Flame

by Toya Richardson

  ‘I fell pregnant and was ready to tell my partner the good news. I was so happy; I had never felt so complete. Steve Jackson put an end to all that when he caused the death of my baby, and tried to take my life too.

  I do not know if I will ever find the happiness I had before the attack. My lack of confidence with these emotions weighs heavily upon me. He has ruined the new life I thought I’d found here.’

  Everyone’s’ eyes seemed to be looking her way. She felt the hot tears slide down her face. Not daring to meet anyone’s gaze, she focused on the scene below.

  After quiet deliberation with the defence and prosecution teams, the Judge spoke, ‘Steven Joseph Jackson, I sentence you to fifteen years imprisonment.’

  Amberley was shocked. ‘Oh my God, Simon, he could be out in half that time.’ She began to shake.

  Steve looked up to where she sat.

  ‘Don’t get too cosy in your new life, Amberley, I’ll come looking for you when I get out. And you too, Katrina!’ He laughed it was a maniacal sound that echoed eerily around the room.

  ‘How could this happen?’ she asked the prosecution afterwards. ‘He could be coming after me in eight years time.’

  ‘No, Amberley, he will go up for parole but with the seriousness of all the charges, he will likely be deemed too much of a threat to the public to ever be released. And even if he does, his every moved will be supervised by the police. I am certain that he will remain incarcerated for the rest of his life.’

  That was the best news she could ever have hoped for, now all women would be safe from him.

  ***

  One evening, shortly after the sentencing, she was finishing the design for a campaign poster at the cottage. There was a knock at the door. She answered it to find Greg stood there with a bottle of local sparkling wine and some flowers in his hand.

  ‘Hi come in,’ she whispered.

  ‘It’s not a bad time is it?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh no, I’ve just got Isobel off to sleep.’ She ushered him inside.

  ‘These are for you,’ he said, handing her the bouquet and the bottle.

  She looked puzzled by the gifts.

  ‘It’s to mark the end of the trauma you’ve been through, and to celebrate the future.’

  ‘Thanks, that’s really sweet of you.’ She put the presents in the kitchen.

  ‘Would you like something to drink?’

  ‘No, I have some work to do. I just wanted to let you know I’m thinking of you.’

  ‘Okay,’ she said, disappointment sounding in her voice.

  He seemed to be thinking and he said, ‘Maybe I can stay for a little while, a coffee would be good thanks.’

  ‘So,’ he said, setting his mug down on the table, ‘Simon tells me you’re involved with a local domestic abuse campaign.’

  ‘Yes, I felt that if any of my experiences could help at least one person, then it would be worth it.’

  ‘That’s a great idea. ‘I heard you were also arranging an auction, with the proceeds going to the campaign.’

  ‘You’re certainly well informed.’ She smiled.

  ‘Well, I would like to donate one of my paintings.’

  ‘That’s very generous of you, Greg, thank you,’ she replied, genuinely pleased with his support.

  ‘No problem. Well,’ he said, getting up, ‘I’d better go now. I’ve got lots to do and I’m sure you have too.’

  She showed him to the door. He turned to face her. Absently he put a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. She shivered at his touch; it was an old habit of his – one she’d greatly missed.

  ‘You take care and don’t forget,’ he said, taking her hand in his. ‘You know where I am if you need me… for anything.’

  He kissed her hand once and disappeared into the night.

  ***

  Everything appeared to be happening at once for Amberley. Simon and Sarah were due to move out of the cottage a week before the opening of the Centre. Two nights before the grand opening of the Craft Centre, the charity auction for the domestic violence campaign was held there. There never seemed to be enough hours in the day.

  She had managed to persuade the Centre owners to hold the auction in the large conference room. Not only did it highlight the Centre itself, but also gave much needed publicity for the abuse campaign. Minutes before the auction, Amberley was pacing nervously up and down. Greg came over to her.

  ‘Hey, don’t worry this is going to be great. There are a lot of people here.’

  She smiled uneasily at him.

  ‘I’ve never wanted something to be so successful before. This is extremely important to me, Greg.’

  ‘I know,’ he replied, tentatively placing an arm around her shoulder. ‘Come on, it’s about to start.’

  Bidding was fast and furious with everything from spa breaks to gift vouchers being auctioned. At the end of the evening, the total was totted up. Amberley was thrilled at how benevolent people had been. It was up to her to announce the total.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ she announced to the crowd. ‘I would like to thank everyone who has donated a gift to tonight’s auction, and to everyone who has purchased an item. The grand total raised is three thousand, six hundred and eighty-two pounds.’

  A big cheer went up. Amberley caught sight of Greg, who seemed to be more vocal than anyone else present. She saw him mouth the words, ‘I’m proud of you.’

  It was at this point her eyes filled with tears. As he was leaving, she went to Greg and caught him by the arm.

  Before she lost her nerve she said, ‘Meet me on the boulders at first light tomorrow.’

  He was about to speak, but she had already gone back to speak to people still milling around the meeting room.

  ***

  Amberley left her cottage just before dawn, armed with a torch. She felt elated. At last, her life appeared to be coming together. The cottage was finally her home, she was assisting a worthwhile charity and her support of the Craft Centre would be ongoing.

  She loved spending time with Simon and Sarah. Her beautiful niece, Isobel, brought more delight to her life than she could ever have thought possible, but there was still something missing though… something she was hoping to put right very soon.

  It took her a little while longer to get to the cliffs because she was scared of stumbling in the half-light. When she eventually reached the boulders, she closed her eyes listening to the gentle crash of the waves on the beach below. Her mind trawled through all her wonderful memories of Cornwall. Her thoughts turned to Greg. He had always been there for her. He kept her feet on the ground, listened to her without judging, held her when she cried, laughed with her… and most of all had loved her, still loved her… unconditionally.

  Looking up to the sky, she saw that dawn was now breaking and it would soon be light. In the distance, she saw a solitary figure making his way towards her. Her heart took flight in her chest – along with the butterflies in her stomach. Even though it was cold up on the cliffs, she felt a warming sensation go through her.

  ‘Hi,’ he said.

  ‘Hi, thank you for coming. I’ll be quick so I don’t lose my nerve.’

  She picked up the parcel she had brought with her and took it out of its covering. She handed it to him and he looked quizzically at it.

  ‘You once asked me to look at this and remember how happy I was when you painted it. I have done little else since you gave it to me. I’ve been to hell and back and taken you with me. But being on my own has given me time to think and I’ve made some big decisions.’

  She paused to look at him, his big blue eyes expectant in the fast-approaching light – heralding another day and hopefully, a new start.

  ‘I am moving back to the cottage permanently; it’s my home now. The place where everyone I hold dear to me lives here in Cornwall. There’s just one more thing I need to make my life complete.’

  She took one of his hands in hers and brought it to the heat of her mouth. She placed one
gentle kiss upon the palm and placed it over her heart.

  ‘What is it you need?’ he whispered, anticipation in his voice.

  ‘You, Greg. I love you so much and cannot bear to be without you any longer. I know I’ve treated you badly and that hurts me all the way down to my soul.’

  Everything went silent, even the birds and the sea appeared to be holding their collective breaths, waiting for his response.

  Amberley watched as he stood up and freed his hand from hers. She felt bereft and she was scared that he was going to walk away. Much to her surprise, he knelt down on one knee in front of her and took both her hands in his. He kissed each fingertip reverently, his eyes capturing hers.

  ‘I love you too and I’ve missed you so much. I’ve found it a struggle to make it through each day without you by my side. I never want to be without you ever again. So, Amberley Masterson, Flame, will you marry me?’

  Her heart pounded out a happy beat and her ears rang. ‘I cannot think of anything that I want more in this life than to be your wife. Yes, Greg, I want to be with you forever.’

  She stood up, bringing him with her and as the pale spring sunshine began to rise up over the horizon, she delivered a scorching kiss to his lips – sealing them together. And when they broke from their heated embrace, they held onto each other until the sun was higher in the sky.

  ‘Come on,’ he murmured. ‘Let’s go home. I have a burning need to make love to you. Then later, we can spread the good news to our family and friends about our forthcoming marriage.

  He held the picture in one hand and Amberley’s hand in the other. In that one moment, she felt the most elated that she ever had. At last, she had the life that she wanted, and the man who would make her the happiest woman alive.