I drive. James stretches out his bad leg in the passenger seat. “Well, that was weird,” I comment.
James grunts.
In the rear mirror, Charlotte stares out of the window. “You okay?”
She keeps staring. Tonelessly, “The same thing happened to him as to me. He was scared. He stabbed someone. He ran.”
James swivels in his seat, stabbing a finger towards her. “It is not the same, Charlotte. All aside from the detail that he was responsible for you being in that position, however bad a start to life you both had, you both had choices afterwards. You made choices that turned you into a strong admirable woman. He made choices that took him down the path of slaver and multiple murderer. He could have turned from it at any point and he chose not to do so.”
*****
Michael
I tap on her office door. “Hi, it’s only me.”
Charlotte looks up from her desk. “Is it that time already?”
“Yup. Ready for home?”
“Sure. Let me just…”
My mobile buzzes. It’s Beth.
Not like her to call me out of the blue…
“Hi, Beth. What can I do for you?”
“Hi Michael. Um, could you spare me some time?”
Oh, God…
Not more bloody papers…
have in mind? I'm free tomorrow afternoon if
I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses and her voice lowers. “Are you
tone penetrates. I slip a glance, but Charlotte’s occupied with something
anything to her.
look at. I think it might be more of those damn papers from her uncle. Can you keep yourself busy for a few
“What, more of them? Course I can. Give me a
kiss her forehead, squeeze her arm,
*****
there, wearing identical
sitting by Beth, is David, the younger
Charlotte’s uncle…
wouldn’t acknowledge
even registered her
Because of her mother…
that time, I could have cheerfully punched the pair of them, and
awkwardly. “Mr Summerford… Michael… May I call you
depends on why
equally awkwardly, and seats himself again. “First,” he says, “please don't tell anyone else in the family I'm here. Especially Stephen. My life wouldn't
who rejected my wife for events that had nothing to do with her. So, still standing, “As you wish. Why are you here? Is there something you would like to
eye. “Yes, I couldn’t speak with Stephen there that
me any time since then. I
age…
have you
“Shelley called me.”
mother…” I look around the room. Beth and Richard sit in rigid silence. James’ eyes, all but black, bore into David.
the years. At first when she wanted to come back home. She said she was frightened by something. Stephen wouldn’t even consider her returning.
“And the last time?”
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!