Page 238 of Double or Nothing

Jack takes it.

I cover both of theirs with mine.

Borrowed time.

That’s what this is.

A life on loan, ending when tomorrow arrives to collect it.

As much as I try to keep my eyes open, they eventually close.

When morning finds me, I start in horror, as Alice is no longer by my side. Jack is already sitting up in bed, rubbing at his eyes when we hear a cupboard opening in the dressing room.

Alice emerges carrying folded clothes, dressed in soft trousers and a plain jumper. Her hair is tied away from her face.

She doesn’t look like somebody preparing to attend a dinner. She looks like somebody preparing to leave for good.

“Can I borrow a case?” she asks Jack.

He gets out of bed without speaking. Takes a small black case from the wardrobe and places it on the bed

Alice looks down at it.

Her eyes lift to his.

“I need a bigger one.”

“Really?”

There’s a long silence until she nods.

“Fine. I’ll get one for you.”

He places a much larger one down on the floor.

Alice kneels beside the case and opens it. She packs quietly. The clothes that have appeared among Jack’s. A couple of jumpers from one of his drawers. Earrings from the bedside table. Toiletries from the bathroom.

“I’ll get us all a coffee,” Jack says and I go with him.

He can barely look at me, and the worms squirm in my gut. Because I should be doing something. Saying something.

But I don’t.

I’d hate myself for trying to make her stay when the rest of her world relies on her going.

Alice takes her shoes from the hallway, from beside the sofa, even one from beneath the chair. She reaches down to unplug her charger from beside the sofa.

Jack speaks for the first time at that.

“You can leave that,” he says.

“I’ll need it.”

“I’ll buy you one.”

His mouth tightens as she winds up the wire of the charger. I can see the frustration etched on his face.

In the kitchen, the Toastique Pro remains on the island. Standing proud. She still has a coffee on the side, but reaches up into the mug cupboard.