Chapter Twenty-Two
Laurie
Rain lashed against the flat window and thunder rumbled overhead as the storm that had been building all day finally unleashed itself upon Heather Bay.
I’d always loved thunderstorms and the sound of water hammering on the windows. It was cosy and comforting, and to me there was nothing better than being inside under a blanket with a good book listening to the rain.
Tonight, though, my peaceful indulgence was being disturbed by the random shrieks, impromptu swearing, and keyboard smashing coming from Theo’s room, where he was playing some horrible zombie game with Alex, Lane, West, and Mason.
I assumed the noises meant they were having fun despite Theo’s cries of, “Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck” and “Fucking die already, you bastard.”
Another round of thunder cracked and boomed, and I sighed as I sipped my hot chocolate and tried to focus on my book, but it was pointless because I was far too distracted by my own thoughts.
I knew I should’ve been glad that Theo was having so much fun with West and that I should’ve been encouraging the relationship between them.
After all, it had been over two months since West had sent his first email, and nothing untoward had happened.
Theo’s parents hadn’t slithered out of the shadows, and West continued to be a sweet, charming young man.
I had no reason to be suspicious.
And yet…
I sipped my hot chocolate again, ignoring the nagging feeling in my stomach that insisted something was wrong.
Paranoia was not healthy, and I needed to snap out of it before I did something I’d regret.
Wanting to protect Theo was one thing, but being overprotective to the point that I damaged either our relationship or the one he had with West was another.
Glancing down at my book again, I realised I’d read the same paragraph at least four times without taking anything in.
This was pointless. I needed to get out of my head.
Usually when I wanted to do that, I’d talk to Theo, but since he was part of the issue, it was out of the question. And I couldn’t play my violin either, not without disturbing Theo or being disturbed myself.
Reading music while Theo loudly slaughtered zombies was a talent I hadn’t yet mastered.
The clock on the mantelpiece, which was bookended by two stuffed mice performing circus skills, said that it wasn’t even half past seven. I glanced at my phone, turning an idea over in my mind.
I wanted to talk to someone, but it had to be someone I’d trust not to tell Theo, and it had to be someone who wasn’t currently stuck in the zombie apocalypse.
That ruled out Alex and Lane as well as Oliver by association since Lane would know I was there.
Will and Jamie would be a good shout, but that would mean driving out to the farm in the middle of the storm, and if the weather took a turn for the worst, I’d be stuck there.
And that was if they were even at home. If the rain started to cause flooding, they’d have to go out and rescue the sheep, and they definitely wouldn’t want me around for that.
That left Bastian, Anders, Spencer, and Noah.
I weighed up my choices as I drained the last of my drink, swirling the dregs around the bottom of my mug. The living room curtains were open, the rain still thundering on the glass, and that cemented my decision.
Spencer and Noah’s house was closer.
Walking my mug through to the kitchen, I quickly washed it and put it in the drainer before sticking my head around Theo’s door.
He was curled up in his gaming chair in tiny shorts, an oversized pink hoodie, and fluffy slippers with bunny ears.
His customary pink cat-eared headphones nestled in his blond hair, flashing neon pink as Theo’s character swung an enormous sword around their head.
“Theo,” I said, feeling slightly guilty for disturbing him.
“Yeah.”
“I’m going out.”
“Really? It’s pissing it down.”
“I know, but I won’t be long.”
“Okay,” he said. “But are you sure you need to go?”
“I’m sure. It’s… a work thing.” I felt even worse for lying to him, but it couldn’t be helped. Work was the perfect excuse, though, since we’d been called out at all hours in the past.
He frowned, but I wasn’t sure if that was at me or the game. “Do you need my help? I can get dressed and come too.”
“No, it’s fine. You stay here and keep warm.” I blew him a kiss and turned on my heel out of the room. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Stay safe! And take an umbrella!”
“I will.” I headed down the stairs towards the front door and pulled my boots off the rack, tugging them on.
They had laces down the front that looked very complicated, but they also had a zip down the inside for easy accessibility.
Once my boots were done up, I threw on my long black coat and grabbed one of the black umbrellas from the stand.
I had several, but my favourite had a carved wooden handle in the shape of an ornate skull.
Theo had bought it for me as a gift for Christmas two years ago.
As I reached for my keys, I suddenly wondered if I should message Spencer or Noah to let them know I wanted to drop by. It would be the polite thing to do at least.
I could do it on the way, and if they said no, then I could take myself for a walk to clear my head.
The churchyard at St. Michael’s was always beautiful in the rain, and I found walking amongst the graves to be very soothing.
And while conversations with the dead tended to be a little one-sided, they always helped me to work through my problems.
Perhaps I would take a detour through the churchyard on my way home either way.
Opening the front door, I breathed in the scent of the storm, watching it for a minute before opening my umbrella and stepping outside, then closing the door behind me. The thunder seemed to have passed, leaving only the torrential rain that bounced loudly on the umbrella canvas.
The water on the pavement muffled the sound of my footsteps as I walked, and the streetlights seemed dimmed.
I wondered if a fog was going to roll in, which sometimes happened when we’d had a storm come in off the sea.
If it did, I would definitely be out and about in it.
Fog and rain was my favourite weather combination.
It didn’t take me too long to make my way through the silent, winding streets of Heather Bay, my feet leading me while I stayed lost in thought.
When I rounded the final corner and realised how close I was to my destination, it seemed pointless to send a message announcing my intention to visit.
I just had to hope I wouldn’t catch Noah and Spencer at a bad time and apologise if I had.
Their yellow front door shone like a beacon in the darkness, and while I had never been a fan of brightly coloured doors, theirs always felt welcoming and homely rather than tacky and garish.
Although Theo had always argued something could be tacky, garish, and homely, and that kitsch was a style for a reason.
I got the feeling that was the sentiment behind the taxidermy circus mice, the tap-dancing mice, and the raven in a top hat and monocle he’d named Lord Featherby.
Not wanting to linger on the street like Dracula, I rapped sharply on the front door, then stepped back and tilted the umbrella slightly to make sure my face was visible. Although I didn’t think Spencer or Noah knew any other goths who’d randomly turn up on their doorstep at night.
I waited for a minute, wondering if I’d made a mistake and whether it would be better to make a hasty exit when I heard a bolt slide back and the jingle of keys. The door swung open to reveal a sleepy, bemused-looking Noah.
“Laurie?” he asked, a frown forming on his round face. “Are you okay?”
“Not really, no.” I twisted the umbrella handle in my hand. “I’m sorry, I meant to text you and ask if it was okay if I dropped round. I can go.”
“No, wait,” Noah said as I went to turn away. “It’s fine. Please, come in.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.” He stepped back and gestured into the hall.
From beyond, I saw the warm glow of their living room and kitchen, and it reminded me somehow of The Wind in the Willows, when Mole and Ratty got lost in the Wild Wood and stumbled upon Badger’s home, and the way Mole described the warmth of Badger’s kitchen.
“In you come,” Noah said. “You don’t want to catch a cold. ”
“Thank you,” I said, shaking off my umbrella before moving inside. “I’m sorry it’s late, and for the inconvenience. I just…”
“It’s fine, I promise,” Noah said. “You’re always welcome here, no questions asked.”
“Who’s at the door?” Spencer asked, his head popping out of the kitchen door. He had large headphones on and was holding a metal bowl, so I assumed he’d been baking.
“It’s just me,” I said, giving him an apologetic smile as I shrugged off my coat and hung it on the end of the banister before unzipping my boots. “Do you remember last year? When you came to Theo’s and my house?”
Spencer smiled and nodded softly. “I’ll stick the kettle on. Grab a seat. I’ll be through in a minute.”
I followed Noah into their living room where an old episode of The Great British Bake Off was paused on the TV.
Noah’s laptop was open on the coffee table with a pencil case, large notebook, and several textbooks spread out next to it.
“Sorry,” Noah said, closing the laptop and folding up the blanket that had been spread across the sofa cushions. “I was lesson planning.”
“Don’t apologise,” I said, taking a seat on the sofa. “I’m the one who dropped in on you.”
Noah chuckled as he sat down at the other end. “How about we both stop apologising?”
“Fine, but I’m still saying you have nothing to apologise for.”
“And neither do you. You’re always welcome to drop in, especially if you need something.” He smiled at me kindly. “Is Theo still playing with Alex and Lane? Alex was messaging me something about reaching a new personal best.”