forbidden { michael gray } ON TEMPORARY HOLD

e l e v e n

Talya paused as she considered it. Did she? She could use a bit of excitement in her life, which had grown exceptionally dull since she stepped away from the business - but wasn't that exactly what she wanted? "Give me your landline number and I'll call you when I'm free. How's that sound?"

He nodded, plucked the pen from Talya's blouse and grabbed her arm before sprawling his number across her forearm. She shook her head at him as she laughed. "Cheeky sod! I meant on a piece of paper."

"You can easily lose a piece of paper. Can hardly lose your arm, can you?"

With a chuckle, she hugged him and got out of the car before darting for the cover of her front door. Percy watched her as she unlocked it and walked in, waved happily to him and then shut the door behind her. He hoped with all his heart that she took him up on the offer of a drink.

-

The next evening, Talya was pacing her bedroom as she anxiously smoked. She had been pacing for quite a while now, and the occupants of the flat below her and already shouted up to her to stop it. But she couldn't. She was due to go to her family house for the first time in months for a meal and she was so anxious that she physically couldn't keep still. The whole time she had been doing her makeup her foot tapped aggressively against the floor and as she did her hair her feet found themselves dancing across the floor to the sound of her gramophone just to keep her busy. But now she was ready to go, and waiting for her lift to pick her up. None of the 5 cigarettes she had burned through in the past half hour had done anything to calm her, nor had the breathing exercises she practiced. Nothing could stop her worrying about seeing Alexei. Having a few months free of him had been a haven, and now she was voluntarily walking back into the jaws of the lion's den. But she had no choice. Her mother threatened to cut her off if she didn't go for the meal, and with her wages being so abysmal she couldn't afford not to have them pay for half of her rent each month.

A harsh beeping from outside made her jump. Her lift was here. With a sigh, she pulled on her coat, picked up her handbag which was heavy with a loaded pistol, and left her flat.

Bogdan sat in the front seat, peering through the rain at Talya as she jogged towards him. "Alright, Miss Ivanov?"

"Just call me Talya." She muttered as she pulled her seatbelt on. "But yes, I'm fine. How are you?"

"Very good. Everyone's been talking about your return, you know."

She groaned. "Wonderful. I'm not returning, anyway. I'm just showing my face so they don't leave me financially destitute."

"Fair enough." He said with a lagh before starting the car.

-

By the time Talya reached her house, her legs were like jelly. She had to steady herself on the bonnet of the car as she walked past it and up the path. She didn't need to knock on the door before it was opened by her father, whose smile was so wide that it made Talya uncomfortable. Why on earth was he so happy? "Talya! My sweet daughter is home!"

He englufed her in a hug, which she gingerly returned with a pat on his back. As soon as he let her go, he stepped back to reveal Helga, who was looking at Talya with pursed lips. "Hello, Talya."

"Mother." She said formally. Her father stared expectantly at her, so she hugged her mother and both of the women awkwardly wrapped their arms around each other.

As Talya pulled back, Helga examined her daughter. "You've cut your hair."

"Well observed."

"I don't like it." Helga said as she flicked the ends of Thela's now shoulder length hair.