Chapter 84


    Two Years Ago


    Corby leans back against his patrol car, sipping bad coffee from a paper cup.


    He surveys the City, alive all around him, the ebb and flow of humanity.


    Couriers whizz by on scooters and bikes. Office workers bustle by with phone pressed to their ears.


    Solicitors and barristers stroll to the courts, files in hand, arguing earnestly as they walk. Tramps and


    hobos take shelter in doorways against the looming clouds


    Tall, short, young, old, male, female. ck, white, brown, yellow. They’re all here.


    No redheads.


    He nces skywards then turns up his cor against the rain which begins to fall inrge fat sts to


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    the sidewalk.


    Perhaps he should work towards a promotion? Something that would take him to a desk and warm


    office?


    But then, he would lose the freedom to patrol and work behind the wings.


    He shrugs and knocks back the rest of the coffee.


    She''ll surface…. sooner orter.


    *****


    James


    Three monthster….


    Charlotte sits beside me on warm grass under warmer sunshine. Even though it is Spring, I find I still


    need extra protection for my damaged leg, so I sit on a nket.


    It’s a beautiful day, the green of grass and leaves is that bright green you don’t seeter in the year.


    Clouds scud across an azure sky and way below, the sun ys over theke in a symphony of light


    and shade.


    She’s here beside me, gazing down the sheep-clipped meadow to the waters. Surreptitiously, I watch


    her….


    My sub, my lover, my wife in every way that means anything at all, and the Love of my Life.


    And she’s here, with me….


    …. and apparently happy.


    In the background is the tter and chaos of thest of the work on the hotel and the on-goingbours


    on the house that is to be our home. Michael’s voice echoes over the racket with an assortment of


    instructions, directions and asional swear words.


    Our eyes meet, hersughing as a particrly fruity oath wings across the air.


    “Think he’ll be ready on time?” she asks.


    “He’d better be with all the bookings he’s got in. If Beth has to tell her rich middle-ss friends that he’s


    not open as expected and they can’t have their spa-weekends, I don’t think she’ll be impressed.”


    Time to take the bull by the horns….


    We have to know….


    I stroke her hand, “You’re not too upset about not going back to college this year?”


    To my relief, she’s light and rxed as she answers. “No, I’m fine. Doing it this way works just as well


    as actually attending. So long as we have a decent inte connection, I’m good.”


    Really?


    Really good?


    “You are sure of that? I don’t want any more sudden disappearances.”


    Her grin is impish as she pecks me on the cheek. “I’m sure. Truly.”


    Michael strolls down, looking harassed, his blond hair stiffly askew with dust and his eyes bright blue


    through ayer of dirt on his face.


    “Room for another one?” he says, flopping down next to us.


    “Oh, I think we can spare a bit of turf,” I say, “Everything going well up there?”


    “Really well, yes. Even the house is beginning to look more like a home and less like a building site.”


    He eyes Charlotte. “We could move back here from the beach house anytime we wanted now.”


    Her answering smile is warm. “I’d like that. You promised me my home, months ago. And now it’s


    here.”


    And I see it, the moment, that link between the two of them that I so wanted to build and grow. Dirty


    and dishevelled as he is, he takes her hand, pressing it to his lips. “I wanted to ask you something,


    Charlotte….”


    “Yes?”


    He takes a moment before speaking, then, “…. All through your life, you’ve had everything thrust upon


    you. Even meeting James and me, you chose to enter the auction, but you did that out of necessity. I’d


    like to know what you want. Now that you are free to choose for yourself, what is it that you want?”


    And he falls silent, watching her, and waiting as she looks around at everything about us….


    And I wonder what she sees. With everything that life has thrown at her, the horrors of her childhood,


    the terrors of her adulthood, and now to be here, in this lovely ce, with the home she always


    yearned for.


    And is that enough for her?


    She gestures around, hands trying to epass it all. “What more could I want? We’re all here, at


    Yes!


    Result!


    Michael’s eyes shift to mine….


    Definitely….


    She sees us, knows what is going on, and leans in to Michael as he kisses her. “I think I’m going to ask


    you to prove that.” He grins as he stands and taking her hand, pulls her up with him.


    There is a crack and a crash from the house.


    “Ah, Christ Jayzuz and All the Saints!” The voice echoes down the valley.


    Great timing….


    “Oh hell! What now?” Michael looks furious, frustrated and apologetic all at the same time. He shes a


    look down to me, then stomps off to see what the problem is.


    It’s gettingte….


    Charlotte is giggling, a hand pressed to her mouth at the colourful and inventive Irish invective still


    streaming from the house.


    “You know, it won’t be that long before all the workmen go home,” I point out. “We could, um, prepare


    things for when Michael is free….”


    She nts mischievous eyes at me. “Sounds nice, Master. Here, let me help you up….”


    I’m beyond worrying about epting the help I still need. It’s bing less all the time and as she


    offers me a hand and heaves, my leg is merely stiff, not painful.


    “To the bedroom, Madam.”


    “Yes, Master.”


    *****