The World Kept Turning.
Note; Again character thought in italics.
Reviews always welcome
Chapter 4
Frances Goren died peacefully. The church was filled with people from the hospital, her old friends, their old neighbours, his colleagues, Gage, Eames parents and one of her brothers who'd driven them, Logan , Ross, Lewis and his family, people from his Mothers past and present .
But not his brother, her first born son, thank God she didn't know.
Eames circled the room making sure everyone was okay….his own flesh and blood couldn't make it but his partner was there…for him…for his Mom, a lady she'd called her friend.
Ross was shaking his hand, offering his condolences….the people were slowly dispersing. He'd tried to concentrate say the right thing but everything he said sounded stupid.
Then he was alone. Pulling on his coat and tucking in the scarf he moved outside, he'd dismissed the car knowing he couldn't be confined he needed to walk.
Never had he known it so cold, then she fell into step next to him, suddenly it seemed slightly warmer.
Silence.
They walked for hours…the morning became afternoon, they were in the park he looked down and saw her, hands deep in her pockets, just walking with him, his throat was tight.
"Hey" was all she said, glancing up.
"Hey" his mouth was dry and he found it hard to form words…
They continued walking.
Maybe I should speak tell her how grateful I am. She has to be cold; there was a bench, maybe she wanted to stop; he wondered how far she would walk with him?
His voice was different the words stuck in his throat "You okay?"
She stopped at his question turning to face him.
"No, no I'm not. A friend of mine was buried today"
At her words he choked, but kept back the tears….
"My mother"
He almost collapsed onto the bench. She moved and positioned herself in front of him, as if shielding him from prying eyes, but there was no one around and it was starting to rain, he knew she was offering him both her protection and support.
He was so full of anger.
"Hey," her fingers briefly touched his hair…so briefly he wondered if it were her or the wind
She was touching his hair; her hand was stroking his hair Eames was touching him…
Then the reality hit quicker and harder than he could stop…his shoulders heaved. His Mom was dead…..He didn't move, he couldn't he was frozen.
She didn't speak but continued to stoke his hair
He struggled his eyes seemed to have excess tears which were desperately trying to escape.
"M…my M..Mom…." his head was still down.
Just one step forward was all it took, she was in his space keeping one hand in his hair and resting her free hand on his back as she did.
Suddenly his arms moved with no instruction from him and wrapped themselves around her waist…that was when she spoke.
"Bobby I'm here" so softly his heart heard what his ears did not.
The dam broke…his sobs became unstoppable….she pulled him to her, and he buried his face against her stomach, his arms holding her so tight he thought she'd break, but she pulled him closer, holding him so tighter still.
His mind tried to keep up, but it couldn't he just held onto her, it was all he could do.
Safe. With her it was safe it had been so long since he felt so safe.
Releasing her slowly, he realised it had stopped raining.
"Come on Bobby lets walk" she stepped back just one step….she was his partner again; yet she was more, had been for a long time she was his friend.
"Yeah Eames, lets walk"
They had fallen into step, he noticed he reaching into her bag, she was speaking into her cell, but his mind was just on walking, following his feet.
A car pulled up beside them and she paused touching his arm to stop him. Then she was opening the rear car door, gesturing him to get in. Eames slipped into the front passenger seat, he glanced at the driver.
Logan.
How long had Logan been waiting or was he simply circling waiting for her call…..another friend. Seems they were multiplying…he had a quick vision of a cupboard where friends were stored. He almost laughed.
Logan drove him home.
No one spoke, as they pulled up Eames stepped out of the car in front of his building…walking round to him she turned herself slightly so his back shielded them from Logan; reaching up she tucked his scarf into his coat….pulling a face as she did. She cared….
"Bobby, try to rest, I'll call you tomorrow."
He stood on the sidewalk and watched, as she slipped back into the car.
He was frozen in time.
The window came down and Logan called out.
"Hey big guy, if you stand there you'll freeze your ass off. She'll call you tomorrow"
He'd almost smiled as Eames smacked Mike's arm…. And did smile as Mike shouted an exaggerated "Ouch"
And the next day she had called. They had never mentioned his tears.
TBC?
4
