The Handcuff Effect

9

I woke up in a decidedly less comfortable position. Somehow, Nathan and I had reversed places, until I was half hanging off the couch, my arm twisted painfully behind my back and my face smushed onto the side of the cushion. Without a doona on.

Note for future reference: Nathan is a doona hog.

'Nathan.' I grumped, using my free hand to push against the ground to stop me falling off the couch. When he didn't reply, I spoke a little louder. 'Nathan!'

'Mmph.' He replied.

Oh, how I wanted to hit that boy. 'Nathan, you doona-thieving, couch hogging, arm pulling yahoo!' I screeched. 'Shove the hell over.' He jerked upright, twisting my cuffed arm further. 'Ow, you psycho!' I cried, wincing. 'That's my arm you're yanking on.'

Nathan swore softly. 'Crap. Sorry. Here.' Carefully, he extracted himself from the confines of the couch, somehow manoeuvring to a point where I was able to sit up relatively painlessly. Once there, I rubbed my left shoulder. 'I think I've pinched a nerve.'

Nathan had the good grace to look a little guilty. 'Sorry,' he said sheepishly. Then his eyes drifted to something wedged into the couch cushions. Pulling it out, he shot me a poisoned look. 'Jane Austen? Really?'

I snatched the book from him, cradling it to my chest. 'I can somewhat tolerate you bagging out Mr Darcy,' I told him darkly, 'Colonel Brandon, even Mr Knightley if you so desire.' I used my book to hammer him in the chest every time I listed a name to emphasise my point, 'But you will not bag out Edmund Bertram.'

Nathan say there, looking unsure as to whether he should be afraid of my little outburst, or trying not to laugh. 'You...' He began, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. 'You're a... You're an Austen-Basher!'

I quirked a brow. 'Come again?'

'You, my good lady,' he swept a mocking bow, harbouring a terrible English accent, 'are an Austen-Basher.'

I studied my copy of Mansfield Park for a moment, then glared at him. 'You can't hate on Jane Austen until you've read her books,' he snorted derisively at that, which I ignored. Sort of. 'Or watched the movies. Now, the movies aren't as good as the--'

The phone rang.

I stared in puzzlement over toward the shrill cry of the phone on the kitchen bench. No one ever called the home phone. Ever. I stood up, closely followed by Nathan and we walked over to the shrieking phone.

'Hello?' I asked, sounding as confused as I felt. Nathan let out a little snort, and I realised I probably sounded like I didn't even know what a phone was, let alone how to use it.

'Emma?' Mum?

'Why are you calling the home phone?' I asked her. Her breath hitches like it did when she was either nervous or scared and a tendril of unease unfurled in my stomach. 'Mum?'

'They took my mobile.' Her voice fractured.

'They what?' I shrieked, standing up ramrod straight. 'I can't believe those peop-- I'm coming to get you.' I cut myself off. 'Where are you?'

'No!' She cried, 'No, honey, I'm fine. I'm fine. See?' I could imagine her giving me a watery smile, as if saying she was fine enough times would make me believe it.

'Mum,' I warned, unaware that I was pacing until my hand jerked back. I looked over to see Nathan leaning against the kitchen bench. He raised his brows as if to say, Everything alright? but I just shook my head and held up a finger in the universal sign for 'One moment'.

'Honey.' She said firmly, but I saw right through it. 'I'm fine.'

I blew out a breath and looked towards the droopy flower curling around one of the poles outside. 'The hell you are!' I ground out. Then I closed my eyes tight and counted to five in my head. 'This is their last chance.' I told her rigidly. 'Next time, I'm coming to get you, and I don't care if you say no.'

'Okay.' She whispered, and my heart pumped painfully. This right here was the evidence that she would go through anything for me.

And I couldn't stand it.

'Baby, sunshine, marshmallow, plum, don't forget I love you, mum.' I whispered. I heard her breath rattle out of her chest and knew I had said the right thing.

'Wind chimes, snowflakes, cakes and cheese, I locked in your love and I lost the keys.'

I heard her breathing for a few moments, then some deep voices, then the dial tone.

'What the hell was that?' Nathan asked, coming up to me. I stared at him for a moment, debating on whether I should tell him or not. He looked back at me, eyes full of anger and concern, clearly a reflection of my own.

I planned the words out in my head. Decided that maybe I could tell him. He would understand. He wasn't just a shallow joker. He cared. I opened my mouth, looked into his eyes and said, 'Nothing.'

I wanted to hit myself, especially when his eyes grew more stormy with the realisation that I hadn't told him. I didn't know if he was used to getting his way or not, but he seemed unusually upset by my omission.

Damn.

The prospect of a Saturday dwindled as my mood soured, and I stomped into my room to pull out the stupid notebook. People suck, I wrote. People of all ages suck.

Then, even though it wasn't relevant, I added at the bottom of the page, especially mum's bosses.

Nathan remained silent, either moping or uncaring, if I were to hedge a guess. When I look up, I saw he had pulled down a book from my shelf, and was flicking through it.

I smiled, the smallest of smiles when I caught the title as his wrist flicked through the pages.

Waiting for Godot.

I elected to not say anything to Nathan about my observation. Perhaps not all people suck. I made an addition, underneath the comment about bosses. My writing was small to make it fit, and I could hardly read it, but I didn't have to. I know what it said.

But Nathan is alright.

Smiling, I felt my mood lift a little.

'So,' I spoke into the silence, causing Nathan's head to jerk up and around to meet mine. 'What do you want for dinner?'

His grin reflected mine and my heart sang like a wind chime in a rainstorm. Man, I was so beyond smitten with Nathan Montgomery, it was actually sad.

Nathan grinned, apparently forgiving me for withholding information before, and jumped to his feet, hauling me up too. 'How about Thai?'

I shrugged and nodded. 'Sure,' I said as we headed out of the house and into the warm afternoon sun. 'But one day, in going to make sure you say ice cream or waffles or something.'

Nathan's only reply was to bark a laugh and swing our joined hands together as we walked down the footpath.

I held in a contented sigh. That boy.

____

Hey, guys! Sorry that I haven't been updating for ages, but that was because I had two lots of exams to finish and school to end. But now I'm done! Yay! So I'll get back to my updating now! You're all awesome!
Love always
Lani
Xx