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? I'm free tomorrow afternoon
Michael. Right now. Can you come? I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses and her voice lowers.
I slip a glance, but Charlotte’s occupied with something on
say anything to her. Just come
at. I think it might be more of those damn papers from her uncle. Can you keep yourself
dancing. “What, more of them? Course I can. Give me a buzz when you’re done, and I’ll come
kiss her forehead, squeeze her arm, then head for the
*****
there, wearing identical expressions. Arms folded, eyes
is David, the younger
Charlotte’s uncle…
they wouldn’t acknowledge
registered her
Because of her mother…
could have cheerfully punched the pair
Michael… May I call
depends on why
himself again. “First,” he says, “please don't tell anyone else in the family I'm
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 like to tell
couldn’t speak
phoned me any time since then.
been. And he’s gotten more so with age… He wants to control
Kimberley, what have you come
“Shelley called me.”
I look around the room. Beth and Richard sit in rigid silence. James’ eyes,
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
“And the last time?”
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