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“Hi, Jen,” I called to her. “It’s just you and me up here. Are you ready to head down?”
Her shoulders slumped in relief, and her voice lost its manic edge. “Okay, darling. I’m on my way down now with Hope. I’ll see you in a bit.”
We rode down in silence. Only at the bottom did she speak. “Something has to be done.”
I gave her the only possible answer. “Yes.”
Pity it wasn’t a solution.
The elevator doors opened to reveal a large, fierce-looking man holding the hands of two little kids who positively bounced with excitement. His thick eyebrows lowered ominously at the sight of his wife, and he immediately lifted his chin to scan the environment.
Catching sight of his prey, he nodded to his wife and passed the children over to her.
Her eyes widened. “Leave it, Jamie. It’s not worth it.”
He dipped his chin, his jaw tight. “Just going to introduce myself.”
I stood with Jen, watching, as her man approached Ratcliffe, his hand extended. Ratcliffe smiled, his face smug. That soon changed.
I smirked as Ratcliffe winced at Jamie’s hold on his hand. Laughed out loud at the look of alarm on his oily face as Jamie kept hold of his hand and continued to walk forward, forcing Ratcliffe backward. And catching sight of Jamie’s feral smile? I understood why Ratcliffe shrank back like the sewer rat he was.
Stepping back, Jamie very obviously wiped his palm off on his jeans as he made his final point before stalking back to Jen, his face clouded with thunder.
“Somebody is so getting laid tonight,” she murmured.
We looked at each other and laughed out loud.
It was a pity that was the high point of the evening.
The Christmas Fashion Show was about far more than clothing. Taking place the first week of December, it kicked off the busiest shopping season of the year. Strolling carollers, food carts, a bouncy castle, play area, and even a petting zoo made it a seasonal star for families.
Santa himself capped off the show. The last to walk the catwalk, he tossed candy canes into the crowd before taking a seat on his throne. As was tradition, he opened “The Night Before Christmas”, and read the children a bedtime story.
More than a fashion show, it was a family event, and my entire family stood waiting for me.
I found them in the crowd, smiling and happy. Marveling over the décor and the entertainment. Brayleigh sat high in Lucky’s strong arms. The wonder in her bright eyes well worth the price of admission.
Which amounted to two weeks of my life.
They closed around me like a warm cocoon. Instead of a sense of belonging and homecoming, I felt a disconnect. An otherness. I was an appendage, and not one that was necessary to the survival of the organism.
Two weeks ago, I had visions of introducing Ares to my family. I pictured him as part of this unit.
Catching sight of him, he held his camera like a shield between him and the rest of the world. I attempted to excuse his behavior by telling myself he acted the way he did because he was caught up in his work.
But it was a weak excuse.
And I knew it.
Because he seemingly had no issue chumming around with Ratcliffe.
On no less than three occasions, I spied them laughing together.
At one point, he caught me staring and held my gaze.
Cold.
Black.
