Mei's Pov
He called her on a Friday morning.
She was in her kitchen making tea when her phone rang and she saw Damien's name on the screen, which was not something that had happened before. They communicated through Aria or through estate visits. He had never called her directly.
She answered.
"Are you free this morning," he said.
"Why."
"I need to talk to you about something."
She looked at her tea. "Is Aria alright."
"Aria is fine. She's at the hospital." A pause. "This is about Aria. Not.....nothing is wrong. I need to ask you something."
Mei was quiet for a moment.
"Come here then," she said. "I'll make tea."
He arrived at eleven.
She let him in and looked at his face and understood immediately that whatever this was, it was costing him something to do it. Damien Blackwood did not make himself vulnerable easily. She'd observed that for months. He did it for Aria, carefully and in private, but it didn't come naturally and she could always see the effort of it.
