The Life You Left

by Carmel Harrington

  ‘No you’ve done nothing wrong. Don’t worry.’ Turning to James, he said, ‘Sorry, you’re out of luck.’

  James walked out of the bank cursing their efficiency. He looked up and down the street. He could see several pubs and restaurants. He figured that chances were if he was in Gorey and took money out of a bank machine here, he was meeting Rachel around here too. It was time to go knocking on some doors. He had a photograph of Rachel with him but he didn’t have any of Mal, but it was worth a shot. She was a pretty girl. Someone might have remembered her.

  He walked into a Chinese restaurant two doors up and asked to see the manager; he showed the picture to the staff.

  ‘Do any of you remember serving this girl a month ago in this restaurant?’

  They all looked at the picture closely and a chorus of no’s murmured from them all. He had the same response in every bar and restaurant he called into. James was getting weary. He’d been into every possible location he could think of in Gorey town and nobody recognised Rachel. Although there was one woman who recognised her from her picture in the papers following the murder, which was no use whatsoever.

  Feeling deflated he decided to call it a day and started to drive out of town. He was on his way towards Sarah’s house when he spotted a sign in the middle of the roundabout that caused him to do drive around the roundabout a second time to re-read it. ‘Margaret and Francis’s Wedding. This way!’ It was a trend he’d seen develop a lot of over the years, couples putting directional signs up for guests on how to find their church or hotel for their wedding.

  Of course, he thought, The Seafield Hotel was just a few miles out of Gorey town. He’d been focussing entirely on the town centre of Gorey. But who was to say that he’d not met Rachel outside the main town? A discreet spot for a romantic meet up, slightly off the beaten path, not many locals called in there, mainly out-of-towners for spa breaks or weddings. He quickly turned the car around.

  He spoke to the Duty Manager there – Bryan, who didn’t recognise Rachel at all. He did however check his records to see who was working in the restaurant and bar that night.

  ‘The team that were working on 3rd October are not on shift now.’ Bryan said to him. ‘But if you leave the photograph with me, I’ll check it out for you.’

  ‘That would be great. Thank you.’ James said to him giving him his card.

  He jumped in his car and continued on his way to Sarah’s. They had lots to catch up on and Mary Donegan was also going to be there. Sarah had invited her over for the evening along with Ruby. He checked his watch; he was running late. The kids wouldn’t be impressed.

  He got there in twenty minutes and his heart melted as he saw Katie and Tommy peeping out the living room window, waiting for his car to pull into the drive. Times like these made him feel a little bit lonely and he wished he could find the right woman to settle down with and maybe have children of his own. He’d be so proud to have kids like those three in there. They were absolute starbars.

  He ran in and was soon engulfed in big hugs.

  ‘Uncle James, Uncle James.’ Katie squealed. Tommy put his little hand in his and gazed up adoringly at his uncle.

  ‘Catch any bad guys today, Uncle James?’ Tommy asked.

  ‘I caught ten of them. Bad to the bone, they were!’ James answered. ‘I locked them all up personally. Streets are safe now for pretty ladies like you, Katie.’ He said to his niece, much to her delight, tipping an imaginary sheriff’s hat at her.

  ‘Come in here “Wyatt Earp” and sit down.’ Sarah shouted out to him laughing.

  ‘Howdy ma’am.’ He said in his best western drawl. ‘Mighty fine day.’

  Tommy and Katie were in hysterics laughing at him and he heard a few giggles coming from the others too.

  ‘Hi Mary. Good to see you again.’ James said to her.

  ‘You’ve quite a fan club there I see.’ She remarked.

  ‘Mutual appreciation society between my children and brother.’ Sarah said laughing to her friend. ‘I don’t get a look in once James comes over!’

  ‘Proper order!’ James said in reply to his sister.

  ‘What’s for dinner? This sheriff is mighty hungry!’

  ‘I have a Sheriff joke.’ Tommy said to his uncle.

  ‘He wants to be a stand-up comedian when he’s bigger.’ Katie explained.

  ‘Knock, knock.’ Tommy said.

  ‘Who’s there?’ James replied

  ‘Gopher.’

  ‘Gopher who?

  ‘Gopher your gun, Sheriff!’

  James started to laugh. He praised his nephew. ‘A mighty fine joke!’ he said in his western drawl again.

  ‘It’s stupid.’ Katie said sticking her tongue out at him.

  ‘We don’t use the stupid word in this house.’ Sarah reminded her daughter.

  ‘Sorry, Tommy.’ Katie said to her brother. ‘The joke wasn’t stupid. It just wasn’t very funny, that’s all.’ she said very seriously.

  Tommy raised his eyes up and said dramatically, ‘The world’s a critic!’

  ‘Funny guy.’ Sarah said laughing. ‘Right time for dinner, everyone. Wash up, on the table in five!’

  ‘I hear there’s a new sheriff in town.’ A voice said from behind James, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. He turned in surprise, wondering who it was who owned the voice that sounded like chocolate. The most beautiful woman that James had ever seen in his life walked into the living room. She looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite place her. Tall with killer curves, long chestnut coloured wavy hair that bounced onto her shoulders and he knew he was staring at her, but he simply couldn’t look away. Big brown eyes were intently watching him back, with amusement. His heart started to thump furiously in his chest and he felt a line of perspiration appear on his forehead. He’d never ever experienced a reaction like this to any other woman he’d ever met.

  ‘You ok there?’ Ruby asked him, amusement written all over her face.

  ‘Ruby?’ He replied incredulously, then made a supreme effort to pull himself together and stop looking like an imbecile.

  ‘All grown up now, James.’ She said to him with a grin, giving a little curtsey.

  ‘I can see that!’ He answered with a smile. She was a woman who knew how to dress her curves and make every single one of them count. ‘Sorry, I didn’t recognise you Ruby! You’ve changed since the last time we met. Come here, gorgeous!’ He walked over and pulled her in for a hug.

  She smelt good and suddenly James felt out of his depth. He pulled away quickly and noted that Ruby was still looking at him with amusement

  ‘You’re looking good. Still the charmer I see?’ Ruby teased.

  ‘Never worked on you!’ James answered. ‘We could have been so good together!’ He finished dramatically.

  ‘In your dreams!’ Ruby answered laughing.

  ‘Ouch, that hurt!’

  James looked at Ruby, trying to equate the ponytailed young friend of his sister’s with this glamorous young woman in front of him. He started to run through all the witty one liners he’d ever used in the past, he needed just the right one for Ruby. She was incredibly beautiful; why hadn’t he noticed that before? He wondered how quickly he could bring up the subject of orphans dying. But then she spoke again and he realised that there wasn’t a single line that he could use on someone like her.

  ‘It’s good to see you again, James.’ Ruby said to him and he marvelled at how the sound of her voice as she said his name could stop him in his tracks. She made it sound very intimate, like it was just the two of them in the room. A woman’s voice had never had that effect on him before. But then she touched his hand and he jumped back as he felt an electric shock run through him.

  ‘Ow!’ He yelped in surprise at the jolt. Ruby just smiled serenely at him like she was enjoying a private joke.

  He couldn’t speak; he couldn’t find a single word to say.

  What is up with you?’ Sarah interrupted, looking puzzled. Ja
mes had a strange look on his face.

  James couldn’t answer. He wasn’t usually lost for words but then again, he’d never met someone who had this instant effect on him. He tried his best to smile at Ruby, but it came out like a grimace. She simply smiled at him again, obviously used to having this effect on men.

  ‘Come on everyone, let’s eat.’ Sarah said again, glancing at Mary as she walked out the door who was taking in the scene intently.

  Mary responded by raising her eyebrows in the direction of James and Ruby, a knowing smile on her face, and started to hum quietly as she stood up, ‘There could be trouble ahead, but while there’s music and laughter and love and romance, let’s face the music and dance!’

  Chapter Eighteen

  James wiped his hands on his jeans. He was sweating and he could feel a line of perspiration forming on his brow. Ever since he spent time with Ruby yesterday he couldn’t get her out of his mind. He knew he’d made zero impact last night at dinner. He’d sat there all evening in virtual silence, feeling like a teenager; all tongue-tied because the pretty girl next door was visiting. Sarah kept throwing him worried looks; he knew she couldn’t understand why he was so quiet. In his twenty-five odd years of dealing with the opposite sex he could safely say that no woman had ever had this effect on him. God knows what Ruby thought, he’d hardly uttered a word to her. She was the most perfect woman he’d ever seen. Her skin was flawless, it was almost translucent. And her voice, whenever she spoke he literally melted. Katie and Tommy had also both been charmed with her. Tommy had his first crush, James thought. And who could blame him?

  Both Katie and Tommy had fought over who sat beside Ruby for dinner. Normally they fought over sitting beside him! In the end Ruby had to sit in the middle between them both. Tommy went into overdrive telling jokes to her, beaming with pride each time she laughed. Katie had stared at Ruby’s jewellery, every now and then stroking her bracelet or touching her necklace, in awe at the glamour of this new guest.

  And she was glamorous, in an understated way and although she had been wearing jeans and a top, she managed to make them look like she was straight off the catwalk.

  When they left, Sarah had asked him, ‘I’ve never seen you so quiet. What’s with you tonight?’

  ‘Nothing.’ He’d said sulkily.

  ‘Goodness knows what everyone thought of you.’ Sarah had moaned. ‘You were quiet to the point of almost being rude!’

  He really hoped Ruby didn’t think he was rude. He just couldn’t find any words to say to her. Every time he thought of something, he’d stop and second guess what he’d been about to say, thinking Ruby would think it silly. So he’d end up saying nothing. She even tried asking him about his job, but he’d just stammered that he was very busy right now. Normally he’d have talked up how dangerous his job was defending the weak and defenceless. Women usually loved it when he did that. But he just couldn’t find the words with Ruby. It seemed like a cheap trick and not worthy of a woman such as her.

  He had woken up this morning and after a bad night’s sleep, dreaming of Ruby, he’d decided he was going to ask her out. He knew where she worked at least. She was the new manager at the gym in the Ferrycarrig Hotel in Wexford. So after breakfast, he’d headed there to meet her, before he headed to work.

  Checking his appearance quickly in the mirror of the entrance hallway he decided he’d do. ‘I’m here to see Ruby Shiggins.’ He’d said to the receptionist at the entrance to the gym.

  ‘You her nine o’clock appointment?’ she said, and before he had a chance to say no, she pushed the intercom button. ‘Ruby, your client is here.’ He figured if it meant getting to see Ruby, he’d go along with it. Sure, what harm could it do?

  Hands sweating again, James tried to look nonchalant as he stood by the door. The door opened and Ruby walked out and James swore his heart actually stopped beating as he watched her. She was wearing a tight Lycra top over a pair of yoga pants, with her long brunette hair tied back into a ponytail. She wasn’t wearing any make-up and he didn’t think he’d ever seen a more breath-taking vision in his life. She just radiated beauty. And James knew right then, without a shadow of a doubt, that for the first time in his life he was in love.

  She seemed taken aback when she saw James standing there.

  ‘James, what are you doing here?’

  ‘Hi, Ruby.’ He answered shyly.

  ‘You’re here for an assessment?’ she said with a smile. He nodded quickly still unable to find his voice. He’d have to work on that if he wanted to ask her out later.

  ‘What a coincidence, you never mentioned you were booked for one last night.’ Ruby said to him.

  James didn’t know what to say, so decided not to break this new habit of his, and said nothing.

  ‘Do you want to get changed and we’ll get started?’ she continued.

  ‘Changed?’ James said dumbly.

  ‘You need to get into some gym gear.’ Ruby continued gently. ‘You’ll be more comfortable than in your jeans.’

  She was smiling at him again and somehow he got the feeling she was laughing at him, but her face was expressionless.

  ‘Erm, I didn’t bring any gear with me.’ He replied, feeling a flush of embarrassment forming. This wasn’t the time to admit he wasn’t her client. In fact he was half-expecting someone to come in any second and shout ‘Imposter!’ at the top of his lungs. James could feel himself sweating again at the thought of being caught out.

  ‘Don’t worry. You’re wearing trainers and we always have some spare kit if needed.’ Ruby said to him. She walked behind the receptionist desk into a small office and returned a moment later with a pair of black Lycra cycling shorts and the brightest pink polo shirt he’d ever seen.

  ‘Problem?’ She said when she saw the look of horror on his face. ‘I think they’re your size.’

  ‘No problem.’ He responded, looking sharply at her. This time there was no doubt, Ruby was definitely enjoying this! She could hardly suppress the giggles as she handed over the pink top.

  ‘Changing rooms are to your right. I’ll be in the gym when you’re ready.’

  And with that she walked back into the gym, her ponytail bouncing along behind her.

  James walked into the men’s changing room hoping it would be empty. Yep, he was in luck. Most of the early morning gym bunnies were already on their way to the office by now. He quickly took off his jeans and striped Ben Sherman shirt. He’d spent ages that morning deciding what he should wear to meet her. He’d changed his shirt four times till he found just the right one. The irony was he’d actually taken off a turquoise shirt because he thought it was too bright, and here he was standing in a bright hot pink polo shirt, about to try and impress a girl.

  Maybe it doesn’t look too bad, he hoped, as he walked to the mirrors to take a look, turning around trying to see how his bum looked in the skimpy Lycra shorts.

  ‘Ah, Jaysus no.’ He thought when he looked in the mirror. He’d always thought his legs were in pretty good nick but he reckoned Brad Pitt would have a job pulling this look off.

  The bloody top was so small it barely covered his bum; he desperately tried to stretch it a bit. He could feel himself sweating again. This wasn’t good.

  ‘Feck this.’ He thought. ‘No girl is worth this, I’m outta here.’

  He went back to his locker and pulled out his jeans, determined to get dressed and run out the door, he never wanted to see Lycra again never mind wear it. Then he heard Ruby’s voice.

  ‘You ok, James?’ The way she said the word James, he actually thought his legs buckle slightly. He found new resolution.

  ‘Feck it.’ He thought. ‘Let’s get physical!’

  ‘I’m on my way.’ He said, and standing up tall, he puffed out his chest. If he was going to pull this look off, he’d need to adopt some attitude.

  He strutted as best he could to the gym, difficult, he thought, for anyone to pull off in hot pink.

  He passed a big guy by as he l
eft the changing room, on his way back in. He looked James up and down and started to laugh as he passed him by. As James walked out the door he could hear him laughing.

  Ruby had her head in a clipboard when he walked out, but when she looked up she slowly looked him up and down and with a quick smile she said, ‘Good, they fit. Snug.’

  She was making fun of him again, he knew it. Why he hadn’t just told her at reception that he wasn’t there for a fitness review, he’d never work out. God, the messes he got himself into sometimes were unreal.

  ‘So, what is your goal for today’s assessment?’ Ruby said in a very efficient voice.

  To secure a date with you, James thought to himself. But decided he’d not share that right at that minute.

  ‘Erm, to just get fitter, I think.’ He replied. He hadn’t prepared for any questions!

  ‘So, would you say your goal is to get healthy?’ Ruby said looking up from her clipboard.

  ‘Yes. Exactly, get healthy.’ James repeated. He was a moron, if he didn’t up his game; she’d never go out with him.

  ‘And lose some weight?’ Ruby then added.

  Was she looking at his stomach? James thought in panic. He was sure her eyes lingered on his love handles for a second.

  James quickly sucked in his stomach. She thought he was fat. Was he fat? He had always thought he was fairly trim. There were mirrors everywhere in this bloody gym, he thought. No matter which way he looked there were images of him glaring back. And he couldn’t help notice that he looked a little bit pudgy right now. But he supposed he had been eating a lot of pasta lately. Damn Sarah and her lasagnes. He was addicted to them.

  ‘I guess I could drop a few.’ He mumbled to Ruby.

  ‘Don’t worry; I’ll soon work off those pesky pounds you’re carrying.’ Ruby said smiling.

  She was killing him.

  ‘And would you like to work on your muscle tone?’ she then went on.

  ‘What’s wrong with my muscle tone?’ He answered feeling aggrieved. He could feel himself flexing his arms. He might not be Thor, but he had muscles.

  ‘Oh, nothing at all. But we can work on building them up. You’d be surprised at what we can achieve in just a few quick sessions.’