Chapter 2
Missy turned the keys on the lock and and turned the knob once. Nothing. Applying a little force with her right shoulder the door gave way, letting the midday light invade the hallway of the broad house that she had been living on for the last three years.
Moving had seemed like a good move, the occupation of choosing a new property and decorating it had been a good distraction in the first few months, but it had been a limited project and now, despite being perfectly within her standards, she did not find her home cozy or welcoming.
She let go of Ruffles's collar and the border collie ran toward the kitchen for a well-deserved sip of water, followed soon by the owner. It was a few hours before her next shift began, so she set the bags down on the kitchen table and set a kettle on the stove.
She fished her cell phone inside her purse to check the message box. Then she put the phone in the living voice mode and began storing the groceries in the cabinets and in the refrigerator.
"Hello, Beauty. I just talked to Sarah Jane, this weekend is her birthday, and we'll come to her house for a little party. I hope you understand that I'm not inviting you. I'll be there to pick you up at six-thirty p.m., so be ready. See ya!"
As always Jack Harkness's voice sounded lively and fun and for a few seconds it filled the whole kitchen. Ruffles sat next the table with his ears raised and listening to the voices as he watched his mistress.
They'd known each other since college, Jack and her. On the first day of class, the moment you enter an absolutely unsafe room and not quite knowing how to behave, their eyes met and immediately enchanted each other. And how not to? Jack had that morbid, amusing mood that matched hers. Both were applied and the two knew how to enjoy the crazy life. And how crazy life was.
They split a small apartment near the college in the last few years, until they followed different paths in the residence and she became engaged to Ian.
The cell phone beeped loudly, bringing her attention back to the device. There was another message, which began automatically.
"Missy, it's Sarah Jane. How are you? We all miss you. My brother is finally in town and as it is my birthday so my John convinced me to make a little party, just us, you and Jack. He told me you doesn't work on Saturday nights so come on, please. We really miss you."
She thought for a moment how to escape that situation. Maybe she could change her schedule and work on Saturday, that would stop her from going on Sarah's birthday, but knowing her friends she knew they did not give up that easy. If they have not given up on her in the last few years, they certainly wouldn't give up on her now.
Sarah Jane had come into her life of fright about a twelve years ago, like a great and pleasant surprise. She was on duty when the journalist bumped into her as she tried to sneak out the hospital. Missy did not know why she resolved to help her, but there was determination in her, and the certainty in her words convinced the doctor of what she should do. The next moment they hid Sarah under the table in her office and misled the hospital director.
She later discovered that funds for the construction of a new wing were being diverted and that Sarah Jane was there to investigate some of the director's suspicious actions. Since then they had become close and soon it was common for they to enjoy weekend lunchs or summer barbecues with the kids.
She felt a lump in her throat. Spending time with Jack and Sarah always brought back memories she wanted to suffocate at all costs, but she knew she could not run away forever. Sooner or later, if she kept dodging the invitations, the two would break into her house and drag her out.
Ruffles stretched himself on the cold floor of the kitchen without taking his eyes off her and exhaled. Even the dog seemed to know what was best for her.
"I know, you think I should go. Okay, since they want me that much, I will. " She told the dog completely against it.
"I cannot believe you're finally here!" Sarah Jane's voice reverberated through the entrance hall of the mansion as she threw her arms around her brother's neck and squeezed him.
John immediately regretted going there, but nevertheless returned the hug in the most polite way he could, giving small and quick pat on the back of his sister.
"Okay, okay, no need to choke me, little sister. Let me go now. " He said, pulling away from his sister's embrace. Funny that for someone who loved to save lives, physical contact was not something he really appreciated.
"How dare you take so long to come back home? Your nephews should not even remember you by now." She mumbled as she closed the door and walked toward the kitchen.
He wandered behind her, looking around. The old house on Bannerman Road was just like his memories, the walls were the same color and the furniture was the same from his childhood. Getting in there was like entering a parallel universe and falling back into the past.
His gaze focused on the staircase, expecting to see himself and his sister hurrying down the stairs as they always did, but the house was quiet and they were no longer kids.
"Where is everybody?"
"In the attic, John has built a metal dog and is there with the boys trying to program it so it does not bump into the furniture." Sarah Jane explained as if build dogs were the most natural thing possible.
His brother-in-law was an eccentric man and in common the two had only the name. John Smith was an utterly banal name, but while he was Doctor Smith, or just the Doctor, as he liked to be called, his brother-in-law was Mr. Smith. A tall man with big blue eyes and a heap of curls dangling from his head. He was always building bizarre things with his head in the clouds, but he was a fun, easy-going guy. It was not hard to like him.
"Have you finished moving?" She asked as she cleaned some space at the kitchen table. It was a fact that everything was an absolute mess, with papers all over the place and countless stacks occupying the entire table top.
Not even he, whose life had always involved boxes and moving around, had already had a kitchen in that state. Lie, he had lived in places that were absolutely uncluttered, in a real chaos of scattered objects, but this is normal when one lives alone and spends more time working than in fact at home.
When one is passionate about one's profession as he was, his house was merely a place to sleep. For that reason he had spent the last 15 years traveling and studying, first spent five years with Doctors without Borders in Africa, from there he left for Italy, Portugal, Vienna, then went to Australia and ended up in Brazil, where he spent the last three years.
"More or less, some boxes have not yet arrived from Rio Grande." He remarked as he watched his sister move around the kitchen with extreme agility.
"I cannot believe how you managed to live this nomadic life for so long." Sarah set down slices of English cake and cups of tea on the table before him and seated in front of John.
He watched his sister for a few seconds. Although she was about to turn 40 and with two children, Sarah Jane still looked like a girl, with her curious eyes and easy smile. Sitting there he realized that he had missed her.
"Well, I like traveling, meeting places, people, learning new things. You would have liked Brazil, lively people, always willing and with the habit of telling all about their lives without even knowing your name. That would fit to you like a glove." His comment made her laugh lightly behind the teacup.
"It would save me a lot of job if people here were like that too." She took a long sip and like him, she studied him back. "So you finally decided to come back to England."
"Fifteen years away seems like enough time." He said with a shrug. It was the truth, he had finally missed home, so when he found a suitable job at a hospital in London he packed up and left on the first plane. Sarah Jane seemed to expect more than that. He could imagine her brain listing a list with innumerable possibilities that would make him return home. "I just wanted to come back, without any other obscure reason. I swear."
"If it's a lie I'll find out anyway, you know that." She said with a smug smirk. "Saturday night Jack and Missy will be here for my birthday, I want you to come. I'll finally be able to introduce you to her! "
"Sarah Jane ..." John rolled his eyes and said in a warning tone. Why did people insist on presenting him to women? It was not like he was some kind of monk, but what's the problem with being single after forty?
"It's not what you're thinking. I'm not trying to fool you into a blind date or trying to play cupid, Missy is not that kind of woman. I just think it's absurd that we have been friends for so long and you do not know her, especially having Jack as a mutual friend. She's a doctor too, might be good to have her as an acquaintance, maybe a contact even." She explained earnestly, without elaborating.
"No funny business?" He asked suspiciously, trying to locate some trace on his sister's face that indicated excuses, but found nothing.
"No funny business, I swear."
"Fine then." Spend saturday night with family and friends would not be so bad after all. Sarah Jane was all smiles when he looked up to her.
