Adam's Apple Pie

Nineteen - Adam's Fall

I made a chance to catch up with Mysti at work. She was in the kitchen, a plate of rice and some deep orange sauce over it with some bits in it. The pungency of it was rife in the air and filled the whole room, it was like someone vomited on a chicken. Mysti looked up at me, her grin widening as our eyes met. I used to find that grin annoying, but now it made me sick – and given the stench from her food it was making it even more difficult to breathe. I just hoped my guts could hold it in long enough.

"Afternoon, Adam!"

I smiled back. I held back my rage just a bit further, trying to stifle my nose from the appalling smell. "Afternoon, Mysti," I replied. "How's your day been?"

"It's been wonderful," Mysti said. "Adam? Are you ok?" Her expression changed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied. Why was everyone asking me that?

"Are you sure you're getting enough sleep?" she asked.

"Yeah," I replied. I mean, admittedly my sleep had been a bit broken of late, but it was getting better – I thought it was anyway. "What you got for your dinner?"

"Just some home-made curry," Mysti laughed nervously. "It's my family's recipe, sorry about the smell."

"Nah it's ok," I lied. I reached into the fridge and took out my slice of apple pie, taking a bite out of it. It went down like a treat, filling my stomach and my soul.

"Is that all you eat, Adam?" Mysti asked, concern in her tones.

"Yeah," I replied, focused more on my food than her talking to me.

"That can't be healthy for you," Mysti said. "Think of all the sugar you're putting you in your body?"

"What are you, my nutritionist?" I joked. Mysti seemed to slump back slightly after that, I guess she was only looking out for me. "Anyway, how is Miss Big-Time-Author? Still spending time with us grunts?"

"Oh, I would never stop doing this job, I love it here," Mysti chirped. Her face turned bright and her eyes widened. "That's something I was going to tell you. My agent arranged a talk about my book this weekend – here in the museum!"

"Really?" I said, overdoing my interest of it.

"Yeah, isn't that great? We're going to have a lot of names in the publishing industry there, I'm so excited that I can hardly wait!"

The Old Adam would have whined and cried about hearing this if he was still around, but I was past that. I took a final bite of my pie, letting the juicy apples go down my throat. Now I had the energy, it was time to rip this bitch apart.

"Your agent you say?" I asked. "You mean your mum?"

"Sorry?" Mysti asked, halfway through chewing her disgusting meal.

"I found out yesterday that your mum is an agent," I replied. "Pretty big shot if her profiles are correct. Didn't she represent – oh, what was her name. You know, that writer that got kicked off for being a supposed TERF – whatever that means."

"Oh, don't get me started on HER," Mysti growled. I think that was the first time I saw her get angry. "But yeah, my mum is an agent. How did you know?"

"I only found out by chance to be fair," I replied, "looking for agents. And I see that you're one of her clients."

Mysti nodded, clearly not trying to hide that fact. "Mum's been so supportive of me. I couldn't have done any of this without her."

"Well," I said. Target sighted. Mission objective: Rip to fucking shreds! "You got that right."

"Sorry, Adam?" Mysti asked, moving her fork to her mouth.