Free My Demon by Lisa Hinsley Page A

cheering up here,” Becky said. She nudged Alex with her shoulder.
    The girls finished their cigarettes in silence.
    Becky sucked her Silk Cut down to the filter and dropped the butt on the pavement. “Why are we here, anyway?” she asked.
    Alex nodded. “I’ve got some bills to pay. Going to be dark in the Walker household otherwise.”
    Becky frowned. She took a deep breath, and linked arms with Alex. “Well, hurry up and get inside.” Bec pulled them towards the entrance of the post office. “Then you’re taking me out for ice cream, you hear? And you’re still paying, I don’t care how miserable you are. You’re going to tell me exactly what’s got to you. Understand?”
    Alex nodded.
    “Do you mind if I stay out here and finish my fag?” She took another from her pack. “Kind of in a chain smoking mood today.” She looked sheepish.
    “That’s fine. See you in a mo,” Alex said, and walked into the post office. Clive was already waiting in the queue, right at the end. Alex rolled her eyes miserably and joined her demon.
    “Thought you’d gone,” she said in a whisper. “Hoped you’d gone.” She kicked at the carpet.
    “No need to sound so disappointed.”
    Alex shrugged.
    “I was giving you some time alone with Becky.” He put an arm around her shoulders.
    “Aren’t you the ever considerate demon.” Alex pulled out of Clive’s hold as the queue stepped forwards.
    “Have you thought about adding your name to the house and utility bills?”
    “Why would I do that?”
    “So you don’t have to pretend to be your mother again.”
    Alex shook her head, frowning. “Why would it matter?”
    “So you can pay things as and when they come in.” Clive spoke slowly, like he was conversing with a child.
    “Oh. Yeah. I suppose it makes sense. How do I do that?”
    A tall black woman stood next in the queue, her face unlined and a perfect shade of chocolate. She wore her hair swept back, the color streaked with grey. She glanced over at Alex. Her dark eyes filled with concern. Her mouth, painted with ruby lipstick, fell open, perhaps about to speak.
    “What’re you staring at?” Alex asked. She put her hands on her hips and frowned.
    Immediately, the woman in front turned back round.
    Clive touched Alex’s arm. “Change the details over the telephone. Pretend to be Lily. It’s not like you don’t imitate her all the time anyway.”
    Alex cocked her head to the side as she considered Clive’s suggestion. It was a reasonable idea, considering the circumstances. The queue moved swiftly, and Alex soon completed her transactions and found her way outside to rejoin Becky. Bec finished smoking her last cigarette, and crumpled the pack in her hand. She let the rubbish drop next to the pile of butts.
    “You shouldn’t litter,” Alex remarked. “Filthy habit.”
    “I’m a filthy kind of girl,” Bec said with a grin.
    The girls strolled arm-in-arm to The Oracle. They made their way out the other end of the shopping center and towards the ice cream parlor. A canal divided two strips of restaurants. People milled about, sat in the sun on the steps leading down to the water, eating, smoking, and chatting. They entered the Häagen Dazs shop and ordered a triple scoop cup each. With their cups of ice cream, they settled down in a booth at the back.
    “I’m sorry you lost your job.” Alex tried to keep her voice level. How would she speak if she didn’t know the truth? How would she say things differently? She poked her spoon into a scoop of caramel chew-chew.
    “You sound guilty.” Becky sucked on a spoonful of mint chocolate chip.
    “Uh…” Alex couldn’t think of an answer, and for once wished that Clive would pop out of nowhere and feed her some asinine line. He’d disappeared after she paid her bills, made his usual excuse about being needed elsewhere before puffing out of the post office in a cloud of red smoke.
    Becky nodded. “I understand. It’s survivor’s syndrome or