Luke and Craig - The Ending
The door opened and Craig took Luke in an almost ridiculously impassioned embrace.
"My God I've missed you" he said. Luke could only nod before the next onslaught but when he finally came up for breath agreed: "Me too".
It had been nearly a year since the two of them had finally got together. This was the longest time they had been had been apart since. Craig had been on an Inspector's course up North.
After all the scandal and sniggering at Sun Hill and to a lesser extent at Luke's nick, everyone had settled down and come to accept Luke and Craig as one of the happiest couples around. It was obvious that they lived for each other.
But…
The next day, Craig came in to find Luke hammering away at the never ending kitchen renovations.
Quelling Luke's smile of welcome, Craig simply asked "Why didn't you tell me Carl had been here?"
"Didn't seem important, said Luke, wiping plaster flakes from his face.. "Where did you hear that from anyway?"
"That poisonous old bag from down the road. She wanted to know what my "other young man" had been doing here"
Luke laughed then looked up and saw Craig was far from laughter.
"And so? What are you getting het up about? He just came to cause trouble as usual..
"Trouble?" said Craig coldly. "Is that what you call it?"
Luke saw where this was going.
"You're not serious," he challenged.
Craig just looked at him.
Luke took a grip on his temper. "Don't be stupid," he said.
"Well what kind of trouble are you talking about?" demanded Craig. "What kind Luke?"
Craig knew he was being irrational, but then he always had been where Luke was concerned, The thought of what had happened between Luke and Carl that time was too vivid in his mind.
Luke took a breath. "Look, he knew somehow that you were away" Craig threw his head aside with an expression of disgust.
"He came here and read me the riot act. All about how you must be bored with me by now. He had it all mapped out apparently."
"And you let him in?"
"For a while yes, then he started throwing his weight around so I showed him the door. OK?"
"Throwing his weight around. Yes, I've already heard how you enjoyed that the first time," Craig was lost in a welter of jealousy and possessiveness.
Luke lost it. He kicked with all his force against the cupboard he had been working on. He stood up and went face to face with Craig.
"Is this the way it's going to be then?" He wanted to hit him in the face.
Craig had similarly lost the plot. "You tell me Luke," he said in his most dangerously understated tone.
Thumping the wall in reply Luke stamped out of the room and outside. He gave the front door a hefty kick behind him for good measure.
Twelve excruciating hours later, Craig summoned his professionalism and went to work. Going through the motions at the front desk he saw Gina looming up on him, the familiar knowing look on her face.
"Trouble in Paradise then?" She asked, then as she turned , added "Debrief in the pub at 12.30."
By that time Craig was feeling ill with tension. Gina got the drinks in and putting them down took his hand.
"So what's wrong?"
Craig looked down for a second. "Me, that's what's wrong," he said.
At Gina's quizzical look he said "It's my stupid jealousy. I thought there was something wrong. There wasn't and now he's gone."
Gina, who had never been a big fan of Luke, looked him squarely in the eye.
"But was there a reason for jealousy?" she said with more cynicism than she intended, she had long ago learnt she had to tread carefully around Craig where Luke was concerned.
Craig looked at her furiously. "Of course fucking not, It's me, it's just me that's all"
"Oh Craig, the language" said Gina in mock horror. Now be a good boy and tell me what's gone wrong. What do you mean he's gone?"
Craig rested his head in his hand. "I mean we had a row and he went. He just went, I tried phoning him then I started phoning his friends, then I realised how pathetic I was being, but he's still gone."
"It was just a row then?"
Craig looked up bitterly. "No there was a bit more behind it, but the fact is, he's gone"
Gina, who was never the most tactful of women, clasped his hand tighter..
"Craig, don't you think…..?
"What?"
"Well maybe it's just run its course. You and Luke were never really suited, you're so different…
Craig sprang to his feet then abruptly sat down again. He had to stop behaving like this.
"Gina," he said. "I can't live without him"
Gina looked at him and acknowledged the truth.
"Okey dokey then," she said. "You'd best go and find him. I'm sure he can't be that far away. And yes you can have the rest of the day off."
Luke was indeed not far away. Returning home to grab his car keys Craig found him rummaging through the hall cupboard.
With the coldest clutch of fear in his heart he asked "are you getting your stuff then?"
Luke emerged and glared at him.
"Do you want me to?"
"My God Luke, what do you think?"
They stared at each other stupidly for a moment, each of them paralysed with fear. Then Luke grinned.
"Actually I was just looking for a Phillips," said Luke.
And they collapsed, helpless against each other.
The end
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