Strings of Fate

26- Schedules and sick days | tap Darrien on the arm to letsee. He moves to the side a little to reveal Maggie's grandson Logan. The eleven year old looks pale and sweaty. His blond hair is almost plastered to his head. He's bundled up in a thick jacket and looks completely miserable.

“Logan!” | shove Darrien out the way, he moves aside which is good becausepushing him likely had little effect.

“Sweetie, are you okay? You look a mess. Where's your mum? What are you doing here? You didn’t walk here did you?” | stop myself to give him a chance to answer. His usually confident tone that remindsso much of Maggie is quiet.

“I'm too sick for school so mum drovehere because she has to go to work. | knocked and waited a while but | don’t think Nana is home. Do you think you could call her forplease?” The poor thing looks dreadful. I've always liked Logan. He was only nine the first twe met and although my unusual eyes made him uncomfortable at first, he got used to them and now he treatsnormally.

“Of course I'll call her. But first cin and sit down.” | order. He compliantly steps inside and sits at the table. | grab my phone and select Maggie from my speed dial. It rings a few times but she doesn’t answer. | hang up. | guess I'll just have to keep Logan here withuntil she comes back from wherever she is. | would guess probably the markets.

“Sweetie, she didn’t answer. Your Nana is probably shopping and didn’t hear her phone. She thinks you're at school and isn’t expecting you. You can stay here withuntil she comes. hokay?” | tell him. Logan nods, he looks a little uncomfortable but | don’t have a better alternative for him. He keeps sending sideways looks towards Darrien.

“Oh don’t worry about him. He only looks big and scary. He's a big softie, aren’t you Darrien?” | poke Darrien’s arm. To my surprise, Darrien smiles and kneels down so he’s closer to Logan's height while he is sitting in the chair.

“Hi, I'm Darrien.” He holds out a hand to the little boy. Logan contemplates it for a moment before taking Darrien’s hand and shaking it. He might be a little frightened but he is always such a polite kid. He opens his mouth then closes it again.

1/400 “Do you want to say something Logan? It’s okay.” | tell him gently. He looks over atthen back to Darrien who is still kneeling beside him.

“You're a Magic like Ryann aren't you?” he blurts out. He then blushes, but he’s so pale and ill looking that it looks more like he has been running a marathon than anything else. Darrien nods.

“I'm a Magic, but not the sas Ryann. I'm a Shifter.” He explains. Logan's eyes open wide.

“What kind?” He asks. Darrien seems a little taken aback.

“Kind?” he repeats. Logan nods.

“Aren’t there different kinds of Shifters? My Nana says there is. She says I'm not allowed to ask to see but she didn’t say | couldn’t ask what kind.” He adds as an afterthought. | smile. Darrien nods seriously.

“Your Nana is a very clever lady. I'm a feline Shifter. That means | turn into a big cat.” Logan nods his understanding. His nervousness seems to have been replaced with curiosity. Who knew Darrien was so good with kids? I'm glad, for Megan's sake, assuming she wants kids. | think she does based on how she interacted with them while givingmy tour. | decide to step in before Logan has Darrien playing twenty questions.

“Logan, | want you to clie down. I'll bring you sorange juice and if you promise to be patient while you wait for your Nana I'll let you watch a movie on my laptop okay?” Logan givesa smile and nods.

“Okay, thank you Ryann. | promise not to be in the way.” My heart melts.

“Oh sweetie, you won't be in the way. Con, let's get you settled in.” | lead him into my bedroom and get him tucked in under the blankets. I'll have to change them when he heads. home. He looks so tiny in the bed. | pull out my laptop and help Logan choose a movie. He picks Spiderman and | set it up. My phone starts to ring. | grab it and glance at the screen, it's Bellamy.

“Logan sweetie, I'm gonna go to the kitchen to answer this call. I'll cwatch the movie with you in a bit. You start without me. I'll bring back that orange juice too.” | promise. | hop up and head quickly into the other room. I leave my bedroom door open so | can keep an eye on Logan. | answer the call “Darrien tested. Is everything okay?” He demands before | can even greet him.

“Everything is fine Hellamy, Maggie's grandson is sick and his mum didn’t realise that Maggie isn't home. He's watching Spiderman in my room as we speak.” | inform him..

“Do you need anything?” he asks.

“Nah, we're fine. Thanks though.” | assure him.

“What about your work? You have a shift starting at 12 don’t you?” “I say “Well yes, although it’s a little weird that you know that since | never told you. pointedly, Bellamy is silent for a moment. When he speaks again, his tone is unapologetic.

“| asked about your schedule when | spoke to your workplace. | needed to know when you would be available.

Plus | wanted to make sure you would get Saturday off.” He explains.

“You could have just askedwhen I'm working.” | point out.

“I guess.” Bellamy answers vaguely. He changes the topic and | let it drop for now.

“So what will you do about work? | can ask someone to watch the boy if you want.” “It’s sweet of you to offer but I think Logan will be more comfortable with me. He knowsand the poor thing in having a rough day. If | haven't heard from Maggie in the next hour or so I'll just call in sick to work. | have plenty of sick days saved up. I'll give them a couple hours notice so they can get someone to cover for me.” | tell him.

“If that’s what you would prefer. Do you wantto call them?” he offers. | roll my eyes.

Bellamy, there is nothing dangerou about this situation. | don't need you ag f .

to fix it for me. I'm perfectly fingam completely capable aking a oho AID work. Thanks for checking up onbut I'm going to go now. I'll talk to you later.” | hang up on him without giving him a chance : ) to answer. | am not a child. | don't need him to micromanage my life for

me. | drop my phone on the bench but | make sure the sound is turned up so I'll hear if Maggie callsback. As an after thought I pick it back up and leave her a quick text explaining the situation. Next, | grab a glass and pour Logan a glass of orange juice. When | look up, | notice Darrien staring at me. He looks amused. “What?” | ask defensively. He just shakes his head. | roll my eyes and decide to ignore him. | grab the juice and deliver it to Logan. Then, | settle in beside him to watch a superhero movie. | invite Darrien to join us and he comes and sits on the floor. | frown at him.

“You can sit up here.” | tell him. He shakes his head at me.

Alpha Kane wouldn't like it.” He responds. | roll my eyes at him but decide not to push the matter, it would make the bed crowded anyway. Logan manages to finish the juice and by the tthe movie ends he is pretty much asleep. | put the laptop away and carefully get up. | cover him with fe pepketead” réom barrens Seg ant thevroor. Darrien silently follows me. A glance at my phone . ) shows that Maggie hasn't answered so | make a call into work. Thankfully, Amber is the shift manager today.

She's part oracle, she only really sees events which affect her own life those she’s close to, but she is always on top of everything and is rarely caught by surprise which makes her a pretty good supervisor.

She arranged for my replacement when Borderline first opened this morning for breakfast. Long before Logan ever showed up at my door.

She even putdown for sick leave ) though she clearly knows I'm not , sick. I'm glad | didn't cause her too much trouble. That out of the way, | take a seat at the table where Darrien is already waiting. He's been shootingcurious glances since he cinto my room earlier.