The Serpent's Skin by Erina Reddan

Author:Erina Reddan [Reddan, Erina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

WHAT TESSA KNOWS

It was too hot to sleep that night, so around midnight I wandered up to the roof to see if I could catch a breeze. There was already the orange burn of a cigarette end in the far corner. I headed in that direction. Rocco gave a soft, deep-of-the-night laugh when I collapsed into the sixties retro sun lounger beside him. He reached over to offer me a swig out of his home-labelled bottle.

I screwed up my face. ‘Not feeling brave enough right now.’

He laughed out loud this time, sucked on his rollie so the end flared up again in the dark. ‘Only the wicked can’t sleep, JJ. What’ve you been up to?’

It was my turn to laugh. ‘I’d curl your ears just in the telling, Rocco.’

He gestured with his bare big toe at his tobacco pouch. I leaned over to pick it up. Spent a deal of time getting the roll of it right. He lit it for me. I sucked on the end and took the hit. That tiny, satisfying rush to the brain. I sank back into the plastic weave.

‘Marge got her date,’ he said.

‘Oh shit.’ I straightened back up. ‘When?’

He gave me the details.

I sunk back. ‘That’s the wicked thing I’ve been up to, then. There’s a special place in hell for people who don’t watch a friend’s back. I should’ve checked in on Friday night.’

‘She’s a tough old bird,’ he said. ‘Been expecting it.’

‘It’s not her I’m worried about. She can’t leave me here with you lot.’

‘You could always move out yourself, you know.’ He turned to look at me directly. ‘A big fancy lawyer doesn’t need to live in a dive like this.’

‘When I get paid like a big fancy lawyer, I’ll keep that in mind.’

We smoked some more, although truth was, I let the air smoke down most of mine.

‘There has to be another way for her,’ I finally said.

‘You’d think.’ He stubbed out his cigarette, wrangled the back of his lounger so it flattened out and lay fully down, the plastic under his weight squeaking in protest. I did the same and we lay there dozing on and off till dawn.

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