Chapter 83: 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. Black, white, brown, yellow. They’re all here.

No redheads.

He glances skywards then turns up his collar against the rain which begins to fall in large fat splats to 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 or later.

*****

James Three months later….

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 blanket.

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

Clouds scud across an azure sky and way below, the sun plays over the lake 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 clatter and chaos of the last of the work on the hotel and the on-going labours on the house that is to be our home. Michael’s voice echoes over the racket with an assortment of instructions, directions and occasional swear words.

Our eyes meet, hers laughing as a particularly 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-class 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 relaxed 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 internet 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 a layer 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 place, with the home she always yearned for.

And is that enough for her?

She gestures around, hands trying to encompass it all. “What more could I want? We’re all here, at last, together. I have you both. I have what I want.”

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

It’s getting late….

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

I’m beyond worrying about accepting the help I still need. It’s becoming 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.”

*****