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Chapter 3 – Insensitive Lump
Alex and Gene got into the car, Alex put the key in the ignition but didn't start it. She turned to meet Gene's watching eyes.
"You're blushing Bols."
Alex rubbed her face. "No, I'm just frustrated and confused, and to be frank, baffled at how well you are taking all of this!"
"Just because I've not said a lot since arriving in this dystopia, do not think that I am taking this well. To me, you have been in a coma for 6 months, and you have been 'ere the whole time for two-and-a-'alf years, living your 'normal' life. In this new world with internet and downloads, where you have Molly and a 'ouse and a MINI and a bloody cat called Genie!"
"There's no need to shout Gene. I was just saying."
"Saying what Bols?"
"I'm saying that I'm still in shock. I have been living my 'normal' life for the past two-and-a-half years but it hasn't exactly been what you would call 'easy'. I've had to look my little girl in her eyes everyday and tell her that I am OK, that nothing is wrong. I thought it would make things easier, buying a new car; one which I would never 'normally' choose - it did. I thought that Genie would help me stop feeling alone - he did. I never thought that I would actually see you again, I'm scared that you being here means that something is going to happen to me."
"Like what?"
"Like, I'm going to wake up in '83 and leave Molly. Or, that I'm going mad. And the worst thing is; I don't even know what I am scared of."
"You've got nothing to be scared of Bols, the Gene Genie will fix it. You're not a fruitcake, I may 'ave called you one a few times, but I'm just as much as a nutter as you are. God it pains me to say that."
Alex laughed. "Thanks Gene. How is it you know what to say to me?"
"It's just my magical powers of being the Gene Genie. Just call and 'e'll 'elp you."
Alex looked at the clock on LCD display. "It's lunch time."
"Is it? Bit early for lunch isn't it?"
"It's 1 o'clock."
"It's not beer o'clock. Have you started your drinking earlier?"
"No Gene. In your world, lunch was 'beer o'clock' time. In this world lunch time is at 1 o'clock."
"Bolly o'clock then?"
"I suppose it is. "
"What we 'avin' then?"
"I'll drive us home and then about a ten minute walk away is a small restaurant, it does reasonable food."
"Don't you cook?"
"I do. But I've not been shopping yet, and I really can't be bothered."
"You, lazy?"
"Don't push it!" Alex said through a smile.
----=|^|//-\\|^|=----
There was a quiet buzz from the restaurant when they arrived. Alex hung closely next to Gene when they walked through the doors.
"Hello, do you have a reservation?"
"No."
"We do have some free tables." At this Gene looked around and could easily count several tables. "Is it just the two of you?"
"Yes." The waiter looked at the pairing of Gene and Alex and proceeded to show them to their table; which was coincidently a window seat. "Will this do?"
"Actually, do you have something, a little more, private?"
"Certainly."
Gene and Alex were shown to a table in the far corner of the dimly lit restaurant.
"Thank you."
"I'll go and get some menus, and the wine list."
They took their seats; Alex pulled the brown envelope from her bag and placed it on the table.
"Gene?" Alex put her hand on the envelope, Gene looked at her hand, and wondered what the envelope contained.
"Yeah?"
"Here's the menus and wine list, is there anything else?"
"No. That's all." The waiter left, "Do you want to choose the wine?"
"I think you're the best at the wine drinking so, you'd better do the choosing."
Alex looked through the wine menu as Gene looked at the mains. "What are you 'avin' then Bols?"
"Well, we're having the pinot grigio and for lunch I'll be having the pasta with Mediterranean vegetables. What about you?"
"Certainly not any of your rabbit food. I'm not sure yet, where's Luigi when you want 'im? Always managed to know what to make."
"May I suggest the spaghetti bolognaise? It's Molly's favourite and they do make it very nicely here."
The waiter returned, "Have you decided what you would like?"
Alex was about to speak but Gene took over. "We would like a bottle of Pinot Grigio, pasta with the Mediterranean vegetables and the Spaghetti Bolognaise."
"Anything else?"
"A jug of ice water with lemon. Can I also have a small side salad?"
"Yes, your order should be with you in about twenty minutes."
"That's lovely." The waiter left, leaving Alex and Gene alone.
"What's in tha' envelope then?"
"I'm glad that they have shoved us to the back of the restaurant for this."
"That bad?"
"No, just it might look and sound strange to people who don't understand."
"You sound as if we're the experts."
"All I mean to say is that we're the only people who could possibly be able to even comprehend whatever this is. The reason for my being so flustered in the car was because of what is in the envelope, it doesn't fit."
"It doesn't fit?"
"I mean I arrived in '81 with just a warrant card. Sam arrived in '73 with not just a warrant card but a flat and transfer papers. You arrive with not just a warrant card, but with directions to my house written in a hand I recognise and not to mention the fact that you have a national insurance number, references, passport, driving licence, you have several pay slips and bank statements. I don't understand. When I was in '81 I had to try buggering hard to get a bank account because I didn't have any documents– remember? Do you remember having to sign all of those papers in the first month of my being in '81?"
"Yeah."
"Super Mac never received any references and I never needed a passport. You exist here Gene, I didn't exist! The only record of my being is locked in my filing cabinet."
"Locked in your filin' cabinet?"
"Yeah, I have the files of Ray, Chris, Shaz, you and me."
"You have my file? Is that the one Mols was talkin' about this mornin'?"
"Yes, yours was in the drawer of my desk, I don't know how Mols would have reacted if she saw my file from '81."
"Did you read it? Does it say anything about me in '83? Or you waking up or – I don't know, somethin'."
"I didn't read it. I couldn't. When I woke up from my coma, every time I slept I saw or heard you talking to me. Then when I asked Evan about the DCI who saved me as a small child he confirmed that your name was Gene Hunt. From that I knew you were real." Alex broke off as she saw the waiter coming with their food and bottle of wine.
"Here you are." The waiter laid the food on the table and placed the bottle of opened wine in the centre. "I'll just get your water and salad." He left, but Gene and Alex didn't utter another word. The waiter placed the salad next to Alex's plate and placed the jug of water in the centre next to the wine.
"Thanks." Gene stated, the waiter smiled.
"Do you want anything else?"
"No, we'll be fine." The waiter smiled and left them to their meal.
As they ate, Alex continued what she was saying. "When Evan told me you were real, I had to see papered evidence. So when I returned to work, I searched for your name in the police database; but that only went back to coppers starting in '85, your record would be paper based in the record room. I went to the record room and found you, Chris, Ray, Shaz and myself. I saw my name written and the words of Super Mac still are fresh as anything. I didn't want to remember as I thought, if I remembered, I would leave Molly and go back to '83. I tried to forget, it was all very well thinking that you were a dream and weren't real, and to be completely truthful I've been living in a world where I don't think about what happened to me, I just accept that my dreams are just dreams and I have a cat called Genie."
"You were denying everything."
"It is true I am, I was being naïve about it, but I don't think you will understand Gene."
"Try me Bols, you may be surprised."
"You aren't a parent. You don't have a child who needs you. I love Molly and I have to choose her happiness over mine, and I could never ever be happy somewhere without Molly." Gene looked hurt at this. "I'm sorry Gene."
"Don't be. You were never happy in the 80's?"
Alex looked down at her plate of pasta. "There were times obviously." She stopped and thought for a minute. "Actually it was probably the best time I've had." Alex returned her eyes to Gene's. "But, every morning, I had to put Molly to the back of my mind and get on with my life in the 80s with you."
"And then it all went wrong. I shot you."
"If you hadn't, I wouldn't be here. I'm still in a coma there."
"How can you be in two places at once?"
"I don't know. This is where I stop Gene because it scares me. I can't even think about it let alone talk about it."
"Sorry Bols, we'll talk about this later?" Gene said as Alex took a long sip from her glass of wine and then poured herself another.
"Maybe, but tomorrow will be better, it's too much for today."
"This is just about the envelope, you said that I had bank statements."
"Yes, look." Alex pulled out the documents and handed them over to Gene. "You have money two thousand pounds in your bank. The only thing which is missing is an address!"
"I think I've 'ad enough too."
"It does do your head in doesn't it?"
The waiter came back to take their plates away. "How did you find your meal?"
"It was very good."
"Yeah, could 'ave done with more salt, but otherwise it was nice."
"Would you like anything else?"
"Pud Bols?"
Alex looked up and smiled. "Pud."
Gene turned to the waiter, "Pud menu please."
The waiter took the plates, and returned shortly with the desert menu.
Alex and Gene mulled over their menus.
"Look Bols, I know you like bein' a rabbit, but I'm goin' to ask nicely, don't pick the fruit salad."
"I wasn't going to."
"Oh really? What are you 'avin' then?"
"I was thinking of having the triple chocolate fudge brownie with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream. What about you?"
"The same."
"I'm having a coffee too."
The waiter returned, took their order and returned with their deserts.
"I do love hot runny chocolate sauce. It's so…" Alex closed her eyes and breathed through her teeth. "You know?"
"I know."
They finished their pudding and coffee, Alex paid through chip and pin as Gene did not have access to the money within his bank. They walked back to the house, stopping off at the off-licence and buying yet more wine.
"I 'ave been meaning to ask you."
"What?"
"What's 'appening on Sunday?"
"It's Molly's 15th Birthday and it is three years to the day since being shot."
" Fifteen?! Bloody 'ell. 'Ow many people?"
"I know my little girl is all grown up, it scary. It seems like only yesterday I was holding her in my arms for the first time. The party is just a small thing; there's Jen and Max from CID and Evan. Marjory and Brian are going to come at some point too."
"Marjory and Brian Drake? The same –"
"Yeah, just stick to our story and we'll be fine."
"Is Molly's dad comin'?"
Alex let out a stifled laugh. "No, Molly hasn't seen Pete for four or five years." They had reached the front door, Alex opened it and they stepped over the threshold together. Gene admired the view as Alex bent over and picked up the post.
"Blimey, how many cards?"
"And not a single one from that useless tosser. She's not going to be happy when she gets home."
Making it home by 4 o'clock, they sat at the dining room drinking the wine.
"Evan's comin' then?"
"Yes, don't worry, it will be fine."
"'Ow do you know that?"
"Because, I haven't told him about anything that happened back there. Just told him that it unlocked some old memories – that's how I knew your name and that you were the one who saved me."
"Oh."
Alex poured herself and Gene another glass of wine and they both waited for Molly's arrival.
----=^_^=----
"Mum! I'm home."
"In here darling." Alex called back. "How was your day?"
"It was really good." Molly shouted back, but stopped as she saw Gene and Alex sat at the table with empty wine glasses.
"It's OK Mols, carry on." Molly gave an nervous smile, as she walked over to the table and took a seat next to Alex.
"It was Embarrassing at lunch though; Becky, Anna, Hazel and Beth got the whole of my year to sing 'happy birthday' to me."
"What time are you and Becky meeting the others?"
"I'm going over to Becky's for 10, and then we're meeting the others at 11."
"I need your list of requests, and did you speak to everyone about what food they want to eat tomorrow?"
"Well Hazel and Beth wanted Chinese or Indian but Becky doesn't like either so Anna suggested pizza or fish and chips."
"Did you make your mind up?"
"No, is it OK if we chose tomorrow?"
"Corse it is."
"We're going to the cinema and watching Twilight Breaking Dawn at 1 and then we're getting the bus back home. Then everyone's parents are bringing their bags at 5 or later."
"OK."
"How was your day then mum?" Molly said looking at the bottle of wine, avoiding eye contact with Gene, who looked as if his balls were about to be squeezed in a vice.
"It was fine. Charlie." Alex turned to face Gene. "That's Super Poole's name." Alex turned back to Molly. "Let me come home early because it was your birthday and because of what this weekend is." Molly looked down and away. "Molly, it's OK to talk about it."
"Is Evan coming over tonight?" Molly asked, still looking at the floor.
"No, he's coming on Sunday." Molly looked up at Alex, who was looking at her with worry in her eyes. Molly then looked over at Gene, who was staring at Alex which she recognised, but she didn't know how it made her feel.
"Oh. I'm going to get that list now."
Molly walked out of the dining room.
"I need to go and talk to her."
"I know."
Alex got up and balanced herself using the chair. She picked up Molly's post as she past it and walked up to Molly's bedroom.
"Molly?" Alex said as she tapped gently on the door.
"Yeah?" Molly replied, and opened it.
"I've got your cards."
"Thanks." Alex stayed put as Molly took the cards. "Was there anything else?"
"You don't mind if Gene stays with us for a few days do you?"
"Huh?"
"Well, they requested that he start as soon as he could, he moved out of the house he was renting up in Manchester and he was moving into one down here, but there were complications."
"There's insurance for that kind of stuff."
"Yes, but it takes a while to kick in."
"You don't even know him; he could be an axe murderer for all we know."
Alex laughed, as did Molly. "He's not an axe murderer Mols. He's a DCI, my DCI. I knew him at university too, he's fine."
"Is that fine as in 'meh, he's OK' or fine in 'damn, he sure is fine?'"
"Does that mean you're OK with him staying?"
"You didn't answer, and yes; I'm happy for him to stay."
"Good, be nice to him OK. He may look like he is a Manc Lion, and a right tough bloke, but he's just a soft little kitten really."
"And how would you know that?"
"I'm a psychologist Mols. Don't repeat what I just told you about him – he likes to think that he is the big brave man, but he's just like the rest of us."
"OK. And mum?"
"Mols."
"How much have you had to drink? I know that you and Evan sometimes have a glass of wine at dinner, but you're never noticeably tipsy."
"We had a few drinks Mols, it's not the end of the world."
"You never drink, or you never used to drink before, you know. And then you woke up and – you must have noticed."
"Mols, I don't know what you could be talking about." Alex walked out of Molly's room and returned to Gene; who hadn't moved from his seat.
"Well, Mols doesn't mind you staying."
"That's good then."
"She thinks that the house you were supposed to rent fell through and you're waiting for the insurance to kick in."
"Another lie."
"Gene, if she knew –"
"I get it. I'm not the insensitive lump you think I am."
Gene and Alex both knew that what he had just said had blasted open closed doors; doors to hidden feelings.
TBC...