Before Another War

Chapter Thirty-One

'Are you really going to stay here and work?' Matt asked, perplexed.

'I told you, I've got loads to catch up on. I'll see you guys in a bit.'

Alex felt that it was a little odd for Raf to be prioritising work at a time like this. Surely, he'd want to help them get to the bottom of why Nadia's bracelet was in the office. Her and Matt were crowded round his desk, trying to convince him to come.

'You sure you can't finish it tomorrow?' She asked.

'Yeah, Kirk said it's gotta be in today.'

Matt gave up. 'Alright, we'll see you later then.'

'See you.'

'Let me know if you find my phone!' Alex called back to him, walking away.

'Will do!' Raf continued to stare at his screen, not wanting to give the game away. Alex had only noticed it was missing a few hours ago. But no one could find it.

The pair of them left the office, feeling let down. Matt held Cornelius in a small cat carrier they'd found hidden away in storage. Cornelius wasn't particularly happy about it, but it would do for now.

Despite everything, Alex found herself thinking about David. She tried to push him out of her mind. She knew she had to focus on Nadia. Hopefully, talking to Kirk would take them one step closer, but she had her doubts. If he was involved, he'd be unlikely to give up his secrets.

'You okay?' Matt asked, noticing the frown on her face.

'Yeah, fine,' she lied.

'I know that face, you're worrying about something. Come on.' She didn't respond. 'If it's about how we found out about that stuff, you'd have to ask Raf.'

'It's not that.' Even though it had only been a few short hours, she already felt more at ease with them knowing what she did. She hadn't told them much more than the papers had said, but they'd accepted it. Alex had only been a kid, after all. But it still felt like an invasion of privacy.

'What is it then?' He prodded, 'You can tell me.'

Alex breathed deeply, noticing this was becoming a habit. She hesitated, wondering if she should tell him. No one but David knew yet. But, the truth was, Alex was starting to trust them more than she realised.

'I'm pregnant,' she said. Matt didn't respond, shocked. He stopped dead in his tracks.

'But... who?' He stammered.

'An ex. I broke up with him a few weeks ago, before I knew,' she said, crossing her arms.

'Okay, well, uh, do you want help? I mean, I... I don't know much about this stuff, but I can try.'

Alex laughed at him.

'No, it's fine. I think the father's going to help out anyway.'

'Right.' Matt rubbed his eyes. 'God, sorry, I shouldn't have pushed you so hard.'

'It's okay. It's probably good I told someone.'

He smiled weakly. 'Come on, let's go and find some cat food,' he said, changing the subject. Finally, Matt felt as if he was getting to know Alex. Before Nadia had gone missing, it was rare he'd be able to get a word out of her.

'Do you think he'll eat it? He's pretty fussy.'

'I know. But it's worth a try right?'