Havermouth, Present Time “This is…” Heath turned the page and looked at the image of Charlotte. “Vaguely disturbing on several levels.” “Yeah, I don’t think the girls involved volunteered this information, or at least not all of them did,” Aislen agreed leaning against Talen as she sipped her wine. Talen’s palm on her stomach and the steady rise and fall as he breathed against her back was comforting. In the hallway Rhett cursed as Cameron, rolling white paint on the ceiling, sprayed it over him. “What’s wrong princess?” Cameron teased. “More paint in your hair?” “Just because some of us don’t like to look like we’ve been shat on by a passing bird,” Rhett grumbled. “With the amount of ink under your skin, you’d think you’d be less prissy about your hair.” “White shows up on black,” Rhett retorted. “And it doesn’t in red?” Cameron pointed out. “Yeah, but you spend your days knee deep in animal shit, paint’s an upgrade for you.” “The pack would be interested in this,” Heath mur
Havermouth, Five Years BeforeThe shopping trip ended abruptly, with Tiffany leading them back to the car immediately.She sat behind the steering wheel, gazing out the windscreen without seeing the pedestrian traffic that walked by. “I have never, ever, been so embarrassed in my whole life,” she said, and started the car.Aislen’s chest was tight. She did not speak, letting her hair fall forward to cover her face.“Do you know why I am embarrassed, Aislen?” Tiffany demanded.“Because of me,” Aislen did not have to guess.“Because of you,” Tiffany agreed. “Because the doctor was concerned enough about your welfare and mental health to tell me, and the store clerk, just how disturbed a child I gave birth to eighteen years ago. A child who the entire town knows is fornicating with three different boys, and who, at the vigil for that poor woman’s dead baby, tells her that she can communicate with spirits.”“I did not!” Aislen’s head jerked up. “I did not say anything like that.”“I wish
Havermouth, Present TimeAislen rested her forehead in the hollow of Heath's throat. “I know,” she confessed shakily on the verge of tears. “You said it before. I know.” It was not what he wanted to hear, not the answer he had hoped for in saying the words to her again. He wanted her to say them back.He sighed into the embrace, and they stood wrapped in each other’s arms, neither speaking, both of their minds twisted and convoluted with frustration, pain, and a fragile hope.“Hello?” A man called from the open front door.“Ah, Tyler,” Talen called out. “Come around the back. I’ll go get him,” he said walking to the back door. “He will help paint in exchange for a share of pizza and beer.”“Not pizza,” Heath murmured. “Cameron doesn’t eat it.” (Not since Aislen predicted that his mother would die whilst he was eating it.)“Oh god,” she sobbed in a breath wetly. “I am so sorry for that.”He sighed again heavily and shook his head. “You were right. And wrong. He wasn’t eating pizza that
Havermouth, Five Years BeforeThey hurried through the streets to Heath’s house, keeping to the shadows in case they encountered anyone in order to disguise the fact that Heath was naked. Aislen resisted the temptation to ask why he hadn't gotten dressed – she knew that there were no clothes, and that he had lied to her.Through the touch of their clasped hands, she also knew that he knew that she hadn't asked the obvious question, and that the part of him which had doubted Rhett was now worrying over how much she could know and how she could possibly know it, and trying to reason it out as impossible because her knowing was too big and too dangerous for contemplation.Aislen held her tongue, Rhett’s words of caution sharp in her mind. “Don’t talk of it anymore, don’t talk of it ever again.” If she spoke of it to Heath, Cameron and Rhett would also know, and she would have proven Rhett right not to trust her, because she had not heeded his warning.The side gate of Heath’s parent’s ho
Havermouth, Present Time Aislen woke pressed tightly against Talen’s chest with Cameron at her back snoring in her ear. Someone’s arm was draped over Talen’s waist, and Aislen guessed its owner to be Heath, remembering waking in similar positions in the past trapped between him and Cameron with Rhett gleefully occupying most of the mattress. She felt Talen press a kiss to the crown of her head. “Good morning, little demon,” he murmured. “Good morning, daddy.” For once it was actually morning, quite late in it as the sunshine that fell through the window was golden and rich. “Did you sleep alright?” “Hmm,” he chuckled. “Surprisingly well considering the lack of space.” “Me too,” she stroked her hand over his stomach muscles and closed over his c-ck. “You are well awake, daddy,” she purred. “I could take care of that for you.” He gripped her and rolled onto his back, carrying her with him so that she suddenly straddled him. Cameron snorted and opened an eye as he lost the support
Havermouth, Five Years Before“Can we have a moment?” Heath asked. “And then she’ll go with you.”The two policemen exchanged a look and shrugged slightly.Heath turned to Aislen and gripped her shoulders as Rhett joined them in a tight huddle. “What is this about?” Heath asked her. “What have you done? Dr James wouldn’t have you sectioned over nothing… What happened the other night? What did you say to her?”Aislen slid a look at Rhett. “Nothing, Heath. I just said that I was sorry for her loss.”“Her reaction was extreme,” he murmured to himself. “Perhaps she is unbalanced after losing her child and has fixated on you, because you’re a girl and you found her daughter.”“Maybe,” Aislen was dubious.“I’ll go back to Rhett’s place with him and get Mr Salem onto it.”“If he’ll help, the mood that he is in,” Rhett said sourly.“He’ll help,” Heath replied firmly. (Because my family outranks yours, and the Salem’s are new to the pack.) “He’ll sort this out, Aislen. Go with the police offic
Havermouth, Present TimeAs Aislen passed the bathroom, doing up the last buttons on her shirt, she heard water running and laughter – Cameron and Rhett were sharing the shower. She smiled, their play warming her heart.Tyler was cooking pancakes in the kitchen as she entered and Heath sat at the table drinking coffee, somehow immaculate despite being in clothing worn the day before to paint in. His hair was still wet from his shower and slicked back against his skull in contrast to the golden stubble that was just beginning to show through his skin.Talen followed her into the kitchen still towel drying his hair from their shower. “Good morning, Tyler,” he smiled. “How was your night?”“It’s been years since I slept in a single,” Tyler replied. “I think I regressed a little overnight and rediscovered my inner child, so it’s chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.”“If you’re ready, Aislen,” Heath took his coffee cup to the sink. “We will grab something out.”“Heath’s not a chocolate c
Havermouth, Five Years Before Aislen woke still restrained to the bed and writhed beneath an urgent need to vomit. She strained against the restraints on her wrists. She fought until she realized that she wasn't going anyway and turned her head, the only motion she could achieve, vomiting across her shoulder, the edge of mattress, and onto the floor. Oh, f-k, she thought in the breathless panic left behind. Oh, f-k. She sank back onto the cushions, nauseated by the bitter taste in her mouth. Oh, God, she thought, what was she going to do? The nurse came in within a few minutes. “Oh dear,” she exclaimed. “I am so sorry. We’ll get that cleaned up in no time.” She pressed the call button. “A shower will fix you right up, sweetie, and by the time you’re back… we’ll have this mess cleaned up.” “Sure,” Aislen replied knowing that the real mess wasn’t something that a mop could resolve. Within ten minutes, she was released from the restraints and able to take a shower which she spent bra