Secrets

Chapter 10: Reagan

Chapter 10: Reagan

Reagan, meanwhile, had been having a harder time getting to sleep. She wasn't used to a bed so soft, a room so well-furnished, a stomach so full. It made Reagan uneasy. How could Xa sleep here like it was normal? She lay in bed until the first strike of the new day resounded through Venice, thinking about the envelopes. Then, finally, her cheek against her pillow, she fell into a velvety shroud of sleep.

Fortunately, she didn't wake up with a nightmare, or a need to drink water or dispose of the latter, or even dream at all. It was a peaceful sleep, without disturbance. Until six in the morning, anyway. Like she had an invisible alarm clock in her head, Reagan shot up. Xa was awake too, reading a code-book by the light of her book-light.

"Hullo. You're up." Xa yawned sleepily. She grinned at Reagan. "D'ya reckon Rico got it yet?"

Got what? Reagan was confused for a moment. Then she remembered the envelope. She felt a sudden burst of curiosity about what was in the envelope. But then again, it wouldn't feel right to open the envelope right now.

"Probably." she said.

"Reagan?"

"Mmmm?"

"Are you ok?"

"I guess I'm just worried about the envelopes."

"Oh."

"Xa?"

"Yeah?"

"What if it's something bad?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, what if my parents were wanted criminals or something?"

"And how likely is that?"

"Very!"

"There's also just as much reason that it's very unlikely."

"True."

"Reagan?"

"Yeah?"

"You know, I guess that we should get a snack now."

"Make it a s'more and I promise I will stop worrying."

"Solemnly swear, cross your heart and hope to die?"

"Yes."

"No worrying even if Rico arrives with an envelope?"

"Yes."

There was a pause, as Xa considered showing Reagan the s'mores.

"Ok. Let's go."

Reagan noted that Xa must have done this often, because when the tired, jet-lagged Mrs Wane wandered into the room and spied them sitting on the couch eating and watching movies-which Reagan hadn't seen for a few years now- on something Xa called 'Foxtel', she barely even blinked. She didn't even get angry or look surprised. She just gave them a sleepy 'good morning' and shuffled to the kitchen to make a concoction that the orphanage staff called 'coffee', or more often, 'liquid magic'. Reagan didn't mind coffee, which made Xa think that she was crazy.

"It tastes like puke!"

"No it doesn't. It tastes like a stronger version of tea."

"How does it not taste like puke?"

They spent the morning and most of breakfast bickering like this. At exactly 5:58 in the afternoon, the doorbell rang. Rico stood there, holding his jacket in his hand, folded up. Reagan found this strange. It had been a sunny day, and Rico was hardly the person to take a jacket outside 'just in case'. Even more strange was the fact that it was folded up neatly. Folding clothes up was alien to Rico. Reagan had never seen a article of his clothing without either: