Sinbound

(7) The Note

"Good of you to join us," Polly says as Ada walks into the kitchen.

"Tea?" Alex offers, pouring Polly a cup and placing it in front of her aunt.

"I'm alright, Lex, thank you," Ada replies.

"Where have you been all day? It's past noon," Polly asks.

"In bed," Ada shrugs, "couldn't sleep, and then I couldn't wake up. Then I was cold and then I had to go for a wee. Then I was with this bear on a boat, but that was just a dream."

"What was the bear like? Friendly?" Alex hums.

"Yes actually, he made a picnic, which made me hungry so here I am," Ada replies, as Polly stares at her whilst she takes a bite from some toast Alex had just placed in front of her.

"What?" Ada asks.

"Stand up," Polly commands, and Ada obeys.

"Now sit down," Alex inputs, causing Polly to swat her with the newspaper she was reading, "be quiet, you."

"Why?" Ada queries as Polly stands, before cupping her left breast, Ada jumping away and shrieking, "Pol, what the hell are you doing?"

"Ada, how late are you?" Polly asks sternly.

"One week... five weeks," Ada sighs, glancing between the scrutinising looks of her aunt and sister, "seven if you count weekends, I think it's a lack of iron. I got some tablets."

"They won't work if you're fucking pregnant, Ada," Alex responds.

"Alex," Polly scolds.

"It's the truth," Alex replies, "on the off chance it is just a lack of iron, lets take her to a doctor tonight."

-

"Where are you off to?" Tommy asks, watching Alex check her pocket watch before standing to exit the snug.

"Somewhere," Alex shrugs.

"Somewhere?" Arthur repeats.

"Congratulations, your ears still work even in your old age," Alex responds dryly.

"Cheeky little shit," Arthur chuckles, "have fun."

"Okay," Alex states, walking out the private room, placing her empty glass at the end of the bar to save Amari and Grace some time later.

As Alex steps outside she lights a cigarette, starting the walk to her apartment where she was meeting Polly and Ada.

It wasn't a long walk, small heath wasn't a massive place. When she arrived at her apartment, Polly and Ada were whispering animatedly, her aunt with a piece of scrunched up paper in her hand.

"What's going on?" Alex asks, startling them both, eyes drifting to the piece of paper which Polly tries to hide behind her back.

"Pol, what is it?" Alex questions.

"It's nothing, just a piece of rubbish," Polly responds.

"Let me see." Alex states.

"Lex, really it's rubbish, it belongs in a bin," Ada replies pleadingly, "just drop it, yeah?"

"I'd drop it if the two of you weren't blatantly hiding something from me, which is obviously something to do with me," Alex says, and Polly sighs, placing the balled up sheet into her nieces hand.

They watch nervously as Alex uncrumples it, her facial expression unchanging as she reads the words scribbled across it.

Die you stupid faggot