A VERY SMALL MOMENT
(On the TV programs, Tommy would occasionally smile, but every once in a while, he would beam at Barbara, a huge smile, only at Barbara, which always captivated me. So here is one last "moment", one that I think could be at the end of many stories.)
When Barbara woke, she found Tommy sitting on the edge of the bed, beaming at her, a familiar smile she never saw directed at anyone else.
"What's making you so happy this morning?" she asked.
"You, my love," he said. "It always makes me happy to see you. I was looking at you and thinking "Exsultate, Jubilate". His strong voice rang out.
"What?" she said.
"It's by Mozart, a glorious piece of music."
"It's Latin, yeah?" He nodded. "Meaning?"
"Rejoice, be jubilant, be happy. I have a few recordings of it.. I'll find one and play it for you."
She nodded. "Okay, I'll have to find one for you. How about Frank Sinatra…..
"You make me feel so young
You make me feel 's tho spring has sprung
And when I see you grin, I'm such a happy in-di-vidual…."
They both laughed, and after showering and dressing, they linked arms and went off to breakfast. Then to work, where their colleagues were slowly getting used to what nearly all of them still saw as a bizarre relationship. In their new state of almost ridiculous happiness, that was one more thing that made them laugh. At times, they remembered how rarely each of them had laughed in the old days, before they admitted their love for one another. The only one who had made Inspector Lynley laugh was his partner. And he was one of very few that ever made Barbara Havers laugh. It was hard to remember what life had been like then, but now, oh joy!
Exsultate Jubilate, indeed.