by G I Tulloch
"Geoff, it's Irene. Emma's gone to hospital with Tom. They suspect Meningitis. I'm with Lizzie and Maxine but Emma needs you."
He dropped the toast on the table, grabbed the car keys and was gone.
He drove like a man demented but fortunately the roads were quiet and the police were busy elsewhere. He lost more tyre rubber than he had all year as his mind crashed through the gears.
"No!" he cried as he thumped the steering wheel. "No!"
He approached Ipswich and started looking for signs to the hospital when his mobile rang.
"Geoff, it's Irene again. Just to let you know that Emma's home and..." The connection broke off leaving him none the wiser, but he changed course for Chetsea and put his foot down even further. Darkness descended, paralleling his state of mind and what seemed an eternity later he pulled to a stop at the Old Rectory. He jumped out and ran to the door, letting himself in with the key he still had, to meet Emma coming out of the kitchen.
"Is he all right, what happened?" he gasped.
Emma smiled a very tired smile. "He's fine, it was a false alarm."
"Oh thank God for that," cried Geoff weakly, and before either of them could think of a rational reason not to, they embraced in a rib-cracking hug that poured out emotion from each of them.
Geoff laughed through tears. "We need to talk."
"We do," agreed Emma, putting on her coat.
"What about Tom?"
"He's fine; he's asleep in bed and Irene's got the other two in the playroom."
They went out into the cool evening air and Geoff let Emma lead the way down towards the quay.
They wandered along the seafront, each unsure of how to break the silence. Eventually they stopped and sat on a bench, watching the silhouettes of the boats rocking on the waves.
"I don't know how to say how sorry I am," began Emma. "I don't know what came over me, but I would quite understand if you wanted to walk away."
"I take responsibility," responded Geoff. "If I hadn't been so bloody secretive then the misunderstanding would never have happened."
"Do we get the chance to start again?"
"Pick up where we left off, certainly."
There was a moment's silence where they both cogitated how this might happen.
"Roz...," began Emma but was interrupted by Geoff.
"A much beloved sister whom I put through a great deal."
"...said she couldn't or shouldn't be the one to tell me what you were doing at the jeweller's that day." continued Emma.
"She was right," confirmed Geoff before getting up and pulling her to her feet. "You foolish girl. You should never, ever doubt your own worth. It wasn't a wedding ring we were buying, it was this."
With a free hand he pulled a small dark blue box out of his pocket, and with a thumbnail flicked it open to reveal a diamond engagement ring. Even in the gloom it seemed to shine.
He almost dropped it as he had to catch Emma, her legs buckling beneath her. She regained her balance but great heaving sobs started to erupt from her throat that slightly bewildered Geoff. He decided just to hang on tight.
It took a full five minutes for Emma to regain enough composure to allow words to be spoken, or even heard.
"Oh God, I should never have doubted you, why did I ever doubt you? I put you through this, I put us all through this. I accused you of all manner of things. How can you ever forgive me?"
"Just say yes."
"Yes? What's the question?" As if she hadn't twigged by now.
"Marry me."
And she was off again. This time he led her back to the bench and they collapsed in a heap of sorts.
More apologies and counter apologies spilled out one after the other as relief voiced itself.
Eventually silence reigned and Emma decided enough was enough.
"Before I give you an answer I have a confession to make."
"What?"
"I've deceived you from the start."
He sat up and looked in her face. All sorts of alarm bells ringing in his mind.
She scanned his face, noted the concern and smiled wistfully.
"I'm sorry but I didn't meet you by chance on the quay that day in May, and if you hadn't taken the photograph I would have found another way of screwing a coffee out of you."
Geoff's face was a picture, and reaching out she stroked his cheek.
"My dearest Geoff you were completely set up. A friend of a friend of my sister's talked about this beautiful guy she knew who was completely unattached, and if someone didn't get their hooks into him soon he was going to go to waste." She paused. "I've never been one to resist a challenge, or an opportunity, and I was totally intrigued."
Geoff stopped her. "So my friend who recommended Chetsea as a location to me. She would have been this same friend of a friend of a sister...."
Emma merely nodded.
A look of mock rage overcame his features and he reached out to grab hold of her. "You scheming little.."
But she was already off the bench and running along the seawall, screaming 'Yes, yes, yes', and laughing with Geoff in pursuit, both oblivious to the sea, the clapping boat shrouds, or the gulls wheeling and crying overhead.