It was just over a week since the funeral, Molly had gone back to Guildford again that morning, she had been backwards and forwards every other day trying to balance their still two separate lives and he could see that she was exhausted even though she would never admit it in a million years. Sam was staying with Rebecca's parents, they had asked a few days after the funeral and although Charles wanted to spend some quality time with Sam he had found it difficult to deny them this as he could see how spending time with him was some comfort in helping them cope with the loss of their daughter. His parents had gone away to the house in France for a few weeks in the anticipation that it would give Charles and Molly some space and the chance to process and come to terms with the events of the last month.
It was a beautiful sunny day outside, he loved late summer in his parents garden he could remember practicing rugby throws with his father and a couple of his friends in the summer break from boarding school, his mum would make lemonade for them all and they would sit on the terrace soaking up the late afternoon sun, hoping it wouldn't end so they didn't have to go back to the discipline of house masters and timetables for the long weeks until the next break at Christmas came. He had missed his parents so much when he had first started boarding, they had been reluctant but his Fathers' frequent overseas postings with his military career left little choice and Charles had adjusted eventually and learned to just get on with it really. He had never felt comfortable why Rebecca had insisted that Sam go to Boarding school at such a young age, given she had decided to stay at home when he was away on tour, the same necessity wasn't there as it had been for his parents but he wasn't in a position to argue with her too much given she constantly reminded him that he had put his military career before family life and that if she was left to organise family life during his regular absences she would organise it as she saw fit.
He opened the patio doors and walked out onto the terrace and took a seat on one of the benches, he wished Molly was here sat beside him, and that they were both watching Sam and Charlie play in the garden. He hoped it wouldn't be too long before he didn't have to just picture this in his imagination but the reality was there was still some complicated logistics to sort out first. His phone vibrated in his pocket "hey arrived back ok all good here - what you up to? Missing you already. M xx" just seeing a message from her made his stomach flutter still, he typed back "just sat in the garden wishing you were here too xx"
He sat for a while thinking about Molly Dawes, the first time he laid eyes on her at Brize she had ruffled his feathers and continued to do so ever since, he utterly adored her, always had. He couldn't believe it when he saw her again at the Charity event he had put so much effort into making sure their paths didn't cross, but he had a strange feeling that day and a few days before had dreamt about her for the first time in months. He had always had a strong sense of all things being down to fate and luck and that night Lady Luck had dealt him a good hand that he wasn't sure how he was going to play. He was stood in the far corner of the reception room when he caught sight of her entering the room, taking his breath away it had been five years but the impact she had on him had not diminished in the slightest, she was even more beautiful than the pictures he had kept in his head all this time, there was something different she had an aura of confidence that made her more captivating, he had thought about leaving but he couldn't, he needed to watch her from from a distance, allow himself to take her all in again without her knowing he was there. He felt a sharp pang of jealousy watching the guy she seemed to be with, did she look happy, was she in love again and then she had got up to speak...any thought of leaving without speaking to her had disappeared, he wasn't going anywhere, he wasn't letting her out of his sight.
He got up from the bench and went to his father's desk in the study, took a pad from the drawer, switched on the laptop and started searching and making notes, he needed a plan he didn't want them to be in limbo any longer.
He put his bag in the back of the car and pulled away he needed to meet the estate agent in Guildford by 3pm so would need to get his foot down.
He had cash so it was just a case of completing the legals and transferring the funds in a matter of days the house would be theirs.
Molly had just put a chicken in the oven to roast when she heard her phone vibrate on the kitchen worktop, she hoped it was a message from Charles and wasn't disappointed "knock, knock x" she laughed and couldn't resist typing back "whose there?" It quickly vibrated again in her hand "open the door and see" ...her heart skipped a beat and she ran to the front door and opened it, he was leant against the wall with a bag in his hand with that smile..."missed me?" She giggled as he walked in.