Chapter 16

Abel wakes up to Cassandra's work cellphone ringing in the hall. While he doesn't hate the song she picked for it he'd rather not hear it as the first thing on a day off. As he tries to sit up he notices Cassandra clutching him in her sleep, refusing to let go. A strong fit of headache gives him shivers as it starts pounding his head like a hammer.

'Give me a break, I barely had any last night', he mutters to himself in his mind as he manages to crawl out of the bed without waking up his sleeping partner. He walks to the hall as smoothly as he can as not to intensify the waves of pain in his head.

"Willems residence", he speaks to the phone after grabbing it from Cassandra's jacket.

"Abel? Is this you?"

"Linnea? Why are you calling, at this hour? And where did you get this number?"

"It was on a note next to the phone. But that's not what's important right now! Mom's gone!"

"She's gone? How?"

"We woke up to her closing the door".

"I think she's coming to you", Thomas interrupts his sister, "I mean, where else could she go?".

Abel presses his fingers to his forehead. "Just what I needed".

"You two, go to the kitchen and make yourselves something to eat, I'll talk to her", he tells the twins, ending the call before they can answer. He grabs a few tablets of aspirin, barely swallowing one and leaving the rest for Cassandra on her bedside table, along with a glass of water.

He barely manages to get dressed as he hears a knock on the door, followed by a ring on the speaker. He presses the button, immediately switching to the phone to keep the noise to minimum.

"I know it's you, Sila"

"Why did you leave me alone last night? I was lonely."

"You have your kids, you should be in the train by now."

"Oh, don't be so cold."

"You can drop them off to your sister or something, just take care of this."

"And then what? Be left by myself for another ten months?"

"Look, I really, really don't need this right now. My head's pounding like crazy and I'm tired as all hell. I know you can do this."

"Can I at least get a kiss before I leave?"

"A hug."

As he opens the door Sila runs into his arms and almost squeezes the life out of him.

"You smell nice", she tells him.

"Hmph."

He quickly hugs her back, then slowly pushes her away.

"Now, if you don't mind me I'll go back to sleeping my headache away."

"I'll remember this!", Sila screams as Abel closes the door, causing him to twitch as the pounding in his head worsens.

He walks back to bed, relieved to find Cassandra still sleeping there, tucks himself in and manages to fall asleep again.