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…
did you have in mind?
Michael. Right now. Can you come? I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses and her voice lowers. “Are you
glance, but Charlotte’s occupied with something on her laptop, not
to her. Just come
way.” I tap off my phone then, “Um, Beth’s got something she wants me to look at. I think it might be more of those damn papers from her uncle. Can you keep yourself busy
Course I can. Give me a
squeeze her arm, then
*****
and Richard are both there, wearing identical
there, sitting by Beth, is David, the
Charlotte’s uncle…
they wouldn’t acknowledge
registered
Because of her mother…
could have cheerfully punched the pair of them, and
awkwardly. “Mr Summerford… Michael… May I
depends on why you’re
don't tell anyone else
I see no reason to welcome this man 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
couldn’t speak with Stephen
have phoned me any time since then.
more so with age… He wants to control everything. The first
what have you come
“Shelley called me.”
Beth and Richard sit in rigid silence. James’ eyes, all
years. At first when she wanted to come back home. She said she was frightened by something. Stephen wouldn’t even consider her returning. But she still rang from time to time. Stephen always hung up on her and
“And the last time?”
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