The Ministry Child

Consequences

Consequences 

Chapter 23!

November 1996 - The Ministry, Los Angeles

Albany pushed at the double doors and hurried along the hallway, she needed to get cleaned up before she went to find Terzo. After last night she dreaded seeing him, she knew there would be a conversation about the office party. She dared not think what he would say to her, she shouldn't have taken the drink from Secondo that he had offered her. She should have listened to her Father, he was right when he told her not to listen to Secondo. He was a bad influence, but it was her fault too. She couldn't let him take all of the blame, she had agreed to have the drink with him.

Reaching her door Albany looked both ways down the hallway before she entered her room, she closed the door quietly behind her. The room was dark, she had left the curtains drawn the day before. Leaning back against the door she sighed deeply to herself and closed her eyes, she still felt unwell. She was still unsure what had happened last night with Copia, but they had drank three bottles of vintage wine between them. Her head was throbbing, she just wanted to sleep the day away. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone clear their throat, her eyes immediately snapped open. She froze, there was someone in her room. Her gaze wandering around the room she noticed the outline of someone sitting in her armchair, the lamp on her side table next to the armchair unexpectedly turned on. It was Terzo, she couldn't believe he was in her room. Their gaze soon met, he sat up straight in the armchair and placed a mug down on the side table. Tucking some of her hair behind her ear she lowered her gaze, she dared not look at him. Terzo's voice soon caught her attention, she had no other choice but to acknowledge his presence.

" Hello, Sister." He said before he got to his feet. " I'm glad you could finally join me. Can I ask where you have been until this hour?"

" I have been..." She said. 

Albany paused mid sentence, she didn't know what to say to him. If she told him she had been on the fifth floor with Copia for the night he may jump to the wrong conclusion. She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger while she tried to think of something she could tell him, but her mind was blank. Her gaze remained on him, his eyebrow raising he took a step towards her. His arms crossing she noticed the similarities once again between her Brother and Father, his presence radiated authority. He had changed a lot in the last few months, his responsibilities were giving him more confidence. 

" Well?" He asked.

" I fell asleep in the lounge last night." She replied.

" Are you sure about that?" He asked.

" I'm very sure, Brother." She replied before she approached the kettle and turned it on. " I didn't feel like going straight to bed after I left the office party. So I decided to have a drink and something eat with a friend last night, I think the wine went to my head. I woke up not long ago, I'm sorry I missed breakfast. I wasn't feeling too well, I still feel unwell. But it won't happen again!"

" Are you telling me the truth?" He asked.

" Yes, why would I lie about it?" She asked.

" Because I checked all of the lounges on the second floor this morning." He replied. " Even the offices, I didn't see you in any of them. You are either very good at hide and seek or a liar."

" I didn't say I was on the second floor!" She said, she turned around to face him. " Did you check the lounges on the fifth floor?"

" Well no, I never thought about checking that floor..." He replied.

" I was on the fifth floor, I have a friend there." She replied.

" A friend?" He curiously asked.

" Yes, I have a friend now." She replied.