The Middle Child Read Free

arm around her.  The tears stopped and her breathing returned to normal.  The body heat of Catherine and fatigue pulled at her eyelids.
         "Mom pushed me out of the bed," she said, moving closer into Catherine.
         "Don’t think about it.  She just hates sharing the bed."
         "She said that the monster…"
         "Shhh," Catherine soothed, stroking her hair.  "Go back to sleep and I promise the monster won't get you tonight.  I'll look after you."
         And her sister had kept the first part of her promise.  But not the second.
         She growled out loud and pushed away any thoughts of her blood ties.  Her mind would not accept the word family.
         Alex appreciated the reprieve of the girl being in the bathroom.  She could feel that her facial muscles had slackened under the pressure of the memory but she needed them firm and harsh.
         She readied herself for the inevitable questions before the girl finally took her leave.
         "Can I take your number?"
         "Will I see you again?"
         Alex shook her head.  Why did it have to be this way?  Why couldn’t people just accept a casual fuck for what it was?  She resented being put in the position of having to say No and appear heartless but inevitably it ended that way with the inexperienced type. 
         Her normal type was rough, energetic and gone by sunrise.  On the rare occasions that she found herself in someone else’s flat she made her excuses by five am.  It was only polite.
         Alex stiffened slightly as the bathroom door opened.  For a few moments she had relaxed back into her own company.  Her favourite place to be.
         "So, can I see you tonight?"
         "No."
         "At the weekend?"
         "No."
         "But…"
         "For fuck’s sake, just piss off, will you?" Alex roared.  The studio flat was tiny enough.  Two people in it made her claustrophobic.
         A pang of regret bit at her as the girl padded to the door carrying her shoes but it wasn’t strong enough to prompt her to change her mind.  She felt bad but not that bad.
         The door closed and with her domain her own again, Alex breathed a sigh of relief, wondering if it was worth it.  So often, these days, the chicks wanted breakfast in bed and a lifetime commitment.  She’d already been there, done that, bought the t-shirt and burned it.
         "Fucking commitment," Alex growled as she lit her first cigarette of the day.  She drew in and exhaled deeply.  Her first fag and coffee was something that she shared with no-one, not even Nikki.  Even then Alex had risen half an hour before her lover.
         As she swallowed her first mouthful of coffee a gentle knock sounded on the door.  "For fuck’s sake," Alex shouted.  Didn’t the stupid cow have enough taxi fare?  She threw the door open her face a mask of anger.  It quickly dissolved into a smile when she saw Jay, her best friend, lounging against the door frame.
         "There’d better be a muffin to go with that good coffee you’re carrying or you can piss off," she said walking away from the open door.
         "As if I’d grace your doorstep at this time in the morning without gifts," he said, kicking the door shut behind him.  He placed the cardboard cups on the kitchen counter and delved into his jacket pocket.  "Blueberry," he offered.
         She nodded approvingly taking the muffin from him.  The aroma of warm dough and fruit made her mouth water.
         Jay retrieved a similar bag from his other pocket.  "Oh, how civilised," he chuckled as he removed the lids from the coffee.  Alex sniffed at the fresh aroma and threw her home made instant down the sink.    
         Jay sniffed the air, dramatically.  "Is that the scent of a cheap tart, I smell?"
         "Yeah, but she’s gone now."
         "I was talking about you, darling."
         Alex gave him the finger and bit into the