The Empty Room

by H P Steven

“Thanks for coming Phil, Mum and the others will be happy to see you,” Georgia declared.

  “Thanks Georgia,” I replied,

  letting her go and walking over to shake Nick and Jeff’s hand, As Lisa walked out and gave me a hug, introducing me to Tara, who looked a hell of a lot like Karen just a little bit taller but had the same smirk.

  “Nice to meet you finally,” Tara declared.

  “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  As Georgia walked over to try and herd us all inside. Once we were in there, Christine saw me and asked if I’d join her for a second and hoping Audrey would come along.

  We both agreed and told Hannah we wouldn’t be long taking the stairs up to Karen’s room, and finding a Photo of the four of us in China and a photo of her and her sisters I took outside the colosseum. They were both great days.

  “Nice photo’s aye,” Christine commented,

  “She loved that trip, she never shut up about it,” Christine added, as Audrey and I smiled.

  “Oh it’s just over here,” Christine remarked, as she walked over to the corner and picked up a smallish storage folder and handed it to Audrey.

  “Phil, Karen wanted you to have this, she also told us you have to speak tonight.

  Thank you for keeping your promise, I just wanted to say,” Christine said, as she walked over and hugged me again.

  “Karen also didn’t want you to open it in front of any of us so I’d like Audrey to hold on to it till you get home,” Christine added.

  “Thank you Mrs Arkos,” I replied.

  As both Audrey and I understood. As we walked back down the stairs, everyone was staring at us. Even Hannah came over to us with a massive smile on her face.

  “I think most people here are shocked you exist,” Hannah commented.

  “Oh, good to know,” I smirked.

  “Yeah well, let’s all head into the lounge,” I added, as Christine motioned everyone though. When we entered, there was light nibbles and a huge amount of beer, wine and spirits.

  ‘All right,’ I heard from the group.

  How the fifty or so of us were fitting in there was a surprise. Just as Audrey walked up to me.

  “I’m just gonna pop this into the car I’ll be back soon,” Audrey commented.

  As Hannah and I helped ourselves to a couple of beers. Audrey laughed as she quickly darted back to her car. Luckily parking it a little bit closer on the way back. Joining Hannah and I, who were about three beers in.

  I introduced Hannah to Karen’s sisters, even though they had seen her in the photo of us in China, they were pleased we were both able to be there.

  Lisa quickly asked me if she could have a quick word, which I thought was okay and she took me outside to speak to me in the back yard.

  “Hey we went outside to try and find you at the hospital, we thought it wasn’t good news when we saw your face, but we wanted to have a word then,” Lisa said, as Jeff came out and joined us, as the three of us grabbed a deck chair each.

  “Yeah, was all a bit surreal, I thought I saw you guys as well,” I replied.

  “I was just hollow, I guess,” I added.

  Jeff and Lisa both understanding didn’t say to much for a while.

  “We just wanted to thank you for letting us be a part of that trip, Rome was amazing,” Lisa declared, as Jeff sat their agreeing.

  “Thank you both to, for understanding and allowing me the time,” I replied.

  “To be fair I think Karen wouldn’t have listened to us anyway, but we understood, we just had to see her,” Jeff insisted.

  After a while we were joined by Georgia and Hannah, who luckily bought out a few more drinks.

  “Everyone inside is wondering what you guys are talking about,” Hannah remarked.

  Before we all decided to go back in, only to walk in on Christine telling a story of her youngest daughter, followed by stories from her sisters, everyone had a chance to get up a speak, a couple of ex boyfriends got up, I’m sure I heard Georgia boo one of them which made Hannah laugh. As the crowd, had their say a few of them started looking at me.

  Then all of a sudden. I got a little nudge from Audrey and went to stand up and Hannah handed me my mandolin. Walking over towards Christine who had introduced me to everyone.

  “Thank you Christine, and thank you for letting me be here today to pay my respects to your amazing daughter,” I commented.

  “There’s one thing she would hate for me to do, so I thought I’d open up with it,” I commented, strumming my mandolin and busting out La Vida Loca.

  Unfortunately, Georgia knew the words and for some reason joined me, though she was drowned out luckily, or not, by everyone else that knew the words, even Audrey and Hannah had a shot at it.

  Thanking everyone again, I didn’t tell a story from our trip, but a story of how we actually met, getting laughs when I told the crowd about the amount F’ words Karen used in her very first message to me. Christine just nodded and Hannah smiled and wiped away a few tears. Audrey felt pretty-emotional she wanted to go home and hug Rupert and Meredith. We were the last ones to leave and Christine struggled to let me out of her last embrace. She thanked me again and again, as finally I broke free and Karen’s sisters walked us out. I shook Nick and Jeff’s hands again and we were just outside when the sisters thanked me. As we made the short walk to Audrey’s car.

  “Wow that was rough” I mentioned.

  “The memorial or your singing?” Hannah asked.

  “Both,” Audrey said.

  As the two of them laughed, my mind drifted back to finally meeting Karen, wondering what if we had longer together.

  Eventually driving over Putney bridge and making our way home, Audrey jumped out of her car and opened the boot and gave me the package, Hannah just looked on wondering what it was. I handed it to her and hugged Audrey.

  “Thanks for everything you do Audrey,” I declared.

  As Hannah handed the package back to me and hugged Audrey.

  “I’ll speak to you guys soon,” Audrey replied.

  As we both agreed and walked inside, I put the package on the coffee table and grabbed myself a piece of cheesecake.

  Walking back over I placed the plate next to the package, picking it up.

  As I opened the file case, I was surprised to see a drawn red tulip with a message next to it.

  ‘If only we had more time’.

  As I lifted it off the next page was the first ever email I ever sent, and all the others were continued-on, underneath. I smiled as Hannah walked in and asked me about it. She just looked on not knowing what to say. But came up with the last line.

  “You have a phone call to make. I’ll be here for, if and when you need me.”

  “Thank you Hannah.”

  Placing both sheets back in order and putting the case in my room, picking up the phone and dialling.

  “Hello,” She answered;

  “Hi its Phil, I’m ready to talk.”

  For further information about this book or

  to contact the author, please visit:

  www.vividpublishing.com.au/theemptyroom

  If you enjoyed reading this book, please take a moment to thank the author by posting a review.