Chapter 18: Chapter 18
Lessons Learnt
Chapter 18
It was like de ja vue Charles thought. One year on and he was back doing his annual duty for Elvis. The regimental summer ball. Except this year there was a difference. This year he wasn't going as a single man. He was going with Molly.
As they walked into the room together, holding her arm because he could, not because he no longer needed to, he couldn't have been happier. She looked beautiful. Still tiny, delicate, but with a touch more height due to the heels. He leaned across and kissed her ear.
"What was that for?" She asked. "Not that I'm complaining mind you."
"Just 'cause I can, and soon will be able to do that every morning, and every night." He smiled.
"Hopefully, I'll be getting more than a kiss though!" Loving how sometimes her saucy comments made him stop in his tracks. "Cause sometime you know I don't know how I keep my hands off you."
She pulled him forward to see their friends before he could reply. What he did know was that tonight was going to be a good night. The moon boot has gone. His leg strong again and able to do just about anything he asked of it. The burn had entirely healed. The harsh puckered port coloured scar still remained, taking up most of his temple and eyebrow, but the scar didn't bother him. Molly hardly noticed it any more. But the eye patch remained. Charles was not brave enough to show his eye in public. Vision was only limited to shapes and colours, though there were signs of improvement. The lid now opened, just, and the surrounding skin not so inflamed. But the eye itself remained red, angry unsightly, damaged. Only Molly and his parents had ever seen Charles with his patch off. He hated to catch sight of himself, so with that reasoning he never purposely inflicted his injury on others. However gradually at home alone he was starting to build up the courage to wear it less and less. Molly had even notice at night he no longer slept in it and frequently didn't rush to put it back on after showering. When these periods happened she diplomatically never commented. She knew that as with all permanent injuries Charles needed time for accepting his altered image.
"Now then Charlie Boy." Elvis boomed and pulled him in for the traditional man hug. He turned to Molly and kissed her on both checks. "You look beautiful." he said.
"Why thank you." She laughed. Just lately her and Elvis' relationship had gone back to friendship. Not that it was ever anything else. Well not to Molly, but she had had a little niggling feeling that a while ago Elvis was looking at her in more of an intense way that friendship didn't totally explain. But since he'd been with Jacki Elvis seemed well... Elvis again.
"Oi Dawes. You leave my fella alone." Her friend Jacki giggled across the bar. Comfortable that Elvis only had eyes for her and her for him.
Jacki and Molly went to hug and Charles returned the compliment to Elvis' girlfriend. The four of them were relaxed in each other's company. Both sets of friends similar in personalities and outlooks. There was no one man up manship. Jacki was a perfect fit, and had surprised Elvis just how strong he had started to feel about her in such a very short space of time. He'd put it down to the fact, that unlike Georgie there was no roller coaster of a relationship going on. There was just genuine affection and friendship. She was someone he actually enjoyed being with all the time, in all ways, and because Jacki valued herself, and didn't hold herself up as a trophy Elvis never saw her in that way either. They were together because they wanted to be, because they fit, not just because they looked good together. It was a good lesson that he had learnt.
The night marked a year that Molly and Charles had first met. A year since Molly Dawes had started to make her way firmly in to Charles' heart, never to be replaced he hoped. Both of them knew it had been a hard year but they finally felt they were coming out the other end. In a few weeks' time Molly would be finishing this part of her corporal training at Catterick. Meaning her and Charles could finally live together. The small amount of personal stuff that Molly had would soon be moved into Charles' small home. Soon to become their home. Neither of them could wait.
"So still it thinking of popping the question then?" Elvis teased Charles.
"God no. You're the thousandth person to ask us that. When I told my parents we were moving in together, my mother well she was delighted. Bought the hat and everything. Then when we made it abundantly clear that marriage or kids were definitely not on the cards she nearly cried." Everyone Charles felt were preoccupied in him and Molly marrying. That wasn't who they were, not now.
"And Molly is happy with this?" Elvis continued winding Charles up.
"Yeah. Absolutely. Both on the same page. Too soon. Let's live together first. Have some fun then maybe marriage and kids... well they are a long way off for us both." He reassured his friend.
"As long as you're happy. Though wouldn't leave it too long. You never know who might come along and snap her up."
"Yes I know and yes I am Elvis…Happy. Need to get some money behind us first. And this bloody eye sorted." Charles winced out of habit, touching his face. "Beside can't imagine that Molly would be rushing down the aisle to marry a poor, one eyed English teacher. Not much of a catch now am I?"
Charles didn't have time to hear Elvis' reply; Molly came over with Jacki demanding the boys dance. If Elvis had replied he would have tried to reassure Charles that Molly loved him no matter what. That was plain for all to see... except maybe Charles. His scaring, Molly's rich family, her incredible amount of independence, all potential went towards Charles James thinking he possibly may not be good enough for Molly Dawes.
Two weeks after the ball they moved in together.
Three weeks later they had their first major fight.
"You could have told me. I can't believe you didn't."
"Why would I? It doesn't matter. It's not important."
"Of course it bloody important Molly." He shouted. "You heard your parents. Here we are living in a tiny house. It's all I can afford."
"Yeah it's all I can too. I like living here. This house is cute." She replied.
"Cute? Molly it small. So fucking small we can just fit four people in the sitting room. God I was so embarrassed." With that he walked off.
It all started after her parents came to visit. Interested in the home she was settling up with Charles. To say they were surprised was an understatement. Charles always knew the house was small, but that never bothered him. It would do, he always thought, for now. Well that was until Dave started having a go at how cramped it was. Not enough room to swing a cat. Then Belinda started on about how there wasn't even a spare room, nothing big enough even for a nursery. Molly explained to both of her parents that it didn't matter. She liked it. That was when they brought up Molly's Trust Fund.
Apparently Molly had a rather larger Trust Fund. It could not only buy the small house Charles rented, but almost all the street too. It was available for her to use at any time, for whatever she wanted. This is what Dave and Belinda could not understand. Why live in something so small when she could have a house most girls would die for.
The thing was, that wasn't Molly. She had come from humble beginnings and didn't feel the need for anything other than enough to keep her comfortable. And that was what she was with Charles in their little rented house, comfortable, and up until tonight, happy.
"Look I never said, because I didn't think I had to." She ran after him. "Mum was just going on cause she wants Grandkids and that."
"Well there's no chance of that happening in this house is there? She was keen to point that out wasn't she. Not even enough room for a cot she said."
"What does that matter. We don't want kids. They ain't on our agenda for years and years. So what does it matter?"
"It matters Molly cause you didn't say." He sighed, starting to calm down, not wanting to make this more than his very hurt pride. "It matters Molly cause you can have it all, and all you have is a shitty little two up two down with me."
"Hey." She ran to him. Standing between his legs as he perched on the kitchen counter. "Don't call my home shitty. I love it, cause I happen to share it with the man I love. Plus I do have it all, I have you and that's enough." She wiggled her way into his body so he had to return her cuddle.
"Molly you're a wealthy girl. Folks are going to look at us and wonder what the hell you're doing with a penniless teacher. They going to think I'm after you for your money." He sighed.
"Don't you dare Charles." She soothed into his hair. "I never thought someone like you would ever look at me. I thought you were well out of my league. If any one looks at us like that, well they can see I'm the lucky one. She then kissed him, pecking him on his lips. "Please Charles don't get mad. Its money, but it don't make me happy…. you do."
He felt appeased slightly, but it still worried him. That night in bed though she tried to further explain. She said that she actually felt embarrassed about having so much money.
"It's not." She said. "As though Dad earned it. Not as though he grafted all his life to get rich. He just stumbled on a lonely man who took pity on him, and gifted him his garages and fortune. That's all."
"Garages?" Charles questioned. "How many does Dave own exactly?"
"About 5, I think. All really successful, and make Dad seem really successful. But you know what? The only reason they do so well is cause Dad has nothing to do with them."
"That's a bit harsh." Said Charles.
Molly laughed. "You've seen him Charles. I love him but he ain't exactly been father or business man of the year now has he? I've told Mum to save like buggery, 'cause one day it will go tits up. I know it will."
After she had explained he felt slightly better. She had something he could never give her. But it was something she didn't really want. He also realised that they had something money could never buy, and on reflection that meant more that any amount of funds in her bank account. They had each other.
Closing the subject though he had to say one final thing.
"I don't care what you say Molly we're buying a sofa bed for the sitting room. So at least we can have folks to stay over, every now and then, even if they do still have to eat their meals off their knees."
Life continue really well for Molly and Charles after this. They had their little niggles about each other, but in the main got on well. Jacki and Elvis were very frequent visitors and christened the bed settee for them. Charles' strength was back up, and even though he had not gone away on his annual camping trip with Elvis and the boys, he started to do all that he used to do. He was back to running and cycling, sometimes alone, sometimes with Molly. It was his long summer holidays again and Molly had managed some leave too, plus study leave. So in effect they had four glorious weeks together.
Charles was amazed that through the Army, Molly had seen a lot of the world. He had too, though his trips were generally more fun than Molly's. Though she had seen lots of the world, she had not seen hardly anything of the British Isles, so they spent their time together traveling around. Taking in the history of their country.
"You know this is perfect." She turned one day and said to Charles.
"What's that?" He asked.
"Just you and me. The two of us. Never thought I'd be this happy." She was thinking how this time last year Georgie had almost ruined them.
""What you trying to say Miss Dawes? He turned to look at her.
"It's just I love you, and I just wanted to tell you. I just needed you to know. This …us…its perfect." She looked into his brown eye, studying his face and response to her opening up emotionally.
He kissed her nose.
"I might make you right there Miss Dawes. It is. Perfect."
Perfect though it was Molly and Charles both knew that her job could and would call her away at a moment's notice, and that exactly what it did several times towards the end of summer and again into the early autumn. Each time their parting was sorrowful, and each home coming was emotional and enjoyable. Coming home to their house that they shared meant more to Molly than she could express. Since she had joined the Army she had never had that before, a home to come back to. A home with someone waiting for her, rather than a room in a soulless accommodation block.
It was on her last home coming that Charles dropped his bombshell. She had been to far and distant land with the SF team for a week. Dealing with some issues that domestically couldn't be sorted out without a firm point in the right direction by a military presence. As soon as he met her at Brize she knew there was something wrong. As she ran into his arms, she was instantly aware he had something on his mind. All though there was a beaming smile on his face when he saw her, she also noticed the frown between his eyes. His hair all messed up, as he had been running his hands through it nervously.
"What's up? What's the matter?" She asked, soon after their lips parted.
"We need to talk." Was all he said.
"Come on then." She had to know, she couldn't wait.
"Can we wait until we get home?" He asked
"No we can't. I'm not waiting out Charles." She said. "Please Charles you're frightening me."
Charles sucked in a huge breath.
"I've been offered a new job. Head of year in a boarding school. It's a really good job. Good promotion." He looked over to her, gauging her reaction.
"Wow. Well that's good isn't it?" Questioning him.
"Well yeah, it is. It just it a boarding school It's in Worchester." He finished off. Thankful he was driving at this stage he couldn't look at her for too long. Fearful she was going to explode!
She did.
"Worchester. Bleeding Worchester? That's miles away. How we going to do that? Its hours ways from my camp."
"It comes with a house. As head of year I'm expected to live there." He continued. He needed everything out in the open. No chance of confusion that way he thought.
"What about weekends? We've only started to live together. Does this mean I'll only see you at weekends now?"
"Err no. Sorry Molly it's expected of me to be around some Saturday mornings too."
"What!" She screamed. "Bleeding hell Charles. What's going to happen to us? We'll never see each other?"
He sadly smiled at her and shrugged his shoulders.
He really wanted this job. It was a promotion at a good school. Something he'd been chasing for a while . Plus a new job meant he'd be away from the memories of the fire too. It's what he needed to for him. Worried though in doing so would he lose Molly? They both knew she couldn't move from her camp. She had duty commitments there. Plus that was where Elvis and his team were based. Where she needed to be if she wanted to remain with SF, and she did. They both knew she did. Where Charles was thinking about his career. Molly also was thinking about hers.
The weeks went by and Charles needed to give his answer. They wanted him to start after Christmas. They talked and talked about it. No arguing, just conversations. Sad that their time together was complicated by such a huge decision. Both trying to be reasonable. Both deep down knowing what the one and only answer could be. Molly knew he wanted this job and had to take it. Professionally it made so much sense. She couldn't stop him from following his dreams. He'd supported her, now it was her turn to support him. They would work out "them" around Charles' new opportunity.
"Look Charles you have to say yes. It's your dream job." She told him one morning while he held onto her in their bed, stroking her naked back with his thumb. Gently humming in time to the action into her hair.
He tightened his hug on her.
"That's right it is but it's not worth losing you for."
"You won't." She reassured him. Even as she said the words she silently prayed, hoped that it was true. They were both nervous, but Charles went ahead with accepting.
The months and time in their little home passed quickly. Molly made plans to move back to barracks while Charles made plans to move into his new home. Elvis and Jacki, both reassuring then that if anyone could make it work it was them.
When they both went to visit Charles new home Molly was amazed, and sad. She loved it. A pretty three bed cottage, in the middle of beautiful countryside. It was a home she could love calling hers. Somewhere she could easily imagine herself in, being there with Charles. It therefore made them both incredibly sad that they was probably no chance she'd ever live there permanently.
Dreams of them staying as a couple were now dangerously at risk of falling apart. Both focused on their careers. Both careers demanding so much of their time. Before, their relationship was just about doable, when they were close, lived together, but now they were going to be at opposite ends of the country almost, hours away from each other, and it suddenly all seemed impossible.
"We'll be alright?" She asked him one night. "Won't we?"
"We've got to be Molly. You're my everything. I can't lose you. I love you."
"I love you to Charles."
They held on to each other. Knowing their days permanently under the same roof were quickly coming to an end. Both hoping and trusting that something would change their fortunes, and they would be together once more.