Chapter twenty-one: Easy to love

It wasn't a one-time thing. Clark and I immediately became friends but not in a romantic way. He was funny and a little clumsy, but I suspect he was being true to his name. Clark and I would mess around together on Saturday's. It felt great to have a friend who liked me for what I was and treated me as he thought I should be treated. He didn't have to worry about me being Sherlock Holmes's daughter and I loved the feeling.

I would go over to his flat and he'd give me some basic piano instruction for an hour, despite my protests. Evidentially the word 'no' wasn't in Clark's vocabulary. He had patience, I'll grant him that. He did get me to play Chopsticks and he'd rewrite some pieces of music that I liked into a more basic form so I'd be able to play them. Afterwards, we'd go for a walk in the park, window shop, or get a coffee. At night, it was different. We'd play chess, checkers, or we'd take turns reading short stories and such out loud to each other. Or we'd watch Doctor Who with ice cream. It was fun, it was a great friendship.

I talked with my parents every day through email and Skype. Mother was now looking very pregnant and I promised her that I'd come and visit them. Dad hovered over mom like the sun and moon watching over the earth. Sherlock was now officially working for Scotland Yard. Alexander had gotten into college. Mother officially signed her wine business over to Scott and he was in charge of it now. According to mother, making an even better profit than she or her father had. Most people thought that because of his age that he wasn't smart enough to make it. However, he had my father's brain and mother's sense; the world didn't stand a chance. William wanted me home for his birthday and I promised that I'd make it I didn't know what to give him, so I decided to give him fifty pounds and let him buy a gift for himself.

My love life had gone from interesting to dull in this time. Matthew, still hadn't surfaced and I'd texted him my new phone number, but I still had no response. David had hounded my parents for a while until dad threatened to have his job and slap him with a restraining order. After that, they hadn't heard a peep out of him. But according to Sherlock, he was still asking how I was and attempting to find me during his off time. I was wary and cautious, and fortunately, I didn't think that there was anyone who appeared to be shadowing me.

At least that's what I thought until the day before William's birthday. I was waiting tables and I had an hour until my shift finished. I walked past Clark where he was playing 'Easy to love' by Cole porter. I smile at him and he cheekily winks at me. I move towards table five, where a blonde woman is sitting.

I smile and grip onto my notepad. "How do you do? Welcome to the Sonata Room. Are you ready to order?"

She shakes her head and looks over my shoulder. "Not at this moment, I'm waiting for someone." Her smile brightens. "On second thought, here he is." She smiles. "I would like a lemonade though."

"That can be arranged, I'll be right back."

"Linda!" The blood freezes in my body at the sound of David's voice. I'm suddenly spun around and pulled into a hug. "Oh God!" I wrench free and smack him hard upside the head. David grabs a hold of his cheek. "What was that for?"

"You keep your hands off me!" I spat at him. "Now," I inhale raggedly and look directly at the woman, my voice that is very calm. "I'll take your order to the kitchen. If you could…get your date under control…I'd really appreciate it before I lose my job."

Her eyes are wide. "So, you're that Linda." She gasps. "He's been looking all over for you."

"I don't care." I bite out. "He can go rot in Hell for all I care."

I turn and stomp away from all the gaping eyes. "Linda." David says directly behind me. "Wait." I head back towards the kitchen, hoping that he won't follow me. However, a hand on my waist tells me that I'm wrong. "Linda! Wait!"

"Stop it!" I shout!

"Shh, calm down!"

"I won't calm down! Stop it! Get your hands off me!"

He grabs a hold of my wrist. "Linda please, I just want to talk. It was all for a case; the woman was a serial killer."

"And?" I blink. "Is that supposed to make it any better? My father…never, ever had to make love to a woman to solve a case. He used his brain! So don't you make any excuses for yourself!"

"Linda, I am not your father, no one is. I swear, I would have told you except I knew you'd react like this."

"I'm taking this as calmly as I can David. I can't trust you. I can't trust you with my heart. I told you from day one that you weren't serious and you proved that fact." I straightened my shoulders. "You almost got me to fall in love with me and you would have succeeded if I didn't have such a wonderful family. "Now…you had your fun with me. Now get out of here. You're out of my life and I don't want you back in it."

"And I don't want you out of mine." He says, turning on the charm. "Linda, please, I'm begging you."

"Beg all you want, but it won't make any difference." He makes the mistake of running his hand down my cheek. I hiss angrily and snap my head away from his touch. "Now let me go!"

"Linda," David begs. "I want you back again."

"You're here with another woman, that clearly tells me that you don't. No! I don't want someone like you! Now let me go!"

"I won't! And she is not what you think she is. She is not my date!"

A wrist closes over David's and squeezes hard. I pull my wrist free and see Clark standing there, his eyes glowering darkly. I exhale in relief. "Thank you Clark."

"A pleasure."

"This doesn't involve you." David snaps at him.

"You're harassing her and you hurt her. Linda's a good friend of mine and I won't stand by and watch you hurt her." Clark exhales and pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "Now, you're going to leave her alone, or you'll have me to answer to."

David snorts in amusement. "Answer to you? I work with Scotland Yard."

"Then they should be more careful about who they let in there."

I touch Clark's shoulder. "Let's go. David's not worth anything."

"Linda," David reaches out and grabs my arm again. "please."

"Let go of her."

Clark's tone is quiet, but I know him well enough to know that he's not bluffing. But David ignores Clark. "Linda, I love you," the blood drains out of my face in shock. "and I really don't want to lose you. Please. I love you so much."