than he cared to admit.
He strolled to Eric’s and ordered his usual. Then, at the last minute ordered beef in black bean sauce. Just in case.
“You got company?” Eric asked, raising his eyebrows comically.
“No. Just hungry.”
“Ah, you working hard?”
“Harder than usual. I’m on a deadline before my wife comes to see how much I’ve done.”
Eric held his hand up and smacked it with his other. “Naughty boy!”
“Exactly.” Lee laughed.
There was still no sign of Susie by the time he reached the cottage. She’d obviously got enough cash for her bus fare and scarpered to her friend’s. A shame though. He could have given her a trial in the office.
He dished out his food onto one of the new plates, and then switched on the crappy portable TV in the corner of the room. It only picked up one channel but he didn’t care. He just needed something to break the silence.
He sat on Susie’s makeshift cardboard bed and a sudden emptiness gripped him. He should be used to being alone after six long years, and even though Lydia would be home in a couple of days, he couldn’t shake the feeling.
His stomach clenched as he thought about Lydia. After praying for her release all this time, now he wasn’t sure how he felt. He’d been to see her regularly, like the dutiful husband, but she’d changed. The light behind her eyes had dimmed and although she went through the motions of her day to day life, it was as though his wife had died too on that awful day.
He shouldn’t be wasting time lying around. There were a hundred and one things he could be getting on with. But he didn’t possess the heart or the energy to do another thing tonight. He closed his heavy eyes, just for a minute.
A series of taps made him wake with a start. He didn’t know where he was or how long he’d been there at first. More tapping at the window had him on his feet and peering out into the dark.
Susie waved at him and pointed to the door.
His pulse quickened and he felt his face flush.
“Oh, hello.” He opened the door and stood aside for her to enter. “I didn’t expect you back.”
“I walked to the next village to get us this.” She held up a bottle of his favourite red wine. “I can’t believe there isn’t even an off-licence in this place. My feet are killing me.” She kicked off her shoes and shrugged out of her coat. “Did you buy any glasses?”
“No—only cups. You walked all that way for me?”
“No biggie.” She shrugged.
“ I think it’s a biggie. In fact, I’m touched, but I gave you that money for yourself, not to waste on me.”
“You were getting the dinner—did you save me some by the way? I’m starving.”
“Yes. I got what you ordered, but I very nearly didn’t with you not being here. I thought you’d gone back to your mate’s.” She looked so different dressed in her jeans and purple T-shirt. More feminine. And she had a sweet childlike vibe.
“What? And miss out on the job you’ve offered me and the promise of my own place?”
He turned the corners of his mouth down as he contemplated this. “Some people don’t want the pressure of a job and a place to live. Homeless people often have a choice.” He walked into the kitchen and pulled out the plastic tray from the bag.
“Not me. I’d kill for a normal life where I didn’t have to depend on anybody else.”
“I’m glad you came back. I must admit I was a little disappointed when I came down and you’d gone. Here, this is probably stone cold by now.” He handed her the plate of food.
“It looks delish. Don’t forget the cups for the wine.” She grabbed a fork and began tucking in before she got to the makeshift bed.
He laughed and shook his head. She was a funny young thing, standoffish at times, and very rough around the edges. But she was also extremely thoughtful to walk all that way and back just to buy him his favourite wine. He ran his fingers through his close-cropped hair and grinned to
He strolled to Eric’s and ordered his usual. Then, at the last minute ordered beef in black bean sauce. Just in case.
“You got company?” Eric asked, raising his eyebrows comically.
“No. Just hungry.”
“Ah, you working hard?”
“Harder than usual. I’m on a deadline before my wife comes to see how much I’ve done.”
Eric held his hand up and smacked it with his other. “Naughty boy!”
“Exactly.” Lee laughed.
There was still no sign of Susie by the time he reached the cottage. She’d obviously got enough cash for her bus fare and scarpered to her friend’s. A shame though. He could have given her a trial in the office.
He dished out his food onto one of the new plates, and then switched on the crappy portable TV in the corner of the room. It only picked up one channel but he didn’t care. He just needed something to break the silence.
He sat on Susie’s makeshift cardboard bed and a sudden emptiness gripped him. He should be used to being alone after six long years, and even though Lydia would be home in a couple of days, he couldn’t shake the feeling.
His stomach clenched as he thought about Lydia. After praying for her release all this time, now he wasn’t sure how he felt. He’d been to see her regularly, like the dutiful husband, but she’d changed. The light behind her eyes had dimmed and although she went through the motions of her day to day life, it was as though his wife had died too on that awful day.
He shouldn’t be wasting time lying around. There were a hundred and one things he could be getting on with. But he didn’t possess the heart or the energy to do another thing tonight. He closed his heavy eyes, just for a minute.
A series of taps made him wake with a start. He didn’t know where he was or how long he’d been there at first. More tapping at the window had him on his feet and peering out into the dark.
Susie waved at him and pointed to the door.
His pulse quickened and he felt his face flush.
“Oh, hello.” He opened the door and stood aside for her to enter. “I didn’t expect you back.”
“I walked to the next village to get us this.” She held up a bottle of his favourite red wine. “I can’t believe there isn’t even an off-licence in this place. My feet are killing me.” She kicked off her shoes and shrugged out of her coat. “Did you buy any glasses?”
“No—only cups. You walked all that way for me?”
“No biggie.” She shrugged.
“ I think it’s a biggie. In fact, I’m touched, but I gave you that money for yourself, not to waste on me.”
“You were getting the dinner—did you save me some by the way? I’m starving.”
“Yes. I got what you ordered, but I very nearly didn’t with you not being here. I thought you’d gone back to your mate’s.” She looked so different dressed in her jeans and purple T-shirt. More feminine. And she had a sweet childlike vibe.
“What? And miss out on the job you’ve offered me and the promise of my own place?”
He turned the corners of his mouth down as he contemplated this. “Some people don’t want the pressure of a job and a place to live. Homeless people often have a choice.” He walked into the kitchen and pulled out the plastic tray from the bag.
“Not me. I’d kill for a normal life where I didn’t have to depend on anybody else.”
“I’m glad you came back. I must admit I was a little disappointed when I came down and you’d gone. Here, this is probably stone cold by now.” He handed her the plate of food.
“It looks delish. Don’t forget the cups for the wine.” She grabbed a fork and began tucking in before she got to the makeshift bed.
He laughed and shook his head. She was a funny young thing, standoffish at times, and very rough around the edges. But she was also extremely thoughtful to walk all that way and back just to buy him his favourite wine. He ran his fingers through his close-cropped hair and grinned to
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