Page 1 of Mercury Rising

CHAPTER ONE

Mercury Morrison opened his eyes. The light seemed to mainline straight into his brain making him wince. Gingerly, he moved. Every muscle cried out in protest.

“Don’t,” his best friend, Lotty, cried out. “My stomach can’t cope with you rocking the bed like that.”

She emerged from under the duvet, her platinum blonde hair sticking out all over the place.

“Shit, you look bad,” Mercury said.

“What about me?”

Their friend, Bobby, lay on Mercury’s other side. He looked marginally better but only because he had much shorter hair than Lotty.

“I don’t think we’re winning any glamour prizes this morning.”

Mercury sat back on his pillows. Lotty snuggled into his side.

“Happy birthday, bestie,” she said, squeezing his arm.

“Happy birthday,” Bobby echoed.

“Thanks, guys, and thank you for staying.”

“Hey,” Lotty said. “It’s a tradition.”

Bobby wriggled up so he was facing them both. “Even when we’re married and ancient, we should still do this. It’s fun.”

They had huge houses at their disposal but Lotty and Bobby had always made sure Mercury had someone to wake up with on his special day.

“Although I don’t know why I don’t get this treatment on my birthday,” Bobby continued.

Lotty reached across and swatted his head.

“Becauseyourmummy wakes you up with fresh coffee and a bacon sandwich in bed.”

“Oh yeah. Where is Madeline this time?”

Mercury reached over Bobby to grab his phone from the nightstand.

“I’ve forgotten,” he said.

He clicked onto the app for his mother’s schedule.

“On a PR tour of Japan.Love Explosion Twois out,” Mercury replied. “Not that she’s spent a birthday with me for ten years. Her schedule is the number one priority in this house.”

He held up the phone before throwing it down on the duvet.

“Only a few years until your thirtieth,” Lotty said. “Maybe she’ll make up for it then.”

Mercury nudged her. “Less of that number, thank you. I don’t mind really. I’d rather be with you two.”

“What did she get you?” Bobby asked.

Mercury shifted. “The usual. She transferred some money into my account.”

Lotty cuddled him. “How about I help you spend it later? I fancy a trip to Harvey Nichols. We’ve not been there for ages.”

Mercury could always be persuaded to visit London’s major designer clothes stores.