Chapter 3

"Oh my God Charles look you can see the river and the bridge we drove over, we are so high up it's making me feel a little bit dizzy though"

He held her really close as they stood in the viewing platform at the Empire State Building. Molly was holding onto the bars and he had his arms wrapped around her waist snuggling down by the side of her face to shelter from the intermittent gusts of wind. She was oblivious to the weather conditions as she gasped and wowed at the scene before her. Charles was captivated by her reaction and loved the fact that they were now doing all these amazing things together as a proper couple. He grabbed her hand "come on Molls let's go and get some lunch.

He came out from the hut near central park with a basket and blanket Charles had done so much homework back in Bath before the trip spending most evenings on the internet planning the days out to try and make everything perfect for her. He had found a place that made up picnic baskets and was taking her to Sheep's meadow in the park, the sun had come out and as he led her down the path toward the field and looked up at the sun in a perfect blue sky. He felt an equally radiant glow in his chest that travelled into a wide grin as he glanced across at her squeezing her hand a little tighter she instantly looked sideways at him returning his grin with one of her own.

They found a spot and Charles laid out the blanket and invited her to sit down whilst he began to organise contents of the basket feeding Molly the occasional strawberry. He poured her a glass of champagne and sat down stroking her thigh and taking a deep contented breath "I love you Molly Dawes" he said as he continued to run his fingers up and down her leg occasionally twirling his finger in the hem of her dress. She was leaning back on her elbows and trying to concentrate on watching a woman playing with her young son in the distance as she felt the growing tingle in her stomach that was always there when any part of his anatomy made contact with hers. He knew the effect he was having on her and continued to tease her moving his hand a little higher until she laughed and pushed it away "behave yourself" He gave her the puppy dog look "I can't help myself you are far too irresistible" she giggled "well save it for later lover boy I'm starving what have we got?"

They had enjoyed a lovely lunch playfully feeding one another as they got a little bit tipsy with the champagne giggling side by side on their backs looking up at the sky watching the clouds drift by and debating what each of the fluffy mounds reminded them of. He turned on his side "too much Champagne, I need to find a loo, won't be long" he gave her a long lingering kiss and jumped to his feet she pushed herself back up on to her elbows and watched him walk across the field he looked so good in the pale jeans and white shirt he was wearing he must have sensed she was watching him because he slowed and turned around walking backwards for a few yards blowing a kiss just before he disappeared from view behind some trees. She led back down and continued to look at the sky starting to feel a little drowsy from the combination of the alcohol and warmth of the sun.

When she opened her eyes she felt colder the sun had gone in she sat up and looked around the field was much emptier she could sense the passage of time but had no idea how long she had been asleep but Charles wasn't back so it could have been long. She looked at her watch it was 3pm, she looked again trying to rationalise she had seen it wrong the first time, shaking her head but no it was 3pm she had been asleep for a couple of hours. Again she convinced herself it can't be and that she hadn't changed her watch since they arrived but that made no sense either because the time difference would be dramatic had that been the case. So if the time was right where the hell was Charles and why hadn't he woke her up when he came back from the loo? Or told her he was disappearing again?

She fumbled in her bag for her mobile and dialled his number it was ringing, at the same time she looked around the field for him, waiting for him to pick up he couldn't be far. It rang out and went to voicemail she left him a message "Hey it's me Molly…where are you?" she hung up and got to her feet doing another 360 degree scan of the field, he was tall and distinctive looking with his mop of curly dark hair, he was easy to pick out he must be around somewhere.

She picked up her bag and started to walk towards the edge of the field and as she reached the path and the trees where she had last seen him earlier she spotted the toilet block about 200 yards ahead, she walked towards it even though she knew he couldn't still be in there after all this time but she wanted to check he hadn't had an accident or something so she asked a man passing to go in there and check no one was in.

When the man came out a few minutes later and shook his head Molly felt a rising panic, her cheeks felt hot and her chest was tightening he wouldn't just disappear and leave her there on her own and he wouldn't have gone off again leaving her asleep without telling her where he was going. Something wasn't right she set of walking all around the immediate area up and down the various paths looking for him she eventually went back to the field and as she rounded the corner she convinced herself that she was being stupid and that when the spot they had chosen for their picnic came back into view he would be sat there waiting wondering where she had wandered off to.

Her heart sank as she focused in the near distance to see the blanket still empty as she had left it. She dialled his mobile again whispering to herself "pick up…pick up…for Christ sake Charles pick up will you….." nothing just voicemail. She left another message "Charles it's me Molly again, where are you I have been looking everywhere I am getting really worried now call me back right away will you cockwomble."

She walked across to the blanket and sat down bringing her knees up to her chest and waited, glancing around the field praying he would come into view as she kept looking at her watch seeing the amount of time that had passed with no sign of him. It was now 5pm and the field was almost empty she had no choice but to head back to the hotel and wait for him there, what the hell was he playing at leaving her there, why would he do that….?

As she arrived back in the hotel lobby she moved quickly towards the elevators convinced he must be back here she felt angry and confused but also worried that if he wasn't here when she got to their room that something awful must have happened because at the bottom of her she knew he wouldn't leave her alone like that.

She dashed along the corridor and put the key card in the door opening it slowly calling out his name as she entered the room that to her horror was just as they had left it this morning….undisturbed and empty. Heavy tears formed and began to roll down her cheeks as she slumped to the floor sobbing "where are you Charles?"