Alex Hope

by Aj Estelliam

  ‘Well, I don’t know…’

  ‘I’m serious, Alex. I’m deadly serious about all of this.’

  ‘But enough for me to up sticks and move all the way to Scotland?’ I questioned.

  ‘Yeah, well…that’s something you’ll have to decide.’

  I nodded slowly, considering it.

  ‘You would be the one having to move, Alex. I couldn’t ask you to do something you don’t want to do but I know already that from my view, I would want you with me from this day forth.’

  ‘And it would be in Scotland?’

  She nodded. ‘I’ve made my life there. I have a job and friends at work. I live in a gorgeous house by the sea…I have everything. Everything apart from you…’

  ‘Oh Jess…’

  She gazed at me, wide-eyed.

  ‘I didn’t realise how lonely I was until I met you, Alex.’

  I nodded, understanding that completely. ‘I know. I feel exactly the same way.’

  ‘But I’m asking a lot, I know.’

  ‘The thing is, Jess, I’m at a cross roads in my life. I have no fixed home, I have a job which is causing me to go into meltdown…I’ve also met you and can’t imagine being without you. If that means moving to Scotland; maybe that’s the right thing for me.’

  ‘Perhaps you should think on it while we’re on holiday.’

  I nodded. ‘I am already,’ I promised.

  ‘Good,’ she said, drawing me close. She held me in her arms as the wind whistled around us. I breathed in her wonderfully, warm scent and relaxed into her arms. How could I walk away from this?

  After a while, we wandered on across the headland. The path went up and down and I had to stop on hilly paths to gather my breath; something which amused Jess no end. She was clearly super-fit and didn’t find the walk arduous in the slightest.

  We found ourselves at the top of the headland which was covered in sheep and goats grazing contentedly. We sat on a bench and looked back towards Hope for a long time. It was the most beautiful view yet and I felt happy. I hadn’t ever been on holiday with a partner before and I felt excited at the prospect of where this was going. I had never found someone quite so perfect for me and the future was looking promising.

  We wandered further but as rain started to fall, we turned and headed back towards the hotel. The walk was more downhill on the way back so we found it easier to make our way back. By the time we reached the beach, we were soaked to the skin. We hurried along the sand and up the path to the hotel. We were both breathing hard as we got inside with wet clothes and hair plastered to our scalps. We quickly rushed to the room and straight into the bathroom.

  ‘I’m absolutely soaked,’ I laughed, as I peeled off wet clothes and dropped them on the bathroom floor.

  ‘Me too…this is so wet,’ she said, pulling her top off.

  ‘Showers?’

  ‘I was thinking about a bath,’ she told me as she undressed. ‘And I was thinking we could share one.’

  I stopped and looked up at her. ‘I’ve never shared a bath with anyone before.’

  She raised her eyebrows. ‘No?’

  ‘Yeah! Have you?’ I asked, surprised.

  She frowned. ‘Well, no…but still, it seems unlikely that neither of us have ever shared a bath in our lives.’

  ‘Well, actually I’m lying…’

  She frowned at me.

  ‘I must have shared one as a kid!’ I exclaimed.

  ‘Oh yeah! Me too,’ she nodded.

  ‘I don’t think I’ve ever done it as an adult though! Do you think we’ll fit?’ I questioned.

  ‘I don’t know…I hope so. I’m thinking this could be fun.’

  ‘It’ll certainly be a new experience!’

  ‘Yeah,’ she murmured, turning to put the taps on. ‘Do you like it nice and hot?’

  ‘Absolutely! The hotter the better!’ I smiled.

  ‘Good. I love a hot bath.’

  I stood back, waiting, watching the woman I loved drawing a bath for me. I wondered if anything could spoil how wonderful my life was at the moment. It seemed too good to be true. As Jess turned back to smile at me warmly, I put my negative thoughts behind me. I was in love. I planned to enjoy it.

  Chapter 26

  Jess and I ended up comfortably fitting in the large bath. It was hot and steaming and luxuriously sensual to be lying in a bath with her.

  ‘This is bliss,’ I murmured, leaning back against Jess who was behind me.

  ‘Um…you feel so good,’ she told me, her hands running over my stomach and sides.

  ‘Is that a good idea…in here?’ I said huskily, my voice affected by her roaming hands.

  ‘It’s always a good idea, Alex.’

  ‘Mmm,’ I moaned as her hand dipped lower and into my soft folds. I shifted against her moving hand and lay back against her languidly. Her touch felt even more sensual in the bath and I felt my nipples peak as her mouth kissed my neck and made me shiver.

  Her fingers moved rhythmically and I moaned as I felt my orgasm approach. As she continued to stimulate me, I came against her hand, rising up in the water against her. My whole body hummed with sensation and I turned around to kiss her deeply. There, in her arms, I felt so, very wonderful. I wanted time to stand still just so I could stop and live in the moment with her.

  Hours later, we lay in bed together facing each other. After our bath together, we had dried off and headed to bed where we had made love multiple times. Now, we lay replete but awake, enjoying each other’s company.

  ‘I think I can see the sunset,’ I murmured, as the sun crept through the curtains.

  ‘I love sunsets,’ she murmured sleepily. ‘Shall we watch it?’

  ‘Yes. I’ll open the curtains.’

  I went over to the curtains and opened them up. I then headed back to bed. The sky was a beautiful orangey, pink colour. I got into the bed, laid back against the pillow and stared out of the window.

  ‘Could this be more perfect?’ Jess asked me.

  ‘Yes…we could be eating some nice dinner too…I think we missed it,’ I laughed.

  ‘I’ll order some room service,’ she said chuckling.

  ‘No, don’t bother,’ I told her. ‘I just like being here in peace and quiet with you.’

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘You actually enjoy my company, don’t you?’

  ‘I love your company,’ I told her sincerely, as the pinks in the sky became more prominent.

  ‘I’ve never met anyone like you,’ she told me romantically, ‘Never have I met anyone who I’ve been this comfortable and happy with.’

  ‘I know. I feel exactly the same way,’ I told her.

  She drew me close and kissed me, long and slow. As the sunset set in the distance, we held each other close and fell asleep in each other’s arms. It felt blissful. It felt absolutely magical. As I drifted though, my peace and happiness was shattered in an instant.

  The image I had seen before flashed before my eyes in startling clarity. It was Jess. She lay on the snow, eyes wide and staring. I looked down at her to see if she was breathing and suddenly saw the blood. It was soaking the white snow with bright, red colour. I gasped and fell back, onto the cold, wet snow. It was so real I could feel the freezing wetness underneath me. I watched her, not knowing what to do but with my panic rising. Just as I was ready to turn, my world went black and I collapsed.

  I started in my sleep and woke myself up. I sat up in bed and realised where I was. I was still safe; with Jess beside me in the bed. I breathed deeply, trying to regain control. What on earth was I dreaming? Was that something that was going to happen? Were we still in danger? I wasn’t sure but I felt unsettled once more. My peace was now well and truly shattered. The trouble was, this time I was reluctant to tell Jess. She had only just recovered from her brother causing such terrible crimes.

  I decided to stay quiet about what I had seen until I saw more of my vision. There was no point upsetting Jess be
fore I had to.

  I lay back down and tried to sleep. The trouble was, I now felt worried. I didn’t feel like everything was resolved and that bothered me deeply. I hadn’t been wrong yet about anything I had ‘seen’ and this time, I hoped against hope that I was wrong.

  When I finally slept, my sleep was unsettled and disturbed. I saw the same scene at least three times within the course of the night. It was upsetting as to me, it seemed new. I didn’t understand it either, as surely we were now out of danger. I resolved to call the Captain later that day and check that Jamie Love was well and truly locked up and unable to harm us.

  When I woke, I feigned a good sleep and pasted a smile back on my face.

  ‘I’m so ready for breakfast,’ Jess laughed.

  ‘Me too.’

  ‘I’m regretting not actually ordering room service last night.’

  ‘I know. My stomach is growling with hunger.’

  ‘Shall we get on up and go down? I think they do a full buffet and English breakfast here.’

  ‘Ah, yum!’ I exclaimed. ‘Let’s get up!’

  Jess and I got up and then and headed down to breakfast. While we sat waiting for the waiter, I heard a multitude of thoughts from around the room but one voice was ‘louder’ than the rest and kept drawing my attention. It was a middle-aged woman and she was sat at her table quietly. She didn’t talk to her partner and they wore identical frowns. She fiddled with her hands nervously and I suddenly saw what had happened in my mind.

  She had been preparing to go down to the beach and had changed into her swimming things and taken off all her valuables-including her wedding ring. She had placed it on the side dresser but as the cleaners had stripped the room, it had been swept of the side and fallen down the side of one of the wooden slats of the bed. I could see it there, nestled in a crevice of wood.

  I blinked and then stood up.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Jess asked.

  ‘I just need to talk to that lady over there,’ I told her.

  Jess gave me a look of warning. ‘Alex…’

  ‘I’ll just be a minute…I’m not interfering where I shouldn’t be, I promise you,’ I smiled.

  I walked over to the couple and could hear the husband now. He was furious about the ring. It had been in his family for generations and meant as much to him as it did to her.

  ‘Hello,’ I said, bending down at the side of their table.

  They both looked my way in confusion. ‘Hello,’ the woman replied.

  ‘My name is Alex and I sometimes have the gift of psychic ability. I couldn’t help seeing a vision this morning. You have a missing ring, right?’ I asked.

  The woman gasped and the man’s eyes widened.

  ‘Yes! I lost it yesterday! I’ve been tearing my hair out!’ she said.

  ‘It’s gone,’ the man said miserably. ‘She must have lost it in the sea…it’s nowhere in that room.’

  ‘I took it off, Dennis!’ she exclaimed.

  ‘Look,’ I said, interrupting their dispute, ‘I know where it is. If you go to the side you’ve been sleeping, Pam, it’s down the side of one of the wooden slats-right under the mattress and in the corner. It’s the…fourth slat from the headboard down. If you lift the mattress, you’ll find it easily.’

  They gazed at me in wonder then looked at me in stunned disbelief.

  ‘How did you know my wife is called Pam?’

  I shrugged. ‘The same way I know where the ring is.’

  Dennis stood up abruptly. ‘I’m going to go and look!’

  ‘I’m coming!’ Pam said, standing too.

  I smiled as they hurried off. I knew they would find it in seconds now that they knew where to look. I headed back to my table, smiling to myself.

  As I sat down, Jess smiled at me. ‘Saving lives again, honey?’ she smiled.

  ‘One at a time,’ I joked. ‘No…missing ring…but it’s sentimental. It was Dennis’ great grandmothers. They should get it back. It means a lot in the family.’

  She reached across and laid her hand over mine. ‘You’re a good woman, Alex.’

  ‘I try,’ I smiled, but as she held my eyes I thought once more of the horrible image that had been haunting my thoughts. Maybe, for once, I could be wrong about it? I hoped I was.

  Jess and I began eating breakfast and as we did, Dennis and Pam came back into the room, beaming with happiness. They held hands and were smiling so widely I thought they would burst. They hurried over to me.

  ‘Oh, thank you so much! We found it! Look!’ Pam exclaimed, showing me.

  I nodded, smiling. ‘I could just see it there…nestled in the wooden slat. You should keep it safe in your family, Pam. It was important to Dennis’ great grandmother.

  ‘It was,’ Dennis nodded. ‘Thank you so much. How can I ever repay you?’ he asked.

  ‘I don’t want any kind of repayment. It’s enough for me to see the smiles on your faces.’

  ‘Thank you so much,’ he said, reaching for my hand and shaking it fiercely.

  ‘You’re welcome.’

  Pam bent and kissed my cheek. ‘You’re a God-send,’ she whispered in my ear.

  I smiled at her as the departed. It felt good to help people.

  When they were gone, I looked over at Jess.

  ‘You did good, Alex.’

  I nodded. ‘Yeah…’

  ‘I think your gift could help people…like it did just now.’

  ‘I know. For as overwhelming as it gets sometimes, I recognise how valuable it could be in helping too.’

  ‘That’s right. So, you shouldn’t resent it.’

  ‘No,’ I frowned, thinking of my vision. ‘But should I always trust it?’ I asked.

  ‘Have you ever been mistaken to date?’

  ‘I…no.’

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t be wrong in the future right?’ I questioned.

  She frowned at me, looking confused. ‘What are you talking about, Alex? Are you alright? Have you seen something else that has worried you?’

  ‘I…’ I frowned, and realised I didn’t want to upset her calm. ‘I…no…not exactly. I just worry, Jess. I mean, what if I was mistaken sometime. It’s not an exact science. I just worry if I got it wrong and what that would mean for the people involved.’

  ‘Just trust your instincts, Jess. Go with the feelings and trust them. If you’re wrong in the future, well so be it.’

  ‘Yes, I guess so.’

  ‘You’re going to be dealing with this for a long time, Alex, so it’ll be something you learn to manage over time.’

  I nodded, listening to about thirty people in the room at the same time. I breathed slowly, trying to shut out some of the voices so it didn’t bother me so much. It was hard.

  ‘Can we have breakfast and get out of here?’ I asked.

  ‘Yes, of course. Too many people?’ she questioned.

  I nodded my confirmation.

  ‘I hate places full of people too-and I can’t even hear their inner-ramblings. I can’t even imagine it,’ she shuddered. ‘Awful!’

  I frowned. ‘I wouldn’t choose it, I must admit. I’ve lost all sense of calm.’

  ‘Yeah.’ she sighed.

  ‘Except when I’m with you.’

  She looked at me with fondness.

  ‘I can always find quiet when I’m with you…and in Scotland by the sea, I think there would be peace.’

  ‘What are you saying, Alex?’

  ‘I don’t know exactly…maybe that I’d like to try…when we finish our holiday.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes, really. I can’t imagine going back to my old life now-not after everything which has happened. I think I need to move on-new job, new home and new love of my life,’ I smiled.

  She smiled back. ‘I like the sounds of that.’

  ‘Do you think that’s something we could try out? Like a trial run-and see how it works out for both of us?’

  ‘Of course. I
want nothing more than for you to come back with me to Scotland. It’ll change my life for the better.’

  I smiled at her. ‘Shall we go for another walk, Jess? We could explore the area while talking about the future.’

  ‘I’d like nothing better,’ she smiled.

  We finished our breakfast and then headed back to our room. After gathering our belongings, we headed out into the cool, brisk air.

  Chapter 27

  This time, we walked in the opposite direction-through ‘Inner Hope’ and over to the coastal footpath. We followed it up and over the beach until we could look back at Hope from the other direction.

  ‘Gorgeous,’ I breathed against the wind.

  ‘It sure is.’

  ‘I love it here…can we holiday here again in the future?’ I asked her.

  ‘Whenever you want to,’ she smiled.

  ‘You like going on holidays?’ I wondered, not knowing much about that side of her life.

  ‘I haven’t taken holidays, Alex.’

  ‘What, never?’ I asked, surprised.

  ‘Well, not since early childhood.’

  ‘Wow,’ I murmured.

  ‘I’ve just concentrated on work to be honest. When you said ‘all work and no play’ well that’s me. That sums me up to a tee.’

  ‘But I guess things are going to change?

  ‘Well, since you-I’ve had a personal life.’

  ‘Yeah…I wanted to ask you a bit more about that if you don’t mind.’

  ‘Of course, Alex! I want you to ask me about anything you want to,’ she said, emphatically.

  ‘Well, I just wonder about the future. I mean, I know you’ve talked about being ‘all work and no play’ but I guess I want to know if that would change in the future…’

  ‘Alex, the reason I’ve been like that is because I haven’t had the opportunity to have any other facets to my life. I’d like to…I’d love to have a personal life with you…a proper one.’

  ‘But what about the future? What do you want with a partner?’ I asked her.

  She laughed, nervously. ‘I never even thought about it. I never thought I would have the chance to find out.’