Page 7 of Brandt's Rule

“You know, there is a room upstairs. Nobody’s used it in a while, but you’re welcome to it if you want it.”

“Oh, I don’t even know how long I’ll be in town. And the owners don’t even know me. Would they just let me stay here based on the fact that I say I’m trustworthy?” she asked.

Bailey laughed, thinking Tempest was teasing, not realizing that Tempest really wasn’t kidding. She wasn’t quite as familiar with the way things worked outside Whispers. Trust was a big thing at home, so she assumed it was here, too. “My parents own it. It’s got a separate entrance in the back. Most of the shops along main street have small efficiencies above them. I used to live in it, but I got my own place last year so ours is unused now. Whether it’s for a couple of days, a few weeks, or just tonight. You’re welcome to crash there as long as you need.”

Tempest took off her helmet and sat there, just looking at Bailey.

“What?” Bailey asked, swiping at her face. “Do I have a booger or something?”

Tempest laughed. “No. I’m just surprised. Everybody warned me that I’d find that things are so different from the way they are at home. But they’re really not. You’re just as kind as the people I know back home.”

“Aw, thank you. I like you, too.”

Tempest smiled.

“Why don’t you come back in and I’ll show it to you. I’ll give you a key and you can at least spend the night before you move on if the friend you’re looking for isn’t the one I told you about.”

“You’re sure it’s not an imposition? I’m prepared to camp if I need to.”

“Seriously? You’ll freeze your ass off! Come back in here. Besides, how you gonna ride a bike with a hot cup of coffee? Bring your cup and I’ll show you the apartment,” Bailey said with a scowl as she performed a perfect hair flip, spun on her heel and walked back into the coffee shop. She looked back just as the door closed and shouted, “You coming?”

Tempest smiled as she climbed off her bike and followed Bailey back into the coffee shop. She followed her up a narrow flight of stairs that hugged the wall, and was roped off at the bottom with a slender silver chain and a ‘personnel only’ sign. It, of course, wouldn’t keep anyone out, but it got the point across. At the top of the stairs was another chain with another sign hanging in the middle of it stating ‘do not enter’.

Bailey unhooked one side of the chain and moved it to the hook on the wall, then led the way onto the landing. She walked across the landing to an alcove that could not be seen from below and unlocked a door there. As she walked into the room beyond the door, she flipped on the lights and turned to face Tempest. “It’s small. Sitting room and bedroom combo. The futon folds down into a bed. The bathroom is through there,” she said, pointing. “Kitchenette over there, with a dorm-sized fridge . There’s a grocery down the street where you can buy some food to keep here, and whatever essentials you might need. The back door leads to a set of metal stairs that’s attached to the back of the building. A small landing is right outside the back door. It’s big enough to have two folding chairs on it. I used to like to sit out there and unwind at night. It’s really quiet after the businesses all close for the evening. It’s yours as long as you want it.”

Tempest stood back and looked around. There were two large picture windows on the back wall, giving the effect that the space was bigger than it really was. The back door, glass also, was right between them and the small metal balcony was easily seen right outside, with stairs leading down from it. “It’s perfect. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but I’ll treat it like my own while I’m here.”

“Great!” Bailey squealed, clapping her hands. “Now we can hang out and you’ll have to come back and have a burger with me, because you’ll be staying here.”

Tempest laughed and nodded. “I was coming back anyway. I never say anything I don’t mean.” She wasn’t the least put off by Bailey’s excitement at having her near. The girl was obviously lonely. And Tempest knew all about that. While the adults in Whispers had always treated her kindly and shown no fear of her at all, most of the kids there had feared her, just as they had her mother when she was growing up. You’d think paranormal people would accept other paranormal people. Turns out the more powerful you were, the less that was so.

“Awesome. Dinner later, then?”

Tempest smiled again, finding it refreshing that someone other than her parents’ friends actually wanted to be her friend. “I’d love to, but I don’t know how late I’ll be.”

“Depending on if you find your friend?”

“Exactly.”

“Well, here’s my number. Call and let me know if you finish up early. If not, we can do it tomorrow,” Bailey said, walking over to the kitchenette and grabbing a pen off the small countertop. She scribbled down her number and handed the small piece of paper to Tempest. “What’s your number?”

“I don’t have one.”

Bailey’s surprise was evident. “Did you lose it?”

Tempest shrugged slightly. “No. I’ve never had one. Never needed one.”

“Oh. Okay. I figured you had a cell phone.”

“Why?”

“Everybody does.”

“Well, where I’m from we don’t get telephone service of any type, but I’ll look into one while I’m here.”

“If you’re going to be traveling, it’s not a bad idea to get one. If there’s an emergency, how are you going to contact anyone?” Bailey asked.

Tempest suppressed a smile, thinking of calling to her mother, or her Uncle Lore, or just zipping herself out of whatever situation she felt uncomfortable in. “Oh, I’d manage somehow.”

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