London Has Your Eyes

Chapter 53. Alex

The mood is great, despite the strange hallucinations in the morning. I cook fish and vegetables and set the table. Max pushes back his chair with a creak and sits down at the table, happily rubbing his hands.

- I love it when you cook, - he says. - How was your day?

- Oh, it was great! Your grandfather called today. They're inviting us to spend New Year's Eve with them. I don't know what to say. I don't think I can go, but I can send you if you want.

Max thinks about it.

- I'd like to fly. We'll hang out with Tolyan. I'll visit my grandparents too. But I'll hang out with Tolyan more, of course, - he smiles.

- Oh, those teenagers! - I grin. - I'll book you a ticket for December 29th, so you can close term and fly for the holidays. I just need to find out how many holidays are allowed in England. You're not going to make trouble for Grandma and Grandpa, are you?

Max shrugs his shoulders, stretching out in a smile.

- I can't promise anything. Why aren't you flying? Because of we-know-who?

- Not really. They're more celebrating Christmas than New Year's Eve. But I don't really want to leave the country for the holidays, I want to enjoy the atmosphere in our first year here. I'll visit my parents later. In the spring, rather, - I say.

- Uh-huh. I'll fly with you, - Max drinks his hot tea in a loud sip.

- Do you miss your friends?

- Of course, - Max replies. - We keep in touch with some, and my blog on social media is growing. But in general, a lot of friends have just disappeared. - He shrugs.

- That's normal. Your life has changed dramatically. You change too. And someone just stops being on the same page as you. Such people quietly leave your life and new ones take their place. Such is the cycle of friends in nature. But there are also those who walk beside us all our lives.

- Evening philosophy? - My son grins.

- If I light candles, it will be. In the meantime, just a conversation. Not just giggling with you. - I rub my son's head lightly.

The doorbell rings.

- Are you expecting someone? - I ask, opening the door.

He's the last person I expected to see on my doorstep.

- What are you doing here? - He's never been in my house before.

- Hello to you, too, old girl, - Liam says, smiling. - Daniel asked me to drop by, take your pulse, blood pressure, that sort of thing. - He won't let up.

- I'm flattered. You've even found a window in your dense womanschedule. Come in already, - I hug Liam, and he follows me into the kitchen.

- Hello, Max, how are you? - he asks, shaking my son's hand.

- I'm fine. What brings you here? - Max asks a question.Liam pointedly squints in my direction, making it clear that the answer to this question is obvious.

- I came by to see if your mother was in any trouble. And apparently, my gut didn't let me down.

- What do you mean? - I grin. - I'm behaving very decently, honestly.

- When did you get the car so worn out again? Daniel would turn you into a sex slave for the condition of his car. And this is in the best case. I mean, he worships her. Last time he was running around the workshop like a hysteric, - Liam pauses to demonstrate what he's talking about and continues, - but this time you tried harder. What happened?

The blood slowly drained from my face. I stare at Liam in silence, with whole my appearance expressing frantic surprise. I parked the car outside my house a few hours ago, and it was perfectly fine. Not a speck.

- This is not a funny joke, Liam, - I say very seriously. - The car's in perfect condition. I even washed it today. So you're not fooling me.

Liam tenses up now. We stare at each other in total silence.

- Let's go downstairs for a minute, - he finally says.

I put on my coat, Max his jacket, and the three of us go outside. I look at Daniel's car, and a lump comes to my throat. The side of the car is badly scratched: a cut from bumper to bumper, it's like someone walked past with a key. The windscreen is cobwebbed from the hard impact. The wheels are punctured. On the trunk is written "mine" in yellow paint.

I try to take a breath, there is not enough air catastrophically. I silently walk around the car, just occasionally touching it lightly with my fingers, and sit down on the road, staring at the remains of the car.

- Whoa! - Max exclaims, - I wonder who did that? Did Daniel say "no" to anyone?

Liam shifts his gaze from the car to me. Seeing my condition, he squats down next to me:

- Apparently, it's not for nothing that Daniel is nervous there. Alex, come back... Ow! Earth calling. When was the last time you saw a car? - he asks.

I turn my dumbfounded look to him:

- About three hours ago. I left it here and went inside the house... Why didn't the alarm go off?

- We'll find out. I'm calling the police... We'll look for this artist.

- It's she, - I whisper. - She's a...

- Who's "she"? - Liam takes the phone away from his face, continuing the conversation.

- That girl. I'm sure it's she. Max said it right... She wants Daniel to be with her... She warned me...

A chill runs down my spine. I didn't think that girl would go from words to actions so quickly. To be honest, I didn't think she'd act at all. I thought she is the kind of dog who only barks but never dares to bite.

- Maybe you tell me already what kind of girl? - Liam frowns.

- Liam, do you remember when we were sitting in the cafe and she was looking at us through the glass? And then Dany went to argue with her? A week ago, we ran into her in the same cafe, and she demanded me to leave Dany. I laughed, but in vain...

Liam listens to me intently and sighs deeply. He's very attentive and technical: calling the cops and then telling Max to come up to the flat with me. I've never seen Liam so serious. Not once.

The picture of Daniel's beat-up car is still in my mind. I swear, I'm scared as hell. That woman knows where I live, and she is able to do anything at any time. To me. To Max!

And more importantly, I don't know anything about her. I don't know what she is capable of, and from which side to expect a blow. And that scares me even more.