Chapter 36

Two weeks later on Monday morning, September 30th, Yelina phoned Colin Johnson.

"Yelina, how nice to hear from you," said Colin as he answered his cell phone.

"Colin, you told me to phone and tell you when I was home and feeling better."

"I certainly did. Are you saying you would like me to return to Miami for a couple of weeks now?"

"Yes please, I would like that very much, if you are still interested. But if you have since changed your mind I will understand," said Yelina keeping her fingers crossed that he hadn't, she really wanted him to come and stay, she had been thinking about him all the time she had been home.

"I am still very much interested Yelina. I have something to finish up here in New York, but I could get down to Miami by Thursday?"

"That would be great Colin, my son Raymond came home for a while and he will still be here until Saturday, and I would love the two of you to meet each other."

"Okay, sounds good, I'll try and book a flight now...will phone you back as soon as possible."

Half an hour later, he phoned back. "Yelina, I have booked a flight from JFK for Thursday scheduled to land at MIA at 2.15pm. If it lands on time and I can pick a cab up quickly I should be at your place by about 4.30?"

"No don't get a cab, Raymond says he will pick you up."

"That is nice of him. Thank you."

"When you arrive at MIA Colin, look for someone a little taller than you, and with dark coloring. I have given him a description of you. Perhaps you could wear that purple cap of yours?"

"Okay, will do."

"And Yelina..."

"Yes."

"Thank you for calling. I hoped you would. I have been thinking about you a lot."

When they finished the call Yelina sat at her kitchen table with a coffee that Raymond had just put in front of her and was thinking about the last few days. She was genuinely feeling a lot better now and Raymond being home and around for two weeks had cheered her up. They had spoken about many things and cleared the air over her problems of the past year, and Raymond had been frank with her in telling her she had been so wrong, and she had agreed with him.

Raymond had been surprised she agreed with him and that she spoke to him with an open mind now. He knew Horatio had of course forgiven her, but he felt some of his mom's new outlook on things was down to this Colin Johnson, she had met, and whom she spoke of with fondness in her voice, and of how easy it had been to talk to him. He was looking forward to meeting him before he returned to New Zealand. He hoped he was as nice as his mom was making him out to be and was encouraged by the fact his uncle Horatio had told him he was a good man.

Back in New York, Colin felt a buzz, he was happy Yelina had phoned, he had been thinking about her every day and wondering how she was and whether she would call, and he was pleased to learn her son had been with her the last couple of weeks. He could have called her, but he had made it clear it was up to her once she felt better to call him if she wanted to see if there was anything worth pursuing...he needed that to come from her. He had not wanted to try to persuade her in any way in her vulnerable state.

Soon after his call with Yelina, he phoned Horatio to tell him he was returning to Miami for two weeks and was going to stay with Yelina. For some reason he did not quite understand himself he felt he needed his approval. This was a strange feeling for him, as he had never felt he needed approval of this sort in his life. In the short time, he had to get to know Horatio however; he had learned to admire the man and had great respect for him. He knew that as far as Yelina was concerned, Horatio did care about her despite their past problems, and as he was head of the family, and in the circumstances of late, he felt he should know.

Horatio was happy though, and said he hoped things worked out.

Behind the scenes, Horatio was more than happy; he thought Colin and Yelina would be good together and if a relationship developed between them, Yelina would finally have some stability in her life, because he was sure that is what Colin would be able to give her.

On Thursday afternoon, Colin's flight landed at MIA on time, and he and Raymond recognised each other straight away as Colin came through the arrival doors wearing his purple cap.

On the drive home from the airport, Raymond knowing he would probably not get another chance to speak to Colin on his own, more curtly than he intended, said, "I don't know what your intentions are Colin, but please don't hurt my mom, I won't be here for eight months to help her pick up the pieces if you do. She is looking happy for the first time in a long while now which I admit seems to be largely down to you, and I don't want to see her hurt again; she has made some bad choices where men are concerned."

"Raymond, park up in the lay-by ahead, and let's talk."

Raymond did as he was asked, and Colin turned round in his seat so he was looking at him directly, he had not taken offence at what Raymond had said, he understood his concerns and decided to be upfront with him, and treat him like the adult he thought he was.

"Raymond I have strong feelings for your mother, but we need time to explore what our feelings truly are, away from the hospital environment. I had a wife and son, who were my life and cruelly taken away from me just over two years ago, and I will never forget them, but life has to go on, and I found a way to do that, which did not include seeing other women. I did not want another woman in my life; my wife was the only woman I have ever loved."

Raymond noticed at this point that Colin looked at and touched the bracelet on his wrist with a far away look in his eyes, and felt sorry for him, as he was obviously thinking of his late wife.

After pausing Colin continued, "Your mother Raymond, is the only woman I have looked at with interest or had any sense of feeling for since. But I need to know whether we became attracted to each other because I truly like her, or whether it was because I felt so darned sorry for her in the situation she was in when we first met."

"We talked a great deal and she told me a lot about you all in the short visits I had with her, and I confess I was getting to more than like her and I sincerely believe we have enough feelings for each other to see if we can take these feelings further. This next two weeks is a test visit Raymond, for her and me. Your mother needs to know this as well."

Then with a wry grin Colin added, "She may tell me to go and take a hike before the two weeks are up." Raymond grinned at the comment. He doubted that, as his mother had been making it clear she was excited at Colin coming to visit.

"I can assure you Raymond that my intentions are nothing but good, otherwise I would not be here. But I cannot guarantee what may develop between us as of this minute."

"And being totally honest with you, and as you are concerned you need to be aware Raymond, that there is also the problem that your mother needs to let her thoughts about Horatio go once and for all. If she cannot do that then there will be no hope for us to move forward into a meaningful relationship. She knows how I feel about her part in causing that feud between them. I know she is sorry for what she did, and that she is happy Horatio forgave her, so I hope she can totally let him go now. I think she was going somewhere towards being able to do that before I went back to New York."

"She told you all that as well?"

"I do believe she told me everything Raymond."

"Then she must really have been comfortable with you, and trusted you. I know my Uncle Horatio trusts you. He told me when I raised the question with him as to whether I should be concerned about my mom having this liking for you, because she kept talking about you on my first visit to the hospital, and he said you were a good man, and that if anything developed between you she was in safe hands. He would never have said that if he didn't mean it, and I trust him more than anyone else in the world."

Colin silently said to himself, "Thank you Horatio."

"I'm sorry I asked you in such an abrupt way Colin. Guess I will always have this hang up about Mom."

"It's okay, I understood, and do you know what Raymond? I am glad you care about your mother, so much, that is as it should be."

"Anyway, lets get going your mom will be wondering where we are."

When they arrived at Yelina's she welcomed them with a beaming smile. "You're late I was getting worried, I knew your plane landed on time Colin as I checked the flight arrivals.

Colin leant towards her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then said, "Sorry Yelina, we spent some time getting to know each other a bit first."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes all is good Yelina, we had a good chat."

"So I obviously don't need to introduce you two properly now?" Yelina said smiling.

"Don't think so Mom," said Ray laughing.

Yelina smiled happily...seems like Colin and her son had made a good start on their first meeting.

Saturday afternoon, Raymond in a happy frame of mind after observing his mother and Colin looking so comfortable together over the few hours he had spent with them, set out to catch his flight back to New Zealand and to resume his backpacking trip with his friend. He carried no worries with him as he was convinced his mother had finally found a man who she could trust, and who would treat her right. He could not know for sure it was going to work out for them, but seeing them looking happy in each other's company, he had a good feeling about them.

The next two weeks Colin and Yelina got on extremely well together, they took things slowly; he had his own bedroom, and never attempted to step beyond the boundaries other than a few kisses and embraces. They went for long walks, and using Yelina's car Colin drove her to places she wanted him to see, and they dined out a few times, and sometimes he helped her cook in the evenings. Yelina was happy and didn't want his visit to ever end and towards the end of the two weeks, she was beginning to feel some panic creeping in about him leaving.

Two nights prior to Colin's return to New York, they dined out at a nice restaurant and on their return to Yelina's place they were sitting on the sofa, relaxed, after enjoying the evening, when that panic hit her and she suddenly stood up and rushed to the kitchen. Sensing she had panicked about something Colin followed her and drawing her into his arms he asked, "What's wrong Yelina?"

Catching her breath now, she said, "I wish you didn't have to go home on Thursday."

Looking at her fondly Colin responded, "And why is that Yelina? I will be back, if you wish me to return."

"Because I have fallen in love with you, and yes I do want you to return."

Hearing her words he clasped her face in his hands and gave her a lingering kiss savouring the taste of her lips on his, and then pulling away he asked, " Do you really mean that Yelina?"

"Yes Colin...I really mean it. I love you."

Colin smiled with satisfaction and said, "That is good, because I know for sure that I have fallen in love with you, and to be truthfully honest, I never thought this could happen but it has and it is a nice feeling."

"But forgive me Yelina I have to ask you if in loving me you have now cast the fantasy of wanting Horatio out of your mind. I know we both have history in that we have been married and that sadly our partners are no longer with us, so while we will not forget them we seem to have, together, found a chance of loving again, but Horatio is alive, and much as I admire aand respect him I am not prepared to play second fiddle to your fantasies about him."

"Colin please believe me when I say I woke up to many things during the last few weeks and I assure you it is you I have grown to love...you the good, kind, caring person you are, not someone else."

Smiling broadly, satisfied with her answer, Colin gave her a soft loving look and asked, "Well in that case, would it be in order to cross the boundary line tonight?"

Taking hold of his right hand and giving him a smouldering look Yelina said, "Come with me," and led him into her bedroom.

The next two days they talked a lot and realistically knew that a long distance relationship was not for either of them so Colin who had no family ties in New York, and had recognised the fact he liked and felt comfortable in Miami, decided to go home as planned, tidy up some things that needed doing. Then come back to Miami in a week's time and stay for a month and if they were still strong by the end of the month, he would sell up in New York and come to live with Yelina as her partner to begin with. No talk of marriage yet, this was early days and still a bit too soon for Colin; he was having some guilt feelings about moving on. However, he was happier now than he had been for a while and knew he loved Yelina with certainty, and now convinced Yelina truly loved him he was going to take what was on offer. They surely both deserved some happiness in their lives.

During this time Yelina mentioned she needed to get back to her private detective work, she had had a few calls asking for her assistance, which she had had to turn down in the circumstances, but now it was time to step back into a working role again. Colin told her to be careful and not to take on anything dangerous. Then he suggested that at the end of the month if they were happy, and he sold up in New York they could perhaps look around for a small office and set up a joint agency together and with his experience of life as a cop, and his undercover work, together with her experience, they would make a good team. Leaving that thought with her, he left for New York Thursday evening.

TBC