He heard swift foot steps come to a halt, and looked up, Chris had turned he corner and seen him and stopped in her tracks. The stern look on her face told she was still upset with him. And rightly so.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Jenkins! Lovely day, aye!" He forced on his most charming smile.
Her look softened and she slowly stepped closer. "You're the last person I expected to see today."
He decided not to quantify that. "I did say I'd stop by to see you before you left."
"Yes but I didn't expect you so soon."
He shrugged "Well, yes, something has come up and I have to dash, won't get back till you're gone I'm afraid. Do you have a few minutes?"
She furrowed her brow stepping in front of him with a sideward glance and punched in her door code, and moved inside the door to one side. With a grand sweeping gesture welcomed him in. A bit overly theatrical, but he wasn't going to fuel this fire again by making a snide comment.
He saw the roses from the day before on her kitchen counter.
"Before you start, I want my say." She snapped, arms still crossed formidably in front of her.
"By all means…" He motioned with his hand.
"The night I showed up at your Dad's funeral…When we-"
He interrupted her. "I really don't want to go back there-" Marcus stared at the floor. "I don't know what came over me, I'm just glad I came to my senses before it went any further."
"Did I ask you to stop?"
Marcus didn't answer.
"I didn't, did I? Yeah, I was upset, but if I wanted to stop you, I could have made you. Believe me, you don't grow up around miners without learning a few very effective self defense moves, my Dad made sure of that," she stepped closer, "I was upset because it was like you weren't even there. I could feel it, you didn't love me, not anymore. It was like you were a stranger. I was mad at myself… because I killed that part of you."
He had been avoiding her gaze staring past her at the wall over her shoulder. She reached out and touched his cheek, causing him to lock eyes with her. "I'm sorry. For all of it. I spent a lot of years second-guessing, so much so it ruined my marriage, but don't get me wrong a part of me will always love you. I never lied about that."
"I know." He murmured.
She watched him silently a moment, then shook her head. "You're not the same Marcus I knew. At dinner it was like you were afraid to tell me too much… to tell me anything."
"Once burned, twice shy." He murmured. "Listen, Chris, I didn't come to dwell what went wrong, or when, or who. It can't solve anything now. I came to say goodbye, and to bring you this." He pulled a bound book out of his long robes. On it's dark blue cloth cover cover in gold pressed letters, "Meditations of Marcus Aurlieus".
He ran his fingers over the letters for the last time, and handed it to her. "Give this to Marc. He's not ready for it quite yet, but someday… someday he might need what's inside."
"Thank you." She said more than bit touched.
He tapped the cover. "I was given it by wise and trusted friend when my life was at it's darkest point after the explosion a few years ago. I've learned much from it, but being that I have no children to pass it down to, and not likely to any time soon, I would very much like him to have it. It would mean a lot to me if he did."
She smiled softly, clasping the book to he chest. "I'll make sure he reads it."
"One look at the inside and he'll hate it for sure; it's very dry." He started the laugh. "But there are good lessons inside that all men should know." He snapped his heels together. "And with that, I should go. We both have full days tomorrow. I have to pack again."
"I'm not going to see you again, am I?" she said softly searching his face. "That why you gave me the book now."
He shook his head. "Let's face it. Probably not. I'd like to say I'd come and visit, we know I won't with my schedule. You could get back out this way of course, but with the political situation, the distance and the children, I wouldn't bet on it any time soon. Nor would I blame you."
"So this is it." She said with finality.
He smiled. "Afraid so."
"Can I call you? Or is that against the rules?"
"No, no rules against that."
"I might die of shock if you call back."
That caused him to let out a large laugh as he walked to the door, it opened behind him. "It was good to see you Chris. I mean that."
"You too. Don't be a stranger, okay?"
"I'll try."
"Well, if this is it, I want to say goodbye properly this time."
She stepped forward and kissed him, soft and gentle, her hands pulling his head down to hers and slipping tongue into his mouth.
After a few moments, his hands gently clasped over hers and removed them from his cheeks. Lazily his eyes opened to see her watching him. "Bye, Christine."
She smiled. "Goodbye, Marcus."