In the Shadows

VI

Somewhere else that night

I left the phone on the shelf at the bottom of the mirror and untangled my shoulder length hair with my fingers before putting it up on a half bun which – not to sound vain – I actually really liked on myself. I had finished putting shaving cream all over my face when my phone rang. I put it on loudspeaker and my mother's voice instantly came from the other side of the line.

"Where are you Alec?" her harsh voice echoed in my bathroom "your father is losing his patience"

"Hello to you too mother" I sighed "I'll be there in a bit"

"You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago Alec" her tone shifted into a resigned one.

"I took a nap and I overslept; blame it on the jet lag" I stated "now, if you let me finish shaving I'll be there in no time"

"Hurry up" she ended the call.

Fifteen minutes later I was speeding up the small hill that preceded my parents' house in my motorcycle. Lucky for me, the rain had stopped for a bit so I wouldn't get there completely soaked. As I got closer to the entrance the gates opened and I sped up even more, until the trees beside the road – which my mother had covered in fairy lights ages ago – turned into a black mass with dots of light here and there. I skidded by the fountain on the entrance and turned off the engine as I jumped off the bike. Then, I quickly went up the steps leading to the door where our butler Abbington was waiting patiently.

"Welcome home master Alec" he said making a slight bow.

"Is always good to see you again Abbington" I hugged him tight and felt his muscles tense up "oh c'mon! You're still not used to my bone-crushing hugs? I feel offended"

"I lost the habit sir" Abbington said once I let go of him "your parents are waiting in the dining room for you"

"Thanks" I winked at Abbington as I gave him my jacket.

In a few strides I got to the double doors leading to the dining room and slammed them opened with a mischievous grin on my face, the echo bouncing off the walls. I heard a few gasps from the service – which apparently had lost the habit of having me around the house like Abbington had done - and my father followed me with his stare until I reached my usual seat on the table – the second seat to his right –.

"You're late" he deadpanned as he made a gesture with his hand so someone would serve me food.

My mother kicked me under the table and pierced me with her blue orbs. The same ones I had inherited.

"Sorry" I said as I ran my right hand through my hair.

I forgot that I was wearing a half bun and with the motion the elastic holding it jumped somewhere under the table making my hair fall free around my face. I heard my father choking on the glass of wine he had just taken a sip off and my mother gently rubbed his back as he tried to recover. One of the maids that were in charge of the food gave me my elastic back and I smiled at her. I hadn't seen her before so I assumed she was new in the house and to say she looked dumbfounded as she accidentally touched my hand was an understatement. Poor girl.

"What" my father looked at me like he wanted to kill me right in my spot "your hair"

"It frames his face and highlights his angular features" my mother interrupted "it looks good"

Thanks mother.

"Just in case" I tied my hair in a bun again and my father seemed to calm down a bit "I'm not chopping it off by any means... unless it is to give it a trim"