by Roddy Murray
Out in the car park Bob, no it was Jim here wasn't it, was sitting in the people carrier reading his thriller but put it down immediately when Frank opened the passenger door.
"Hi. Where to?" asked Jim with a friendly smile.
"Take me to The Hilton please. I feel a dip in the pool coming on," replied Frank with a smile. He was loving this now he'd seen the place and knew what lay ahead, none of which seemed to be very demanding.
Jim started up the engine and pulled smoothly out of the car park towards the main road. The two men traded small talk about football on the return journey. Slagging off each other’s teams as only a Hearts fan and a Rangers fan could do in Scotland, i.e. with relative neutrality. They were early enough to beat the rush hour on the bypass and made better time than on the outward journey. Jim pulled up at the Hilton and Frank jumped out.
"I've to collect you tomorrow at nine if that's okay," he asked.
Sounded fine to Frank. "See you then."
He went into the hotel and asked if there were any messages for him. He didn't expect any but he had always wanted to do that in a posh hotel. After a quick search the young lad behind the desk apologised and confirmed there were none with a genuine hint of disappointment in his voice.
"No worries," reassured Frank and headed to his room. He knew Charlotte from Carshalton wouldn't be back till after six o'clock and they had arranged to have dinner again around eight. That gave him plenty of time for a quick nap, a swim and a shower before then. The club sandwich had filled him up and he felt it deserved an hour or so to settle in his stomach before being taken for a swim. He'd give the chef plenty of work over the next three weeks and see how he did.
He slept too late for the swim and guessed last night's activities had taken more out of him than he had realised.
"Getting old, my son," he thought, but didn't believe it or care. He was still in time for the shower and to try out some more of his glad rags for the dinner with Charlotte.
The evening followed a very similar pattern to the previous one except they stayed for coffee and tried Charlotte's room for size. Frank headed for his room about two o'clock in the morning and slept like a log. Life was good.
Chapter Ten
Breakfast the next day was a strangely cheerful event. Dan's good humour of the evening before had survived both the night and a few troublesome business phone calls. Blaine and Delores were able to relax in each other’s company in public for the first time, even with Dan there. No discussion took place regarding what lay ahead. All decisions had been made now and there was no going back. Instead, it was a case of enjoying every moment life gave them together. Even Dan had relaxed to the point of discussing even more of his shady past with Blaine, for everyone's amusement more than anything else. They ate, they laughed and they enjoyed the last breakfast together before the plan had to take effect.
When they were finished Dan excused himself and headed for his room but not before giving a strict timetable for Blaine to be ready to take the corporate jet back to the States. Blaine and Delores talked about anything but what was important and then, with no time to consummate their planned future again, headed off to their rooms for their very different destinations. Before they left the restaurant they kissed a passionate and full kiss on the lips for anyone to see who wanted to. They had a future together and Dan's permission to enjoy it to the full and nothing would take them back to their old furtive ways. That kiss was also a secret agreement that they both had separate ways to travel over the next few weeks but would stay in touch spiritually throughout.
They both went to their respective rooms and packed. Delores had a private car booked for two o'clock that afternoon, two hours after Blaine and Dan had taken off from Prestwick Airport for their trip back to the States. She would have a week or so with Bobby Bartleman in Edinburgh before Blaine returned, at which point she could focus her entire attention on him and his wellbeing for the first time ever. The initial itinery had her booked into the Edinburgh Airport Hilton but Dan had changed that to a more central serviced flat in Edinburgh. Delores was pleased. That would be a better venue for nursing Blaine back to health and the last thing she needed was a week of fighting off bar-room Casanovas who were all War Heroes or Boxing champions or similar and wanted her notch on their bed post. She could do without that.
Just before 2 pm, she got a call to say her transport was waiting for her. A local youth with spots and very little arm strength appeared to carry her bags down to reception. It was a summer job for him before studying horticulture at the local Agricultural College and he struggled not to stare at Delores’ backside and breasts in the lift as they made their descent to reception. She was uncomfortably aware of his attention but in the great scheme of things it was small beer. She knew she could kill him if he got fresh and also knew he was so shy he would not. Either way, as long as he got her luggage to the car without dropping it she would be happy enough. If he did she might kill him anyway. Her luggage was too expensive to be careless with. Whatever happened, though, this kid had had his tip already.
A smart Audi estate from a local private hire company was waiting for her and her luggage. The driver introduced himself as John. He wasn't a regular driver with the company but covered dayshifts for the regulars and was standing in for Bob who had a dental
appointment. Delores looked at him with a look that said, not unkindly she hoped, whatever, and thanked the pimply youth for making it to the car without dropping anything but his jaw.
Off the car went with John and Delores towards Edinburgh. John was determined to impress and recounted the story of being phoned the day before and ordered (his words) to collect some VIP Americans earlier that morning and drive them to Prestwick Airport to catch a private jet bound for Nebraska. He waited for his gorgeous passenger to look suitably awed by his importance and was disappointed by her lack of interest. She was gorgeous, he had realised, and was headed to a private serviced flat in Edinburgh. From the thrillers he had read that suggested she might be a high class hooker. She was certainly pretty enough to be one. Aloof you might say. Either way, he suspected she might be out of his league, although he mentally totalled up all his savings just in case.
The journey to Edinburgh passed without event as far as Delores was concerned although she found the chatter from her non-regular driver a bit annoying. He had pointed out land marks along the way to try to keep her interested. Harthill services which had once been the only service station to have a mention in the Egon Ronay guide. "The Pyramids" bizarre landscaping where Motorola’s silicon glen involvement had ended and where sheep were now dyed various colours to amuse the passing commuters, whose jobs generally no longer had anything to do with electronics. A sculpture which looked like the Tellytubbies phone and various other local landmarks. Delores was bored but through politeness tried not to show it. John couldn't care less. He had the most beautiful woman in his car and he would talk about it for weeks afterwards with slowly reducing degrees of honesty.
The car arrived at the flat in a plush area of central Edinburgh and Delores met the concierge and let John carry the bags to the flat. She took the key, thanked John this time with a tip and headed for the sanctuary of the flat. Blaine had caught the private jet that morning with Dan and was probably still in the air heading for Nebraska. She felt as if her responsibilities were passed to Dan for the moment but knew they would resume soon enough. The serviced flat came with membership of a private gym which she was relieved to find had‘ladies only’ sessions throughout the week. She would rest and exercise while she waited for Blaine and could be sure of no unwelcome male stalkers in between. She had an appointment with Dr Robert Bartleman in three days’ time and found a pass key for his research facility waiting for her in the flat which said access all areas; a,b,c and d. Sounded like she could have lunch with Mickey Mouse at no extra charge with this card. Either way she had a break now to gather her strength ready to support Blaine in whatever lay ahead.
In th
e Lear Jet at 30 something thousand feet Dan slept and Blaine did not. He was actually more positive and focussed than he had been for some time and it was that which was keeping him awake. He was very conscious of his mortality but also felt liberated by the limited hand which life had dealt him. He had to go home to see Beth and to break the news of his cancer to her. He knew she would be upset but would be stoic in her support of him and the kids’ needs when they found out their father was seriously ill. In fact he knew in advance that his homemaking wife would be exceptionally good at this side of things. In some ways he was pleased to have Beth supporting him at this point. Beth would keep the homefires burning whatever happened and keep their kids focussed on softball, soccer or whatever they were into at the moment. He had a brief feeling of nostalgia from their early romance but tried to erase it from his mind in loyalty to Delores and their future together. Eventually he dosed off and slept soundly, dreaming not of domestic bliss but of impressive balance sheets and share options.
When he eventually got home things went pretty much as he had anticipated with Beth, who, after a few tears, rallied and started planning and organising her support. She decided it would be better if she spoke to the kids. This was both brave and practical as she was the one who spent all her time looking after them. In honesty Blaine was almost a stranger to them. They looked forward to his time at home, on the rare occasions he was home while they were awake. They also looked forward to his return from business trips as he usually brought presents for them from wherever he had been. They remained completely unaware that almost all of them had been chosen by Delores. However, when it came down to something serious which could affect their domestic routine with Mom, she was the one who could explain better to them in terms they would be able to understand. Clara was ten and took the news surprisingly well. Daniel who had just passed eight didn't fully understand but nodded when his mother explained that Daddy was ill and had to go away for a while so they had to help her all they could. Had they been a bit older and therefore more cynical they might have asked: "So what's new?" Instead they nodded their differing levels of understanding and ran off to give Daddy plenty of hugs and kisses as requested. Blaine was tired in a way he hadn't been for a very long time. As they ran up and grabbed him he was relieved that they were as gentle as Beth had asked them to be and for once let them give him as many hugs and kisses as they wanted. When they were done he sent them off to do their chores and dozed off in his favourite chair, feeling like an old man but unable to fight the fatigue any further.
When he awoke Daniel had made him a card which read, "Love you Daddy.' Clara had picked him some flowers from their garden and for a second he almost shed a tear of emotion. Almost! He had a long way to go and at the end of it he would undoubtedly spend as much time as he could with the children but it wouldn't be here and it would be with Delores.
The next three days seemed to drag by until Dan phoned confirming a date had been agreed with the donor. Thereafter the house became a blur of activity with Beth in sole charge of everything that happened. This had allowed Blaine to phone and text Delores a few times, carefully deleting all contact afterwards on his cell phone. By agreement the contact was short and to the point.
The day came for Blaine to travel again in the private jet, this time to Edinburgh with Doc Zelnik as a travelling companion in case of any medical emergencies en route. Dan had telephoned the night before to wish Blaine luck and to confirm he would appear in Edinburgh towards the end of the process and personally take charge of the new Blaine’s re-establishment within Nebus.
Dr Zelnik appeared in a company, owned limo in plenty of time to collect Blaine and get to the airport. He spent a half hour or so checking him over medically and pronounced him fit to travel, then said he would wait by the car till Blaine said his farewells to the his family.
The kids had been up early and had been scrubbed and polished by the maid to look their best. This had allowed Beth to do the same to herself. By agreement Blaine had moved to the guest room on the ground floor after the dates had been confirmed to allow him maximum rest and to avoid the stairs. He knew he could have managed them easily enough but the privacy gave him plenty of thinking time. The arrangement meant that Beth could focus that morning on looking as good as she possibly could. After her customary run and session on the exercise bike and cross trainer she had taken a relaxing bath. Thereafter, she had got dressed in a short summer dress bought specially for the occasion and taken the time to get her make up just right. The effect as she lined up the kids to say "Goodbye" to their father was exactly as she had hoped. Blaine looked at her and stopped just that split second. She looked beautiful. He smiled at her a genuinely warm and affectionate smile and gave her a long kiss full on the lips.
Before he could stop himself he said, "I love you," and meant it.
Beth smiled back and said, "You come safely back to me now! We'll all be waiting here for you and will be ready to spoil you till you're all better." She winked a surprisingly dirty wink as she said it and gave him another lingering kiss. After that, he gave first Clara and then Daniel long hugs and made them promise to help their mom all they could and be good. He then turned and walked slowly to the limo. Doc Zelnik had come up to the front door to help him if needed and they walked to the car side by side. The doctor opened the car door for the younger man who turned and blew a kiss to his family, wondering if this was the last time he would see them or if it would just be the last time they would all smile at him if things went according to plan. Either way, when he had settled into the back of the car and it had started for the airport, he realised for the first time in years the future was out of his hands for the next few weeks. He had no decisions to make, no meetings to chair and no immediate responsibilities for anyone else. Others were taking responsibility for him as never before since he was a child and it was a very strange but not an entirely unpleasant feeling. There would be difficult times ahead but for now he could switch off and let the fatigue envelope him. He had made his decisions and would stick to them as usual. Wavering was dangerous. Keep the long term prize in sight and go for it.
Chapter Eleven
The next day Frank bounced out of bed early enough to have a swim before breakfast, worrying that a week of no exercise at Nebus would mean he'd have to make up for it at the hotel. Charlotte was fun but not all of his muscle groups were getting a workout with her. Showered, fed and dressed in a jacket and jeans he was ready in reception when Jim pulled up in his people-carrier.
"Wasn't sure if a Jambo would be on time," Frank joked. "Can't trust a blue nose sitting about in my home town, get in."
And so began Frank's second day at Nebus. The morning was all about fitting electrodes to his head and getting him to sit up, stand up, sit down, lie down and so on. He felt like a dog getting trained but it was easy enough and he could pass the time thinking about the money he was getting paid, Charlotte or, when he could see her, Bernie's skinny bum. The kids seemed happy with the progress they had made by lunchtime and said they would work on the results in the afternoon. He could eat now and then it was off to see nurse Moira for two o'clock.
"You hungry?" he asked Bernie as he passed her, ignoring the rest of the team.
"A bit. Give me just a few seconds to finish this programme and start it running then I'll join you if you like."
Frank liked, so he pulled up a chair and watched as she entered the last of her instructions into the PC, pretending all the time to be interested. Then they headed for the canteen. Once there they both ordered from the list of hot dishes available with Frank adding some special requests for his, just to cheer the chef up. He poured some apple juice and some for Bernie when she asked him and they sat down.
"So what is a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" Frank ventured.
Bernie looked at him for a second and then replied, “I have a PhD in Data processing and was head hunted by Nebus when I finished my doctorate." There was not a trace of a smile on he
r face.
"That went well," thought Frank for a second until Bernie burst out laughing.
"That is the most lame chat up line I have heard since High School," she said still laughing at the look of confusion on Frank's face.
"Okay, you got me that time," he said and joined in. After that, with the ice broken they chatted away about the tests, the research at Nebus and then into the topic of Northern Ireland, with Frank on the defensive till he gauged her position. It turned out her position was simple. Get qualified, get out and see the world. The troubles hadn't really affected her family and she didn't give a monkey's that Frank had been a soldier there. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned up the charm to the "High" setting.
Their food arrived and again Frank was impressed by the chef's efforts. They ate in silence for a while and then resumed their conversation with coffees. Frank joked and smiled and gave it all he had in an attempt to make up for his lack of formal education. Bernie was about the brightest girl who'd ever sat and listened to him and he didn't want to blow it. Early on she had admitted to being single after a disastrous spell with a fellow PhD student, who had a drink problem, while they were both studying in Belfast. After that she had a few casual boyfriends but intended to get on and see the world. Settling down with anyone was not a priority and if it never happened she would not be bothered. Frank liked everything she said on the subject. Especially that word casual. But he took care to omit any mention of hard drinking in his own past after that.
"Fancy a bite to eat at my Hotel tomorrow night?" he asked casually.
She paused before replying with a smile, "We'll see how you perform tomorrow then I'll let you know. For now I need to get back to work and you need to tell Nurse Moira about all your spots and rashes."