Page 76 of Wandering Souls

“Hey, Grace,” he said softly, hoping not to wake Abi.

“Hey little brother.”

He chuckled. Older by eight minutes, she never let him forget it. “Everything okay?”

She sighed. “I’m exhausted. Your niece is causing all sorts of trouble. She’s been suspended for punching a boy.”

He blinked at the thought of his fifteen-year-old niece taking on another kid. She wouldn’t even weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet. “Did she say why?”

“Apparently he called her a goth.”

Ray pictured Millie, with her pale, freckled skin, her died black hair, and her penchant for black clothing. No wonder the boy went there. “How many days did she get?”

“Five.”

“That seems excessive.”

His sister chuckled sarcastically. “It’s her third strike this term. She needs you, Ray. Come home.”

“Wills Crossing is now my home, Grace. It’s beautiful.”

“Bullshit,” she spat. “It’s probably boring as batshit. You need to be in Melbourne. This is where you thrive.”

Not anymore. “That was then. This is now. I belong here and I think you do, too.”

Silence answered him. He couldn’t decide if he’d stunned her or if she was formulating a mighty comeback.

“Grace?”

“What makes you say that?”

If anything, she sounded curious. He thought about her job. At one of Melbourne’s elite private schools, she was under constant pressure for her students to score high and gain places at prestigious universities. She was a remarkable teacher, though he’d always thought her talents were wasted on the rich, spoiled brats who treated her like a slave, reminding her almost daily that their parents paid her wage.

“Because you’re exhausted. You said so, yourself. You used to love teaching. Now, it’s like a chain around your neck and the pressure you’re under is unfair. Those kids don’t deserve you.”

The quiet on the other end of the phone told him she agreed. “I miss you, little brother.”

He smiled. “I miss you too, Grace. Look, why don’t you come and stay with me over Christmas? It’d do you and Millie a world of good to get out of the city. The fresh air will help you clear your head, and I’ll take Millie out to the wilderness for a bit.”

“She’ll hate it. She’s all about the tech. Her phone is practically glued to her hand right now, though I don’t know who she’s texting. She talks about friends but never brings anyone home.”

The girl his sister described sounded like a stranger. Millie used to love camping and hiking. “Just for a holiday, Grace. Promise me you’ll at least think about it?”

“I’m not promising anything, Ray. I’ve got too much work to do. Exams are just around the corner.”

He frowned at the added layer of expectation on her shoulders. No one should live under such weight. “Do you want me to talk to Millie?”

“She’s currently not speaking to me and is holed up in her room, but could you give her a call in a day or two? I can’t even promise she’ll answer.”

“I’ll try, and I’ll keep trying if she doesn’t pick up. Try not to worry, too much.”

She barked a laugh. “As if.”

“I love you, Grace.”

“Right back at you, brother. Stay safe.”

The line went dead and he put the phone in standby mode. Beside him, Abi’s hand found his.

---