The Little Things ✔️

Threats

I sit there my laptop screen filling the room with light reading through the endless emails I have received. As I open the last one it catches my eye. It reads

Hello Alice,
You don't know me but I know you all to well. If you don't break up with Mat I will have to take action. I know where you live and I'm planning on teaching your brothers a lesson or two if you two don't break off your relationship.
All the best - your greatest fear.

I lean back in my seat and stare at the letter for a while. Whatever this person wanted he wasn't getting it. But I couldn't just let someone who may know where I live hurt Pat and Reece. I feel two strong arms make their way around me.
"How's it going." Mat says with worry laced in his tone. I look up to him. His eyes a more blue than I've ever even them. They look like the blue you only see in artificial food. A vibrant blue that is full of life and love. The light from my laptop highlights his face in all the right places. His eyes sweep to my laptop screen and his arms tense around my shoulders. He stays silent for a few minutes before he looks back down at me.
"What is this?" He says fear and anger pushed into his voice.
"I'm really not sure it just appeared." I say standing up. I walk towards the open window letting the night air flow into our room. It's a beautiful clear night with the cars humming past outside the hotel. I turn around from the view to look Mat straight in the eye. He's worried. It's clear to see the stress and anxiety all over him. His body has limped like you would when your half asleep. He looks distant, disconnected from the rest of this terrible life we are both swimming through. He comes back to life and his eyes fill with water. I walk towards him and catch the first tear that falls down his cheek.
"What's wrong?" I whisper in his ear.
"Nothing..." He replies trailing off once again into his own little I universe.
"Mat, you can tell me?" I say walking back a few paces.
"Yeah....I know. It's just, it's just. How do we know this guy or whoever it is knows where we live. How do we know."
"Because he knows about Reece and Pat Mat. We haven't told anyone anything about them. So how would he know unless he's been spying on us!" I almost start shouting. I never like raising my voice but at times when my brother and his best friend are being threatened with what looks like death, I don't know how long I can keep cool. Mat seems to notice my reaction and comes back to life. More tears make their way down Mats hurt face. He's shocked I reacted the way I did.
"Oh Mat I didn't mean it like that! I'm as upset as you are...." I place my hand on my forehead and take a deep breath before carrying on.
"I'm really scared Mat." I say looking at him about to cry myself. He's still pale as a sheet but his eyes connect with mine and I can tell he understands. He opens his arms and brings me into a hug.
"I'm sorry..I didn't mean to be so harsh." I say into his thick jumper.
"Neither was I." He says kissing my forehead. I look up at him with question in my eyes.
"What do you mean?" I say.
"I mean drifting off." He says taking his arms from around me and placing them by his side. We stand in silence for a few seconds before Mat breaks the silence.
"So what are we going to do about this email then." He says.