The Black Sheep's Shadow by Mark Ayre

Author:Mark Ayre [Ayre, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-10-24T23:00:00+00:00

James waited long enough to be sure Mac had paid and departed, then followed the line she had taken, coming around the final aisle to see the true target of this expedition sitting alone and unbothered at a till.

Approaching he noticed she was once again staring at the glare of her phone.

“Hey,” he said, placing his basket at her till, feeling the doubts creep in like monsters into a child’s bedroom once the lights go out. He should not be dealing with this himself. Didn’t even know how to deal with it. At first, he had been angry, but wasn’t she a victim like Sema? A young girl tempted into addiction by an older guy. Someone she probably looked up to, even idolised.

He considered walking away, but she looked up, and it was too late for that now. Even though her eyes went from him to the unattended self-service, making it clear she felt he had no right to bother her when they were available. Following her gaze, he tried on a pathetic smile.

“I hate those things. Always get it wrong, and they start yelling. ‘Remove last item’, ‘seek assistance’. You’d end up having to come over anyway. I thought it’d be easier to come here and have done.”

She gave him a look so piercing he felt it go through his chest and out the other side, but didn’t respond. A hand extended, and he almost shook it before realising she wanted the first item so she could start scanning and get the transaction over with.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, handing over the chocolates, uncomfortable as before at leading the conversation. More so at being the only speaker as he stumbled on with no idea what he was saying.”

“I mean, after the Claire thing yesterday. She’s sorry about that. She apologised.”

“Not to me.”

James handed over the next item. Already he was running out.

“I’m sure she will,” he said, and almost left it at that. Then the snippet about nicknames from Christina came back, as well as the name at the top of Amy’s phone.

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