CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 25

Before Amber could process her thoughts correctly, Sylvia flung herself into Alex's arms, but unlike Amber had been anticipating, she felt no sense of jealousy. For a moment she thought Alex had enveloped her into a warm hug, but she smelled the scent of cherry perfume and Sylvia's hair tickled her face.

"It is so nice to finally meet you! Alex has told me so much about you," she said softly in Amber's ear. 

Her voice was so delicate that it reminded Amber of this painting she had come across of a bird perched on the end of the thinnest and most fragile branch. 

Amber gathered her wits about her and replied, "You too, Sylvia." 

Sylvia pulled away and beamed at the couple. "Come on in." 

Amber could feel Alex's gaze upon her as they followed Sylvia into the house. She, on the other hand, could not tear her gaze away from the woman in front of her, who was floating through the house with a slight spring in her step. Her shoulder blades stuck out prominently from the back of her dress, and there wasn't an ounce of fat in her upper arms, but she still looked vastly healthier than the woman Amber had seen in the pictures Alex had shown to her. The emptiness in the eyes of the girl in the picture had haunted Amber for weeks but this woman's eyes sparkled like they had captured some of the sun's flares and kept them prisoner. The more that Amber processed the picture of the happy person in front of her, the more she could breathe easily. The honest truth of her fears was that she was terrified that Sylvia would be the empty hollow person from the pictures. It was a fear that Amber barely dared to admit to herself, let alone to Alex. 

The trio sat in Sylvia's cosy living room on the floral fabric sofas around an antique coffee table. 

"How about some tea?" Sylvia asked the moment they had sat down. 

Just as she rose from the sofa, Alex grabbed her hand and told her quietly, "It's okay, we had some tea before we got here. It's been so long since I've been over. I want to hear about how you've been." 

Sylvia's eyes flickered from Alex to Amber and her smile faltered for a moment before she hurriedly returned it. "Sure." 

Alex let go of her hand and when Amber glanced over to him, she could tell that something was not quite right. His face had hardened with lines of concern. 

"Alex tells me that you're working at the local radio station," Amber said, attempting to make conversation.

Sylvia looked grateful for a subject matter and threw her a smile. "That's right. I've been working for them for almost two years now." 

Amber couldn't help but notice how she had failed to elaborate. Alex tensed beside her and it was evident that he had noticed too. 

"Mum wanted to see you, Alex but she couldn't get time off work," Sylvia told him, not meeting his gaze. Instead her eyes were fixated on her hands in her lap. A good thirty seconds passed before her peaked a glance at the pair. 

Alex leaned forward and surveyed Sylvia for a moment before speaking. "You're hiding something from me, Sylv. What's going on? Have you relapsed?" 

Amber felt the contents of her stomach turn sour. She placed an arm on Alex's arm in an attempt to calm him down but she couldn't help but feel like she was intruding in a conversation that had nothing to do with her. She clung onto Alex timidly but he ignored her. He was giving Sylvia the piercing gaze that Amber was so used to receiving. 

To her surprise, Sylvia didn't seem at all fazed. Instead, she looked slightly offended as she rose an eyebrow at Alex and crossed her arms. 

"No, I have not. But thank you for bringing up right away in front of my new guest."