ALONE TOGETHER I OWEN GRADY

No Good Advice

No Good Advice

"I'll buy you all new clothes," Claire flung over her shoulder, switching her phone off completely, looking almost comically relieved as she did, "I'll have them with you by tomorrow."

"How?" Cassandra snapped. "Magic carpet?"

"No, courier," Claire said, looking at her as if she were mad. "I have connections."

"To what, Fed-Ex?"

"No, the Mafia!"

"Har-di-ha."

"Look, just shut up and trust me, okay!?"

"You keep saying that."

"And I'll keep saying it."

Cassandra shook her head. "This trip just keeps getting better and better," she declared, flinging her hands dramatically up in the air.

"At least the children are having a good time," Claire pointed out acerbically, "well, when you're not texting Zach every two seconds, that is."

At this, Cassandra tensed, thinking of Zach's painfully brief texts that simply said yes or no to her worried questions. And even with her phone now switched back on, it had only been to see that Karen had made no effort to contact her whatsoever, despite doggedly pursuing Claire. "It's called being a parent, Claire," she then said, glancing about the dark tunnel they were now traversing, "or so Mom used to say whenever we ragged her about nagging too much."

"Mom does nag too much," Claire said, rolling her eyes. "But never mind the nostalgia, just get a move on."

"Where the hell are you dragging me now!?" Cassandra complained, shielding her eyes with the back of her hand as Claire suddenly led her out into blinding sunlight. "Hey, what's with the crazy flying machine?" she said in disbelief as they stepped out onto the concrete surface of a landing pad where a helicopter was waiting.

"Come on, we can't keep Mr. Masrani waiting," Claire said, picking up the pace, "we've only got a small window."

"What, we're actually going on the helicopter!?" Cassandra squeaked. "You know I don't do great heights!"

"You can handle a plane, can't you!?"

"Just barely!"

"Well, you can handle this, Cassandra," Claire said firmly. "Trust me!"

"So you keep saying!" Cassandra trilled, her voice becoming hysterically high.

"And I will say it again," Claire said even more firmly. "Just-trust-me."

"I can't!"

"What, me or the helicopter?"

"Both!"

"Don't think about it!" Claire said, dragging her on. "Just come on!"

Before she could blink, somehow Cassandra found herself being shoved inside the helicopter and strapped in beside Claire, the roar of the rotors deafening. Sitting in front of them was the pilot and a man in a wrinkled blue suit, his dark eyes amused as he studied the sisters over his shoulder.

"Mr. Masrani, are you going to be our co-pilot for today?" Claire said in surprise, shooting Cassandra a pointed look to pull herself together. "I didn't realise you were expanding your range of expertise."

"I got my license," Mr. Masrani shrugged.

"In two days you will," the pilot corrected him, swiftly starting to flip switches and pull levers, "let's not jump the gun."