The Cold

Untitled Part 8

The triplets were delightful. Conner was undoubtedly a bit full of himself, but I could handle him. I was after all, a head taller. Leo was full of energy and talk, almost as much as Jasper since the triplets arrived. He and Alma got on like a house on fire. I wasn't the least bit surprised. Masie was so nice, she obviously loved her brothers and looked out for them. She was the sort of person who could see someone's whole life on their face, could see anger and sadness and fear and guilt. And lies. I had refused to go into detail about my early life and my experiences with anyone, even Alma. But within hours I was spilling everything to Masie. We were fast friends.

She was such a great listener, she nodded and hummed and smiled in all the right places. At the end she grabbed my hand and held it. "you're happy now aren't you? I saw it on your face when I came in." I nodded. "yeah, everything's great now, there's Jasper and Alma here to keep me company, and you guys now." Masie eye-smiled, but then her expression turned confused. "Alma?" I raised my eyebrows. "Yeah, Alma, my friend. You met her a couple of days ago?" Masie seemed really confused now. "Friend? What- Oh! You two are friends?" I laughed nervously. "Yeah, I'm not going to invite an enemy to my house to meet my cousins am I?" Masie nodded, still frowning. "No, I suppose not. Come on, let's see what Conner's doing, see if we can coax him outside to swim."

Masie and I did just that. She was quite distant at dinner, looking constantly between me and Alma with a look on her face that suggested she was trying desperately hard to work something out that just didn't make sense. I wonder what she was on about. Jasper moved me and Alma upstairs so we could sleep in the same room. As he closed the door on us he remarked; 'I'm going to leave the light on. It's not as if I could possibly expect you to throw away the opportunity to talk all night."

The next day, all our family arrived for the Christmas party. I was introduced to them all, and found it impossible to remember all their names. There must have been at least 30 of them. The only ones I remember were the triplets' parents, Ella and Presley, who were both exceptionally strange. Their mother was like Leo, very jumpy and excited and smiley, and their father was like Conner and Masie combined. He was very formal, but when he looked at his wife he seemed so peaceful, it made me almost jealous.

Alma seemed very uncomfortable around all of my relatives, especially Ella and Presley. So much so she left prematurely to escape to the back of the house. I followed her. I myself was feeling claustrophobic in the usually deserted house. I ran past the windows, in one of which I could see Jasper talking animatedly to the triplets. I reached the back of the house. I was confused to see the outside cellar doors were unlocked and open. Jasper must have forgotten to close them after fetching the wine for the party. I rounded the corner.

I gasped in surprise. Alma was crouched crookedly under the shuttered window of Jasper's room, one hand over her face and one clutching a dark bottle. "Alma?" I said softly. Alma raised her head. Tears were streaming down her face. "Alma? Why are you drinking? You're not even fifteen yet!" Alma hiccupped, and the bottle slipped from her fingers and landed on the sopping wet grass. She reached to pick it up. I ran forward. "No, no, no. Come on Alma, I'm taking you home." Alma held onto me painfully tight as I hobbled around back to the front of the house with her. 'I'll text Jasper, he won't miss me in the next half-hour. Alma, answer me! Why were you drinking alcohol! You know your system can't handle it."

Alma hiccupped again. "Under-hic-aged drinking reme-hic-mber?" She rested her head on my shoulder, and put on a little more weight. I feared she was going to collapse. "No, come on Alma, just a few more streets and we'll stop." She groaned. I heaved her up the steps of her house and banged on the door with a desperate fist. I heard someone on the other side of the door. 'Who could that be, at this time of night?" Ms Voltur opened the door. 'Oh, hello Julee dear, why don't you come in." I nodded gratefully at her and took Alma inside to lay her on the couch. She stirred feebly. Ms Voltur came in after me.

"Alma been drinking again?" I looked over at her, a crease in-between my eyebrows. "Again!? Has she done this before?" Ms Voltur nodded and sighed. "I really don't know what to do with the girl. She needs to learn to take care of herself better. Let me know if you need anything!" I opened my mouth "Actually-". But she was already gone. I looked over. Alma, who had finally given in to the alcohol in her system, was limp and silent on the couch. I wasn't going to leave Alma in the dubious care of her grandmother in this state. I pulled out my iPhone and scrolled down to Jasper's contact.

Alma is feeling tired; I'm going to stay at her place tonight.

                                                                                              Frne bu megggg. Thannks fourn thee preeent.,.

Not you too! I thought you didn't like to drink.

                                                                                                                         Ih nott thhhhhhhhhaatg bbadhhhh

I shook my head and chucked. Jasper drunk, how hilarious! After making sure that Alma was not going to fall of the couch (I decided it too risky to try to move her) I searched the house and found a sheet and a thick duvet. I lay the sheet over Alma and lay down on the duvet, folding it in half over myself. I lay, wide awake, just listening to Alma's steady breathing. She woke up around midnight. "Julee?" She whispered into the pitch darkness. "I'm here Alma!" I reached out and touched her shoulder. She jumped a little.

"Oh, okay." She rolled over and fell asleep again. About a half hour later, she rolled right off the bed and next to me on the floor. I stiffened. She shivered, gripping her torso in sleep. I ripped the sheet off the couch and tried to wrap it around her without waking her. I touched her arm. Holy crap she's cold! I shifted her onto the duvet and put it over her as well. Her shivering subsided and I breathed out in relief. An hour later I fell into a reluctant, fitful sleep.