“Thomas knew what was happening and even his parents knew, but my mother refused to believe it and things just got worse. Then one day, we thought we could scare my father. We just wanted it to stop. Thomas and I were about the same height and we had the same skinny build. That night, Thomas lay under the covers pretending to be me. It wasn’t supposed to be murder. There wasn’t supposed to be any blood. But when my father got into bed, there was a struggle ... he had been drinking and Thomas fought back. My father was stabbed and I watched from the closet. In just minutes, there was so much blood and we both knew he was dead.” Cathy’s words came fast but she was not sure if she was relieved or still fearful.
They stopped walking as they reached the night market.
“We were in such a state afterwards. The plan was for me to get rid of the knife, for Thomas to be seen by his parents, for me to stay at his house and the next day we could pretend that we didn’t know anything. But an hour after the stabbing, I could have sworn I felt him move and I panicked, I ran to Thomas’ house and well ... you know the rest.”
Reggie stared at the young woman in front of him. Her words didn’t shock him.
“He must really love you. He killed for you.”
“He didn’t kill for me, he saved me. Nobody else wanted to even acknowledge it was happening.”
“And now, you’re saving him. Well, if you weren’t spy material then, you are now. Go on Catherine, I think that’s the van. And remember I wasn’t here,” Reggie said, as he slinked back into the shadows.
EPILOGUE - ISLE OF MAN
October 2010
Legend has it that an Irish giant known as Fionn Cumhaill was in a bitter battle with a Scottish rival and had ripped up a large chunk of land which he had flung and landed in the Irish Sea, forming what the world now knows as the Isle of Man. Many tales of fairies and mythological creatures surround the older buildings and locations of the island. One famous attraction known as Fairy Bridge is believed to bring bad luck to those who cross it without offering a greeting to the fairies surrounding it.
Although the Queen of England is observed as Head of State, the Isle of Man is not part of the United Kingdom and runs its own government.
Other than its tourist attractions, the Isle of Man is also well-known for “TT Racing” which is otherwise referred to as the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race. Having started in 1907, it has evolved into a yearly festival and attracts an international audience. It is now known as one of the greatest road racing events in the world.
On one particularly cool autumn evening, three loud popping sounds broke the evening calm, at the corner of Douglas, Isle of Man’s main district. Inside the MoonStar Manx, guests laughed and cheered as waiters continued to open sixty bottles of champagne. An exquisite wedding cake, stood tall at the front of the hall, underneath a huge banner that said, “Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Hughes”.
The couple sat at the main table, blissfully aware that their happiness was being shared by everyone in the room. The husband turned to look at his wife as she walked to meet an old friend. In his eyes, she hadn’t changed from the day he had met her more than sixty years ago.
Two silly teenagers on summer vacation with their parents, had glanced across the room, awkwardly realizing they were the only ones, over five and below twenty. He had asked if she would like to dance and she had said “if you step on my new shoes, I’ll pinch you.”
He took his chances. Afterwards, they had shared a sandwich and a soda. In the days to come, they had gone on long walks, on a fishing trip and later shared their first kiss under the oak tree by the boatshed. When they parted, each clutched a piece of paper with the other person’s home address. Every week he wrote to her and she wrote back, each letter a little longer than the previous one, as they shared their hopes and dreams. During the summers that followed, they had met again. Always, she looked more beautiful. When he had finally saved enough money to visit her, he had received enlistment orders to join the war, uncertain of a return date.
But she had never forgotten him. With every maildrop that arrived, he received something from her. Encouraging, hopeful words of love waiting for him when he got home. Deep down, he felt that a day might come when she would give up on waiting for him, when she would cast away her teenage dreams into a box and trade them for womanhood. But, she remained faithful.
When the war had ended and he had walked into his parents' house, walking stick in hand he had seen that familiar face, still more beautiful than ever. It had been more than three years since they had seen each other and had much to share.
That night, when he had asked her to dance, she once more said, “Step on my shoes and I’ll pinch you.” He had laughed and taken out the little box he had saved from before the war. And here they were, sixty years later. Four children, ten grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
He could no longer dance and was bound to a wheelchair while she had lost her sight in the left eye. Yes, the two silly teenagers had grown old together and now came back every year for their wedding anniversary, to the same hotel they had met in, all those years ago. The name, the owners and management had changed numerous times but there was a small piece of their history in the corners of the older buildings.
It was always good to remember your starting point because then, you knew how much you had progressed. This year, however, it would be their last. Age was catching up faster than either of them liked and doctors advised against long trips for both. He needed daily medical supervision but wherever she was, he was. There was no question about that. After all these years, nothing had changed, that much he knew.
As the adults danced and giggling children joined in, others looked on with nothing but full appreciation for the joy of this function. One couple in particular seemed to be enjoying themselves. Thomas watched as Cathy tilted her head back and laughed, while she did her best to avoid stepping on his shoes again.
“Oh, you’re impossible,” he laughed.
“I know but you still love me,” Cathy giggled as she tried to correct her foot work.
“Hey hon, do you want to go for a walk? Just to get some air?”
“Awww, my dancing is that bad, huh? But yeah, come on. It is a bit crowded in here isn’t it?” said Cathy, as she took his arm.
They stepped out through a side door and walked towards the garden.
“So ... why the sudden change of heart? Why the public appearance?” he asked, as she bent down to pick a flower.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Well, for years we’ve been sneaking around. Emails from Internet cafes, phone calls from a box and now we’re here, dancing for the world to see, in front of your colleagues. What am I missing?”
Cathy took a deep breath and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek. She gently pulled away, smiled and guided him to sit on a bench with her.
“I had this mission ... assignment, two weeks ago. It was more like a test. Anyway, as it turned out, I didn’t have anything to hide. They, the CI-7 knew all along about what had really happened. That I wasn’t alone in the room and that you were the one ...”
“I told you, Cat. From the very beginning, you should have always let me take the fall, you would never have ended up in that cell. You just went and blabbed about it before we even had a chance to talk. And you’ve never allowed us to ever talk about it since,” Thomas said holding her in his arms.
“No, no! You would have gone and told them what you did and let’s face it, we wouldn’t be here now. As bitter as it was, I think it turned out exactly as it should have.”
“With you as a spy?” Thomas snickered.
“Oh stop banging on about that, we’ll figure it out. We’ll still have to be careful where CI-7 is concerned but I figured everyone knows me as the VP of Communications for MoonStar so why hide what we have?
“Wow, talk about making progress. And how long will CI-7 go on for?” Thomas asked softly as he pulled her in closer and she leaned her head on his shoulde
r.
“Honestly, I don’t know Tom Tom. For the longest time I freaked out at the thought of them finding out that I was connected to you, just in case they had more questions but now it seems like it doesn’t matter. I guess we’ll learn as we go along, if that’s fine by you?”
“It’s more than fine by me, my love,” Thomas said as he gently played with a lock of her hair. “I’ll always love you more than fruit loops,” he continued.
“Stop it ... and yes, I love you too. Hey, that was really something isn’t it? A sixty year marriage, how do you even start to describe it?”
“By taking the first step.”
Cathy felt Thomas stirring and turned to look at him. He held a small box in his hand and was getting down on one knee. In the background, a loud popping noise sounded as the sky lit up with a fireworks display.
“I’ve been walking around with this for months. I didn’t know how to start. Here, let me show you.”
“Tom, it’s blue.”
“Ah yes, see the diamond is from my mother’s engagement ring. The metal, it’s this reflective material. It’s from the old bicycle we used to have. We grew up with it and I figured it’ll match your pendant so ... so you’ll never have to take it off. You’ll always have me with you.”
“Why would I ever want to take it off?” Cathy said softly as Thomas stood up to kiss her.
The End.
About the author
International best-selling author, Pandora Poikilos has been writing for more than 10 years for various media which include newspapers, radio, television and various websites.
A social media enthusiast who is passionate about blogging and finding her way around the virtual world, she wills away time in the real world by reading, writing and people watching. Read more at pandorapoikilos.com
What readers have said about her debut novel
Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out
“This is a book that some will find difficult, some won't finish, but which cannot fail to move those who take the trouble to accompany Anya on her journey, against seemingly impossible odds, toward a destination that will leave them in a better place than they started. Uplifting and inspiring.” (SK Allison)
“In a style reminiscent of Sandra Cisnero's "The House on Mango Street" Pandora Poikolos shows us all that Anya is thinking. This book is about LIFE - the ups, the downs, the people we encounter, the dreams we have and the world around us.”(N Rivera)
“I realize my brains had actually stepped till the time I read Pandora Poikilos' "Excuse me, my brains have stepped out." The irony in her book shatters the way you think and makes you wonder if you are the one with a brain condition! Pandora Poikilos brings home the facts staring you in the face all this while and puts it in perspective for you.” (K Mukherjee)
“Without the cloy of drama, and with a clear, steady voice, Pandora Poikilos has been writing about her journey through life in the face of daunting challenges. If you’d enjoy a graceful author who’s worked her way out of the chaos and frailty of the human condition, I think you won’t need to look any farther.”(Obscure Writer)
“Pandora Poikolos is the voice of Anya. She introduces to us a woman who captivates and enchants us with her insights into human nature. Imagine being diagnosed with a rare disorder. What becomes important in your life? What becomes unnecessary? Anya's journey is full of pain and wonder. I was laughing and crying along with her. I recommend this book to others. Especially, but definitely not limited to, those going through life changing journeys.” (DM Lawrence)
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