Page 43 of Mine before Dawn
Then she sighed heavily.
Her sharp eyes moved between James and Asha.
“Do ya know what you're doin’, lad?”
James answered immediately.
“Yeah. I know what I want.”
Something in his voice made the older woman study him for another long moment. Then, surprisingly, she nodded as if something monumental was decided.
“Alright then.”
She turned to Tanay and softened visibly.
“Come on then, ducky. I’ve got a proper cake downstairs.”
Tanay slid off the chair quickly. But before he followed her, he looked up at James with solemn brown eyes far too serious for his age.
“Don’t hurt my mum, James.”
James considered that and slowly he crouched down in front of the boy. And very quietly he said—
“I promise I won’t. Cross my heart.”
Tanay examined him carefully as though weighing the truth of that promise.
Finally, he gave a tiny satisfied nod. He took Mrs. Burton’s hand and let her lead him toward the stairs.
Halfway down she called back loudly—
“I’ll send ‘im back in an hour!”
“Make it two!” James shouted after her.
“Don’t push yer luck, lad!” she barked back immediately followed by the slam of her front door. Then, the stairwell fell quiet.
And suddenly it was only the two of them again.
Asha stood rigid beside the table and James by the door.
The room felt thick with all the things neither of them knew how to say. They faced each other like gladiators entering an arena.
Neither spoke.
Asha stood rigid beside the table wondering if her breathing sounded as loud to him as it did to her. Fury and humiliation twisted together with impossible longing inside her until she could barely breathe.
James watched her with that same burning look in his eyes.
Then as if she couldn't take the standoff any longer, her eyes slid away and she hissed.
“You need to leave.”
“Aye, an' pigs might fly, love.”
The calm certainty of it enraged her.
“This is my house...mine...You do not get to come here and—”
