The dangers of Smoking
Part II
The dangers of smoking are widely known, by smokers and non smokers alike. Detective Sergeant James Hathaway knows them, accepts them and lives with them. Except one. No one thought to warn about that one did they?
Chapter 48
James woke slowly as the alarm went off, he reached a hand out and silenced it, stretching his other arm as Evie turned and cuddled back into him, sighing with her eyes still closed. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and listened as her breathing settled again, and he stared at the ceiling.
He'd never told anyone about his mother, except the few friends he'd had at the time who were around when it happened, and then not all of it. No one except God anyway. He couldn't even bring himself to tell his priest, or mentor at university. Save for the bare details that his mother had died, and he would need some time to sort out essentials.
It still hurt, and always would, he knew that. But she was still here, the woman beside him, and he realised that being in love wasn't that all consuming passion he'd always thought. It was trust, and friendship and acceptance.
She accepted him, faults, past, all of it. Even if she couldn't understand. And he did her, the same. He wasn't sure if he believed in soul mates, but thought he might just.
…...
James found himself on the receiving end of some unexpected and unusual coaching in the remaining days before he left for the inspectors course.
As they re examined everything from the homeless case, and as they delved into lighter cases that came their way, an armed robbery and a mugging gone wrong resulting in the mugger hanging onto life by a thread after picking on the wrong victim, Lewis took more and more of a back seat. He encouraged James with huffs of impatience and grumbled suggestions here and there, when the younger man appeared stuck on something, but all in all, Lewis freely admitted that James was going to make a good DI, great, probably one of the best. He was a little sad that he wouldn't be around to see it for himself. By definition, James could only become DI when Lewis retired.
Although he'd be qualified to do so, he would only become DI Hathaway, with the pay to match, on the day that Lewis retired, until then he'd still be sergeant, and James looked forward to the day, and dreaded it in equal measure.
The only sticking point was James' difficulty in dealing with people, victims and suspects were his stock in trade and he had worked out his own particular style – but with an eager and attentive newly promoted DS waiting to step into his shoes as he did Lewis', James was characteristically quiet and reserved.
He'd work it out, Lewis decided. James wasn't someone who could be pushed, he either closed down totally or deliberately went in the polar opposite direction.
Sharing a quiet pint before what they hoped was a quiet weekend and James' planned absence the following week, they sat at their favourite table, overlooking the river in companionable silence.
"Any plans for the weekend?" Robbie asked lazily.
James seemed to rouse from private thought and looked at him, a small and slightly smug smile forming.
"Yes, concert tomorrow"
"Playing or listening?"
"Listening" James nodded "Evie wanted to go to the Oxford Radio Outdoor in the botanic gardens"
"I tried to get tickets for that" Lewis mused "Sold out"
The smug smile widened "I got two, had I known, I'd have got four"
Lewis gave him a speculative look "Do I even want to know how you got them?"
"It's legal" James chuckled.
Lewis smiled "Have a good time" he had noticed the tension had eased in James and he was back to his usual smart arse smug self in the past few days.
"We will" James replied "It's a surprise"
"Romantic old devil aren't you?" Lewis teased him.
James shrugged with self consciousness but grinned "She wanted to go"
Lewis allowed an indulgent smile, he remembered that feeling of wanting to please someone, the rush it gave you. He loved Laura, but theirs had been a slow burner, friendship and mutual respect built carefully into something stronger. Robbie had had his whirlwind with Val he mused, the feelings James had now. He'd always thought, until the moment he met her, that men swept women off their feet. He'd been wrong, he was as equally swept as she was, as his father had put in a typical northern way 'Ye don't know whether you're on yer arse or ya elbow lad, that's love that is'. Catching the look on James' face he was glad that someone had got through his terseness, his natural caution and to the man underneath.
Robbie drained his pint and put the glass down.
"Another?" James offered.
"No" Lewis smiled softly "Go spend the weekend with that girl of yours, she's going to miss you next week"
"I'll miss her" James allowed "Not as much as I will you, of course"
The smug teasing was back, and Lewis rejoiced that whatever had caused James' recent sadness had worked it's course. Their working relationship, and friendship, was back on an even keel, so in time honoured fashion, Lewis gruffed his reply.
"Go on" he said "Bugger off and have a life"
"Thank you Sir" James drained his own glass and stood "I'll see you in two weeks"
"Two?" Lewis was surprised "I thought this inspectors thing was only a week?"
"It is" James confirmed "But I have leave the week after"
"All right for some" Lewis grumbled.
"It is" James replied and left him sitting there pondering the afternoon sun.
…...
Evie set down the paint brush and answered the front door, her face lighting up.
"Hello" she said "I thought you were working?"
"I was" he replied "But I stopped working and got hungry, and thought to myself that I know someone who probably would quite like to share my dinner"
"Hmm, what is it?" she asked with a speculative look, fun underlying her expression.
"Chinese" he held up a bag, eyebrows raised.
She giggled "Like it matters" she opened the door wider and he came in, pausing to kiss her as he did.
"I like that dress" he murmured.
"It's an old one" she bit her lip, his face still close to hers "Something I can get paint all over" she looked down at it "Already have paint all over"
"I think I like it better than the green apron" he pressed another small kiss on her lips and smiled, looking her up and down, taking in the faded summer dress she wore, the one she'd worn to paint the boat as well. Her hair messily piled on her head and paint streaks on her arms, legs and face "Or maybe it's the paint"
She flushed and he smiled before she closed the door and followed him through to the kitchen.
She busied herself arranging plates and cutlery as he watched her, turning her face slightly to look at him she smiled.
"Are you going back to work?" she asked "Or can you have a glass of wine?"
He stepped behind her and slid his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck gently, tightening his arms as she sighed with pleasure. She laid her head back onto his shoulder and relaxed, quite willing to admit she'd waited all day for this, for some contact with him. He slid a hand down from her waist around to her thigh, breathing out slowly as he did.
"Ita pulchra te amo" he breathed in her ear.
She turned, rewarding him with her smile, the one that got him through the tough days, standing on tip toes she reached up and he lifted her slightly to meet his lips. Pulling away she regarded him.
"I love you too James"
He smiled "And you didn't even need google translate for that"
She pressed another kiss to his lips and stepped out of his embrace "I'm learning"
He released her, taking a plate.
…...
The only word for his expression was smug. Yes, smug. But then, she thought, he had every right to be.
"How did you get those?" Evie asked as she took the concert tickets from him. She looked at him. His hair, as short as it was, was unruly from her running her fingers through it, his shirt was only fastened by a few buttons and untucked, only his formal trousers hinted at the way he'd looked when he'd arrived. That and the lingering after effects of his aftershave, she could smell it on her own body, where his had been so close to hers. It mixed with their own scent, and the scent of summer.
"I have contacts" he smirked "And you want to go"
"I tried to get tickets" she smiled at him "They sold out in minutes"
"Like I said" he grinned "Contacts"
"Well I don't care where they came from" she smiled softly at him "Thank you"
He paused a moment, taking in her hair now loose, and her dress, creased from being thrown heedlessly in a corner and left there for a few hours. He swallowed, almost physically shaking his head to remove his fathers taunting voice, crushing his happiness with an old memory.
You fall in love too easily boy! Have your fun and move on! You think that I haven't? Don't still? Life's for living son! You think Lady of the manner up there concerns herself with love? No my boy, she'll use you like all the rest, you were born the wrong side of the silver spoon for the likes of her!
Evie watched as James stilled. His face betraying the emotions he felt. Anger, hurt, bewilderment. He tried shut out his own adolescent voice, shouting back to his laughing father.
No! Love conquers everything! When you truly love someone, nothing else matters!
But his father had called him a romantic fool and carried on laughing.
This time he thought I think it's enough.
"You OK?" she asked gently, seeing the clouds on his face clear.
"Yes" his smile was full of gratitude "I was thinking about something my father once said to me"
And there it was, the smile he'd move the earth to see, and he returned it, wholeheartedly.
I don't fall in love too easily, he told his fathers memory, I have fallen in love too much, with those who didn't return it, until now.
"The tickets come on one condition" he said cheekily.
She paused, frowning the question at him.
"You wear that dress" he smiled.
She swallowed and looked at him "It's old, tatty, and covered in paint" she protested.
"I. Don't. Care" he smiled back.
...
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