A Rift Between Us

Chapter 35 - Pine Needle Tea

The bed creaked as he shifted, his hands tucked between his thighs. A shiver ran through him as he looked up at her, his eyes heavy with sleep. He rolled over again, his congested nose making it difficult to breathe.

"Oh my goodness, little lamb, you've caught a cold." She placed her hand on her chest. "You scared me for a moment. Don't worry, I know just the thing."

Her fingers snapped in quick succession, the sharp sounds filling the room as she looked at her feet.

"What was grandma's remedy for colds again...ah yes, pine needle tea!"

Alfie shook his head, his eyes narrowing in disapproval as he gritted his teeth.

"No...I don't need it."

Aggnus jabbed her index at Alfie's nose, her other hand planted on her hip.

"You have to. It's for your own good. Your grandma used it a lot on me when I was young. It relieved my colds."

Alfie turned his head and buried it into his pillow, pulling his legs closer to his torso.

"Can't I just eat my food here? I don't want to move much..."

Aggnus stroked his arm as he shifted in his bed.

"Okay, but you can only do that if you drink the tea."

He pulled his hands from the warmth of his thighs, rubbing them against his face. His eyes were heavy, his throat emitting a low growl.

"Fine. I'll drink the tea then."

Aggnus' eyes lit up like a starry night, the corners of her mouth creasing upwards with joy. She snapped her head around to face the front door, her mind buzzing with thoughts for a few seconds before refocusing on Alfie.

"A Scots Pine is growing not far from our apartment. I'll grab a bunch of needles from it."

Alfie wriggled his body to face his mother, raising an eyebrow as they locked eyes.

"That can't possibly be safe to drink. Look, we've got some Tylenol in the bathroom cabinet. Please get me some of that and a glass of water."

Aggnus crossed her arms, giving him a dismissive side glance.

"Unless it's a Cypress or Yew, the needles are perfectly safe. I will wash them, of course. It's much better than those pharmaceuticals."

She flashed him a smile before drifting to the front door. It slammed shut, locking automatically behind her, leaving Alfie in disbelief.

Grandma's crazy remedies don't work...

Clouds rolled past Alfie's window, casting the room in twilight. The final rays of daylight faded, replaced by the harsh glow of the street lamps. As the evening deepened, the cooing of roosting pigeons subsided, lulling Alfie into a drowsy state.

Moments later, a sudden metallic clang startled him, snapping him out of his torpid state. His eyes focused on the wall as his mind slowly cleared. The lock on the front door clicked open, reminding him of his mother's quest.

Argh, man...pine needles...

A rustling sound preceded for a moment, followed by a bang as the door closed.

"I'm back, little lamb. I got more than I thought I would, haha. If it weren't for the darkness, I would've grabbed more!"

A blue plastic bag dangled from her hand, covered with wrinkles from countless uses. It was packed with fresh pine needles. His mattress vibrated, jolting him from his relaxed position. He sighed and lazily reached for his phone, pulling it close to his face as he lay on his side.

Three messages from her? Wow. I must not have heard as I slept...

Keiko: Make sure u go to the tree as soon as lunch begins. Don't make me wait. 17:13

Keiko: If I wait longer than 5 minutes, you'll be sorry, nerd. 17:21

Keiko: U better not be ignoring my texts! Answer me now! 18:03

He shook his head, eyes moving to the top left of the phone screen. It was five past six in the evening. His thumb tapped the message bar, summoning the keyboard. Light footsteps pattered into his bedroom, the tantalising aroma of chicken cajun filling the air and making his stomach rumble.

"Here you go, sweetie. I had to reheat it for you, but..." Her voice stopped mid-sentence. "Who are you texting?"