Night

by Casey Christie

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

  Later that evening Night and his girlfriend Lisa sat in the garden of La Rustica restaurant situated in the presidential Houghton Estate. Candle lit and lovingly decorated, the tables were surrounded by roses and beautiful foliage. Lisa looked lovely, robed in a snow white dinner dress that her father had lovingly bought her earlier in the year. She wore two beautiful diamond pendant earrings, a gift from her mother, and an elegant understated silver necklace that Night had bought for her with some of the money he had earned from the last close protection job he had successfully carried out for the General. Night wore black jeans and a smart dark suit jacket over a slim fitting black v neck t-shirt that accentuated his powerful build. A white handkerchief sat nonchalantly atop his jacket breast pocket.

  They both had the same three course meal, starting with scrumptious Garlic Snails, followed by the restaurant’s signature dish of Grilled Calamari in Lemon and Garlic Butter and topped with a slice of Cheese Cake and Apple Pie. The meal was accompanied by a bottle of fine South African wine --a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault deliciously named The Chocolate Block.

  Night was worried about the direction the evening may take. He was apprehensive that Lisa would ask too many questions about why he had shown up at her work, at police radio Control, and asked her to take the rest of the day off or why his sudden desire to take her to dinner? But in her customary imperturbable style she let him off the hook and never once asked him any uncomfortable questions. She took it all in her stride.

  “So my girl, I guess you would like to know why we are here?” said Night.

  “Because you love me and wanted to treat me to a lovely Night out.” she answered with a timeless smile and a glint in her eye.

  “Yes. And because I have some news.”

  Lisa said nothing but looked at him lovingly, inquiring by mind.

  “I have to go away tomorrow and I cannot guarantee you that I will come back.”

  “But this is nothing new Michael, every morning when you go to work you cannot guarantee me that you will come back… So what is different about tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow I know I will be walking into a gunfight. I will purposefully go and initiate the contact. I will bring the fight to my enemies. And they are a hardened opponent – veteran fighters trained in battle and utterly ruthless.”

  “You’re going after uSathane aren’t you?”

  “Yes. And a platoon of his soldiers. And you shouldn’t know that.”

  “There is talk of it at radio Control. People are whispering that you and the General are going after him.”

  “Well that’s not good... says a lot about our OpSec (Operational Security).”

  “I have no idea what OpSec is but I wouldn’t worry about it as I have heard at least three different versions of what’s happening. As far as the rumours go you are chasing uSathane into Zimbabwe, Cape Town, Durban, Botswana, Namibia and/or Angola!”

  “And for what reason do we chase him down? According to the whispers that is?”

  “Well to kill him of course. Why, what else would there be, what other possible reason?”

  “No other reason. But there is more. As you know this operation isn’t going to be completely legal – not that it is illegal but it’s not an official police sanctioned operation. The legality of it all rests in a grey area. And after the event, if we are successful, I will also make a move overseas… to London. Amos has offered me a position within his private security firm and I would head his operation there.”

  “That’s wonderful news Mikey – I know how much you have wanted to travel. To see the world and of course to take advantage of your dual citizenship. I am happy for you” said Lisa but Night could see the sadness of her being. She knew Night was going to break it off. It made sense and she knew it did. He would be better off as a single, independent operator. It hurt but she always encouraged Mike to live his dreams and swore to herself that she would never impose a restrictive or a selfish demand-oriented love on him.

  “Isn’t there something else?” she inquired.

  “What do you mean?” Night answered nervously, feeling hot under the collar now.

  Lisa looked at him quizzically and with great love and a tilted head. “Your promotion. I saw the General at work and he let me in on the secret. Captain Michael Night!” she said with a magnificent smile.

  “Ah yes, I almost forgot. Thank you Lis. It’s not official yet, so as far as I am concerned Sergeant I am still.”

  “Well let’s drink to it anyway shall we?” And she raised her glass and they clinked them together gently. “To Captain Michael Night.”

  Lisa held the glass to her lips but before she drank in the wine a thought stuck her.

  “But I don’t really understand, how can you be going to London to work with Amos and be promoted to Captain at the same time?”

  Night enjoyed the wine and drained his glass. Carefully he took the decanter and refilled his glass, he offered Lisa some more but she declined. He was feeling even more nervous than he had anticipated.

  “It’s all part of the plan. I will do both. I will move to London, set myself up there and travel between the two countries. The role here as Captain won’t be a demanding one and I will be able to handle my responsibilities via email when need be. I will also juggle my leave and plan my diary carefully. I am looking forward to it Lis and am excited for the future but…”

  “But you are not sure how we will work in the new… arrangement.”

  “Yes. Something like that. It’s the only thing that is worrying me. That’s holding me back and making me uncertain to whether or not I am doing the right thing. You know I will be in more danger now and will be travelling a lot. I won’t be able to offer you as much time as I would like to or security…. so….”

  “I know Mike. It’s fine. I understand. It makes sense you know. You will be better off without me.” Lisa stood up to walk to the bathroom her eyes now swelling with tears.

  Before she could walk away Night took her right arm with his left as he gently lowered himself to the ground kneeling next to the table . His right hand ventured into his suit jacket pocket and produced a small velvet box. Lisa, dumbfounded, stopped motionless and stared at her lover. Her jaw dropped leaving her mouth wide open. A passing waiter witnessed what was happening and stopped serving his table to look at the happening. Soon the guests of that table joined in and watched with glee. Night looked around and noticed the people’s eyes intent upon him. He felt nervous and light headed. He looked up at Lisa and was struck by her angelic beauty.

  “Wow, I really should look at you from this angle more often. You are so beautiful my Lisa.” Night looked at her adoringly. Seemingly forgetting his purpose. The waiter cleared his throat loudly.

  The nudge of encouragement worked and Michael snapped out of his brief trance and opened the velvet box to display a diamond engagement ring, elegantly crafted with three separate stones.

  “Will you be my wife, my lady?”

  Those seven words unlocked the flood gates and Lisa broke into tears.

  Night instantly, through protective instinct for her, stood up and held Lisa – to comfort her. To love her, to make her feel better.

  “I’m not that bad am I?”

  Lisa composed herself momentarily and spoke through the tears.

  “No you silly man. I thought you were going to break up with me. That’s why I thought you brought me here!” she lightly punched him on the chest.

  “You punch like a girl Lisa” said Night sheepishly, upset with himself for making her cry and a bit embarrassed by having almost the entire restaurant stare at them.

  “…Yes... Yes, Michael Night, Yes, I will be your wife. I would love to be your wife.”

  And as one the entire restaurant applauded. The waiters gathered around them and started to sing a celebratory Zulu song of joy and love.

  Phew, Night thought to himself, give me a shootout any day but this emotional stu
ff, my word it’s stressful!

  A couple of hours later and after breaking the good news to Lisa’s parents-- earlier in the day Night had asked the father for his permission to marry his daughter which he happily gave -- they enjoyed a celebratory nightcap together.

  After the drink and while Lisa enjoyed a hot bubble bath Night was outside playing with his boy Wamba under the garden lights. Lisa’s father watched from his vintage rocking chair while enjoying a double brandy. “How many balls have you gone through tonight?” he asked.

  “He’s been very gentle today so only two. One tennis ball – he completely swallowed it the silly bugger. And he destroyed a rather nice soccer ball that I bought specially for him earlier on today. I was silly to think it would last longer than an hour. Anyway it’s the tyres he loves…”

  “I can see! And only Wamba would be content with a truck’s tyre!”

  Wamba had a tractor tyre in his colossal jaws. Night was pulling, hard, on the other end.

  At one point the pooch-beast seemed to acknowledge Night’s extra efforts in playing with him. He let go of the tyre, nearly causing his master to fall over onto his backside, and walked to his dad and lovingly pushed him to the ground with both of his great paws and proceeded to give Night a huge, wet, slobbery lick across his face. Night laughed out loud with utter joy. “You sloppy bastard!”

  Michael stayed outside playing with his K-9 buddy until well after midnight. He finally went in to the house when Lisa came to get him. She was wearing a satin silver night gown and her hair was down and flowing against the gentle Johannesburg breeze. She stood in between the door frame, her feminine and voluptuous figure silhouetted by the lights inside and beckoned him in with an alluring finger. Night filled with love and desire. His body swelled with passion. He went inside leaving the tyred out Boerboel pit fighter to enjoy his treat - a huge animal bone that Night had acquired for him from the local butchers.

  The betrothed couple made sweet, passionate, love, engaging themselves in carnal love making a number of times during the night, as quietly and as controlled as possible – they didn’t want to alarm her parents. The loving couple eventually drifted off to sleep sometime after 0200hrs.