Alexei And Grace

11 | Tightly Wound

FOR THE NEXT WEEK IT snowed almost constantly. It was only mid-November, yet it was unseasonably cold, and the usually persistent rain showers of London had turned to ice. Nobody had seen it coming—not even the doomsday forecasters who were usually the first to point out a storm on the horizon.

          Most of London had become inaccessible by car, and even by foot journeys were treacherous. The underground was still running, but that was mostly pointless because hardly anyone left their homes.

         I was stuck at the hospital for the first three days. They were desperate for staff, but travelling was treacherous. I'd alternated between sleeping for a couple of hours through the night and working, eager to help people while I was stuck there.

          Jonah had been keeping my dad company while I was at the hospital, sleeping overnight to check he was okay. I was grateful, and I couldn't wait to get home.

          Three days later, when I finally did make it back, the snow was beginning to thaw. Although the air was still bitingly cold, the sky had opened up into a crisp blue bowl above the London skyline. Cloud free at last.

          I practically skipped through the front door, greeting my dad and boyfriend in a daze of happiness. I showered in that same daze, relishing the hot stream of water jetting onto my back.

          It was the first time I'd been clean in four days.

          Pulling on my comfy pyjamas and throwing my damp hair into a messy bun was the best feeling in the world, I swear. Jonah had cooked some miraculously rich, creamy pasta dish for me while I bathed and I curled up on the sofa beside him to eat it. I chatted happily to my small family, feeling the exhaustion of the hospital melting away from my aching shoulders.

          At midday, when I woke with my head on Jonah's shoulder from a nap, he suggested we should go for a walk to our cafe. There was something in his tone that unnerved me, a look in his eyes I couldn't quite place.

          I threw on one of Jonah's woolly jumpers that practically swallowed me and stuffed my feet into my old blue wellies. Jonah and I had hardly seen each other in a week. I owed him some alone time, I thought.

          "Is everything okay?" I asked as we strolled down the street hand-in-hand. That same peculiar expression was clouding his face.

          "Of course," he said and I smiled as he ducked down to kiss my forehead. "Just happy to see the sky again."

          "Me too."

          It was a ten minute walk from my flat to the cafe Jonah and I often frequented. The pavements were still slick with ice in places so we made slow progress, but it was actually nice just to feel the faint warmth of the sun beating down on my face. I smiled, allowing my eyes to flutter closed for a brief second in utter bliss.

          When I opened them again, the smile fell away almost instantly.

           Further down the street, leaned against the wall of the cafe, was Alexei. He wore a sleek black overcoat with the collar turned up against the cold, and he appeared to be looking up at the sky.

          I felt my hand tighten around Jonah's involuntarily. "Is everything alright?" he asked, shooting me a strange glance.

          "Fine," I said and offered a smile.

          I was not fine. I knew Alex was eager to get in touch with me, but I'd never imagined he'd actually stalk me while I was with my boyfriend. How did he know where to find me? Was he tracking my phone, or had he just been following?