Clockwork [final]

Twenty-One

They woke up at twelve the next morning, sunlight filtering through the curtains and both still feeling half-asleep.

“I could do with some coffee,” Adette grumbled, rubbing her face and yawning.

“I could use some too, actually,” Derek confessed.

Adette heaved herself out of bed with a groan and stretched. “Come on then.”

“Aw, can’t you make it for me?” he whined, putting on his best pout.

She tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “Nice try. Get your butt out of bed.”

He grinned at her cheekily but got up and followed her down the stairs. Lassie greeted them with a wagging tail, her robotic leg clanking on the ground comically. Derek watched her for a moment, suddenly aware of the irony. Lassie’s prosthetic leg was the only one of Adette’s inventions to survive the explosion.

Adette had set the kettle to boil when the phone started ringing. For a second, he saw a look of panic flash through her eyes before she looked at the caller ID, relaxed, and picked it up.

“Hello, Adette Winters speaking, how may I help you?” she said smoothly, her tone practiced and professional.

“Hello Miss Winters, Melinda speaking,” came a playful voice from the other end of the phone.

Adette brightened. “Melinda! What brought you to call?”

“I’m feeling a little lonely and I was wondering if you might want to come and visit or something. You know, get out of the house and take your mind off things for a while?”

Adette paused for a second, thinking. “Sure, I don’t see why not. Sounds like fun!”

The kettle finished boiling just as Adette hung up the phone.

“Sounds like fun,” Derek mocked, pulling a face.

“Aw, lighten up. You don’t really mind,” Adette retorted, smirking.

“Sure I don’t,” he answered dryly, accepting the cup of coffee she held out to him. He sipped it and then raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Good coffee.”

Adette stuck out her tongue. “What, didn’t expect me to be able to make a cup of coffee on my own?”

“Somebody’s touchy,” he joked, “I just meant that… well, I guess today is the first time I really tasted it.”

“I’m not sure whether that’s an insult or a compliment,” she said with a sceptical expression, “But thank you.”

He grinned at her and then stood up and stretched. “Well, first showers mine.”

An hour later they both headed for the car, Lassie wriggling in Adette’s arms.

“Do I really have to go?” Derek whined, a playful gleam in his eyes giving away that he didn’t actually mind.

“Yes, you do,” Adette chirped, climbing into the car and setting Lassie on her lap.

Derek sighed dramatically but got in the car next to her. “You owe me,” he informed her.

Melinda was waiting for them outside the house when they arrived. “Hey, guys,” she grinned.

“Hi Melinda,” Adette beamed, “How are you?”

“Alright, and yourself?”

Derek made a face at the small talk as he trailed after them into the house. It seemed so predictable.