Author's note: My intention when I started to write this story was to end it with Barbara's point of view and let the readers imagine how the meeting at the George and the dragon would go. But a majority of reviewers wanted me to write a third chapter and end the story in a more "conventional" way. So here it is. Hope you'll enjoy it.
It was a chilly autumn evening. A cold drizzle had started to fall and people in the streets were hurrying along, impatient to reach a warm and comfortable place. For some it was home, for others it was a pub. At the George and the dragon the atmosphere was cosy and the patrons, mostly employees who came to gather around a pint between colleagues, friendly. They had come here to relax and fits of laughter erupted from time to time coming from one group or the other. A lone figure seated in a dark corner didn't share the ambient good spirits. Rather the man seemed to be the embodiment of loneliness and sadness. A steak-and-kidney pie was cooling in his plate, barely touched. Even the flirtatious looks a gorgeous woman was throwing him couldn't lift his spirit.
It was 7:05 pm. Barbara had not come.
Lynley had tried several times to reach her on the phone but she hadn't answered. She hadn't even replied to his text message. He'd killed the time with a pint, then a second, then he'd thought he might as well eat something but had found out that he had no appetite. Looking at his plate he decided that a cold steak-and-kidney pie was the most depressing dish in the world. He pushed back his plate, emptied his third pint, paid the bill, left a generous tip and went out. The rain was falling stronger and he didn't have an umbrella. He turned the lapels of his coat, thrust his hands into his pockets and walked towards the nearest taxi rank. He didn't care about the rain soaking him through, he barely noticed it running down his face and, after all, it was the perfect weather for this evening, it perfectly matched his mood. He was about to turn the corner of the road when he heard someone shout behind him:
'Sir! Sir! Tommy! Sir!'
He turned and saw a disheveled, soaked to the skin Barbara Havers running towards him.
'Sorry,' she panted, 'no more battery…couldn't reach you…'
'Didn't you just call me Tommy?'
'Tom..? No.'
'Are you sure?'
'Yeah, absolutely, Sir.'
'It's strange, I could have sworn…'
'Must have been the wind in your ears.'
'Probably. Well, that's a shame.'
'Didn't you offer to invite me to the pub?''
'Indeed. Let's go inside so you can dry yourself.'
They went back to the pub and the table Lynley had left only two minutes before.
'I'm sorry, Sir, but Ardery had called a meeting at 5:30 and we finished at nearly half past six. I rushed here but couldn't find a parking space. I've turned around the block at least four times. I wasn't sure you would still be here.'
'And I wasn't sure you would come.'
'Why not? I never say no to a free drink.'
Lynley smiled.
'I get the point. Do you want something to eat with your drink?'
'I thought you'd never ask.'
Ten minutes later Barbara was munching her scampi under the fixed gaze of Lynley.
'I've something on the face?' she asked.
'Sorry?'
'You're staring at me as if I had one of those scampi stuck on my nose.'
'I'm just glad to see you. It's been a long time.'
'I tried to contact you.'
'I know.'
'You didn't give any news. Not a phone call. Not even an email.'
'To say what? I'm in pain? I've undergone a second surgery because the first one had been a failure? I don't know if I'll be able to use my right knee as before? What would have been the point?'
'There are people out there who care for you, who you left completely in the dark as to your state of mind or physical condition! If it hadn't been for your mother we wouldn't even have known you were still alive!'
Lynley didn't reply at once. This evening was going from bad to worse. Barbara was now truly angry with him.
'You knew I was alive; you saved me. I needed to be alone, Barbara. It's part of the healing process for me. It may sounds absurd but I can't stand people's compassion and empathy. It was the same after Helen's death. But I missed you.'
'You missed me? But it was your fault! You're the one who didn't take the phone when I called, who didn't reply to my emails or text messages. You decided to shun everyone and, now, you say you missed me! It serves you right! You're a sodding egoist. You don't give a damn what the others could feel. You nearly died on me in this back alley. I thought I would lose you. After, I needed to see you, to talk to you, to be near you but you didn't care because you weren't in the mood. It's you, always you! Well I won't worry about you anymore. Thanks for the dinner.'
She got up quickly and rushed outside. Lynley threw a £20 bill on the table and ran after her. The wet pavement was slippery and running made him limp but he still ran faster than Barbara. He caught her by the shoulders and made her turn to face him. He couldn't tell if the water running down her cheeks was tears or rain drops. His heart sank.
'Barbara, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'd no idea you'd take it so badly.'
'What did you think I'd feel? I thought we were friends. Friends are supposed to look after one another, no? No?'
'Yes, they are.'
'I would have been there for you, I wanted to be there, to help you but you didn't let me. You ignored me, rejected me and today…today you're trying to make me think I'm important, that I mean something for you. You're a complete bastard.'
Barbara wasn't shouting anymore but hearing her express coldly how she felt betrayed was even worse. Silent tears were flowing abundantly on her face. Lynley took her in his arms. Her whole body was shaking as she poured her heart out. Tommy caressed her neck and her back to soothe her. She put her arms around his waist and he began to kiss her forehead, her eyes, trailed his way down her cheek, trying to dry the flow of tears, until he finally kissed her lips.
'What are you doing?' she asked calmly.
'I'm kissing you. I've wanted to do this all day.'
'You're crazy.'
She smiled faintly. Tommy seized the opportunity.
'Probably. But what would life be without a bit of craziness in it? Do you want to be crazy with me?'
It was a rainy autumn night, the fog was coming down over the streets but Barbara would later swear that, at that very moment, she saw the sun shine, enveloping Tommy in its bright light, clearing all her doubts.
'I do.'
Tommy drew her closer to him and they kissed tenderly.
