Read Online Seven Point Eight by Marie A. Harbon - Free Book Online Page B

Cry’ in the background.
    She replied with a compliment. “And you’re turning into a handsome young man, I’m sure you’ll have no shortage of girlfriends.”
    “As long as they’re like you, and are as intelligent as you.”
    She averted her eyes for a moment, trying to deal with the strange feelings his comment churned up. How could he think like that?
    “Sam, I love you as a member of the family. I know I’ve played a huge role in your childhood, but, you’re my cousin….”
    “ Adopted cousin, remember?” he pointed out.
    Yes, adopted. They both knew that all too well. Her parentage had become a sensitive issue since Caroline had told her about the adoption years ago, just as the hidden identity of Sam’s mother gnawed at him occasionally.
    He moved closer to her and placed one hand on her hip. She paused, bottle of wine still in her hand, unsure what to think. Sam placed her hand on his stomach, and began to sing along with the music, referring to the lyrics.
    “Can you feel how my stomach trembles inside?”
    His infatuation confused her, it being so direct and unexpected. He continued singing along and enjoyed the feel of her hand on his stomach. As he received no rebuttal, he began to move her hand further down his body, and a little thrill of sexual arousal tingled throughout her nervous system.
    This is so wrong.
    Her sister, Annette, burst onto the scene, thankfully not excruciatingly drunk. At this point Sam pulled away, a little embarrassed and feeling his moment had been cruelly deflated. As much as Ava wanted Sam’s company, his unexpected romantic interest had disturbed her deeply and thrown up some confusing feelings. Nettie provided a much needed distraction.
    “Life has turned upside down this summer!” she declared.
    Ava became fascinated by the drama and mystery. “Is this concerning your latest travels?”
    “Well, sort of.”
    “Where have you been this time?”
    “To another freaking dimension! Seeing as it’s the summer of love, I took part in a little drug experimentation…”
    In the background the music changed to Bon Jovi, ‘Living on a Prayer’, to which Jason and Emma began to sing along in their semi drunken state.
      “Drugs???” Ava blurted out, shocked.
    “Shhhh! Don’t let mum hear, it was just LSD.”
    “Just LSD?” Ava lowered her voice. “Why would you do that?”
    Annette rolled her eyes. “To free my mind, you really should try it. The colours are amazing and when it peaks, everything you think is so profound, and the hallucinations really are out of this world. I sat in someone’s house after a party, and the carpet was just writhing with snakes.”
    “Snakes?”
    Warning sirens began to sound in Ava’s head.
    Nettie takes acid and sees snakes.
    I saw snakes today, in the roasting tin.
    Coincidence?
    Ava made wild connections, or were they wild?
    Am I tripping on LSD, or something?
    Nothing made sense anymore. Surely someone hadn’t been spiking her drinks or food, had they?

          

4
    Forlorn Genius

    There was nothing more Sam hated than coming home to an empty house, but he’d gotten used to it. However, he still hated the solitude. The quietness of the house sometimes disturbed him, for in these silent moments, the nightmares came. They’d plagued him all his life and he’d never learned to deal with them. Now he was almost an adult, and he missed the feeling of family Caroline had given him as a child. All his father had offered was an empty house and an empty heart.
    Sam’s father’s place was a large town house in the suburbs of north London . Quintessentially Victorian, it had a double bay window at the front and dormer window at the top. Sam never used the front of the house and entered through the back, a little tired after Ava’s birthday meal. He unlocked the door and entered the kitchen, moving through to open the double doors between this room and the next, which created an open plan living area.
    When he looked into