Her Melting Point

Cereal Packet

And here's the last chapter, my darlings!

Thank you for being with me on this journey! And don't miss the epilogue ;)

Love,

K. xx

***

Alexander's phone sent her straight to voicemail; which was an utter abnormality on its own. Jackie made three full sweeps of the house before she could accept the shocking truth: neither of the two males that she cohabited with, was in.

An uncharacteristic panicky helplessness washed over her; and it took her additional three minutes of faffing about, to pull herself together. She half-closed the window, leaving just enough room for Tartufo to get back in, if he needed. Texting her clerical neighbour or his partner would be the next logical step - and then her mobile burst into loud shrieks.

"Hello?" she asked, surprised by the number that had popped up on her screen.

"Jackie, hiya, it's Peggy Brown," Jackie's new friend greeted her. "I'm sorry to bother you, but Alexander's phone isn't answering. We're proper at cross purposes here. His phone's never off!" The woman's Geordie accent was much more noticeable, normally hiding under her purposeful, somewhat old-fashioned elocution. "But you see, Florencia is here. The plumber? She'd received a service request from Alexander earlier today, and she assumed it was for my cottage, since my pipes tend to give me grief twice a month. And now we can't reach him."

Jackie pulled at the collar of her button-up.

"The request was for the Old School. Apparently the radiator had burst." She threw a lost look around her. "And I'm here now, but Alexander isn't. And one of the windows is open. I"m not entirely sure what's happening."

"I'll send Florencia to you then." Peggy paused and then asked, "Is everything OK, Jackie? I don't know you too well, but I suppose I'll just stick my nose where it doesn't belong, as always. You don't sound right, pet."

"Um..." Jackie gave her shirt another tug. "If I'm honest, I think, something must have– I don't know, it's just so odd– You know what? Ignore me. I'm being mental."

"Of course you aren't! If you've got a dodgy feeling, something must be off!" Something clanked on the other end of the line. "Alright, I'm heading your way, alright?" the woman said decisively. "I'll just follow Flo. And if you don't need me, or it's all resolved by then, you just send me away, yeah?"

Jackie opened her mouth to protest, but she could already hear a door banging near Peggy.

"I won't be a minute, Jackie," Peggy reassured her. "Flo's giving me a lift."

All Jackie could do was to thank the woman.

***

Florencia, a tall person with a gorgeous mane of black curls, gave Jackie a curt nod, marched into the drawing room, and was immediately wrenching some pipes and muttering something irritated under her nose in a Hispanic language.

"I brought you a thermos," Peggy said and handed a large tote to Jackie. "I had some bread from Eddie's bakery too. Nothing much, but I thought you might be peckish." She glanced around. "I see, I was right, your pot is electric. Trust Alexander to have everything run on Google," she said with a small laugh. "Don't feel obliged to eat any if it's not to your liking. I haven't asked after all."

"Thank you."

Jackie accepted the bag and peeked inside. Peggy's thermos was a classic checked flask; and it didn't look like a retro revival fake. Several hefty sandwiches, wrapped in brown paper, were tucked against it, together with a large apple. Overall, the assortment reminded Jackie of a meal that her Ma used to pack for her on school trip days.