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.

*****

scarves and gloves, Ben and I seat ourselves on

Order…?

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

need

bonfire, vibrating in the slight breeze. So early in the year, the light wind bites at ears and nose,

noses go red and fingers go

right meal

is. Sally knows

nods out over the area we just cleared, now hacked down to a few inches clear of the ground. His patchwork of a

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

and ramshackle stables by eye. “Any thoughts on what you’ll

know she was happy there. I thought she might

a single hinge, then twists to look up. “Stonework’s sound, but the roof timbers have had it. And

of that old place at McAlister’s.

in wait to rob apples from his orchard,

we. Hey… you remember that

it? It was me he threw the

Mom why I’d brought you home

was never sure why it was you that got the

was supposed to bring you

I chuckle. Cold air gusts over me and I down another mouthful of soup. “Wonder what that place is like

a few months ago. Even the house is falling apart. The old man died. The kids had moved on and none of them wanted

it for a hotel maybe? Like this place. Convert the outbuilding to holiday chalets or

the family. So it’s just standing

Shame…

did you go

more soup. I do likewise. Then,

What’s going on?

changes direction and a shower of mud, pebbles

tail wags furiously as earth

easily be a burrow coming

Mmmm….

a dog or two

nose wiffling at the breeze. He trots over, sits by me and

*sigh*

pour beef broth onto a flattish rock by my feet. Scruffy laps it up then moves to Ben, pointing snout, and the mole-hill now attached to the top, at Ben’s mug. He

time with my bother. Nothing really to be said…

Family…

means a lot. She’s… she’s going through a tough

to hang on to my brother?

“She's my wife, Ben.”

Change the subject…

it going

the words, his tone is gloomy. “… at least I thought so.” And there’s an edge to his

Now what…?

it too

his empty mug. “I won't, and I'm not sure

Here it comes…

She's a bit boring. Needy. Always wants to ask me what she

failed ‘Ben

the feeling you wanted the kind of

what I thought

find the kind of woman you thought you wanted,

reply. The mug revolves

Am I being dense?

Missing the sub-text…?

“So, what’s going wrong?”

... this time...

face tightens, lips pressed