The Second Hand Unwinds (Book 2)

Mournin' and Movies

The phone squawked and Bren groaned inwardly when she saw who was calling, but she answered anyway.

"What do you want Knowles?"

"Look Nerdia, I don't want to be doing this either but it's about Betty," Abby snapped.

"What about Betty?" Bren was suddenly concerned.

"Have you seen her this morning? She was meant to be meeting me for breakfast but didn't show. She's not answering her phone either."

That bothered Bren. It was really out of character for Betty.

"No, I haven't. Have you tried her room?"

"Not yet."

"I'll meet you there," Bren offered.

"OK, see you in five," Abby replied, clicking off the phone.

The two women were outside Betty's room in less than five minutes. Abby raised her hand to knock, looking at Bren who nodded. She rapped on the door.

"Betty? Are you in there?" she asked gently.

There was no response. Bren put her ear to the door and listened hard.

"I'm sure I can hear someone inside," she whispered to Abby.

Abby put her hand on the doorknob.

"Shall I try it?" she whispered back, and Bren nodded her assent.

The handle turned and the door opened a little.

"Betty?" Bren said softly, and then heard sniffles from the direction of the bed.

The pair entered the room to find their friend sat cross-legged on the bed, a blanket draped over her knees. Her head was bowed, staring at something in her lap, whilst one hand clutched the wooden birds around her neck, rubbing her thumb compulsively over the silver wing where Bren had made her repairs. She lifted her head at the sound of her friends, and they almost gasped in shock at the puffiness of her eyes and her red, tear-stained face.

Immediately rushing to her side, the two women made soothing noises and asked gentle questions. They'd never seen her like this, not even when she'd first come out of the ice.

"What's the matter sweetheart?"

"What's happened Betty? How can we help?"

Betty shook her head. Her demeanour seemed calm, but the tears tracked down her face unbidden. She tried to speak but couldn't seem to find the words. It was Bren who first looked down and noticed the photograph in Betty's lap. It was the one that Steve had given her for her birthday.

"Who is this, Betty?" she asked.

Betty looked down and stroked the edge of the picture, smiling wistfully through her watery gaze.

"James Buchanan Barnes. The most handsome guy I ever saw," she whispered hoarsely. "You can't tell on this picture, but his eyes were the brightest blue, much lighter than mine, and they sparkled with every charmin' fuckin' word he spoke."

"You don't have to tell us, you know. We're here for you no matter what," Abby reassured, stroking Betty's back.

"It's OK, I kinda want to," Betty said. "I can't talk about this to Steve. I don't want to upset him."

"Steve would just want you to be OK Betty, I'm sure you can talk to him." Abby replied.

"Not about this, about him. It's too painful for him. He was his best friend." Betty insisted.

"It's obviously painful for you too."

"I love him so fuckin' much. I just want him to walk through the door with his usual swagger and make some fuckin' wisecrack. Even in 2011. He'd have loved it in this time. All the technology and science..." The tears flowed with renewed vigour down her face.