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“I’m trying not to bring him into it.What with his interview last week for the new head of department role—he’s very stressed about the restructure.”
Carts sighed.He wanted to get home and try on his new suit again and work out whether to wear Baz’s tie.If so, should he keep it on, or take it off just after he’d met her?He rather liked the idea of tugging it off, pocketing it casually, then flipping open his shirt collar, maybe even seeing Judith’s gaze linger on his neck for a moment.
He needed to practise his moves in the mirror.
“I’ll go up and see if she’ll talk to me,” he said, patting Mum on the arm before taking the stairs two at a time.
As he got closer, thethump, thump, doof-doofpractically made the door vibrate.He tapped lightly.
No response.
He tried again, rapping harder with his knuckles.
“Avery.Av-ery it’s me.”Louder, “Open up for your brother, will you?”
Nothing.
“C’mon Aves.”Wheedling was not the easiest over heavy metal.
Carts leaned his forehead against the door, just as it swung open and he catapulted into Avery’s room like a human shotput.
“WhatdyouWANT?”Avery shouted as Carts practically bounced off the far wall and she bounced onto the bed.
“What sort of greeting is that?”Carts shouted back as he regained his balance, and tried to lean nonchalantly against the wall.“Can you turn that off?”
Avery hugged her knees to her chest and scowled at him, then reluctantly reached for her phone.Carts’ ears gave thanks for the blessed silence that ensued.
“You’re so unco,” Avery muttered.
“Thanks.”He popped his eyes at her.“Hullo,big brother,how nice of you to come and see me.”
Her chin dipped lower, but he caught a smirk hovering on her lips.Though, now he was looking at her properly, something was weird with her eyes.He pushed off the wall and squinted at her face.“What have you done to your eyes?”
“It’s kohl.”
“Yeah, looks like you’ve been down a coal mine, that’s for sure.”
“Not coal, you tool, kohl.K-O-H-L.”
Carts waggled his eyebrows.“The ghoul next door look.”
“Haha, very funny.It’s goth.Guess you wouldn’t know what that is either, you’re so ancient.”
“For your info, goth has been a thing longer than you’ve been alive.”Carts pulled a face at her.“I nearly dated a goth once.”
“Yeah, right.”Avery’s lip curled, not buying a word of it.“Has Mum sent you up here?”
He moved over and sat on the bed, rubbed her foot.Her toes were cold, they’d always been cold even as a little girl.Her toenails, he noticed with a jolt, were painted black.
“Maybe.”No point in lying, sixteen-year-olds had an antennae for fibs.He rubbed her toes and she curled them away.“Don’t.”
“Your feet are like icicles.Why aren’t you wearing your Uggs?”
“In case my nails aren’t dry.”
“Show me your fingers.”
She splayed her long fingers out.The nails were thankfully bare.“Mum would just make me take it off, not worth wasting time doing them.”
