the long game / gr63

chapter eleven

— TALIA —

"Aunt Mary!" I exclaimed into the phone as soon as I clicked on the green button on the screen. I was lounging on my couch, a funky-coloured romance book with cartoon-like people drawn on the cover above my head when my phone had started to buzz on the pillow beside me. "How are you?"

"I'm good, sweetheart. How are you? How're your studies?" My aunt's melodic voice rang through the line, yet it was a bit distant, and I could already picture her sitting in their sunroom, painting her nails a familiar shade of dark blue.

"Good. I've been studying so much my eyes are square now," I said with a soft laugh. "But I've taken a little bit of a break. I have my last couple of seminars this week and after that it's all up to self studying."

Aunt Mary hummed. "I'm proud of you darling, I'm sure you will do great."

I could hear the 'by the way...'  lingering in the air. I'd been awaiting this phone call, and I'd already prepared my arguments, an entire pro con list I'd written down at 3 am after waking up in a cold sweat.

"Your uncle and I have been meaning to ask you to come over to King's Lynn for Christmas," Aunt Mary let out a soft sigh. She sensed my hesitancy in responding to her invitation and took that as an opportunity to continue her ramble. "We miss you, little Lee. You haven't spent Christmas here for two years and we'd love to have you around. So much has changed, they even host a winter fair here now!"

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. As if on call, my doorbell rang, causing me to jump to my feet. "I'll think about it, okay, auntie? Someone's at the door." While talking, I walked over to said door and peeked through the peephole, a familiar silhouette forming in the contorted image.

"Okay but please promise me you will actually consider it," Aunt Mary pleaded. With my phone pressed against my ear, I swung the door open. George stood in the doorway, a handsome smirk on his face and his hands behind his back, immediately eliciting curiosity inside me. I gestured for him to come in.

"Auntie, I will," I grumbled. "But a winter fair isn't enough for me to return to King's Lynn. You know there's too much history there for me."

George quirked his brow, seating himself against the armrest and crossing his arms. "Mary?" He whispered, and I let out another groan, spinning around to face the kitchen, hand in my hair.

"Is that a man I hear?" Damn her and her supernatural hearing. I knew as soon as George even spoke that she would hear.

"I will think about it, Auntie. Have a good day, bye!" I squeaked, pressing the red button on my screen so quickly I felt like The Flash. I turned on my heel to face George, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Thanks for that, Russell."