Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Michael

James rolls the razor over the line of jaw to neck, angling in the mirror to see the result.

“You’ve got it all,” I say. “Bloody nuisance for you having to shave as often as you do.”

He harrumphs, then, “Maybe I should grow a beard.” He looks himself left then right in the mirror. “What do you think?”

“It’s not my opinion you should ask.” I cock my head towards the door.

“Mmmm.” He runs a finger from chin to ear, sucking in his cheeks. “How is she?”

“Pretty hyper. I’m beginning to wish I’d not told her about the address; checked it out first myself. I could easily have found a different Christmas gift if I tried… If we get there and don’t find anything. If her mother’s moved or died…”

“Worst scenario…” says James, “No-one’s heard of her at all. No-one knows anything. Anything else is at least a step forward.”

“Yes, but that’s really why I wanted you to come along too. If it’s bad news, I can’t drive and hold her hand too…”

Charlotte bounces into the room. “I’m ready when you are.”

I look her up and down. “Have you just changed your clothes?”

“Er… yes. First, I thought I should go dressed in my best. Then I thought it might look a bit odd, wandering around a strange neighbourhood like that. So I changed into jeans, then I thought, if we find my mother, I should look nice and then…”

I step forward, tug her to me by the waist. “Charlotte, you would look ‘nice’ if you dressed in an old carpet. If we find your mother, how you’re dressed is the least of what will be happening.”

Her eyes fall. “If…”

“Yes, it’s still ‘if’. The address was old. Even the police file made it clear that they didn’t know what had happened or where she might have gone from there.”

“I know.” Her words are tight, constricted. “But I’m just hoping that…”

I tilt up her chin. “I know what you’re hoping, but with the best will in the world, this is almost certainly just a fact-finding mission. I did a lot of searching through old files just to get as far as I did.”

She nods against the pressure of my finger then, “Michael?”

“Mmmm?”

“Whatever happens, whatever we find, thank you.”

I press my lips to hers. “My pleasure.”

*****

“My car?”

“If that’s alright with you.” James pats his thigh. “Given the distance, it would be easier if you were driving.”

“Fine.” I turn to check Charlotte’s not in earshot. “The pair of you sit in the back seat. I don’t need a navigator and I’d rather her be close by you.”

They sit together, he with an arm wrapped around her while she just stares out of the window. Occasionally our eyes meet in the mirror.

*****

“This is it?” Charlotte stands, staring around, looking lost.

To one side; a car park, huge, able to take hundreds, perhaps thousands of cars. To the other; a hypermarket, DIY and white goods stores, acres of sheet glass displaying computers, TVs, household goods, clothes…

The acreage is vast. The retail park perhaps ten years old. No trace remains of what it replaced.

James stands beside her, a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Charlotte,” I say. “But we won’t give up. We’ll keep looking.”

She nods, her face screwing up with suppressed tears, then she gets back in the car.

*****

gloves, Ben and I seat ourselves on a couple of old tree-stumps. Despite James’ stated

Order…?

more after charging in and ruining Charlotte’s birthday, since he chose to apologise, I’ve stretched a point by letting him

I need the

the slight breeze. So early in the year, the light wind bites

go red and fingers go

right meal for the weather. Ben sniffs at steam fragrant with sage, thyme and who-knows-what-else, gulps down a mouthful and smacks his lips. “Good

it is. Sally knows

hacked down to a few inches clear of the ground. His patchwork of

far side…” I wave across the stubbled earth… “… Some need demolishing. Some I want

shacks and ramshackle stables by eye. “Any thoughts on

when she was younger. I know she was happy there. I thought she might

through an opening, the rotted remains of the top half of a stable-door hanging by a single hinge, then twists to look up. “Stonework’s sound, but the roof timbers have had it. And

hotchpotch of buildings. “It reminds me of that old place at McAlister’s. You

rob apples from his orchard, you

“Yeah, we did, didn’t we. Hey… you remember that day when

was me

that had to explain to Mom why I’d brought you home covered in white-wash.” He laughs, shaking

why it was you that got the seat of

older one. I’d taken you out and I was supposed to bring

get any of the apples,” I chuckle. Cold air gusts over me and I down another mouthful of soup. “Wonder what that place is like

went back there one day a few months ago. Even the house is falling apart. The old man died. The kids had moved on and none of them

it for a hotel maybe? Like this place. Convert the

sold out of the family. So

Shame…

you

He sucks down more soup. I do likewise. Then, “And…

What’s going on?

I dodge as Scruffy’s earth-moving changes direction and a shower of mud, pebbles and old

stub of a tail wags furiously as earth scatters behind him. “What d’you reckon he’s

in his cheeks. “Rats maybe. Could easily

Mmmm….

a dog or

suddenly pops up, nose wiffling at the breeze. He trots

*sigh*

Ben, pointing snout, and the mole-hill now attached to the top, at Ben’s mug. He turns soft

good, just sharing time with my

Family…

James. It means a lot. She’s…

smile crooked, turning sour. “How else was I going to hang on to my brother? Since

“She's my wife, Ben.”

Change the subject…

going with

girl. Everything I ever looked for...” Despite the words, his tone is gloomy. “…

Now what…?

it too far, too

his empty mug. “I won't, and I'm not

Here it comes…

boring. Needy. Always wants to ask me

failed

feeling you wanted the kind of girl who’d put

I thought too,

woman you thought you wanted, suddenly you don't want her anymore?

reply. The mug

Am I being dense?

Missing the sub-text…?

“So, what’s going wrong?”

... this time...

tightens, lips