His hands separated and one reached for the box of cigarettes that lay on the floor. Opening the box he sighed, it was empty.
Picking up the empty cups he made his way to the kitchen. Placed them on a counter and lit the stove the kettle rested on. There was water inside, he knew this.
Jesus she slaps hard, he thought touching the cut on his lip once more. He smiled, it hurt him a little but he still smiled. He was suddenly amazed by her. He was amazed how she managed to hold that anger in for so long. No wonder it hurt like hell, there was at least three years worth of force behind that slap. He had been there for him, she had sacrificed so much, everything she had said had all been true, and he knew this.
Does she still love you?
His smile faded.
You have changed a lot lately, for the worse.
His face now showing pain.
But Christ, I’ve lost my son!
He felt the cold rush through his body, his hands shaking, his stomach turning and his legs feeling weak, like they wouldn’t be able to hold his weight. He half lunged, half fell to the sink washing cold water over his face.
His eyes now clear of water as he wiped his hand down, he looked to the window, now nothing more than a mirror as the black night sky created a backdrop. There he saw his reflection, there he saw the man he once was slowly splitting into two. The original reflection slowly faded, turning transparent and the new him became whole. This was the him now. He looked at the reflection. He looked tired, angry, sad and full of hate.
How could anyone love this man?
And just like that, the answer he had been waiting so long to hear from her lips, he heard from his own thoughts. No.
The kettle whistled it's tune and he set about making to cups of coffee. He was about to take them to the front room, but instead put them on a tray. Grabbing an empty glass from the cupboard he filled it with cold water and placed a few ice cubes in it.
I need to change, I will change!
The ice cubes hitting the glass made a sweet tune, but stopped as he placed the tray on the coffee table.
She’s right, she always is.
He took the glass and handed it out towards her, she hadn’t noticed.
‘Carol?’
The jingle of ice hitting glass started to play again, his hands were shaking.
‘Carol, your right’
She looked up to him.
‘I’m sorry, but I need to’ she said taking the glass from his hand; hers were shaking more than his.
He sat down once more in front of her on the floor, his back against the coffee table.
‘Your right, I’m sorry. I really am.’ Again the puppy dog eyes appeared. She finished the water quite fast; even she was amazed at how thirsty she had been. He took the glass from her and as he did she leaned in closer to him, softly stroking the wounded lip.
‘I’m sorry too, I didn’t mean to-’
‘I deserved it’ he said interrupting her.
She smiled, ‘Well, maybe a little.’
He smiled back. ‘I will be my old self again soon I promise you.’
Her hand retracted slowly, she pulled back some loose hair back behind her ear.
‘The answer, the answer you wanted-‘
Is no he thought How could you love a monster like me. The things I have done, the things I have said, to you. To my son, Oh god my son!
‘-It was always yes-’
His blinked rapidly what felt like a hundred times in a second, then a flood of tears started to stream from his eyes. ‘-And I will AWAYS love you.’
Then her hand once more touching the lip moving up the side of his face, he grasped her hand and held it there.
He rose up pulling her with him, embracing her with a strong hug, they kissed. They looked deep into each other’s eyes and kissed again. And again, they held their lips together tears streaming down the faces onto their lips the salty taste was nothing but the final seasoning to the perfect kiss.
The perfect goodbye kiss.
~
Neither Chris nor Donna had eaten much today and both hungry. The empty plates infront of them was proof of this.
‘At least I’m not the only one with an obsession with chocolate’ she said to him smiling.
Chris offered to pay for them, but Donna snuck the potions from the counter, her special discount for being "perfectly perfect at her job" was the phrase she used to her manager, smiling a sweet innocent smile, the smile of hers that Chris loved, the small bit of tongue sticking out teeth softly biting it. Her manager had looked over to Chris who waved. Turned back to Donna who still held the smile on her face, how could she resist, young love it’s bitch for business.
And so the empty plates lay in front of them.
‘Yeah, I got told once it was wrong for a guy to have such an obsession for chocolate’
‘Oh?’ Donna replied ‘And I bet you had an excellent and humorous come back?’ she said with that same sweet smile. God damn sexy!
‘You bet!’ he leaned closer to her, the expression on her face was one of puzzlement.
‘I said-’
There was a slight pause, he almost laughed now at her face. To have a sweet smile and the puzzled look merge together like that was a sceptical.
‘I said, Muuuuh-murrr-muur-muurh’ His tongue pressing into the side of his cheek giving the impression his mouth was full of food. There was that awkward silence (and rightly so).
He leaned back into his chair breathing in air through his teeth.
‘Yeah, not one of my best I’ll admit’ he said
She nodded in agreement. ‘Could use a little work’.
They laughed. He blushed, and she teased that smile again.
He stood grabbing the plates, she yawned. Then in a single second they both looked around to the other tables then back to each other.
‘Jesus it wasn’t that bad a joke was it?’ He said
She gave out a huge roar of laughter ‘Well I don’t know’ she said sarcastically.
But he had a point. Where the hell did everyone go? She wondered.
He moved the plates onto the counter, where he saw a note addressed to Donna.
‘Ummmm-’ He pointed to the letter, and promptly she moved to his side
‘What?’
‘-Letter for you’. He said, with confusion in his voice, but not as much that was represented on her face as she looked at it. She picked it up and started to read, it was only a short letter but said all that was needed to say
‘Jesus have you seen the time?’
She didn’t reply, she couldn’t the sheer amount of air that leapt from her lungs as the laughter poured out would make sure of it. She folded the paper and placed it in the back pocket of her jeans. The jeans fit her perfectly complimented that ‘’Pear’’ shape of hers.
She tapped his hand ‘Will you do me a favour and wash the plates while I get the keys.’
His faecal expression didn’t change from the shocked and confused look he possessed when he saw the empty cafe and the note for Donna. He wanted to know what was written on it, she knew he wanted to know. But unlike him, Donna also knew he would never know what was written on that note for her.
She was walking down a corridor that made its way from the kitchen ‘Ummm yeah sure’ he said, again the expression never changing.
He looked around the Cafe, how did he not notice that people where leaving? He started washing the plates they used, how did I not notice it? And the music too, so much louder now that no one’s here. Then as he started to wipe his hands and the lights started to go out around the cafe and as the juke box cut off and as the sound of clashing keys started to make their way towards him from the corridor another thought entered his mind. Shit I’ve got it bad for her!
‘You ready?’ her voice seemed kinda giddy.
She was there wearing her long winter coat grey scarf around her neck and the hood already up.
Keys in one hand and in the other was a folded down umbrella. A very yellow elaborate umbrella.
Now the confused look appeared on her face as he started to laugh.
Of course it was her with the yellow umbrella!
He grabbed his stuff and wrestled with the bag as he put it round his shoulder, pulling his hood out from under the bags strap.
‘Ok, let’s go.’
They made their way to the door, they both noticed the ‘Open’ notice was facing them. They both gave a little giggle. The lights went off the door opened they stepped out and the umbrella went up. The door locked, Donnas’ eyes were greeted with the sign displaying the Words ‘Closed’ to all those who would observe it. She turned to Chris, who had his hand held out. She took it with her free hand, the other holding the yellow umbrella up. The rain falling, but only lightly. The wind had died down to a soft relaxing breeze.
They made there way down the street.
‘So, what now?’ Donna said
~
‘So, what now?’ George said as he placed the last of the packed bags into the trunk of Carols car. ‘I really don’t know’. The rain was coming down but at a soft steady pace, where they lived was off the main road, and no street lamps for them to guide the way.
The only light they had was coming from the open doorway at the front of the house, which was a soft yellow glow. And the other light was a small but strong flood light just above the door. This emitted pure white light, which as it hit the rain drops made them look almost like pure snow.
This snow-like rain rested in patches on the ends of Carol’s hair, they sparkled wildly.
‘You don’t have to go tonight, wait till morning’.
She turned her back to him and started to open the driver’s door.
‘I mean, It’s late your exhausted and -’
The door opened.
‘-you don’t have anywhere to go!’ he finished.
She turned to him, he was right she was tiered, but she wouldn’t show it. Not now, she was the stronger one, she had won tonight she couldn’t let him see she still had any weakness, otherwise he would grasp it, twist it and turn it against her. He would win and she would stay and they would fight again and it would be worse than ever, she might strike him again, or worse he might strike her.
No. Show no fear, he’ll win. The Man I love never used fear against people, but this man would without a second’s thought!
‘I’ll find a "B&B’’ or a hotel, then I’ll drive to my sisters she knows I’ll be coming, just a little sooner than I said’. She did it, she hid the weakness from him, and she had a cool strong look on her and a smile to finish it off. He nodded and gave a huge sigh.
‘I’ve got that Book Tour to do in France in a few days, I’ll be there for a week or so-’
‘-We’ll meet after that and see how things go’ she said finishing off his words still displaying that cool smile. They hugged and kissed a soft simple kiss. She felt him shaking, it was because he was cold he said, but she knew there was more to it. He had lost his inspiration for his work, and his credibility because of it. He lost his fight to the drink, he had lost his son, this she knew how it felt and it pained her, he lost his son by chance, she lost hers by choice. His world was falling down around him, faster and stronger than the rain that falls now. And the wall he usually rests upon was leaving him too.
She was the one to sort out all of his thoughts and emotions when needed. Now it was his own choice. She hated herself at this point, she felt so guilty. But she left none the less. And he was stood there in the darkness, the light behind him. He was looking forward, looking at his wall leaving, falling. Would he be able to cope without it? He had lost so much already he was going to lose her!
He would fight!
Chapter 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - Interlude
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