Chapter 63: Chapter 64

He taps on the door and after a few moments, hears a weak, “Come.”

“Mr Kalkowski, do you have a few minutes?”

“For you, Chad, of course I do. Please come in. Have a seat.” The old man waves him to an armchair, but the movement is slow and fragile, his hand blue-veined and trembling. Chad moves to take a seat, not liking what he sees. His old teacher’s eyes are dark and alert, but his skin has a grey cast.

“Please excuse me, Chad. I am feeling rather tired these days. Would you mind making tea for us both.

And you will find a tin of your mother’s excellent biscuits in the larder.”

“Of course, sir. Lemon or milk?”

“Lemon I think. It is so much more refreshing in these warmer days don’t you think?”

Chad makes the tea, weakish to complement the lemon, adding a plate of cookies to the tray. The reminder of his mother sets his anger rising again and firmly, he pushes it down.

“So, Chad, what can I do for you?” Mr Kalkowski’s voice wavers, but his eyes remain clear and sharp.

“I assume this is not just a social visit? Yes, no?”

Chad sips the tea, not knowing quite where to begin.

“I think I’m coming to say goodbye. I’m going to visit the City for a few days. I’m not sure if I’m coming back.”

“Ah.” The old man nods, meets his eye then looks down into his tea.

“You’re not surprised.” It is a statement, not a question.

“No, Chad. I am not.”

The young man sits with the old man. One with his life ahead, the other with his life behind, bonded, in their different ways, by the same girl.

“Mr Kalkowski, do you know why Jenny left? Why she is divorcing me? Did she tell you?”

“No Chad, she didn’t. Not in so many words. I think she felt it would be disloyal….” Mr Kalkowski lifts his gaze to Chad’s. There is no censure there. “…. But I have seen enough and guessed the rest.”

Chad stares into his tea. When he tries to speak again, his words are slow and slurred. “I’m not proud of it.”

“Of what you are? Or of what you did?”

Chad looks up. His old teacher….

…. his Master….

…. is staring him straight in the eye, challenging for the truth.

“I’m not ashamed of what I am. It’s simply that. What I am.” He closes his eyes, rubbing a finger up his forehead. “But I am ashamed of what I did. I should never have asked Jenny to marry me and I’ve put her through a lot of pain she didn’t deserve. And that’s on top of…. Of whatever else it is….”

“Indeed, yes. Whatever it is.” Mr Kalkowski stirs in his seat. “You have seen the newspapers I imagine?

The business with the Blessingmoors institution?”

“Yes, I have. I’ve not talked about it with anyone. My parents are so set on poisoning everyone to her it didn’t seem a good idea to….”

“Yes, quite. The foolish or the gullible will often blame the victim for the crime committed.”

They sit in awkward silence before Mr Kalkowski speaks again. “What do you intend to do, Chad?”

“I’m not sure. In search of adventure I suppose. Wider horizons. The City maybe?” He hesitates. “What do you think?”

“I believe you are making the right choice. You cannot be the person you are here.” Mr Kalkowski takes a bite from a cookie, cocking his head in appreciation. “Delicious as ever….” He crunches the cookie with a sound like walking on gravel, then swallows before taking another from the plate. “The people here, and I include your mother and father in that, are good people….” He punctuates his words, waving the biscuit in his hand like a baton. “…. but in time, you would find the strictures on your behaviour, even your words, unbearable. It is your life Chad. And you are an adult now. You make decisions on your own behalf. You should not allow others to make them for you.”

He bites in again. “What will you tell your parents? Your mother?”

“I’m…. I’m not sure…. We argued this morning. Someone came looking for Jenny. He said he was a policeman. I don’t know if that was true, but Jenny was always afraid of the police. And this one had said that she was wanted for fraud and cheating.”

Mr Kalkowski huffs. “An unlikely tale.”

“I agree, but my parents believed him. They gave the address of the lawyers who are handling the divorce for her.”

Mr Kalkowski rolls eyes ceilingward. “I see.” He sips his tea. “Chad, could you pour me another cup please.”

As the tea pours, the old man says, “When you have done that, if you look in the left-hand drawer of the dresser. You will find a letter there. Feel free to read it.”

Chad rises, takes the letter from the drawer, written in handwriting he knows well. “I’m glad she’s written to you. She said she would.”

“You will note that she gives an address. I have written to her at that address. When I saw the news about Blessingmoors, many things….” He looks away, muttering to himself, as close to cursing as Chad has ever seen him. “I would visit her myself, but alas, I do not think I will be making any more such long journeys now….” Chad stares, but his old master continues…. “I would like you to be my legs and eyes Chad. Will you do that for me? For her?”

“Of course I will. Mr Kalkowski?”

“Yes, Chad?”

“I have some things of Jenny’s. I cleared them out of our place at the farm when she left. I don’t want to leave them in my parents’ house. Could I leave them with you for now? It’s mainly books, but there are some other things too.”

“Of course you can Chad. We’ll return Jenny’s things to her when we have the opportunity.”

*****

Richard The following day, “Anything you should tell us?” I ask the nurse, “Before we go in?”

“We have lifted the sedation,” she says. “We’re still waiting for him to wake. Your friends are in there with him.”

The room is light and airy with a TV, air-con and fresh flowers. I made sure the Threesome were assigned one with a pleasant view. Nonetheless, there is no escaping the fact we are in a hospital.

A nurse is adjusting a drip. Cables run from under the blankets to various monitors and equipment and the steady bleep-bleep of the cardiograph blinks in the background.

In the room, the unconscious James appears unchanged. Charlotte and Michael are sitting together on a small settee. As he sees us, Michael stands, talking quietly with Elizabeth.

Charlotte, wearing jeans and a sweater from Elizabeth’s wardrobe, remains sitting by James, holding his hand. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail and her eyes, red-rimmed and swollen, look enormous in her pale, puffy face.

And as she lifts her gaze to mine. I have never seen such unhappiness. As her eyes meet mine, her face crumples again.

If you lose him….

Elizabeth sits by her, wrapping her arms around the sobbing girl. I hold her hand trying to find something to say, anything to say, that might help….

And there are no words….

So strong a woman, but devastated by this, by her love for him If the worst happens Michael loses his closest friend, I lose my fellow director and Charlotte loses her beloved Master….

….

….

But she won't be bereft, she will have Michael….

And as I watch my Elizabeth, rocking Charlotte in her arms, guilt gnaws at me.

And what would you have my love, if something were to happen to me?

I'm so much older than you When something happens to me….

James planned for this….

…. Is this why he gave her Michael? He loves her enough to give her both his own life and another man’s?

Because he’s older?

Is that why he did what he did? Created their Triad?

?

?

He's not dead yet.

I have nothing to say. No idea of what I can say to offer comfort.

I settle for practical help. “Don’t worry about medical bills,” I say, laying a hand on Michael’s shoulder.

“That’s all taken care of. Whatever it needs….”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.”

I try to joke, lighten the mood a bit. “Never under-estimate self-interest,” I say. “I need my co-director back.” He huffs a laugh, but there is no smile in his eyes.

Her Master, but his closest friend….

…. Brothers under the skin….

Keeping my voice low, I nod towards Charlotte. “How is she?”

He shrugs. “You can see. Not good.” He looks down. “Cries half the time and sits staring at him the rest. I don’t think she’s slept in the last two days, and it doesn’t help that I can’t get her off that chair. If I could get her to lie down….”

Damn…

…. So bloody obvious….

“Ah,” I tap the air with a forefinger, “On that then, I can help. Should have thought of it before. Let’s get a couple of extra beds into the room for the pair of you.”

Grateful for something useful I can contribute, I stride out. “Nurse!”

*****

When Elizabeth and I return a few hours later, there is an extra bed in the room, Michael and Charlotte lying on it together, sleeping, he with an arm curved around her.

And my earlier thoughts return to haunt me.

Michael….

…. James’ gift to Charlotte, another man for when something happened to him….

So much older than she is….

And I think of my beautiful wife, my Elizabeth. So like Charlotte. And like Charlotte, so much younger than the man she loves.

What will you do when something happens to me?

You will be alone….

Have I done the right thing, marrying you?

“We shouldn’t disturb them,” I say. “They’ve had little enough rest. Let’s go and have a coffee. We can come back in a while.”

“Yes, and we should bring them something to eat.”

“Good idea. I’ll call Ross. Get him to put something together for them. They’ll need better than vending-

machine snacks at a time like this.”

*****