by H P Steven
Hannah walked in and hugged Margaret as well.
“Hey guys, mum’s been filling me in with what’s been going on. How’s your friend doing?” Scott asked.
“Oh Devin looks like he’ll pull through,” Hannah replied still struggling to find the words and walked around in a bit of a daze, which isn’t lost on Scott or Margaret.
“Oh man, I feel so helpless what can we do? Do we want to give blood?” I asked.
“Um, we could or we could eat left over lasagne. I need food,” Hannah added.
“Good idea Hannah I’ll warm it up,” Margaret said.
“Oh, I can do that Margaret,” I said.
But with a stern look and a smile she told me to take another coffee and put my feet up, even Hannah couldn’t help her.
“Sorry guys, mum’s just wants to keep busy. She was going nuts at the hotel, thank you guys so much for taking care of her yesterday it means a lot,” Scott said choking back the next words.
“Susan would have appreciated as well,” Scott added.
“Thanks man,” I said wiping the dust out of my eyes. I pulled out my phone and text Anna my address. Then ring Lewis
“Hello,” Lewis answered his phone.
“Hey bro its Phil,” I said.
“Shit how you doing bro?” Lewis asked.
“Mate what do you think, we’re shattered, but went and saw Devin today bro,” I said.
“Oh man, how is he?”
“Bro he was still in an induced coma man but the doctor reckons he’ll pull through,” I replied.
“Yeah man fingers crossed aye, is it true about his leg though?” Lewis asked.
“Yeah man it is, when are you’re over?”
“Um, just waiting to board the flight, guess who’s next to me?” Lewis replied.
“How should I know?”
“Hey bro,” Drew answered.
“Holy shit small world man,” I said.
“Hey I’ve got Margaret and Scott here so I’ll see you both on Sunday. Most the stuff is sorted bro, we need to sort a memorial for Cam’s work and friends man, but we can handle that if need be,” I suggested.
“Shit yeah bro, try and get that sorted and we can go from there,” Drew remarked.
“You’ll meet a few people on Sunday anyway man so be prepared for that.”
“How’s Margaret and Scott bro?” Drew asked.
“Mate, we’re all struggling aye,”
“Yeah and there’s a few others you’ll meet at some point also when you’re here, have a safe flight bro.”
“Yeah, Cam was saying you’ve met someone. All good Phil, I’ll see you in a few days.”
“I’ll see you in a couple days, later man,” I said hanging up the phone.
“Wow, small world, Lewis and Drew are on the same flight,” I said.
Margaret told us to come and get something to eat.
“Well, we have a couple of days to get that sorted,” Hannah whispered.
“Let’s eat,” Hannah added.
We all sat around the table eating, drinking coffee, a few beers and tried not to laugh or cry but enjoy the moment for what it was. It wasn’t unpleasant it wasn’t strange, I had become quite close to Margaret since we had laughed and she nearly hit me in the head with a champagne cork.
Scott was probably only quiet because he had only just met us and coming to terms with the loss of his sister. That we were all struggling with. Me and Hannah hadn’t spoken in a while but she knew I thought she was incredible and I loved her. We both didn’t want to talk about one of these friends of ours being us. She could have easily been on the tube at that time if she had to go to work. I could have and probably should have been on the tube if I wasn’t stupid enough to leave my credit and debit cards at home. I still wanted this nightmare to end but it didn’t look like ending anytime soon.
“Thank you both you seem like wonderful people and I’m so happy Susan met Cam and met you both,” Margaret said.
“I agree mum,” Scott said, smiling at us.
“Thank you both,” I replied.
“Thanks Margaret,” Hannah said.
Just as we’re sitting there I get a text.
Wow, just had a quick read of the final part to your book, well done. I’ll be around tomorrow but bring Drew to Villandry on Tuesday at 11am I’ll meet you there.
Audrey
As we heard a knock on the front door. Waking us all out of the stupor we had somehow fallen into. I got up to answer it and opened the door to staring at someone on the other side.
“Phil,” Anna said walking in a hugging me tightly. “I can’t believe it. How are you?” Anna asked.
I told her, I’m okay but can’t give to many details as Susan’s mum and brother are here.
Anna looks at me with a wow look. “Oh god what do I say?” Anna asked.
“Come in and meet them, then we can go to my room if you’re feeling a little uncomfortable,” I replied.
“Okay,” Anna whispered. I took her hand and led her down the hallway to where we’re eating. “Oh are you hungry?” I asked
“Not at the moment,” Anna said.
Thanking me for asking and squeezing my hand.
“You know Hannah and this is Margaret and Scott,” I announced.
“Hi,” Anna declared.
“Oh and this is Anna,” I quickly said, to Margaret and Scott.
“Nice to meet you,” they both replied.
“I’m just gonna go to my room to talk to Anna won’t be too long,” I said.
“Nice to see you again,” Hannah remarked.
“You to Hannah,” Anna said as she follows me to my room.
16
The Longest Weekend
Just for the split second having Anna in my room away from the others so I could sit there at my desk turning the seat around so she could sit on the edge of my bed and have that feeling one more time. I had it when I’d answered the door, only this time it reminded me that one of the greatest couples in my world were no longer with us, so it hurt a little.
I thanked her for coming over and told her that I was talking about her a couple of nights ago. She blushed and didn’t know what to say. I spoke about how she made me feel every time I had the opportunity to see her, I had to prove to myself that I was worthy and how Susan thought I was being stupid. How Cam, when hearing this took another swig of champagne and laughed and told me she was way too good for me and how hearing that Susan choked on a little champagne.
Anna told me how she was unsure about me, but how I made her smile and she was afraid that we’d drift apart and how the moments she had with me were special.
We had to laugh but we couldn’t as we didn’t want to be disrespectful. We sat there possibly for an hour and just talked. It wasn’t till Hannah knocked on the door that we thought about checking the time. I’d missed her and I knew I didn’t want to stuff this up, But I was busy. And she understood. I never knew what was worse.
“Hey are you two decent?” Hannah asked knocking away at the door, I got up to answer it. Thinking I should have pulled my pants down and opened the door and asked her what she wanted. I was pretty sure; Devin and Cam would have found that funny.
“Hey Hannah what’s up?” I asked.
“Oh Margaret ordered a couple of pizza’s and a few more people just arrived with food,” Hannah said.
“Okay cool will be a second and come back out and join everyone,” I replied.
As I could see the smile on Hannah’s face after my last comment and the sadness in her eyes thinking about who would have thought that was funny.
“Hey thank you again for coming over, I really did want to see you again, possibly not in this type of situation but thanks,” I declared.
“Yeah I wanted to see and talk to you as well,” Anna replied getting up and following me back out to the lounge. Just as we got to the door I turn around, lean towards her and Anna reciprocates and we find ourselves walking a little bit back into the room m
aking out. When I think it’s, Hannah knocking again but it’s Greg. “Hey bro, hurry up Iva’s looking for you!” Greg yelled.
Pulling away Anna looked at me confused.
“Iva’s Greg and Linda’s little daughter.”
“Oh let’s go,” Anna remarked.
We left the room together and I took two steps and Iva runs out of nowhere and tried to tackle my leg.
“Hey Hannah you’ve been a terrible influence on little Iva,” I declared. Picking Iva up and giving her a big kiss on the cheek. “Hey Anna this is little Iva,” I announced. Introducing Anna, we walked into the lounge and run into Meredith holding on to Rupert and Hannah laughing at me. “Hey Meredith, where’s Audrey?” I asked.
“Oh she’ll be here later-on; to pick us up,” Meredith replied.
“Oh cool. Anna this is Greg, you’ve met Iva. That’s Meredith and her son Rupert and the two by the jug are Susan’s mum and brother, Margaret and Scott,” I announced.
“Ah did someone say my name?” Margaret asked.
“Yeah I was rudely pointing at you and telling Anna here who you were again,” I replied.
“Hey I’ll point at you in a minute, you watch yourself!” Margaret joked.
I spot most of the others smiling to scared to laugh again.
“Ha, I’ll try. Does one of those cups have my name on it?” I asked turning to Anna and asking her if she would like a drink.
“Um yeah that’ll be great,” Anna replied. Walking into the kitchen I asked Margaret who’s cups who’s before grabbing one for Anna.
“Oh man how are you two holding up?” I asked.
“Bit tired but food and a coffee sounds good,” Scott said.
“I’m coming to terms with it, but it–” Margaret said, before hugging me and bursting into tears. She calmed herself and walked into the lounge addressing everyone. “Hey now you all listen. I want you to laugh at something that’s funny. Please, Susan would have laughed,” Margaret announced.
I told her to take a seat and take over coffee making duties with a little help with the distribution from Anna.
“Oh wow, I think we do drink way too much coffee.” I said to Hannah who just laughs at me, and replied, “Far your cool!” Then punches me in the arm.
Anna asked, “Is there something I’m missing?”
“I’ll tell you later,” I replied shaking my head at Hannah. “Cut it out,” I joked.
“Hey, Susan would have found it funny,” Hannah insisted before excusing herself.
“Now I know you’re talking about me,” Anna said.
“We are,” I replied grabbing Iva before she runs head first into the couch.
“Ah, showing off are we,” I said to Iva.
Then there’s another knock on the door. Hannah answers it on her way back to the lounge. Mike walked into the kitchen and puts some beers in the fridge. Margaret leaned over and whispered, “Do all your friends not have homes?”
“Ha, nah Mike lives a street away from the river, this one Iva and Greg live in Isleworth and Rupert and Meredith live over in Chelsea,” I replied.
Margaret tried to take Iva from me, but she starts acting shy and won’t have a bar of it. Yet she goes to Anna straight away.
“Ha take that Margaret,” I laughed.
“Oh you’ll keep,” Margaret said, smiling at me.
“Hey guys and girls looks like the pizzas are here,” I announced walking into my room and grabbing some cash to pay for them. As I come out of the room, Scott’s carrying them in and notices the cash in my hand. “All good Phil, taken care of it,” Scott declared.
“Oh thanks man,” I replied.
Everyone helps themselves to a plate and loads it up with pizza, Iva and Rupert have a pizza licking competition but it seems to make Margaret happy, so we let them go for it. I end up in the kitchen as Anna walked in.
“So you’re the famous Anna?” Meredith asked.
“What are you doing Meredith?” I whispered.
“Oh I’m famous?” Anna questioned. “How may I say did that happen?” Anna added.
“Oh Phil mentioned you to Linda and she doesn’t stop going on about you,” Meredith explained.
“Ah, Linda is Iva’s mum and Greg’s boss,” I said, just saying the last bit so Greg who was just out on the dining table could hear me. Mike just laughed and asked me to pass him a beer.
“Yeah bro, no worries enjoy,” I said, handing him one.
“Anyone else want a beer while I’m in the fridge?” I asked with Scott and Hannah putting their hands up for one, so I took them out for the three of them. “Oh man, I’m knackered do you want to stay over tonight,” I asked Anna.
“Yeah do you think that’ll be okay?” Anna replied.
“Yeah should be fine and we can have a chat,” I replied.
“Yeah that’ll be good,” Anna said.
“All right I think there might be a third wheel on this conversation,” Meredith muttered.
“Ha, no sorry Meredith you’re okay, just had to sort that,” I said.
“Yeah I know,” Meredith joked, smiling at me.
Full and tired we all said our good nights. Audrey’s been and gone and taken little Rupert and Meredith with her. Not stopping for long but I walked Meredith and Rupert out and have a quick chat. Greg and Iva left soon after. I told him. “Hey man you’ll haveto get Linda over at some stage.”
Margaret and Scott had to go back to the hotel to sort out Susan’s pick up by a funeral operator, Saturday morning. Arranging to take her back down south and get sorted for the funeral.
“I’ll ring us once it’s all sorted and let you know dates and times.” as both they jumped into the car they ordered to pick them up.
“Again please ring if you need anything and pop over whenever you want and also to try and pop over Sunday night for a BBQ.”
Knowing how random that sounded when it came out of my mouth. It wasn’t till I walked back in to see, Anna and Hannah chatting to themselves that I laughed, especially seeing Hannah’s face.
Yeah, Susan would have liked that one.
“Yip, hey I’m gonna go to bed see you both in the morning,” Hannah declared.
“Yeah man, I’m gonna head off as well, hey Hannah breakfast down the main road tomorrow,” Mike suggested before getting up to leave.
“Yeah sounds good Mike,” Hannah replied.
“Cool I’ll bring Trudie along,” Mike mentioned.
“Oh man, she still putting up with you then?” I asked.
Just as Mike was about to walk through the door, he stopped and turned around and said. “Yeah Phil, she’s still slumming it god bless her.”
“Ha, later man.” I laughed.
“Later,” Mike said, closing the door behind him.
“So,” Anna said as I walked back into to the lounge.
“Yeah wow,” I said picking up all the cups and heading back into the kitchen to put them into the sink, with Anna’s help.
“How are you doing, you look like a mouse who’s just trying to turn the wheel?” Anna asked.
“I feel like that mouse as well,” I said turning to her I added, with tears in my eyes. “I should have been on that train. I would have made the guys sit at the back and they would still be with us, I should have been on that train,” I sighed.
With a hand covering up my eyes, Anna grabbed me and wrapped her arms around me. “You shouldn’t think like that, it’s not your fault no one saw this coming. Listen let’s have a beer then Hannah let me borrow some clothes to sleep in, then go to bed,” Anna whispered.
“Yeah sounds good,” I replied walking over to the fridge I grabbed her a beer and we walked back into the lounge. “What a week, can you make it over on Sunday?” I asked.
“Yeah shouldn’t be a problem.” She smiled.
“Cool, we can try and sort a day for your work and close friends of Cam’s to have a memorial,” I suggested. “Should be easier with Drew here anyway,” I added.
“Yeah
that’ll be good,” Anna said. Not really knowing what to say, she just looked at me not really knowing what to do. “Hey I might go and get changed, I’ll be back shortly,” Anna declared.
“Yeah no worries,” I said taking another swig of beer. It’s not till Anna comes back into the room that I notice the Burt and Ernie t-shirt, Hannah lent her.
For a second I held my finger to my mouth to quieten down Anna just long enough I can faintly hear Hannah laughing.
“Oh ha ha Hannah!” I yelled out.
As she comes back into the room, she’s laughing incredibly hard and comes over and hugged me. “Thanks Phil, I knew you’d find that funny. I really needed a good laugh.”
Anna just stood there looking slightly put off, not quite annoyed as she should have been. So, I thought Hannah had gotten off lightly with that joke.
“What have you got planned for tomorrow?” I asked Hannah. “Are we invited to breakfast?” I added.
“Yeah of course you both are,” Hannah replied.
“Though I really do need to get some sleep,” Hannah added. She turned around and headed back to her room still chuckling away to herself.
“Hey leave your door open,” I said.
“Ha, I don’t think so,” Hannah replied.
Anna just blushed and looked away taking another sip of her beer. I walked to the fridge and get us both another beer and we sat down on the couch and started talking.
We talked about everything that night, we didn’t talk about what would happen while I was away and we probably should have, I still scared her she told me. She didn’t want to get to close but she wanted to be there for me now. We hardly laughed but we spent the night together in my bed. I closed my eyes for a split second and slipped back into the dream I didn’t want to be stuck in.
I patrolled the station, wondering how all the pieces met up. I saw the man in the suit looking at the ground with a blurry face, but something about him seemed familiar. The kid looked like all his Christmases had come at once. Never had I seen bigger eyes on a kid staring at a lollipop.
I walked along a little bit further and saw both of my friends, paused and lifeless. They stood there waiting for the train to come, I moved a little further along and the blood starred to fill the platform, with no idea where it was coming from.