Page 34 of A Spell of Midlife Mayhem

Rachel rubbed one sleepy eye. ‘You’re not making sense. What do you mean, he disappeared? You mean he went to the toilet and didn’t come back?’

‘No. It was weird. There was a flash of light and... when I opened my eyes, he was gone.’

Rachel’s gaze fixed on me and hardened. ‘Is this a joke? If it is, it would be funnier later in the morning.’

‘It’s not a joke. That’s how it happened.’

‘Okay. Maybe there was an electrical fault, and he’s gone to help fix it. Or he got spooked. Just wait a while.’

‘I’ve waited over forty-five minutes already. What do I do now?’

‘The bastard. He’s not coming back.’

‘You think so?’ My face fell.

‘Yeah. Maybe he’s not into you as much as you thought. Sorry to give you the bad news, girlfriend, but some guys can be rude. Forget him. Don’t see him again.’

‘But I’m living with him.’

Rachel’s eyes widened. ‘You’re living with him? But you only just met—’

‘I meant he’s a boarder at my aunt’s house.’

‘That might be awkward, then. I suggest you pretend the whole thing didn’t happen. Hopefully, he’ll do the same.’

‘Okay.’ I frowned. ‘But that doesn’t feel right.’ Especially as I did like him.

‘It’s the best thing, girlfriend. I’ve been in similar situations before.’

I sighed. ‘Thanks, Rach. How was your date with the hot lawyer, by the way?’

She groaned. ‘He talked about himself the whole damn time. It was the most boring date I’ve been on for ages.’

‘Sorry to hear that. At least he didn’t disappear on you.’

‘Honestly, it would have been better if he had!’

I chuckled. ‘Better luck next time.’

‘Look after yourself.’

I gathered my shopping bags and trudged back to the car. Had Raven gone home? Maybe the flash of light had startled him, like Rachel suggested. Or perhaps he’d used that as an excuse to get away because he didn’t want to go on a date with me.

Whatever. The situation was awkward. What would I say when I encountered him at home?

I drove home and parked in the driveway. It was still light. That took some getting used to. I’d flown from winter, where it was dark before five. Here it was summer and light until nine. It was topsy-turvy, but I much preferred summer over winter.

As I pulled my bags from the car, movement in a silver birch tree caught my attention. A grey squirrel crept along a branch and leaped to a neighbouring tree. I put the bags down and hurried over, trying to follow it. We didn’t have squirrels in New Zealand. This was the first time I’d seen one, and it was the cutest thing ever.

It gathered a nut or something and skittered up the tree, out of view. I looked everywhere for the squirrel, but it stayed out of sight.

I was about to turn back when two sharp brown eyes peered at me from amongst the leafage—a large bird, dark, almost hidden in the shadows of the tree leaves. Bigger than a blackbird. A crow, maybe? It edged backward until it was out of sight in the gloom.

I inhaled sharply and stared into the trees. That bird...

It was a raven.

---