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

come? I’m upstairs with James.” She pauses and her

Beth’s tone penetrates. I slip a glance, but Charlotte’s occupied

her. Just come up

something she wants me to look at. I think it might be

at me, eyes dancing. “What, more of them? Course I can. Give me a buzz when you’re

kiss her forehead, squeeze her arm,

*****

and Richard are both there, wearing identical

there, sitting by Beth, is David, the younger of Mitch’s two

Charlotte’s uncle…

they wouldn’t acknowledge

even registered

Because of her mother…

I could have cheerfully punched the pair of them, and it must show on

Summerford… Michael…

on why

nods, equally awkwardly, and seats himself again. “First,” he says, “please don't tell anyone else in the family I'm

don’t sit. I see no reason to welcome this man who rejected my wife for events that had nothing to do with her. So,

“Yes, I couldn’t speak with Stephen there

me any time since then.

more so with age… He

Kimberley, what have

“Shelley called me.”

mother…” I look around the room. Beth and Richard sit in rigid silence. James’

even consider her returning. But she still rang from

“And the last time?”

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255