54
"Hello Gwennie" Ianto said as he opened the door and allowed her into the house, leading her to the back area where he was enjoying the last of the crisp winter air.
"Not interrupting something?"
"As if" he laughed, going to get her a cuppa as she settled to watch the weird goat pack rampage around the helicopter. Ianto returned and placed the mug down along with a plate of little cakes. "Tonny."
"Those Goats are mad." She said conversationally.
"I know… about this time every day they kill the undercarriage then wander off like football yobs done after the match night pub madness." Ianto agreed. "Dispersing before the pigs get there."
"I didn't see it" she blurted, "Old fucker."
"No. Evil lurks everywhere… we all know that… those of us who have tasted the bile. Don't take it to heart, just be grateful the kids feel so comfortable to talk to the Grups that they told without it being a bad thing in their eyes. They will get over it." Ianto patted her arm affectionately.
"You are a lovely bloke ya know" she said, her hand moving over his for a moment as she again lamented her stupidly in younger years and she was grateful that he was such a forgiving soul.
"Yeah well… you've met who I married" Ianto quipped and she giggled softly.
"He's gone?"
"Yeah. A home for demented" Ianto said, shifting in his seat as a lone goat rampaged in the other direction and he frowned, then saw a little black shadow moving through the grass as Captain Kitty Hawk tried to be a goat. Nope.
"Really? I didn't see him go… only the stuff being thrown in the large dumpster out front of the house. Did he go in the night or something?" she asked with fake nonchalance.
Ianto looked over at her and smiled softly "We are not getting any younger sweetie. No need to dance with me. The boys took care of him like you would a dog that has bitten a baby's face. He will not do any more harm and in time… in time we will forget him. He went to a farm out in the country for old farts to live our his days in a lovely paddock ... OK? Or... well... under one?"
She stared at him long and hard, then said "and the official story?"
"He fell down the stairs. Owen signed the death certificate and his grandson already arranged for his body to be cremated" Ianto sipped his drink and let the world turn as she considered.
"Stairs?"
"Hmmmm"
She enjoyed her cuppa and the soft cuddle as he helped her back into her coat and walked her to her vehicle with one hand protectively on her back in case she lost her balance on the icy driveway. Such a lovely man.
She drove home along the row of single story houses and did not dwell too much on the loss of an old man who clearly was breathing to much air around here lately.
People fall down all the time.
Oh dear, what a pity, never mind.
Rhys might do a lasagna for tea is she asks nicely, better check the ingredients are all there.
Yeah.
Just another day in paradise.
Move on… nothing to see here.