Like he couldn't see where the real problem lay.

"Your mum thinks we'd make a cute couple," said Abbie. The comment took Tony by surprise. He stammered but didn't speak. Abbie continued. "To be honest, even if I was of a mind to date, I'm not sure I could stomach the family Christmases with your sisters." She shuddered.

"It's only Ana and Angel," said Louis. "Rori was the sweetest kid, and Alex is fun-loving. Afraid of responsibility and allergic to hard work, but not cruel. She's my only full sibling, and we've always been close. When Aurora died, she was heartbroken, but she never even called for retribution. Said it didn't matter. Said nothing would bring Aurora back."

"Sounds like a smart girl."

"Not so much," Tony chuckled. "Getting older terrifies Alex. You can guarantee, right now, she's off making some terrible decision, probably involving a guy, maybe drugs. It's as though she thinks, once she turns thirty, she'll receive an electric shock every time she tries to have fun."

Abbie smiled but didn't speak. It sounded as though she had met the wrong two sisters. For a brief moment, Abbie regretted not being sent here in time to save Aurora, but that kind of thinking was unhelpful. She forced it away. Remembered Ben's teachings. Always focus on what you can do. Never on what you can't.

"Are you still going to try help mum?" Tony asked.

"Yep."

"You'll have to be careful. Angel’s well connected. She'll come after you."

"Someone always does," said Abbie. “My bigger concern is whether she’ll go after Jacob and Kyle. They need protection. But I can’t deal with that now. I've bigger fish to fry."

"Such as?"

"Finding a hotel. You know anywhere?"

He did. Abbie relinquished her phone, and Tony input the address into her Maps app for an independent place half a mile inland. A ten-minute walk from Alice's home.

"It's not too expensive, I don't think."

"Money's no issue."

Once the address was in, Tony stood by her side, phone in hand. When, after thirty seconds, he hadn't returned the handset, Abbie raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"Anything else?"

"Uh, no," he said but still didn't return the phone. Abbie held out a hand.

"Give it then."

"Sorry, yes."

He held the phone over her hand. As she began to close her fingers, he jerked it away.

"We're not both enjoying this game, Tony. FYI."

She met his eye, and immediately he looked away. Not before she got a sense of what was going on in his head.

"Your mum told you to invite me to her birthday party,” she said. "Don't worry. Forget it."

She knew Tony wasn't looking for a pardon. She hoped he wouldn't say he’d love her to be his plus one.

"I would love you to be my plus one."

Abbie didn't sigh.

"But I thought first I could take you to lunch. Today. After you’ve got your head down for a bit of sleep."

The words came in a rush, like a kid asking a crush to be his date to the school dance. It was sweet, but that bashful smile made Abbie think of Bobby, and her heart throbbed in anticipation of that upcoming loss.

"Probably not a good idea," she said.

Tony's face crumpled. He almost accepted her rejection but, at the last second, said, "Why not?"

"Lots of reasons."

"Such as?"

Abbie sighed. Her head swam with thoughts of Bobby; she lacked the strength to go through the standard spiel about how Tony would never see her again after tomorrow, rendering a date pointless. For whatever reason, she certainly wasn't going to mention that she was kind of, sorta, in a way, seeing someone.

"Seeing as you still have my phone," said Abbie. "Might as well add your number."

For a second, Tony looked at her, suspecting a trick, then bowed his head and entered his number and name.

When he was done, he returned the phone and said, "I