Thursday 8 June 2017

Cake Part 2

For audio click here 
For part one click here 
James tapped the window and waited. He automatically went to adjust his tie, despite not having worn one for the best part of ten years. He rocked from his toes to heels and ran his fingers through his beard. The door creaked open. 
“Come in,” Chloe said, her smile taking James back to his teens. James hesitated, and then slipped into the warm kitchen. 
“Sit down,” she pointed at the kitchen table and went to the kettle. “Tea?”
James nodded. He watched her busy herself with mugs and teapot. She was squeezed into a pair of jeans and wore a loose white blouse that revealed her bra strap.
“You ate my birthday cake,” Chloe said. 
“Sorry,” James mumbled. 
“Don’t worry, you did me a favour, it all goes here,” she slapped her right hip. 
“You look great,” James said. 
“You don’t,” Chloe laughed, and put the mugs on the table. 
James ran a hand through his beard. “Yes, it’s tough being dead.”
“You want eggs?”
“I’d love some,” James said. 
“Oh, and I got a new bottle of Appletiser,” Chloe said. James noticed she had make-up on. 
“So, you’ve done well for yourself,” he said. 
“What because I can afford Appletiser?”
“No, because of all this.” he opened his arms. 
“I married well.”
“I thought you were going to be the best feminist lawyer in the world.”
“Ha, times change Jimmy,” she cracked an egg into the pan. 
“Kids?” he asked.
“Two girls, you?”
Jimmy shook his head. “Yes, but…” 
“I understand,” Chloe said. She tended the pan. “Here,” she put two fried eggs, over easy on a plate in front of him. 
“Thanks,” he picked up his fork.  “Oh, this is yours?” he took a crumpled twenty-pound note out of his pocket. 
“Oh, you took it, did you?” she smiled. “I had a huge row with Edward over that. 
“Sorry.” 
“It’s okay, keep it, I managed to convince him he hadn’t given me any money,”
“What did you tell the police?”
“What?”
“Yesterday.” 
“Oh, yeah. I told them, I was imagining things, they had a quick look around and then left.”
“They were here quickly.”
“Yeah, my husband works for the government.”
James tried to keep a straight face. He shovelled some eggs into his mouth and started to compute. Edward? Edward? Works for the government? He drew up a short list of possibilities. 
“So, come on, tell me, what happened to you?” Chloe asked.
“I was declared missing presumed dead after the Westminster bombing. I decided it was expedient to let people believe that was true.” 
“Why?”
“I’d had enough. So, I’ve lived rough ever since then.” It was true, but not quite the whole truth.
Chloe stared at him for a moment. Her eyes still as bright as the day they’d first kissed at the back of the science lab. 
“Penny for them?” James said. 
“I was just remembering you alive,” Chloe said and stood up and cleared away the plates. 
“I’m sorry for…” James said, and tried to grab her arm. 
“You should go,” she put the plate in the dishwasher. 
“Yes,” James stood up. “Thanks for the eggs.” 
Chloe stepped forward and kissed him hard on the lips, pushing herself into his body. James could smell her perfume, it was still the same scent after all these years. He held her face and felt the tears.  
“Go,” she said. 
He went. 

For part three click here and part four click here

4 comments:

  1. Another piece, please. I'm dying for some more sugar :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. No sugar! A piece of dark chocholate one, please:-)

    ReplyDelete