Small Town Days [Malec]

Life Tip #15-Enjoy the Interegnum

They had been in New York for two months. School started in a week.

Magnus was doing a paid internship as a photographer at The New Yorker.

Alec was working at as a barista at a chic coffee shop.

They had an apartment a few blocks from the World Trade Center.

And they were happy; that was what really mattered.

They put in their 9-5, went out to dinner, and enjoyed their nights in. On the weekends, they explored New York, trying to act like New Yorkers but coming off more as tourists. They had stupid fun.

Together, they were living a dream.

The phone call in the middle of a hot August night woke them up.

The phone shrieked into the otherwise silent apartment.

"That's yours," Alec mumbled. And it was usually true; Magnus' job made him the target of late night calls.

"No it's not," Magnus said. The light from the phone was coming from Alec's nightstand.

Alec murmured something in agreement.

"You don't want me to pick up the phone for you, I promise," Magnus said.

That woke Alec up. He snatched the phone up, stabbing the green button.

"Hello?"

"Alec?"

"Yeah?"

"Were you sleeping?"

"Who is this?" Alec asked.

Magnus let out a heavy sigh-- his version of snoring.

"Um, Isabelle--"

"Why are you calling me at three in the morning?" Alec asked. He didn't mean to sound so rude. He hadn't processed the fact that it was his sister; the same sister he hadn't spoken to since May.

"Dad's dead."

Alec sat up, startling Magnus back into consciousness.

"What?"

"Heart attack this-- I mean yesterday-- afternoon. Mom's a mess; I'm-- dealing."

"I-- What should I do?"

"I don't know, Alec. You're a grown-ass adult that can make your own decisions."

He was silent and she was quietly cursing herself.

"I'm sorry. I'm tired."

"Do you want me to come?"

"He's dead. I'm pretty sure you should show up to his funeral."

Alec didn't know what to say.

Magnus whispered into the silence. "What happened?"

Alec shook his head.

"I'll be there," Alec said.

Isabelle hung up.

Alec dropped the phone and as it illuminated, Magnus saw Isabelle's contact information on the screen.

Alec just sat there, biting his lip.

Magnus gave him a minute to think.

"What happened?" he asked again.

"My dad's dead."

Then Alec was kicking off the sheets off of himself and climbing out of the bed.