Where The Shadows Bleed
The Present
Huxley Henderson
Okay, Hux, you can do this. Just ask Charlie to choose a gift for Joanna and wrap it up. No biggie. Cillian won't mind whatever you give his mate, so long as it's a good gift. Charlie will help, no worries.
Huxley Henderson
*exhales*
Huxley Henderson
Don't. ****. It. Up, Hux...
Huxley Henderson
*opens the door to the gift shop*
Huxley Henderson
Hey, Char...
Huxley Henderson
*stops in his track*
Meher
Good evening, sir. How may I help you?
Huxley Henderson
*clears throat*
Huxley Henderson
Hello, you're new.
Meher
I'm Charlie's new assistant. I joined today.
Huxley Henderson
*remembers the Help Wanted sign from a few days ago outside Charlie's shop*
Huxley Henderson
(That was fast.)
Huxley Henderson
Oh, well... *rubs the back of his neck*
Huxley Henderson
Where's Charlie?
Meher
She went home to take care of little Roxie. She'll be back in an hour, hopefully after Roxie falls asleep.
Huxley Henderson
(She knows about little Roxie, that means she's legit. Maybe she can help?)
Huxley Henderson
Okay... um... *searches for a name tag on her chest*
Huxley Henderson
*realizes he's been staring at her chest for too long*
Meher
My name is Meher, sir. Charlie didn't have time to give me a name tag. But I assure you, I can do whatever it is she does.
Huxley Henderson
Okay, so um...
Huxley Henderson
(Get a grip, Hux! You're the fucking beta of the Wardingham pack. If you are the only one who can handle Cillian's explosive wrath and backbreaking tasks, you can handle a petite brown woman... who's gorgeous and small and sexy and... Okay, focus!)
Huxley Henderson
*smiles nervously*
Huxley Henderson
My boss's wife's birthday is coming up. The boss is super busy, so he tasked me to get him a good gift to give his wife. They got together last year.
Huxley Henderson
(Okay, this is where you judge those horny kids for marrying immediately after learning they're each other's mates. Go on, go ahead.)
Meher
Wonderful. May I know her name?
Huxley Henderson
Joanna Davis.
Meher
May I see a picture of her? If you have any?
Huxley Henderson
Oh, okay. Wait, I think I do.
Huxley Henderson
*brings out his cellphone and finds the group photo from last month at the bonfire*
Meher
*takes the phone and squints at the photo*
Meher
The woman with a sleeveless turtleneck and long hair?
Huxley Henderson
That's her.
Huxley Henderson
(Already our mother hen, or mother wolf?)
Huxley Henderson
So, what do you think a woman like her would like?
Huxley Henderson
(Okay, this is awkward.)
Meher
*opens eyes*
*smiles*
Meher
I have just the thing for her. A special gift basket.
Meher
I have it in the back. It has all the essential things she'll need in the coming days and I assure you, she'll find it useful and practical. Would you like to see it?
Huxley Henderson
Any lady products?
Huxley Henderson
Why don't you wrap it with all the pretty papers and ribbons you got there and I'll just handle the card and the cash?
Meher
*goes to the back of the shop behind a curtain of colourful beads and glasses shards*
Huxley Henderson
*texts Cillian*
Huxley Henderson
yo Alpha, got just da thing for Jo
Cillian Kendrick
where u at?
Huxley Henderson
charlie's
Huxley Henderson
like u told me
Cillian Kendrick
good, come back to base as soon as u r done
Huxley Henderson
Okie dokie 😁
Meher
*comes back holding a large gift basket wrapped elegantly in a pink and purple paper and red ribbons*
Huxley Henderson
So, how much is it?
Meher
That'll be $350.75, sir.
Huxley Henderson
Hey, call me Huxley.
Huxley Henderson
*pulls out the credit card Cillian handed him this morning*
Meher
I'm afraid I can't call you by your first name, sir. It's against the shop's policy.
Meher
*takes the credit card and swipes it through the machine*
*their fingers brush and both gasp from feeling a light zap of electricity*
*Meher steps back*
Meher
My apologies, sir. Here you go.
Huxley Henderson
*blinks and glances at his fingertips*
Huxley Henderson
(What the **** was that!?)
Huxley Henderson
Oh, uh, thanks.
Meher
Have a nice evening, sir. Do come back.
Huxley Henderson
*walks out in a daze*
*the bell above the shop door chirps and pulls him out of his daze*
Huxley Henderson
*remembers Meher*
Huxley Henderson
*turns around*
Meher
*turns the shop sign from Open to Closed while meeting his gaze*
Huxley Henderson
*holds her gaze*
*sound of an incoming text*
Cillian Kendrick
come back ASAP
*at Joanna's birthday party*
Huxley Henderson
Happy birthday, Jo.
Huxley Henderson
*hands her the gift basket*
Joanna Davis
Wow! So big! Did you buy it?
Huxley Henderson
Oh no, it's from Alpha. I just bought it from Charlie's.
Joanna Davis
Oh okay. For a second I feared it was from you.
Huxley Henderson
Hey, now, wait a minute. I'm good at giving people gifts.
Cillian Kendrick
*snickers*
Huxley Henderson
What?! It's true! Come on, Alpha, you loved that pair of combat boots I got you!
Cillian Kendrick
It was two sizes too small.
Joanna Davis
Stop it, guys. It's my birthday today. No fighting. And I'm taking this gift from both of you.
Cillian Kendrick
*whispers* You better not **** this up for me, kid.
Huxley Henderson
I swear she'll love it.
Joanna Davis
*opens the paper and the ribbon*
*the gift basket contains baby products e.g. ****** pump, blanket, diaper bags, diapers, feeder bottle, etc*
Joanna Davis
*begins to sniffle*
Joanna Davis
*sobs full on*
Cillian Kendrick
HUX-LEE!!!
Cillian Kendrick
*grabs Huxley's collars and shakes him, claws out and digging into Huxley's shirt*
Cillian Kendrick
WHAT THE **** DID I TELL YOU? HUH? NO FUCKING UP JO'S GIFT!!!
Huxley Henderson
*thrashes under Cillian's rage*
Huxley Henderson
Alpha, I can explain!
Cillian Kendrick
*growls* YOU MADE JO UPSET!! SHE'S CRYING ON HER BIRTHDAY BECAUSE OF YOU!!!
Cillian Kendrick
*shakes Huxley*
Joanna Davis
*sniffles, then wipes her face*
Joanna Davis
Stop. Don't fight.
Cillian Kendrick
*drops Huxley and rushes to her side*
Cillian Kendrick
Baby, I'm so sorry. I told him to bring you some sentimental gift and he fucked it up...
Joanna Davis
It's okay, babe. I'm not mad. Or upset.
Joanna Davis
Okay, a little bit upset but only because I wasn't expecting this.
Joanna Davis
*stands up and goes to Huxley*
Joanna Davis
How did you know?
Huxley Henderson
Know what?
Cillian Kendrick
What is it, baby?
Huxley Henderson
Jo, Alpha... I swear to God, I know nothing. Okay? I went to Charlie's as you told me to... *looks at Cillian* and I got Jo a gift basket I thought she'd love.
Joanna Davis
But how did you know?
Huxley Henderson
I know nothing, okay. I didn't even choose this basket.
Joanna Davis
So, Charlie chose this? How did she know?
Huxley Henderson
It wasn't Charlie either.
Cillian Kendrick
Now you're straight up lying, beta. If not you, then definitely Charlie. If not Charlie, definitely you. Either...or.
Huxley Henderson
I'm telling the truth, Alpha. Charlie didn't choose this. Neither did I. It was this girl, this assistant Charlie got because looking after Roxie was getting too much...
Huxley Henderson
*realizes he's rambling*
Huxley Henderson
*takes a deep breath and calms down*
Huxley Henderson
Okay, I went to Charlie's as you told me, Alpha. I went there but she wasn't there. Instead, there was this girl, a mousy, petite girl with black hair and brown skin. May-something was her name. I can't remember. Anyway, she told me she's the new shop assistant and was hired that day. She had no name tag because she was hired that day. Anyway, she told me Charlie went home to look after Roxie for an hour and left her in charge of the shop. I didn't know what to get Jo, so I told her about Jo and showed her that group photo we took last month at the beach. She said she got a great gift for Jo and went to the back and got it for her, all wrapped up and ribbons on. I paid her with your card and left.
Huxley Henderson
*collapses on a chair from all the stress*
*everyone's silent for some time*
Joanna Davis
How did she know?
Joanna Davis
She said she's new?
Joanna Davis
I don't know any shop assistant Charlie got. I haven't seen any new faces in this town either.
Cillian Kendrick
We'd know if there was.
Joanna Davis
*mutters* How did she know?
Cillian Kendrick
Know what, baby?
Joanna Davis
*deep breath*
Joanna Davis
I didn't get my period last month. You know, I can be irregular sometimes. What with PCOS and all. So I didn't care. But I'm late this month too. So, I took a test this morning. It was positive.
*everyone in the room silently staring at her*
Cillian Kendrick
You're pregnant...
Cillian Kendrick
Oh my God!!!
Cillian Kendrick
*sweeps Joanna off her feet and whirls her around*
Cillian Kendrick
YOU'RE PREGNANT! YOU'RE PREGNANT!!
Joanna Davis
Okay, okay, now put me down. You'll drop me.
Cillian Kendrick
*pulls her closer*
Cillian Kendrick
Never! I'll never drop you.
Cillian Kendrick
*puts her down and wraps an arm around her waist*
Joanna Davis
*kisses Cillian*
Joanna Davis
Okay, now on more important matter...
Joanna Davis
*turns to Huxley*
Joanna Davis
Tell me about this shop assistant.
Joanna Davis
What does she look like?
Huxley Henderson
*thinks harder*
Huxley Henderson
I told you all I know. She's small but not skinny, long black hair, brown skin. She wore faded jeans and a t-shirt under the apron. That's it.
Cillian Kendrick
What's her name?
Huxley Henderson
May-something. It was no typical name.
Huxley Henderson
She's not white like us.
Joanna Davis
But I told nobody. Not even Kira and she's my best friend. Not even Cillian. I was planning on doing this after the party. How did this girl I never met know I'm pregnant?
*everyone's silent and thinking hard*
Huxley Henderson
How about I visit Charlie tomorrow and ask the girl?
Cillian Kendrick
Good idea.
Cillian Kendrick
The sooner we solve this, the better. And you better get to the bottom of this, beta. I don't want an outsider privy to my private details.
Huxley Henderson
Okay, Alpha.
*the next day, at Charlie's shop*
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
Hey, Hux. Long time, no see.
Huxley Henderson
Hey, Char. How's little Roxie?
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
She's finally asleep today. Not been sleeping much the last two days. God, once I get someone as the shop assistant...
Huxley Henderson
Wait, what?
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
What?
Huxley Henderson
You don't... have a shop assistant?
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
God, no! Nobody responded to my ad yet. I'm so sleep deprived.
Huxley Henderson
Then, who was that girl the other day?
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
What girl?
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
*more alert* Did anyone come into my shop when I wasn't around?
Huxley Henderson
*looks at Charlie and the dark circles under her red shot eyes*
Huxley Henderson
*pities her and decides not to worry her*
Huxley Henderson
It's nothing. I must've confused your shop with... uh...
Huxley Henderson
Never mind. Do you need me to babysit Roxie? I can do that. Cillian doesn't need me at least for another two hours.
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
*sighs* You're a godsend, Hux.
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
*hands him the key to her apartment*
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
Make sure she burps at least once after you feed her the milk. Now, I've measured...
Charlotte "Charlie" Brown
*prattles on*
Huxley Henderson
*not listening*
Huxley Henderson
(So, who was that girl?)
Huxley Henderson
(And how the hell did she know Jo's pregnancy before any of us did?)
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