Sleeping late was a luxury CJ and I had not had in some time and we took full advantage. Normally we woke before nine and did not return home until after six; we were sorely understaffed at the police station and there was a lot of work to be done.
When I finally opened my eyes the large clock in the room said it was past ten. I blinked sleep out of my eyes and then focused on CJ. She lay curled next to me, her blond hair was fanned out on the crisp white pillow beneath her head and her large eyes were still peacefully shut.
I had always thought CJ looked beautiful when she slept; but I guess I was just an eager boy when it came to her because I could not wait for her to open her eyes so I could talk to her. I waited patiently however and let her sleep.
Eventually she wriggled and fluttered her eyes open, unveiling the bright light I always saw in her green eyes,
She smiled lazily as me, "Is it morning?"
"It is almost eleven," I said, reaching out and tucking a piece of her blond hair which had fallen into her eyes behind her ear,
"We should get up," She said, but she moved herself closer to me and rested her head on my chest, closing her eyes again,
"You are energetic this morning," I laughed at her as she lay against me,
"This bed is so comfortable," she groaned, "And so are you," she hit my stomach, "fatty,"
"Excuse me?" I grabbed her hand and pinned it around behind her back, twisting her wrist slightly,
"Ah! Alright, I give; you're a fine physical specimen," she laughed, but I kept hold onto her arm,
"And?" I prompted,
"And what?"
"And I am the most devastatingly handsome man you have ever seen," I whispered these words in her ear and then moved to kiss her neck,
CJ laughed so hard I felt her body shake against mine and she struggled briefly to free herself from my grasp but I held her tightly.
"If I say that will you let me go?" CJ asked me as I continued to kiss her, moving from her neck to her shoulder,
"Yes," I said, lifting my lips from her skin momentarily to speak,
"Than I won't say it," she said slyly, and I kissed her full on her lips,
"We really should get up," CJ said, cutting off my ideas for further intimate activity,
I sighed and released her hand, allowing her to rise from the bed,
"It looks gorgeous outside," CJ said, pulling the curtains of the window open and looking out, I came and stood beside her, gazing at the large, green fields and the tall trees dotting the horizon,
We stood for a moment, "Hungry?" I asked her,
"Starving," and she turned away from the window and went about readying herself for the day,
I headed for the bathroom which was attached to our room to wash my face. CJ was fiddling with her luggage and pulling out a dress; normally CJ wore trousers and men's work shirts, but on this trip she had packed a considerable amount of dresses; when I asked her why all she had said was 'for a change'
When I saw the one she was putting on I had to laugh to myself; it was one I had brought up from the opera which had once belonged to Christine. CJ had retooled it and made it considerably more fashionable,
"You remember where that dress came from, don't you?" I asked her as I found a pair of brown trousers,
"Yes, and I don't think she will recognize it; it's one of my favorites and I am going to wear it damn it," CJ said, checking her hair in the full length mirror next to the bed,
"I think she is going to recognize it," I said, removing my night shirt and then heading back to the bathroom to shave. I looked into the mirror; it had been a long time since I had looked at a mirror and hated what I saw,
I still thought I looked like a living corps as far as my face went, but I had come to terms with that, my rational being that if my wife, the most beautiful perfect woman in the world, was alright with it than everyone else could go to hell.
"Erik, I fully take back the fat comment; you should eat more," CJ said, and I saw she was leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, "You look too thin," she came to me and wrapped her arms around my from behind, "Your fit though," and she pounded her fist into my stomach,
I looked into the mirror and laughed; the funny thing about running all over Paris chasing suspects and riding horses up and down streets was that it made you much stronger, and did not allow for much additional weight gain,
CJ insisted on shaving my face; a task she always preformed admirably, and then she hurried me to get ready so we could eat.
When we got out into the hall I realized I did not really know where to go; it seemed that protocol would require us to find Christine, but I did not have any idea where she was,
"Well well, looks like you two are alive after all," Bernadette appeared at the end of the hall, "I was just coming up here to look for you two; you have held up breakfast for over two hours," She motioned for us to follow her,
"How did we do that?" CJ asked, sliding her arm through mine,
"Well, it is only polite to wait to eat with your guests, so Christine has been waiting for you," Bernadette led us down the stairs and toward the back of the house, "Her husband is not here, left this morning apparently, and her son…I don't know where he is,"
I exchanged a look with CJ, remembering the conversation I had overheard the night before.
Bernadette led us to a grand library and opened the large glass doors leading to the back porch and I saw there was a table set up outside and Christine was already sitting there, waiting for us.
"I found them," Bernadette said, addressing Christine,
"Oh good!" she looked up at both of us and I saw her eyes looked tired and there were dark circles under them, and in her voice there was a hint of worry she could not quite hide; and then I saw her eyes widen and I believed she recognized the dress, "Did…you both sleep well?" she continued to try to remain in control,
"Yes, very well," I said, sitting down across from her,
Breakfast was awkward as the dinner the night before had been. Throughout the meal I got the increasing feeling that Christine was having serious problems which were weighing quite heavily on her mind. I knew I was in no way obligated to help her; she had broken my heart, I did not owe her anything. However, as the years had passed I found it harder and harder to become angry at her; she had not completely destroyed my life, and now she seemed more a victim than I was.
At the police station we had to deal with victims of all kinds of crimes; and suddenly I saw Christine in this way, as someone who needed help.
"Bernadette, have you been out to the stables yet?" I asked her,
"No," she said, and her eyed widened at the prospect of visiting the horses,
"You are interested in riding as well?" Christine asked her,
"Oh yes, my parents let me ride their police horses several times; I absolutely love it," Bernadette said enthusiastically,
Christine nodded, and she motioned to the butler who was standing quietly behind her, "Will you kindly take Mademoiselle to see the stables?" the butler nodded,
Bernadette smiled excitedly and rose from her seat, "Are you both coming too?" she looked at CJ and me,
"We will come later, Bernadette," I said to her; I had mentioned the stables so that Bernadette had an excuse to leave and I could speak to Christine more candidly,
Bernadette quickly followed the butler toward the stables and out of sight,
"She is a wonderful girl; very bright, and very striking," Christine sounded almost wistful,
I looked searchingly at CJ, wondering how to approach the subject I wanted to approach and looking to CJ for inspiration,
She shrugged at me and shook her head; I decided to plunge right in,
"Christine is something worrying you?" I blurted out,
"Oh…no, nothing is wrong," She said looking down at the plate of food she had not eaten, and it did not take experience to tell that she was lying,
I sighed; time to show my hand, "Christine I heard you last night, I heard you talking to your husband,"
Christine continued to stare down at her food; her head drooped lower and her hand rose to her eyes, wiping away a tear and then she looked up at me; she eyes were red and her shoulders began to shake,
"Y-you heard…everything?" she choked out, and I nodded gently; Christine burst into tears, "I am sorry…you had to…hear that," she hiccupped out, "He is not…always…like that,"
"He had no right to say those things to you," I told her steadily,
"No, no he is right," Christine sobbed, "Our son will hardly leave his room and it is all my fault because I coddled him too much, and Raoul cannot even take me out in public with his friends because I always say the wrong thing,"
I was amazed at what she was saying; and there was more, "I try, I try to socialize the way he wants me to; I joined a ladies reading club, but I never understand the books the way the other ladies do and I always say something wrong and they all laugh at me," She was speaking frantically now, "We are supposed to be reading this book now," and she waved a book she had been holding in her lap, "It is full of nautical references I don't understand and I am going to make a big fool of myself again," she broke down into tears again,
"I am so sorry Erik," she muttered, "I never should have dragged you out here; it was just another stupid idea I had; I just want to help my son, and Raoul he…he gets so mad sometimes; and…he does not think I love him," she buried her face in her hands and shook with tears,
I looked over at CJ but she was staring at Christine. CJ did not hesitate before she moved to Christine and embraced her in her arms; I did not know if it was entirely proper, but CJ nodded to me and I wrapped my arms around both of them, holding them while Christine sobbed,
"Listen to me, Christine," CJ said finally, holding her by her shoulders and looking her in the eyes, "None of this is your fault; your son went through a traumatic experience which would have been difficult for any child to recover from and he is going to be just fine,"
"Thanks to the two of you," Christine muttered,
"You love your son, Christine, you care for him, you are a good mother," I told her, "You did nothing wrong,"
"Than why is Raoul so mad at me?" She sounded as though she were going to cry again,
"I will talk to him," I said quickly, though I had no idea what I would say or if he would listen to me if I did confront him,
"And we are going to help you with this book thing," CJ told her, "By the time we are through with you you will be a veritable Voltaire,"
"Who?" Christine asked innocently, and I knew CJ had to fight not to roll her eyes,
"Never mind; let me see this book," CJ said and she took the book out of Christine's lap and opened it,
A strange look came over her face as she looked at the book,
"All the ladies love it," Christine muttered, "We have been reading it for a few weeks and I can't get around the boat references,"
CJ laughed out loud and Christine and I both stared at her; she had been kneeling next to Christine and now she fell back onto the porch floor, still laughing wildly,
"CJ what on earth is so funny?" I asked her, and she shook her head, standing and handing me the book,
I took it and opened it to the cover page, which read,
The Red Sun at Night,
By
Christopher Johnson Eriksson