Emma's thoughts that night
It was a little over one o'clock, when Emma still lay there in her bed, their bed, with Peter. She was not alone anymore, but now she felt more alone than she had ever felt in her life. She seemed to be lost in her own emotions of Steed; she tried not to cry, to make a noise, to wake her sleeping contented husband. But she couldn't take it any longer; tears formed in her eyes as she carefully slipped out of her bed, and walked over to the window. The moon shone through the white curtains, as she held one open and gazed out into the night. A stray tear rolled down her cheek, as she could feel her heart beat faster, as she looked up at the moon's crest, and remembered one moment they spent together in Monmartche, by the river. She could still feel him, the scent of him, the touch of him, and his voice. The remark he made to her, as he whispered in her ear:
"tis the moon that shines at night, but tis my heart that lights up every time I'm near you"
She remembered the kiss that followed, their long and romantic kiss that seemed to last a lifetime; how she wished she was still there with him, as she gently whispered his name, 'Steed'. Her eyes swelled with emotions as she made her way to the bathroom. She closed the door trying not to wake Peter, and sat on the toilet seat and cried, long and deep, tears streamed down her face as her feelings could no longer be controlled. She heard the rustles of bedclothes as her husband woke, she could hear his footsteps coming closer to the bathroom door. As she wiped away her tears, she flushed the toilet, opened the door, and walked past Peter and returned to bed, pulling the covers up and around her as she tried to hide away her reddened, swollen eyes. Peter simply closed the bathroom door behind him. And she tried to sleep.
Steed's thoughts that morning
It was 8:30am and still he sat there, red eyed and deeply hurt, the photo album still perched on his knee, his memories and thoughts of her were replaying over in his mind. The pieces of the Brandy glass lay were they were thrown last night in sheer emotional frustration.
Suddenly the telephone began to whirl, Steed didn't even flinch, just ignored it until it rang off. His eyes burned, his mouth dry, he still could not get over the fact he would never see her again. He wondered if she was feeling the same sense of loss he was feeling? But he hoped she would be okay, that she would be happy. The phone rang for the second time, this time it rang non-stop, as if the caller new he was in, and wanted him to answer it. Steed made no intention of talking to anyone today; he wasn't in any fit state to see anyone let alone talk to them as well. It was a little over 8:45am when a knock came at Steed's door, Steed didn't even indicate that there was someone waiting to see him, he just sat there, and stared into his empty glass. Suddenly the door flew open, it was Mother, Rhonda was pushing him into the expensive apartment. Mother noticed the broken glass pieces on the floor near to the electric fire.
'Leave us alone. We need to talk.'
Mother told the tall, blonde, quiet girl. She nodded slightly to him, and left closing the red door behind her.
Mother wheeled himself over to where Steed was trying to get some recognition from him, he snapped his fingers, while gently, but forcefully calling his name.
'Steed, Steed old boy. Are you ok? It's Mother. John?' Mother asked him quizzically
Steed looked up, there was pain in his eyes as he said, 'Do I look ok!?'
'No, you look.well you look?' Mother hesitantly tried to think of something to reply with.
'What? Ridiculous, stupid, hopeless, pathetic? How do I look Mother?' Steed asked.
'Well you look.upset' Mother, replied, trying to make him feel like he knew what he was going through.
'Upset, Upset!.Upset is NOT the word!! Angry, resentful, surprised.'
Mother interrupted him. 'Hurt?'
Steed looked up at him, his eyes hiding the tears that tried to escape, he rose and barged his way past Mother, to get to the liquor table.
He noticed there was no Brandy left, and lifted the glass, and banged it back on the silver tray.
'I think you've had enough', Mother said, looking at the broken glass pieces that lay scattered on the floor. Steed angrily said, 'And what would you know about it!?'
'I know how much you cared about her' Mother replied.
'Oh, you do now do you?' Steed still had his voice raised.
'I think you need sometime alone, to let things sink in, take your mind off it, Eh?' Mother said to Steed trying to help.
'And you think that will help do you, just sometime in the sun? And I suppose when you sent, Miss King over, you thought I'd just carry on as if nothing had happened, go back to work and it would all be over! Well you thought wrong Mother!! For once Mother doesn't always no what's best!!' Steed managed to furiously shout out at Mother's judgement of Mrs Peel's departure.
'I'm sorry Steed.I didn't think. I thought, well, I.'.
Mother frustratingly tried to think of something to reply to his outburst, but looked at his hurt eyes, and saw what state he was in over Mrs Peel. In a way he couldn't find anything to reassure him it would be ok, that it was for the best. But Mother had known of their relationship, knew what they had felt for each other, but he genuinely thought to get Steed back into his job, as quickly as he thought he could, to take his mind from it altogether would help.
Unfortunately during this time he was thinking. Steed was searching hurriedly for something to drink. He found a bottle of Malt Scottish Whisky, and tearing his way at the bottle top, he managed to pour himself a very large double Scotch. He gulped the contents down urgently, allowing the strong alcohol to take effect on his throbbing conscience.
Mother said 'It was wrong of me to make judgement of the situation, Steed, I'm sorry.But it was a bit of a surprise!'
'A SURPRISE! TO YOU! What do you think it's done to ME!!' Steed replied in a rather heated tone of voice.
'We had no idea he would be found, let alone alive!!' Mother announced.
'Of all the contacts I have, you'd think.you'd think that at least one of them would let me know!! I found out in the bloody newspapers For God's sake!!' Steed's temper rose again.
'Steed, we had no idea either. They had it kept very secret, and. and even Mrs Peel herself didn't find out until the morning he flew in.' Mother confessed. 'They had him in the local hospital, to recover, for about three weeks, after one of the local tribes had found him. Until they were finally allowed to send him over.' Mother answered.
'So Mrs Peel was kept in the dark too! So they were going to let him barge in on us. In the act as they say?' Steed answered.
'We wouldn't be so.' Mother weakly put it.
'What Mother? Thought-less?' Rather dryly Steed added.
'No, inconsiderate!' Mother responded.
'For him to find out that his wife had been playing away, with one of the Ministry's spies. It would have destroyed her own career as well as mine!!' Steed angrily said.
'Well it's all over, in the past, there's nothing you can do about it now' Mother blatantly said.
Steed's eyes narrowed, and pointed his index finger at Mother saying, 'Yes, and you made DAM sure that I couldn't do anything about it didn't you Mother!!' Steed's voice echoed with emotion and outrage.
Steed poured himself another Whisky, combing his dark hair back with his fingers, and paced the floor of his apartment. Mother just watched him walk, saw him torturing himself, trying to hide his feelings for Mrs Peel inside, and to wash them away with alcohol. He gulped the reddish, potent liquid down, and headed back towards the silver liquor tray.
He slammed the glass down, and turned to Mother.
Tears formed in his eyes as he said
'She was the one. The only one, don't you understand that?'
Mother looked into his warn, tired, heartfelt grey eyes.
'I think I should go' Mother gently replied.
There was a long silence while Mother was making his way out of his apartment.
Then Steed enquired saying, 'And that leave of absence you mentioned?'
'Take as long as you want to Steed' Mother said sympathetically.
'You bet I will!' Steed answered readily.
And with that Mother left.
Steed paced his carpeted floor once again, thinking about her. How much he wanted to be with her right at this moment. How much he wanted to feel her close to him, her hair between his fingertips, her mouth on his own. He wanted her so badly, but he knew that he would never see or feel her again. Tears were slowly, streaming down his pale face. He felt his stomach churn, and his hands trembled, he lifted his hand to his forehead, spread his stretched fingers over his face as he wiped away his tears. He made his way to the drinks tray, again, lifted the Whisky bottle poured another, but this time he did not bring the glass to his lips. He watched the liquid in the glass, swirled the reddish brown medication he required around in its container and remembered her hair, her face, smile, voice, everything, her laughter filled his mind. He thought to himself, memories are all he had to remember her by, photographs helped him remember, brought back images, moments in his memory, moments he could simply not forget. They had shared so much together, now she was gone, nothing could bring her back, he knew that, but didn't want to reflect the pain. He simply looked at the Whisky and remembered, didn't move just stared at it. Then with one last motion of his body, he lifted the glass to his lips, and toasted it to her.
'To you Emma'.
Tears filled in his eyes, as the warmness soothed his aching heart, and with that he knew that she would always be with him where ever he was, deeply, imbedded in heart, his mind, and body, as if the Whisky was her, and was seeping into himself. Her words circled his mind, 'Always keep your bowler on in times of strain. And watch out for Diabolical Masterminds!'
He stood there for a long time, just thinking of her. He seemed contented as if a weight had been lifted off his heart, and he walked up the twisting staircase to rest. It was either the Drink, or the thought of her, but he soon drifted off to sleep.
It was a little over one o'clock, when Emma still lay there in her bed, their bed, with Peter. She was not alone anymore, but now she felt more alone than she had ever felt in her life. She seemed to be lost in her own emotions of Steed; she tried not to cry, to make a noise, to wake her sleeping contented husband. But she couldn't take it any longer; tears formed in her eyes as she carefully slipped out of her bed, and walked over to the window. The moon shone through the white curtains, as she held one open and gazed out into the night. A stray tear rolled down her cheek, as she could feel her heart beat faster, as she looked up at the moon's crest, and remembered one moment they spent together in Monmartche, by the river. She could still feel him, the scent of him, the touch of him, and his voice. The remark he made to her, as he whispered in her ear:
"tis the moon that shines at night, but tis my heart that lights up every time I'm near you"
She remembered the kiss that followed, their long and romantic kiss that seemed to last a lifetime; how she wished she was still there with him, as she gently whispered his name, 'Steed'. Her eyes swelled with emotions as she made her way to the bathroom. She closed the door trying not to wake Peter, and sat on the toilet seat and cried, long and deep, tears streamed down her face as her feelings could no longer be controlled. She heard the rustles of bedclothes as her husband woke, she could hear his footsteps coming closer to the bathroom door. As she wiped away her tears, she flushed the toilet, opened the door, and walked past Peter and returned to bed, pulling the covers up and around her as she tried to hide away her reddened, swollen eyes. Peter simply closed the bathroom door behind him. And she tried to sleep.
Steed's thoughts that morning
It was 8:30am and still he sat there, red eyed and deeply hurt, the photo album still perched on his knee, his memories and thoughts of her were replaying over in his mind. The pieces of the Brandy glass lay were they were thrown last night in sheer emotional frustration.
Suddenly the telephone began to whirl, Steed didn't even flinch, just ignored it until it rang off. His eyes burned, his mouth dry, he still could not get over the fact he would never see her again. He wondered if she was feeling the same sense of loss he was feeling? But he hoped she would be okay, that she would be happy. The phone rang for the second time, this time it rang non-stop, as if the caller new he was in, and wanted him to answer it. Steed made no intention of talking to anyone today; he wasn't in any fit state to see anyone let alone talk to them as well. It was a little over 8:45am when a knock came at Steed's door, Steed didn't even indicate that there was someone waiting to see him, he just sat there, and stared into his empty glass. Suddenly the door flew open, it was Mother, Rhonda was pushing him into the expensive apartment. Mother noticed the broken glass pieces on the floor near to the electric fire.
'Leave us alone. We need to talk.'
Mother told the tall, blonde, quiet girl. She nodded slightly to him, and left closing the red door behind her.
Mother wheeled himself over to where Steed was trying to get some recognition from him, he snapped his fingers, while gently, but forcefully calling his name.
'Steed, Steed old boy. Are you ok? It's Mother. John?' Mother asked him quizzically
Steed looked up, there was pain in his eyes as he said, 'Do I look ok!?'
'No, you look.well you look?' Mother hesitantly tried to think of something to reply with.
'What? Ridiculous, stupid, hopeless, pathetic? How do I look Mother?' Steed asked.
'Well you look.upset' Mother, replied, trying to make him feel like he knew what he was going through.
'Upset, Upset!.Upset is NOT the word!! Angry, resentful, surprised.'
Mother interrupted him. 'Hurt?'
Steed looked up at him, his eyes hiding the tears that tried to escape, he rose and barged his way past Mother, to get to the liquor table.
He noticed there was no Brandy left, and lifted the glass, and banged it back on the silver tray.
'I think you've had enough', Mother said, looking at the broken glass pieces that lay scattered on the floor. Steed angrily said, 'And what would you know about it!?'
'I know how much you cared about her' Mother replied.
'Oh, you do now do you?' Steed still had his voice raised.
'I think you need sometime alone, to let things sink in, take your mind off it, Eh?' Mother said to Steed trying to help.
'And you think that will help do you, just sometime in the sun? And I suppose when you sent, Miss King over, you thought I'd just carry on as if nothing had happened, go back to work and it would all be over! Well you thought wrong Mother!! For once Mother doesn't always no what's best!!' Steed managed to furiously shout out at Mother's judgement of Mrs Peel's departure.
'I'm sorry Steed.I didn't think. I thought, well, I.'.
Mother frustratingly tried to think of something to reply to his outburst, but looked at his hurt eyes, and saw what state he was in over Mrs Peel. In a way he couldn't find anything to reassure him it would be ok, that it was for the best. But Mother had known of their relationship, knew what they had felt for each other, but he genuinely thought to get Steed back into his job, as quickly as he thought he could, to take his mind from it altogether would help.
Unfortunately during this time he was thinking. Steed was searching hurriedly for something to drink. He found a bottle of Malt Scottish Whisky, and tearing his way at the bottle top, he managed to pour himself a very large double Scotch. He gulped the contents down urgently, allowing the strong alcohol to take effect on his throbbing conscience.
Mother said 'It was wrong of me to make judgement of the situation, Steed, I'm sorry.But it was a bit of a surprise!'
'A SURPRISE! TO YOU! What do you think it's done to ME!!' Steed replied in a rather heated tone of voice.
'We had no idea he would be found, let alone alive!!' Mother announced.
'Of all the contacts I have, you'd think.you'd think that at least one of them would let me know!! I found out in the bloody newspapers For God's sake!!' Steed's temper rose again.
'Steed, we had no idea either. They had it kept very secret, and. and even Mrs Peel herself didn't find out until the morning he flew in.' Mother confessed. 'They had him in the local hospital, to recover, for about three weeks, after one of the local tribes had found him. Until they were finally allowed to send him over.' Mother answered.
'So Mrs Peel was kept in the dark too! So they were going to let him barge in on us. In the act as they say?' Steed answered.
'We wouldn't be so.' Mother weakly put it.
'What Mother? Thought-less?' Rather dryly Steed added.
'No, inconsiderate!' Mother responded.
'For him to find out that his wife had been playing away, with one of the Ministry's spies. It would have destroyed her own career as well as mine!!' Steed angrily said.
'Well it's all over, in the past, there's nothing you can do about it now' Mother blatantly said.
Steed's eyes narrowed, and pointed his index finger at Mother saying, 'Yes, and you made DAM sure that I couldn't do anything about it didn't you Mother!!' Steed's voice echoed with emotion and outrage.
Steed poured himself another Whisky, combing his dark hair back with his fingers, and paced the floor of his apartment. Mother just watched him walk, saw him torturing himself, trying to hide his feelings for Mrs Peel inside, and to wash them away with alcohol. He gulped the reddish, potent liquid down, and headed back towards the silver liquor tray.
He slammed the glass down, and turned to Mother.
Tears formed in his eyes as he said
'She was the one. The only one, don't you understand that?'
Mother looked into his warn, tired, heartfelt grey eyes.
'I think I should go' Mother gently replied.
There was a long silence while Mother was making his way out of his apartment.
Then Steed enquired saying, 'And that leave of absence you mentioned?'
'Take as long as you want to Steed' Mother said sympathetically.
'You bet I will!' Steed answered readily.
And with that Mother left.
Steed paced his carpeted floor once again, thinking about her. How much he wanted to be with her right at this moment. How much he wanted to feel her close to him, her hair between his fingertips, her mouth on his own. He wanted her so badly, but he knew that he would never see or feel her again. Tears were slowly, streaming down his pale face. He felt his stomach churn, and his hands trembled, he lifted his hand to his forehead, spread his stretched fingers over his face as he wiped away his tears. He made his way to the drinks tray, again, lifted the Whisky bottle poured another, but this time he did not bring the glass to his lips. He watched the liquid in the glass, swirled the reddish brown medication he required around in its container and remembered her hair, her face, smile, voice, everything, her laughter filled his mind. He thought to himself, memories are all he had to remember her by, photographs helped him remember, brought back images, moments in his memory, moments he could simply not forget. They had shared so much together, now she was gone, nothing could bring her back, he knew that, but didn't want to reflect the pain. He simply looked at the Whisky and remembered, didn't move just stared at it. Then with one last motion of his body, he lifted the glass to his lips, and toasted it to her.
'To you Emma'.
Tears filled in his eyes, as the warmness soothed his aching heart, and with that he knew that she would always be with him where ever he was, deeply, imbedded in heart, his mind, and body, as if the Whisky was her, and was seeping into himself. Her words circled his mind, 'Always keep your bowler on in times of strain. And watch out for Diabolical Masterminds!'
He stood there for a long time, just thinking of her. He seemed contented as if a weight had been lifted off his heart, and he walked up the twisting staircase to rest. It was either the Drink, or the thought of her, but he soon drifted off to sleep.