Sunbeam

8) Again?

Kezia was actively avoiding Beatrice. She didn't want Bea to see the gash on her cheek. It would confirm Bea's fears, that it's unsafe, that it's wrong. Kez didn't need those beliefs solidified in Bea's mind. She was still holding out hope that Bea would let her guard down, that she'd come running and admit her feelings.

Of course Bea would know about what happened, Ada will have told her by now. But currently she's just got the thought of what happened, seeing Kez would make it real.

Tommy was outraged when he found out what had occurred between Campbell and Kez. He made promises Kez reckoned he'd be unable to keep.

Her family demanded answers as to what transpired that ended up with her getting hit. She told them the truth. The reason she'd been reluctant prior to this moment was because she was with someone, she had to protect their identity. She wasn't with anyone now, and she wouldn't be until she could get over Bea, which wouldn't be for a while. Surprisingly, the family weren't shocked, they weren't mad. It must've been a thought in the back of their subconscious, but they didn't want to broach the topic. They had their questions, Kezia answered them to the best of her ability in order to provide the privacy she'd promised her lovers.

Ada hold told Kez that she and Bea were having a girls night downstairs and that Kez could join them if she wanted to, but she shook her head declining the offer, "I'm uh, I'm going to the pub."

Ada insists, "come on, you never hang out with us anymore, Kez. It'll be like the old times, before everything changed again. You've been distant for the past week or so, do you regret telling me what you told me?"

"I haven't been distant," Kezia rebuttals, "I've been busy, there's a difference."

"Your younger sister and her friend aren't enough anymore now that other people are around? You used to come home from work, and you'd sit with us all night. I guess we don't matter now that Tess is back, now that the boys are back," Ada argues.

"That's not it, you know that's not what this is about," Kezia replies, "there's more clients at the shop, I'm working longer days, I'm fucking tired, Ada."

"Not tired enough if you still hang out with anybody but Bea and I," Ada remarks.

Their argument is disrupted by a knock on their front door, Ada scoffs, "it's probably someone else you'd rather be around."

"Ada, you're being ridiculous, of course I want to be around you, you're my sister for crying out loud," Kezia responds, walking towards the door.

There was an unfamiliar blonde stood at their door, Kez looks down at her, "can I help you?"

"Oh, uh, hello Kezia," the woman stutters with an Irish accent. Kez remembered that accent. This was the woman that lived on Henshaw.

"Why are you here?" Kez asks.

"You left something, I didn't know where you lived," Grace says, "I've started working at the pub, you know, the Garrison. I heard some people talking about you, I think your brothers, and well I overheard this address, so I thought I'd return this."

Grace holds out a tie, and Kez stared down at it, "you came to my house to give me a tie?"

"Well, I wasn't sure if it'd have any sentimental value to you, didn't know whether you'd be looking for it," Grace shrugs, as Kezia takes it from her outstretched palm, "no, no value."

"I haven't seen you at the pub since I started," Grace comments.

"Because I haven't been there," Kezia replies.

Grace glances Kez up and down, "long day at the shop?"

"You know where I work and yet you came to my house?" Kez questions.