Page 32 of Lock Up the Darkness

Aurora: Missed you too, Uncle.

Uncle Drew: That doesn’t even cover it, cupcake. So, how’s things?

Aurora: All good. Studies going well. Working at a college bar.

Uncle Drew: You’re working customer service? Seriously?

I chuckled aloud to myself.

Aurora: I tamper down the attitude while I’m on shift. Good tips.

Uncle Drew: With all your networking, security know-how, figured on you doing contract work online, part-time with your schooling.

Shit.

Aurora: Thought this would be a good chance to make some friends. The college is kind of elitist and cliquey.

Uncle Drew: I hear you. Is the program worth all that hassle that comes with it?

Aurora: Yeah, it is. It’s gonna open doors when I graduate.

Uncle Drew: Glad to hear it.

Aurora: How’s the garage?

Uncle Drew: Same old, same old. People bring in their poorly cared for bikes, I fix ‘em up. Speaking of that, I gotta get back to it, just taking a quick break to check in with you. Next time we’ll do a video call.

Aurora: Sounds good. Love you.

Uncle Drew: Love you too, cupcake. Hang tough.

Aurora: Always.

I set my phone down on the coffee table and sank back against the couch, smiling to myself. An actual, genuine smile that wasn’t all a mask put on for this awful place.

His texts had come at the right time. I’d felt his uplifting and light tone, even via text format, giving me the break from all the rest.

Unfortunately, that relief and brief peace didn’t last long before my phone buzzed again.

I snatched it up, frowning when I saw Liza’s name there.

She was at the Blowout tonight, supposed to be having the time of her life. Her taking the time out from that to message me didn’t exactly bode well.

I scrolled to the text and tensed as I took it in.

Liza: Can you pick me up?

Aurora: Are you drunk?

According to her invitation, the thing had barely been going an hour. And she wasn’t a lightweight, I’d learned that from her tendency to drink on the job during the quieter times at Fusion.

Liza: No. My car is blocked in.

Aurora: Did something happen?

She’d been so excited, her leaving early didn’t fit with that at all. What was going on?

When time went on by and she still hadn’t texted back, I fired off another message.

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