Goniff's Problem
It had taken them two days to get to the boat and then another to get home and debriefed. Actor and Chief had been taken to the hospital and been checked over and the Dr. had decided to keep
Actor for a couple of days as his shoulder wasn't healing as well as it should. Chief was allowed to go back to the estate , but was told to let Craig know if the headaches that had been troubling him
since the explosion got any worse. Casino was his usual self , although not being able to rile Chief was irritating him , and boredom was beginning to set in but on the whole Craig decided things were
more or less back to normal with the three of them.
Goniff on the other hand was different. Craig was beginning to worry about him. He was far too quiet. He behaved quite normally for most of the time, but then sometimes Craig would look at him and
see a sadness that hadn't been there before, it was as if he had lost the spark that made him who he was, as if he had lost the reason to smile. Craig didn't remember anything that had happened
during the last few days that would have specifically caused this change in his character, he had not had to kill anyone close up, which he knew Goniff hated to do, and they had all come back more or
less in in piece, but if was plain for all to see that something was bothering him, all Craig had to do now was find out what.
It was late that night when Craig heard someone in the kitchen, he had been finishing off some of the never ending paperwork that seemed to accumulate whenever they were away. He walked into
the corridor and saw the kitchen light on and decided that a mug of coffee would go down rather well , especially if someone else had already made it. As he opened the door he saw Goniff sitting at
the table starring into his mug of cocoa, so lost in thought that he hadn't even noticed him come into the room.
`Penny for them Goniff`, he said.
Goniff looked up with a start.
`Sorry Goniff, didn't mean to startle you, any cocoa left? He asked, deciding it was as probably better for him at this time of night, than coffee.
`Yeah Warden, ` he said nodding towards the stove. `Help yourself`.
Craig did just that and then sat opposite Goniff.
`Up kinda late aren't you? `You alright? He asked, `Seem kind of quiet lately`. He said.
`Yeah , I'm fine, just kinda tired`, he said.
`Know the feeling `, said Craig. `You should get some rest, sleep in tomorrow if you like , we've got nothing to do`.
`Seem to be tired no matter how much sleep I get, feel tired inside, you ever felt like that? Goniff asked.
`Yeah, lots of times Goniff, ` sighed Craig.
`What do you do about it? How do you make it go away? He asked quietly.
`Try and get some alone time, peace and quiet, you remember that don't you ? He asked smiling.
`Not a lot of chance for that round here is there ? He asked.
Craig realised then that Goniff needed serious help to get over the misery he was feeling, that he needed someone to talk to, someone that had time to spend with him, and just him, before things got
so bad they couldn't be fixed, and he definitely wasn't going to find that peace and quiet here at the mansion, not with Casino about and Actor due back soon.
`Got an idea that might help `, he said
`Need something, said Goinff as he closed his eyes.
`Would you like to take off for a couple of days , go and stay with Angel maybe, I'm sure she has some odd jobs that you could help her with`, he said.
Goniff looked at him.
`On my own? He asked.
`If that's what you'd like I don's see the problem`, replied Craig. `So long as you promise to stay out of trouble`.
`You trust me to go on my own? He asked. `After the mess I got into last time?
`Any reason I shouldn't? asked Craig
Goniff shook his head.
`I think I'd like that Warden, if you're sure it's okay, ` sighed Goniff. `And no trouble , I swear`.
`Okay, I'll give her a ring first thing in the morning and make sure it's alright with her, and then you can go`, he said.
Craig got up to leave .
`Well I'm going to hit the sack, paperwork can wait until the morning, Goodnight Goniff`, he said.
Night Warden, and thanks, for understanding, I mean , for not thinking I'm going crazy , or anything`, said Goniff.
`This war makes us all a little crazy sometimes Goniff, the trick is to realise that you're not on your own, ask for help if you need it, `he said smiling.` As Angel would say, can't fix it if I don't know it's
broken`.
Goniff smiled back at him,
`Yeah she would say that wouldn't she ? He said.
`Goodnight Goniff, try and get some sleep , okay?
`Yeah, I'll try Warden, .`He said ,
As Craig reached the door Goniff called to him
`Hey Warden , you won't forget to call, will ya?
`First thing in the morning , I promise`, he said.
As he turned to look back into the kitchen Goniff was once more staring into his cocoa.
….
Angel arrived at the mansion early the next morning , even before Craig had a chance to call her. She had not a chance to see any of them since they got back, except Actor, and she wasn't satisfied
that they were all okay until she had seen if for herself. She had decided that breakfast was in order , and had managed to find bacon and some fresh eggs for a special treat. The place was quiet, it
was only six thirty and Craig was out for his morning run, and she suspected that the others were all still tucked up in bed.
She quietly made her way to the kitchen to make fresh coffee for when Craig returned. She opened the door and stopped in surprise as she saw that Goniff was sound asleep with his head his folded
arms and a cold mug of something in front of him. He looked as if he had been there all night , not like Goniff at all, she thought . There was one young man who definitely liked his bed. She closed the
door quietly and made her way back to Craig's office to wait for him.
A few minutes later there was a faint tap on the door and Casino's head appeared.
`Hi thought I heard someone down here`, he said.
`Sorry , didn't think I'd made that much noise, didn't mean to wake you`, she said.
`You didn't, ` he said.
`You alright ? She asked him.
`Yeah I'm fine. You talk to the Warden yet? He asked .
`Not since the call saying that you had all got back more or less in one piece, How is Chief by the way?
`Okay I think, you know the Injun, won't tell us even if his head does hurt`, he said.
`I dropped in to the hospital last night , Actor seems fine , the Dr says he can come home tomorrow, said I'd pick him up, save you guys the bother`, she said.
`Hey that's great`. Said Casino as he started to pace
`You want to tell me what's really bugging you, before you wear the carpet away? she asked.
`What's bugging me is sitting in the kitchen`, he said.
`Goniff? She asked.
`Yeah Goniff.` he said. `Something's wrong and he won't spill, keeps telling me he's okay when an idiot can see that he's not, wondered if you could talk to him, or something`.
`You got any ideas at all? asked Angel
Casino shook his head.
`All I know is he ain't right`, he said.
`I'll talk to Craig when he gets back and see what I can do , ` she said.
`Talk to me about what? asked a voice from the doorway.
`I'll see you later Angel`, said Casino as he turned and left.
`What was that about? Craig asked
`He's worried about Goniff, wants me to talk to him`, she said.
`Well that makes two of us`, he told her.
`You too? She asked.
`He needs a friend and some chilling out time, I thought it might do him some good to stay with you for a couple of days, if that's all right`. He asked her.
`It really that bad?
`Don't know why, or what's caused it, but he's on the edge right now, he needs to get away from here for a while, thought you might be able to help, he feels at ease with you, he loves you ,thinks of
you as family`, he said.
`I love the little limey too`, she said. `I came to cook you breakfast, so when that's done I'll take him home with me , he can stay as long as he needs too.`
Craig walked to her and gave her a hug and plonked a kiss on the top of her head.
`Knew you'd help`, he said
`No other choice, unfortunately I have come to care about all of them`, she said smiling at him.
`Yeah, they do kinda grow on you , don't they ? He asked laughing at her.
`I'll go and get breakfast started , you get cleaned up and I'll see you in the kitchen in thirty minutes, and don't be late`, she warned.
`For your breakfast, never going to happen honey`, he said smiling at her.
`Thirty minutes , remember, she shouted as she was halfway down the corridor.
There was no verbal reply , only his laughter as he made his way to the shower.
…
