Both suitably smartened up, and with Sarah wearing the other dress that Millie had persuaded her to buy, they arrived outside the flats with five minutes to spare, and found Tom waiting for them outside the lobby entrance. He gave Sarah a hug and shook Al’s hand, but looked a little sheepish.

“What have you done, Tom?” asked Sarah.  Her years of working with adolescents had taught her to recognise a guilty conscience when she saw one.

“Erm, you remember when I was home before Mum went off gallivanting?”

“Been out to see your mates then?”

“Yeah.  Mum was a bit frosty, and Jiara said I was disrespectful.  She’s even more of a nag than Mum is.  I thought I’d hang around here and wait for you. Can you keep them both off my back this evening, Sarah?”

“From what your Mum has told me, Jiara had little or no friends in Delhi. Her sisters were grooming her for marriage and watched her every move.  I’m not taking sides Tom, but you have to expect her to feel a bit strange when she sees how much freedom her little brother has. As for your Mum, I think that we both know she was hoping to bring your father home with her.  It was too late for him, but you have a beautiful and very bright sister who is the spitting image of your father apparently.  Give them both some time.  When are you going back to Cambridge?”

“Any time tomorrow.  Depends on how much pressure I can cope with.  I quite wanted to catch up with some more friends but…”

“Spend some time with your family tomorrow?  You know the area very well, take the ladies out for lunch – well – your Mum will probably pay if you’re a bit short of cash.  Let them see you off at the train tomorrow evening.  If your Mum gets Jiara fixed up with this women’s group, by the time you come up for another visit she will have made loads of new friends and feel more settled.”

Al discreetly reached into his trouser pocket and pushed some money into Tom’s hand.  “Lunch is on us, okay? If it wasn’t for Millie, Sarah and I would never have met.  Let’s get upstairs now, I’m sure I saw the curtain on the balcony twitching a minute ago.”

Tom used his key to get in, and stowed the cash inside his wallet as they rode up in the lift. He looked at them both and grinned.

“Apart for the face bandage, you two make a handsome pair.  Nice dress too, Sarah.  I bet Mum helped you choose it. From a strictly medical point of view, can I have a look at your wound later?  After dinner of course.”

Millie and Jiara were waiting behind the front door.  Sarah thrust Tom forward and said, “Thank you both for sending Tom to meet us. It was a lovely gesture.  I’d far rather see his handsome face than the mad Dutchwoman waiting in the shadows!”

Millie hugged Sarah, and whispered in her ear, “I was a bit hard on Tom earlier and he stormed out, thank you for bringing him back. I recognise that dress; didn’t you buy it when we went holiday shopping?”

“I did, and both Al and Tom have complimented me on it.  I never knew wearing a dress could be such fun.  If I wore anything as beautiful as Jiara’s sari, I’m sure I would have received even more compliments.  What do you think Tom?”

Tom raised his eyebrows, hugged his mother, and rather tentatively held Jiara’s hand. “She is indeed very beautiful but that’s because she looks like me!”

“Excuse me, little brother, but I was born first, so it is you that looks like me, and our late father.”

“Well said, Jiara.” said Sarah.   “The flat smells wonderful by the way, and we are famished, aren’t we Al?”

“A small bread and cheese lunch with some very boozy cake at Jude and Dan’s.” said Al.  “I have now been christened ‘Big’ by Jude’s youngest, and Sarah will confirm that I have an appetite to match my new name.”

Jiara led the way into the dining room which had been transformed with the brightly patterned wall hangings that Millie and Jiara had brought back from India.  The table had been laid up with a variety of appetisers, some familiar but others intriguingly unknown. Jiara, with Millie’s assistance explained what the dishes were, and having seen Al and Tom begin to tuck in, disappeared back into the kitchen to finish off the main dishes.

“This is wonderful Millie,” said Sarah taking small portions of everything.  “Did Jiara do all this herself, or did she have a fascinated sous chef?”

“I helped, but only when asked.  We took another trip to the Asian supermarket this afternoon – whilst Tom was out with his mates.” Millie looked pointedly at Tom, who, busy savouring every mouthful, was oblivious to the sarcasm.

“Tom mentioned to us downstairs that he’s intending to take the two of you out for lunch tomorrow, and go back to Uni in the evening.” said Sarah, with her fingers slightly crossed. “Did any of your friends come up with any nice places to eat?”

Being a bright lad and quick off the mark, Tom stopped eating for a few moments.

“After a feast like this, it would be overkill to eat at an Indian restaurant.  I thought that perhaps we could introduce Jiara to some other cultural food delights.  Italian maybe?  Your favourite restaurant at the Quays would fit the bill, wouldn’t it Mum?”

“That’s a lovely idea darling.  Do we really get you all to yourselves tomorrow?” asked Millie.

“Yeah, it’s not every day that you discover that you have a sister, especially one that can cook like this AND play on an X-Box.”

“I beat you on the X-Box.” said Jiara as she brought in the first of several pots of food, and took out the emptied appetiser plates. Millie smiled at Sarah, and the meal continued in a much more relaxed manner now that Tom had shown his appreciation, and committed himself to a family lunch.  Al took a moment to slip some more notes into Tom’s hand, knowing that the Italian restaurant wasn’t the cheapest place to eat.

“I need a favour from you before we go Millie.” said Sarah as she mopped up the last of her meal with some home-made naan bread. “I want to write to Shane, Andy’s friend in Thailand, but I want to send a nice card rather than just a letter.  Have you got anything that would fit the bill?”

“You know me too well.  I brought back some really unusual cards and pictures. I’ll go and have a rummage.  Do you and Al fancy a bit of washing up duty, Tom?”

“I will supervise.” said Jiara. “Some of the pots have to be cleaned in a particular way.” Tom looked as if he was about to object, but a small hand gesture from Al reminded him that he was in receipt of funds, and a spot of washing up would be a suitable form of thanks.

Millie came back with a box of cards; brightly coloured depictions of Indian landscapes and idols. Just looking through them was a delight; Sarah spotted a beautiful forest scene, with a bird of prey soaring high over the mountains.  It made her gulp, and fight back the tears.  Millie hugged her.

“This is just right,” she said.  “The bird is like Andy, going on to better things, free from any more worries and guilt.  It must be you too now. Tissue?”

“Thanks. I need to contact Simon to find out about Andy’s funeral.  I think it should happen in Thailand, but that Andy’s estate should pay for it.  Abigail will throw a wobbler; she’ll demand that Andy’s body is brought home, and that I pay for the funeral because I made him go away.   I have a feeling that Simon will see it my way though.”

“I wonder if he knows anyone that could help me with Jiara’s application to stay in this country.  Will you pass on my contact details to him?” Millie asked.

“Of course.  I also have to pass on to you the fact that the manager of the storage unit was rather disappointed that it was just me and Al that turned up to collect my stuff.  He asked me to give you his very kind regards, and this card in case you ever need any storage.”

“Well, he was quite cute.  You never know.  If the show goes belly up, I might have to move out to the sticks like you and Al; a little house with three good-sized bedrooms so that Tom and Jiara don’t bicker.  Thank you for your diplomacy with Tom.  How much did you have to pay him?”

“Al may have given him a sub to help out with lunch tomorrow, but that was only after I explained that coming home for a visit means spending time with your family too.  I felt something of a hypocrite because I remembered how you and I could only be persuaded to go home for a weekend if there was some kind of inducement at the other end.  Birthdays and Christmas in particular?  Earning money in the summer break was a good excuse for not going home as well, wasn’t it?”

“You made your point.  I like to think that I am far more tolerant and accepting than my parents ever were though.”

“Of course, you are. You’re in a position to make a comparison though.  Tom never knew his grandparents.  You’ve been his life, and now he has to share you with Jiara, although judging from the laughter coming from the kitchen, they seem to be getting along quite well.”

“Al will be facilitating.  It’s very hard to be grumpy when he’s around – but then you know that now.  Have you found any negative aspects yet?”

“He’s been honest with me from the start. He says that he isn’t romantic but I think he is.  He tells me that his marriage failed because of his addiction to work, but Maggie tells a different story that puts the blame in both camps. I am nothing like Al’s ex-wife Sonia apparently, and I have seen evidence of the fact that he has a temper, but learned to control it.  I love the cottage to bits, but Al has invited me to make changes wherever I want to.  I don’t want to be the passive and accepting person that I was when Andy and I lived together, but I’m not about to start painting the walls bright green nor insisting on filling the front room with garish and uncomfortable scatter cushions. I like the cushions that are already there. How’s that?”

“Good analysis if a little subjective.  You suit each other, and seeing you together makes me feel very happy. I found some things that you left behind.  I’ve put them in a bag for you.”

Tom came out of the kitchen, drying his hands on a tea towel.

“I’ve seen Al’s pictures of your cut Sarah, but I’d really like to see the real thing if you don’t mind?”

“I don’t have any dressings on me, Tom”

“But I do,” said Al pulling a small plastic bag out of his pocket. “Can you oblige me with some cotton wool and a bowl of warm water, Millie?”

Millie went off to fetch the items while Al sat down next to Sarah and carefully removed the dressing from her face.  Jiara and Tom were fascinated, and although Sarah was feeling as if she was in side show, Al’s very gentle cleaning of the cut was reassuring and quite soothing.  Tom disappeared into his room and came back wearing a pair of surgical gloves, more for effect than necessity.  He examined Sarah’s face very closely, and she tried not to flinch when he touched the middle area of the cut.

“It’s very neat, and I don’t think that they’ve used many stitches. There’s no redness, and hopefully you’ll be left with the type of very thin scar that can be covered up with foundation, or powder, or whatever it is that women use.”

“Thank you for professional opinion Tom.  I suppose that now I’m in my late-thirties I’ll have to start using more make-up anyway, to cover up the lines and wrinkles as well as the scar.”

Al put on the new dressing and took Sarah’s face in his hands. “Lipstick is sufficient.  I love you just the way you are.”

“Oh yuk!” said Tom.  “Fancy another match on the X-Box, big sister?”

“I will beat you again, little brother.  Can you handle that?”

Watching the two of them race each other into the lounge, Millie leaned back in her chair and sighed.  Sarah took her hand and squeezed it.

“You and I were only children.  We never encountered sibling rivalry. Andy and Abigail were extreme forms due to her jealousy, but even Al and Maggie bicker occasionally.  Don’t you Al?”

Al grinned.  “We might do, it’s never serious though. I was expecting Maggie to kick up more of a fight about having security cameras installed, but Sarah seems to have done the persuading for me.”

“Yes.  And I may have found homes for all the storage stuff.  Maggie’s having some of it, and she has a new neighbour with small children who has very little in the way of belongings. I’m just hoping that she isn’t one of the shows ex-guests.”

“That would be too awful! said Millie. “It makes the thought of independent social work looking more attractive by the minute.”

“If that happens, would there be a place for another very experienced social worker with family commitments who might have to work from home at times?”

“I think Jude’s skills would be a wonderful enhancement.  I take it that you’ve mentioned the idea to her?”

“You knew I would.”

“Good.  Give her some time to think it over.  If the show gets pulled, we should get some severance pay, but I doubt there will be much notice.”

Al stood up. He could see that Sarah was flagging a little and due for more medication.  As they were leaving, a victorious Jiara came out of the lounge clutching a little gift-wrapped box that she handed to Sarah.

“Do not open it until you get home, please.  It is a little engagement present from me.  Thank you for enjoying my feast.  It was a pleasure to see such happiness and gratitude. Not something I ever received from my sisters, especially since my parents died.”

Once downstairs, Sarah looked back up at the flat and saw Tom, Millie and Jiara waving and blowing kisses. She squeezed Al’s arm, got into the car, and waved back as they drove home.

Their home.

The shop was fascinating. After Al had introduced her as ‘my fiancée Sarah’, he left her to her own devices as he explained his needs to his friend Jim.  Several items in the shop looked familiar from the television crime programmes Sarah had watched, and she was particularly pleased to spot a pack of custom-made, and almost invisible strips for putting on doors, similar to those she had used to booby-trap the house to check where Abigail had been snooping.  That made her laugh out loud at the memory, and caused Al and his friend to look round. She pointed at the strips, and Al grinned.

“Abigail?”

“The very same, although my strips were a bit less sophisticated; I wish I’d known about this place before I moved out.  I could have set traps all over the place!”

“When I see that glint in your eye,” said Al, “I almost feel sorry for Abigail.  I think we’ve got enough to keep Maggie and the children safe for now.  Are you ready to go?” 

Sarah nodded and went to open the door.  Al picked up the box and leaned over the counter as Jim whispered something in his ear, and winked at Sarah. Once they had stowed the box in the car and were ready to go, she turned to Al.

“What did he say?”

Al took her hand in his and said, “He said, ‘You’ve got a good ‘un there’.  High praise from him; he’s not used to having females in the shop.  Are you ready for the storage unit now?”

“I think it will all fit in your car. Millie and I both have small cars, and we had a few problems getting some of the stuff in – and out.  Apart from the TV – and the remote – there’s nothing in there that I’ll miss.  I love the furniture in Millie’s flat, and yours is even better, it’s so comfortable.  When I see the stuff in a different setting, it won’t remind me of the past anymore.”

The same manager was on duty when they arrived at the storage depot.  He remembered Sarah, was introduced to Al, and asked after Millie with a glint in his eye.  Sarah recalled that Millie had indulged in a little flirting with him at the time.  Al took a good look at the unit’s contents, fetched a trolley and set about loading it into the car while Sarah paid the bill.  It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, especially after Roseanne’s ten percent recommendation fee had been taken off. Al managed to get everything in and brought the trolley back triumphantly empty.

Unloading the stuff back at the house was a little more problematic, but some skilful rejigging in Al’s mancave at the end of the garden meant that it all had a temporary home until it could be taken to Maggie’s on Sunday. Before anything else, Sarah’s TV was unpacked and installed in their bedroom.  Sarah presented Al with the remote which took pride of place on his bedside cabinet.

Lunch was bread, cheese and fruit; not too much as Sarah knew that there was bound to be cake at Jude’s house, and the promised feast at Millie’s in the evening. Driving in the daylight, Sarah realised that Jude and Dan’s house wasn’t as far from Al’s as she’d first thought.  There was something that she felt that she ought to warn him about before visiting though.

“You probably won’t be surprised about this,” said Sarah, “because you have sons of your own, and there’s Maggie’s children, but Jude and Dan’s girls can sometimes be very – candid?  Particularly the older girls. They might ask you some difficult questions.”

“I’ll bear that in mind.” said Al, grinning.  “Are they worse than Oliver?”

“Far more endearing, and completely honest.  I’ve known them all their lives so they might be a bit possessive as well.  You’ve already met Jude, and you saw Dan and the girls when they visited the studio, but they were on their best behaviour that day.  On home territory they are completely different.”

“Stop apologising for them. If you love them, so will I, and I’m not known for being overly sensitive to negative comments.”

The girls were just as inquisitive as Maggie’s children had been, and rushed out into the front garden as soon as Al and Sarah had locked up the car.

Emily and Sadie looked up at Al, and then at Sarah.

“Auntie Sarah, your boyfriend is very tall.” said Emily.

“Do you have to stand on a chair to kiss him?” asked Sadie.

Sarah shook her head. 

“Al isn’t quite a giant, but he is very tall and I do have to stand on my tiptoes to kiss him but I haven’t needed a chair yet.  Shall we see what I’ve got in my bag?”

“Yes! Yes! Is it just from you or is it from Al the nearly giant as well?”

“From us both so there may be a few extras in there.”

Sarah took Al’s hand, and followed the cheering children into the house.  Jude, and Dan with a sleeping Chloe in his arms, were waiting in the kitchen. Dan and Al shook hands, while Sarah quickly hugged Jude, and shared out the contents of the goody bag, making sure that a fair share was put aside for Chloe when she woke up.

Dan handed Chloe to Sarah, and after looking Al up and down, clapped him on the shoulder and asked, “I need a favour Al, can you give me a hand please?”

Al nodded, grinned and followed Dan out to the back garden.

“That sounds slightly mysterious.” said Sarah, sitting down on the armchair very carefully so as not to wake Chloe.  Jude raised her eyebrows.

“Nothing dramatic.  Dan was quite excited at the prospect of having another male around the house.  He needs to move some things out of the garage so that he can put the Wendy House away now that the weather is getting colder.  I warned him about leaving room for it but he had his ‘not listening’ head on that day.  I must say Sarah, being in love and all its benefits suits you. You are positively glowing! Well, the bit of your face that I can see is.  How is the wound.”

“Healing up well due to the tender ministrations of Dr Al.  I have seen photographs of my face but I still can’t look in a mirror.  I’m going to the hospital for a check up on Monday.  Al’s going to come with me in case I go all wobbly when they start poking at it.”

“You look so happy Sarah.  I’m sorry about Andy though, and I feel guilty for not encouraging you to escape sooner.”

“Don’t.  The timing was right for me, and I have gained so much since I moved out of that dreadful house.  I must write to Andy’s friend Shane, and talk to Simon about funeral arrangements.  I have a feeling that Abigail will be demanding that his remains are brought back to this country, but Andy would have wanted to stay in a place that was special to him. The estate should be able to pay for the funeral out there as well, rather than have Shane pay for anything.  I am so glad that Millie and I met Simon in the end. I know that he’s more than a match for Abigail.  I don’t know how much money is coming to me, but I have a few ideas of how I want to spend it.  Getting access sorted for Al’s nieces and nephew is top of the list, Maggie’s ex – Bob – is being a total pig.  He actually hit her last night and we are going over tomorrow to fit security cameras and stuff.”

“You seem to have acquired another family now.” said Jude a little sadly.  

“The more the merrier; Al says I have a huge heart and there is plenty of room in it for all the people that I love. You, Dan and the children have always been there when I needed you, and I checked the mileage on the way over. Al’s cottage is 2.9 miles away and that’s 3.7 miles closer than Andy’s house, and 2.5 miles closer than Millie’s flat. You will love the cottage Jude; the garden is child friendly as well as the house. The first time I visited, I felt like I was at your house – but without the children and toys of course. Al’s still got some decorating work to do, and I will be getting DIY and basic car mechanics tuition as part of my fiancée package. Not only do I feel involved, I want to be involved.  I never felt that about Andy’s house.”

“No pine cladding then?  No seventies tiling?”

“None.  Al has already become attached to my comic egg cups, and my TV has been installed in our bedroom!”

“Wow!  Quick work!  Are you really, truly moved in?”

“Yes, and we are talking about a wedding sooner, rather than later with six bridesmaids and a pageboy – if Chloe can stay awake that is.  The only fly in the ointment, and I shouldn’t really be talking about it, is the inquest verdict hanging over us all, and the possibility of the show being taken off air.”

“What will you do?”

“Well in the short term, nice Miles from the agency says he can find me and Millie temporary work, but we’ve considered setting up an independent social work service. There’s quite a need for it with all the permanent posts being lost due to local authority cuts.”

“That sounds wonderful. Lucky you.”

The sadness in Jude’s voice returned.

“Stop that Jude!  On your good days you are just as good at the job as me and Millie.  If we have our own business, you could join the team, be part-time, work from home, and take time out when you need it.  It may not happen, but I have a sneaking feeling that Oliver has made too many enemies to survive this event.  He is remarkably buoyant though, and has a very supportive wife.  Once the initial hoo-ha has died down, he will surface with a new project, and good luck to him.”

Jude was looking more cheerful by the moment, and the sight of Dan, Al and the girls coming back in to wash their hands, made her laugh and woke Chloe, who took one look at Al, stuck her thumb in her mouth and hid her face in Sarah’s chest.

“Hello Chloe.” said Sarah.  “This is my boyfriend Al.  He and I have bought you some sweeties.  I’ve managed to save your share. Would you like them, now you are awake?”

Chloe nodded and scrutinised Al from the feet upwards. He stood very still until she reached his head, and then she broke out into one of her rare but lovely smiles.

“Big!” she said, looking around for the sweets, spotting them in Jude’s lap and climbing off Sarah to get them.

“I think you’ve passed the Chloe acid test Al.” said Dan, clapping him on the shoulder again. “Shall I make some coffee to go with the pineapple upside-down cake that I made earlier?”

“Does it have rum in it?” asked Sarah, knowing full well that it would.

“All my cakes have rum in them, as you well know.  It is an integral part of my Caribbean heritage.”

It was good coffee, and even better cake.  The Wendy House had been safely stowed away, and the garage contents had been replaced. Every now and then Chloe paused with her hand on Sarah’s knee to look Al up and down, and make sure that he was still big.

Conscious of the need to get back to the cottage and change into clothes that were free of sticky finger marks and mud from the garden, Sarah and Al dispensed hugs and said their goodbyes.

“Uncle Al.” said Emily.  “I wish we could see Auntie Sarah on her tippy toes to give you a kiss before you go.”

“No reasonable request denied.” he said.  Taking Sarah in his arms and lifting her off the floor, he gave her a very respectable but thorough kiss.

“See,” said Sadie. “You don’t even need a chair Auntie Sarah, because Uncle Al is SO strong! He mustn’t kiss you too much though because the other side of your face get sore.”

Jude whispered in Sarah’s ear. “I couldn’t tell them the real reason you were wearing a dressing on your face.  Apologise to Al for me?”

They were still laughing when they got back to the cottage.

“You liked them all, didn’t you Al?”

“You knew I would.  They kept you sane when you were living with Andy.  The girls are delightful, you, Jude and Millie may have been separated at birth you are so close, and I like Dan very much.  Brilliant cake.  We should visit more often, or invite them over.  Our house is safe enough for them isn’t it? Maggie’s lot seem to be happy when they come over, but Jude’s girls are a bit younger.”

Sarah gave him the kind of kiss she’d been wanting to give him all day. 

“What time is it?” Al asked, holding her very close.

“Five forty-five.  Half an hour to get to Millie’s, so we need to be leaving by seven, and we have to get changed first.”

“Plenty of time then.  Race you up the stairs?”

“You have an unfair advantage because your legs are bigger than mine. Chloe said.”

“I’ll give you a head start.”

“I might let you catch me anyway.”

Sarah was well aware that there was a great deal to pack into one day, but having a leisurely breakfast and not being up early was a pleasant change.  The first stop was the specialist shop run by an ex-police friend of Al’s, where they could pick up a couple of cameras, and all the necessary bits and pieces to set up some decent security at Maggie’s house.  The storage unit would be next, and Al had put the back seats down in his car so that they could empty the unit – hopefully. Everything would be taken back to the house, there was time for a quick lunch, and then a visit to Jude and Dan’s, suitably loaded down with sweets and silly things for the girls.  The final stop of the day would be the dinner at Millie’s, cooked by Jiara.  Sarah was hoping that Tom and Jiara had taken to each other by then.

Al looked very content with two soft-boiled eggs in the much-loved comic egg cups – with buttered soldiers.  Two questions occurred to Sarah as she watched Al eating; they weren’t big issues but things that left her slightly perplexed nevertheless.  She got up and put her empty bowl and spoon in the dishwasher, and stood behind Al, her arms around his shoulders.  He stopped eating.

“What’s up?”

“What’s Al short for?”

“Alexander.  I never use it; and Maggie has given it to my nephew now.”

“Alexander the Great. No secrets, right?”

“I also have to confess that I am six feet, two and a half inches tall. Five and a half inches more and I’d be classified as an official giant. You know all my secrets now.”

Sarah shook her head, and sat down on the chair beside him with a very serious look on her face.

“Not quite. Even if I wasn’t your fiancée, I would be the first to admit that you are rather fit, Al.  You need to be, to do all that running after guests and knife-wielding maniacs.  You also enjoy your food, which is yet another thing I love about you.  What is your secret?”

Al laughed, and pulled her onto his lap.

“I confess, you’ve caught me out.  I do have a secret but it isn’t a guilty one.  We need to get dressed first though.”

Curiosity piqued, Sarah ran upstairs, threw off her nightshirt and pulled on some old clothes, with Al following very close behind her. She waited patiently back down in the kitchen while Al laced up his trainers.  He seemed to be taking an extremely long time, but she was determined not to nag. He was smiling as he stood up, and walked over to the kitchen door.

“Most of the time you’ve been here, it’s been dark or you’ve been – rather distracted?  So, you won’t have looked out at the back garden much?”

Sarah shook her head, and watched as Al took a key from a hook over the door.

“Come on, then.” he said as he opened the door and stepped down onto the path.  He took her hand and pointed to a large building at the end of the garden.

“I didn’t even know there was anything there!” she said.

“Welcome to my mancave!” said Al as he unlocked the door and turned on the light. “Until a couple of months ago I used to go to the gym after work, but I didn’t have an awful lot of spare time so I invested in some gear of my own.  I’ve been rather busy recently, but you are right, I need to stay fit in order to do my job properly amongst other things.”

Sarah wandered around, touching the various items of equipment, most of which were completely alien to her, and looked a bit scary. She sat down on a weight bench, and laughed.  Al sat next to her and took her hand.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“There are times when I feel that ten years of switching off from Andy’s comings and goings has left me rather ignorant and disinterested, or perhaps innocent?  He used to do mountain biking and even bought me a bike once, but it all seemed pretty hectic and I would only go out on it if it was a circular ride, and on the flat, so he sold it to a friend.  He had weights that he kept in the garage but I never saw him use them.  I suppose he worked out when I was at the office.  He was fairly fit, with all the gardening and climbing, but not hunky fit, like you are. I love your secret Al, and I love the fact that you shared it with me when I asked.  Will you teach me how to use some of it?  I quite like the idea of a bike that doesn’t go anywhere, and that you can get off when you’re fed up.”

“Hunky fit eh?  Never been called that before.  I will show you how to use the equipment, but only once your war wound has healed up.  No operating heavy machinery remember?”

“Talking of which, can we change the dressing before we go out? I’d like it to be as discreet as possible when we go to Jude’s.  Her girls are a bit younger than Maggie’s children and I don’t want to spook them. We’ll have to take more photos for Dan.  He’s fascinated by gruesome stuff.”

Al turned off the light and locked up the gym.  Sarah took the opportunity to look around the rest of the back garden; a large patio with the firepit and a barbecue, mostly laid to lawn with fruit trees and shrubs round the edges. Behind the gym there were three vegetable patches, with bamboo canes that brought back memories of her childhood garden, and her Dad’s runner beans and sweet peas. She hadn’t thought of it since her parents died, but it was a particularly poignant reminder, and she couldn’t stop herself from crying – again.  The ever-ready handkerchief was proffered, and Al led her back into the house, sat her down and got out the dressings pack.  He was extremely gentle as he took off the old dressing, and used warm water and cotton wool to clean the wound.

“It’s still healing up but there’s no sign of infection, and I think we can get away with cutting down the size of the dressing again.  How does it feel? Can you smile yet?”

“For you, yes.” said Sarah testing out a smile.  Her face felt stiff but not as sore as it had been.  “Does it look gruesome enough for Dan?”

“It will never look gruesome to me.  Do you want me to come to the hospital with you on Monday?”

“Oh, would you?  I could drive myself, but I might go wimpy if they take the stitches out.”

“You won’t, but I’d like to be there anyway so I can be complimented on my medical prowess.”

“Do you remember what we were talking about on our way down to the car on the night that Marta attacked me? You told me that you weren’t very good at romance and all that stuff.  I beg to differ.  No one has ever made me feel as special as you do.  I was thinking this morning at breakfast; Andy and I rarely ate together; he was always up earlier than me so I tended to stay in bed and watch the news until he’d gone.  If he was away and Jude came to stay, we used to chat and laugh, and when I moved in with Millie, breakfast was generally a happy, busy time.  With you, I get all the best bits of being with Jude and Millie, but you add another dimension, and I love it. You make me happy Al, and you are romantic even if you don’t think so.”

Al finished off the dressing, and kissed Sarah’s other cheek, before gathering her up in his arms and holding her very tight.

“I’d kind of given up on finding happiness after all this time.” he said as he kissed her neck. “I have a feeling that if we aren’t careful, we may find that we haven’t got quite as much time to do all the things that we need to do today.”

“That’s another thing.  Andy never made feel – well – interested in sex and being close to someone as you do.  Thank goodness for Amy Loomis.  I could have ended up in a right state if Steven had taken me to the Graduation Ball instead of her.  Will this feeling wear off do you think?”

“What, the fact that we can’t keep our hands off each other? I sincerely hope not.”

“Jude mentioned that too. Hold that thought for now.  Let’s go off to the shop to buy stuff that will keep Maggie and the children safe. Have you heard from her or the police this morning?”

“She texted me.  They are all okay. No more news of Bob from the police so far.”

“There’s just one more thing I need to get straight Al.”

“Go on.”

“I would offer to help pay for the security stuff for Maggie but I know you’d refuse, and I know why.  We will have to talk about money and bills eventually, and I want to pay my way.”

“We will.  You can pay for the storage fees then, and I won’t charge you for transport.”

“You strike a hard bargain.  Don’t let me forget to pick up some stuff for Jude’s girls after lunch.”

“I was about to say that you might find my friend’s shop a bit strange, but I’ve a feeling that you’ll find things there that will interest you.”

The children were looking out of the front room window, and started jumping up and down when they saw their Uncle Al park up on the driveway. Sarah took the food into the kitchen with Maggie, and left Al to sort out the sweets.  Maggie’s face still looked red and swollen, and she had obviously been crying, but trying not to let the children see.  Sarah gave her a big hug and had a good look at the damage.

“Lok on the bright side,” she said.  “My face looks a lot worse than yours.  What was the argument about?”

“He’d been drinking, and I wouldn’t let him take the kids out. He wasn’t due to take them out anyway; he just turned up and thought he could do whatever he wanted.”

“Have you done anything about access?”

“Not really.  We were supposed to be seeing a solicitor, but I can’t really afford it.”

“I know a wonderful solicitor.  He’s become a friend, and if he doesn’t do this kind of thing, he will find me someone who will. He has also just informed me that my ex has left me some money in his will, so Al and I can afford to help.  No! Don’t argue! I’d rather use the money this way than have it sit in a bank earning interest. Having you and the children made safe will make Al happy, and that’s what I want more than anything.”

Al popped his head around the kitchen door.  Maggie got up and hugged him while Sarah rummaged around in the cupboard, found baking trays and foil, and put the pizzas in the oven. Al sat Maggie down and very efficiently began to get details of what had actually happened, and when.  Sarah could see him getting angry again, and put her hand on his shoulder.

“Any attempt to leave this house and you’ll have me, Maggie and the children to contend with. Is there enough to get the police involved?”

Al looked up and forced a grin. “I know when I’m beaten.  I’ll give my mate a ring. If Bob’s been drinking, he’ll have headed back to his local to get some sympathy. The police might be able to wait until he leaves and nab him for drink driving. Can you take some pictures of Maggie’s face and send them over to me please?”

“Makes a change to be sending photos of someone else’s face!” said Sarah.

“Does it hurt much?” asked Maggie.

“Dr Al has been keeping an eye on it and changing the dressings every day.  I have to go back for a check up on Monday, after which I may be able to show off my war wound with pride – at least that’s what your brother says.”

Al had gone out into the hallway to make his call and came back looking slightly more cheerful.  Sarah blue-toothed the pictures over to his phone, and could see that Maggie was also looking relieved that Al was doing things via the police rather than with his fists.  Sarah dug out the list of objects in the storage unit and handed it to Maggie.

“With the exception of the little TV, everything on the list is up for grabs.  I don’t need it, and if you don’t want it, the charity shop will get it.”

“Are you sure?” said Maggie as she scanned the list. “There are loads of things on here that we could do with.  I don’t have much money though…”

“I would far rather you had it, and I don’t want any money for it.  It’s costing me a bomb to keep it in storage. Al and I are both working – at the moment anyway”

“I’m sorry.  All that you’ve been through, and now things have blown up here too.  Not much of a start for you and Al is it?”

“Al and I are fine – and this ring is absolutely beautiful.  Thank you so much, Maggie.  We’ve started talking about a wedding, but only generally. About the only definite thing is that whatever happens, my friend has three little girls, and with your four, we will have to kit out six bridesmaids, and a pageboy. I refuse to get married in a church or in white.  Totally inappropriate!  Talking of which, are we feeding the children too?”

“Well, they’d had their dinner earlier, but pizza is a bit of a magic word.” said Maggie, smiling at last.

“For me too. Will three pizzas be enough? 

Al bought big ones.”

“Plenty.  I’ve got some potato skins in the freezer.”

“Love them.  Are you really interested in some of this stuff on the list?  I won’t be offended if you don’t want it. Most of it is Andy’s stuff, and I put it in storage in case he needed it when he came back.  Except that he won’t ever come back now. Sorry Maggie. I’m still a bit leaky-eyed about it.”

“What happened?”

“It’s rather bitter-sweet really. He went off to Thailand to find himself, and he did.  He fell in love with the country, and met up with a friend who enjoyed climbing and exploring as much as he did. He’d made up his mind to live there permanently, and was looking forward to the house sale so that he could buy a new home in a place where he could be happy. During one of their climbs, Andy had an accident.  They got him to hospital, but he died later of his injuries.  His friend Shane contacted me to tell me what had happened, and then I had the letter from Andy’s solicitor about the will.  I felt so guilty at first but Al and my friend Millie gave me a good talking to.  Andy’s sister Abigail is going to explode when she finds out though; she absolutely hated me.”

“I hope I’ll be a better sister then.” said Maggie smiling and taking Sarah’s hand.

“Oh Maggie! You are streets ahead of her and always will be.  I’m sure she’ll try to contest the will but Simon – the solicitor – was an old friend of Andy’s and knows how horrendous Abigail is. In fact, she had a thing for him when she was a teenager and started stalking him.  He had to have a word with Andy about it. Simon was very kind to me, and I’m sure he’d be able to help you with access and stuff.”

Al came into the room with Alex clinging to his back.

“I hope Sarah’s talking some sense into you about formalising the access?”

“She has, and she says that you’ll both help me.”

“The police are checking out Bob’s local,” said Al.  “They want to know if you want to press charges about the assault.  Your word against his at the moment, I’m afraid.”

“I know.  He’s always been clever about doing things without a witness. If they can pick him up for drink driving tonight that will be a load off my mind.”

“I’ll let them know. You don’t want police round here as well tonight.  Is that pizza ready yet?  I’m starving.”

“Just putting the potato skins in, and then I’ll lay the table up.”

“You need more security here Maggie.  I’ll get some stuff while we’re out tomorrow and put it up on Sunday.  You okay with that Sarah?”

“Of course, and if you let me know what you want from the unit, we can bring that as well.”

“All of it.  There’s a young girl with a baby and a toddler who’s just moved in over the road.  She’s hardly got anything, and I’m sure she’d be grateful for some of this stuff.  Would that be alright Sarah?”

“I’d like that very much.  Where are the plates and cutlery?  That pizza smells about ready.”

Despite the horrendous start to the evening, it ended well and there was plenty to eat, even once the children had descended like locusts.  Al went round and checked all the windows and doors were securely locked, before hugging the children and Maggie goodnight.  Sarah gave Maggie an especially long hug when she whispered in Sarah’s ear, “I am so glad that you’re a part of our family now.”

“Me too.” said Sarah.

Al was more quiet than usual on the way back home.

“Okay.  Tell me what’s bugging you?” Sarah asked, putting a hand on his thigh.  He smiled.

“I was just thinking that other people must have much less eventful lives than us.”

“We seem to be very good at rising above it though.  Are you having second thoughts?”

“About you and me?  Never.  Are you sure that you want to spend some of your money helping Maggie and the kids though? They are my responsibility after all.”

“I can’t think of a better way of spending it.  Andy was always up for good causes, although they were mostly environmental and animal-based. I can’t think of a better one than Maggie.  I told Maggie about awful Abigail.  I think I’m getting a real bargain in terms of acquiring a new sister, three nieces and a nephew – and you of course.”

“How do you fancy watching TV and sharing that tiramisu when we get in?”

“I love the idea and just think, tomorrow night we can lie in bed and fall asleep watching my little TV.”

“With a remote. Then I don’t have to get out of bed to turn it off if we haven’t fallen asleep.”

“Al! Whatever are you suggesting?”

Al grinned.

Everyone pulled their weight that day.  The technical staff; sound, cameras and editing did their best to keep the show on the right side of acceptable transmission.  They knew that if the show was closed down, they would be fine as they weren’t linked to any of the negative issues, but that didn’t stop them for looking out for the members of staff that were at risk.

The usual ‘wash-up’ session was cancelled because Oliver left the building as soon as filming finished.  He had done as asked but having to wear that empathic smile, and bite his acid tongue had taken its toll. Sarah’s team did their very best for all the guests, although the two ex-partners had started to kick off when their lie detector tests proved to be false.  Al’s stab vest wasn’t needed, but he and a couple of the other security staff had to escort the ex-partners from the building.  They went off to get a drink together and seemed to be getting on with each other better than they had with their previous partners.

Sarah managed to steal a few moments to phone Millie and update her, and express thanks on behalf of everyone on the team for the wise words of advice about pandering to Oliver’s ego.  Just as she was leaving to go and meet Al, she had a call on the team phoneline from Oliver’s wife Elena.

“I just wanted to check that you were all okay?”

“We’re fine.  It couldn’t really have gone better – for us.  It must have taken a great deal of self-control as far as Oliver was concerned.  How is he?”

“Quiet. Went for a lie down as soon as he got home. He hasn’t talked about today at all, so I thought I’d get the inside story.”

“He did as he was asked, and although he wasn’t happy about it, he was professional and as far as damage limitation is concerned, he may or may not have saved the show. It all depends on the fallout from the inquest.”

“Will you – and Millie – be okay?”

“We’ve discussed the possibility of setting up as independent social workers, so we have better prospects than some.  Neither of us were involved with the poor man who killed himself, but some of the runners and researchers were.  The main blame lies with Natasha, but it was Jenny and Oliver who employed her, and Mel directed the episode that may have caused the damage.  The tech staff are all covered, but it’s the younger ones that I feel for, they don’t have the experience and qualifications that Oliver and the others have, and will find it much harder to get on another show.”

“I hear congratulations are in order however.  I’ve met Al a couple of times and always felt that he was – well – a bit special?”

“He is.  We started off as friends, and things just grew.”

“And your face? That must have been terrifying.”

“It’s healing up. I have to go back to the hospital to get it checked on Monday, but again, if Al hadn’t been there, it could have been quite a different story.  Talk of the devil, he’s just appeared and we are going off to celebrate our domestic bliss by doing a Friday night big shop at the supermarket!”

“I love it!”

“When Oliver sticks his head above the parapet, let him know that he was incredible today, and that we are all very grateful to him for thinking of us, rather than just doing what he felt like doing.”

“I will. Thank you. Bye.”

“Word is going round the building that it was your wise words that persuaded Oliver to behave himself.” said Al as he perched on the table beside her. “Are you up to shopping after all that?”

“Definitely.  I want to immerse myself in the delights of the supermarket world because it couldn’t be more different to this one. I want to push the trolley up and down every single aisle with you, buy the kind of food I used to have to smuggle into Andy’s house, and get something special for dinner.  Then I want to curl up on the sofa next to you and watch funny TV.”

“Sounds wonderful to me.  Shopping alone can get a bit soul-destroying, Sonia used to do it on her own or with the boys.  I’m actually looking forward to the experience.  Do you want to pay today, or shall I?”

“I will. Millie was always difficult about letting me pay for anything, and if we are going to be partners Al, it should be equal.  I’m not that good at car maintenance though.”

“I’ll teach you the basics once we’ve mastered decorating.  You ready to go?”

Sarah picked up her bag and took Al’s hand.  No need for discretion now.

Conscious that going down to the underground section of the car park might bring back bad memories, Al had repositioned his car so that it was close to the entrance and out in the open.  His thoughtfulness made Sarah squeeze his hand in recognition.

The supermarket wasn’t too crowded when they arrived; Sarah hadn’t visited this particular store previously, so total exploration was essential.  Al found the whole expedition amusing, and decided to just go with Sarah’s flow.  They had arrived at the tills, when a woman unpacking her shopping on the next till gave them what could only be described as a very dirty look.  Al ignored her but there was something about the woman’s expression that made Sarah want to find out what was wrong.

“Can I help you?  I don’t know you, do I?” she said politely.

“You’ve got a nerve!” shouted the woman.  “The two of you walking around the supermarket bold as brass. I don’t hold with domestic violence, but you’ve obviously forgiven this bloke for making a mess of your face by the way you two are laughing and joking.”

“That’s what you think, is it?” said Sarah, very calmly.  “It just goes to show that you should never jump to conclusions.  Neither of us has anything to apologise for. Underneath this dressing is a knife wound.  A knife wound inflicted by a woman who had mental health issues, and who was being encouraged to kill me by another woman with similar issues.  I managed to get loose before she did any more damage, and my fiancé here disarmed both women, and helped the police in preventing their escape.  If we are laughing and joking, it’s because we’ve had a narrow escape and are celebrating our survival. I’m sorry if you have been a victim of domestic violence, but I can assure you that you have completely misunderstood the situation.”

The girl on the till clapped her hands and cheered.

“I saw you on the telly on Wednesday.” she said.  “It must have been really scary.  Is your face getting better now?”

Sarah turned to the girl and managed a smile.

“It only hurts when I laugh! I’ll probably have a small scar there, but when I think of how much worse it could have been…”

The woman who had made the original comments looked like a balloon that had all the wind taken out of it.  She picked up the items from the conveyor belt, put them back into her trolley, and hurried away out of sight. Her departure was greeted with a roar of approval that Sarah felt was almost as embarrassing as the original comments. Al put his arm around her and kissed the skin above the dressing very gently. He carried on unpacking the trolley, and once it was scanned, packed up their shopping into bags in a lovely and totally disorganised way that would have driven Andy wild.  Just as Sarah was paying for the shopping, the store manager arrived bearing a bouquet of flowers.

“With our compliments, and I hope that this won’t put you off coming here again?”

“Thank you.  I’m okay, honestly.” Sarah took the flowers and buried her nose in the sweet scent of roses and freesias.

“That lady is a regular; and she used to work here.” said the manager. “She’s not a bad person, but you’re right.  She hasn’t had a happy life and her husband used to knock her around.”

Rooting in her handbag, Sarah found a bunch of cards that she kept handy; selecting one, she handed it to the manager.

“This is for a Women’s Aid group.  Would you give the lady the card with my compliments next time you see her? They should be able to give her support and advice if she wants it, and could you reassure her that I hope to see her again when we come shopping.  With no hard feelings.”

The manager took the card.  Al took Sarah’s hand and managed to guide her, and the loaded shopping trolley out of the store.  Once they arrived at the car, he handed Sarah another clean handkerchief, and gave her a moment’s peace while he emptied the trolley.

“You can keep the hankie for now.” he said as he put his arms around her.  “I came to the conclusion shortly after we got to know each other that you have a huge heart, and a massive capacity for sorting out other peoples’ problems.  Another person might have got into a slanging match, but you stayed calm, and your words probably helped her more than you will know. I love the fact that you dealt with her so kindly, but I love even more that you can cry for her, and what life has done to her. Shall we go home now?”

Sarah nodded and put the wet handkerchief in her pocket.

“We ‘ve bought so much food, but we didn’t even talk about what we were going to have for dinner tonight.”

“Pizza?  Red wine and Tiramisu for pudding.”

“I didn’t see you put that in the trolley!”

“I am a sneaky shopper.  I hope you don’t mind but I also put some sweets in for Maggie’s lot.  I don’t usually turn up there empty-handed.”

“I’m just the same with Jude’s girls.  Is there any chance we can pop over tomorrow after we’ve explored the storage unit?  It seems like ages since I’ve seen them, and we don’t have to be at Millie’s till seven-thirty.”

“Apart from the bedroom TV, what else is in the unit?”

“I’ve got a list on my laptop; Millie said it would all come in useful eventually. Can I set it and the printer up on the dining room table?”

“I was going to suggest it.  Unless you have a burning desire to eat in the dining room?  I prefer the kitchen.”

“Me too. We always ate in the kitchen when I lived with my parents. I…was about to go on about Andy’s horrible dining room then, but that doesn’t matter anymore does it?”

“Definitely not.  Set your laptop and printer up while the pizza is in the oven and we can have a look before we go tomorrow.  Maggie’s still on the lookout for household stuff.  I offered to buy her what she needs but she won’t let me.  She might accept things if it’s costing you money to keep them in storage, and you really don’t want them.”

Sarah left the unpacking of the shopping to Al, and set up her laptop and the printer at one end of the table.  She’d just found the list when the landline phone rang.  It was barely a step away from her so she picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Sarah, is that you?  It’s Maggie.  Thank God it was you that answered and not Al.”

Sarah kept her voice as calm and level as she could so that Al might not hear.

“What’s happened?”

“Bob has been round making threats.  He – he slapped me.”

“Oh love, are you okay? Did the kids see anything?”

“They were in their rooms.  My face is a bit sore and red.  I’ve got a damp tea towel on it.  I’m scared in case Al goes after him when he finds out.”

“He won’t.  He’s already given me a sweet talking to about over reacting to bad incidents, so he owes me one.  Do you want us to come over?”

“Would you?”

“Put the oven on.  We were going to have pizza but it hasn’t gone in yet.  Have you eaten?”

“No. I’m still shaking.”

“Sit down and have a cup of tea, or something stronger.  We’ll be there.”

“Thank you.  See you soon.”

Al was about to put the pizza in when Sarah came into the kitchen. She explained as calmly as she could, and told Al that if he was feeling inclined to kill his ex-brother-in-law, she would do everything in her power to stop him.  She could see how angry he was, and fully understood.

“It’s Maggie and the children who need you right now.  She’s putting the oven on and hasn’t eaten so I’ve said we’ll bring extra pizza, cook it and eat over there.  I know what you want to do and why, but it will only make things worse.  Unclench your fists, and hold me tight.  It might help us both.”

It did. And though Al was particularly articulate about what he’d like to do to Maggie’s ex, he tried to focus on putting the pizza back in the box and getting the other two pizzas out of the freezer.  It didn’t take long to put a package of goodies together for the children, and after printing off the list of the storage unit contents, they locked up and set off for Maggie’s.

Breakfast, and an early morning drive into work with Al set Sarah up for anything that Oliver decided to throw at her, but Millie’s previous advice about him was uppermost in her mind. Don’t bother to confront him when he’s angry; it just makes him worse.  Listen patiently to him as you would to a child in a tantrum.  Play on his ego; he loves to think that people admire him and want to be like him, so anything you can say that will play to that need will bring him down to a reasonable level. She had some time before everyone else arrived, so she worked her way methodically through the case notes, trying to find the points that might irritate Oliver, and those places where he could be the showman that he enjoyed so much.  Jenny was in early, and joined her in looking through the notes.

“We are expecting trouble with Oliver today; he’s still very angry about the cock ups with Natasha, but he doesn’t seem to realise that if he rants and raves today, it will give the media – and the Coroner – more ammunition for the inquest.  How can we persuade him to show his softer side?”

“That bit’s easy,” said Sarah. “We just have to convince him that it’s his idea, which means we have to rev him up a bit first, then drop the idea in gently so that he thinks he has found the solution.”

“Can we – can you – do that?”

“I’ll have a go. He may think that he wants to go out in a blaze of glory, but this isn’t just about him, is it?  There’s you and Mel, all the runners and researchers, if the programme gets shut down it will reflect on everyone.”

“What about you and Millie?”

“There’s quite a role for independent social workers nowadays.  We might set up in business together.  That’s all in the future.  We need to get through today without causing any further damage to anyone.”

Other people began to file into the room and take their seats as far away from where Oliver would be sitting.  Jenny and Sarah looked at each other, shrugged and moved to seats closer to the top of the table and in Oliver’s danger zone. Flanked by Mel and another woman from Legal; Oliver swept into the room and threw himself down on his chair.  Other members of staff gave up their seats for his companions and went to stand at the far end of the room.

“I’ve read through the folders and I’d like some feedback about what you all think – that is what you are all being paid for, isn’t it?” said Oliver.

There was a painful silence throughout the room; looking around, Sarah could see that the majority of the attendees were doing their best to become invisible.  She had a feeling that Jenny or Mel should say something but they were both looking down at the table, and avoiding Oliver’s glare. She felt, rather than saw him stop at her, and strategically, turned to face him so that the covered side of her face was visible to him.

“Any ideas, oh Lady of the War Wound?”

“Plenty of ideas for aftercare, which is my area of expertise.  I wouldn’t dream of venturing an opinion on how you should run the show however.”

“Nicely parried Sarah. The amount of aftercare work required does of course depend on how traumatised the guests are at the end of the show.  Can I get away with a bit of cruelty and humiliation?  Have we got some sensitive souls on stage or in the audience today, Mel?”

Mel consulted her notes, which she knew off by heart but needed to buy a little time before replying.  Unable to put it off, she delivered a brief resume.

“Three couples; the first want a DNA test on their baby; the mother is sure that her partner is the father but they both need to know for sure if they are going to build on their relationship.  The second couple are countering allegations of infidelity by ex-partners who are trying to split them up, so two lie detectors, and the final couple are trying to track down the husband’s sister because their baby needs a bone marrow transplant, and neither of them are compatible but the sister might be.  We’ve tracked down the sister and she’s agreed to a reunion so it should be a happy ending.”

“Nothing earthshattering then?  I take it your team can deal with the aftercare needed then Sarah?”

“Yes, without giving too much away, the DNA test is positive, the lie detectors are both negative, and we’ve arranged for the sister to have a test to make sure that she is compatible.”

“Fine.  The rest of you can clear off then, I need a word with Mel, Jenny and Sarah in private.”

The room cleared immediately; Sarah wondered what bombshell Oliver was going to drop on them now. He introduced the woman from Legal as Amelia.  She was carrying a very large file.

“I don’t need to tell you that this show has a great deal resting on it.” said Amelia.  “If the audience becomes hostile again, it will not look good when the inquest result is known.  I appreciate that Oliver has tremendous people skills, but we are more than a little worried about the negative publicity.”

“So, you want me to behave myself today?  Is that what you’re saying?  What do the rest of you think?”

More meaningful looks.  Sarah felt that someone should put the ball back in Oliver’s court.

“How do you want to play it Oliver?” she said calmly.  “From what I know of you, you will have read through this information dozens of times, and played it out in your head.  This is your show, and the rest of us are your supporting actors.  You already know what you want to do. How do you want us to provide your support?”

“Very clever Sarah.  I feel that I have a choice here; I could go out there and whip everyone up into a frenzy by being my most horrendous, or I could go out there and show my more compassionate side.  The guests would be more receptive to that, but what about the audience? What about the viewing public who love to watch me tearing people apart?”

Amelia shrugged her shoulders.

“If you show your very worst side, I would say that you could wave goodbye to the show.  The media are baying for your blood as it is.”

“So, Mr Nice Guy then, and wave goodbye to integrity.  Thanks Amelia.”

“Oliver!” said Sarah.  “You are perfectly capable of achieving the middle ground. Focus your ire on the two ex-partners who are stirring up trouble by making false allegations.  The audience will be behind you all the way.  Begin the show with a feelgood story where counselling can help; end with some hope for the sick baby, but tear the two nasty people to shreds in the middle.  It’s an idea, isn’t it?”

Oliver’s face was like stone; Sarah wondered if she had gone too far but felt a rush of relief as a small smile appeared and he nodded.

“Jenny? Mel? Amelia?  Shall we go with Sarah’s idea? She hasn’t known me as long as the rest of you, but she seems to have sussed me out to some extent.”

Relief was visible on the faces of her companions, as they nodded in agreement.

“It’s a good idea Oliver.  You have the confidence and the skills to carry it off.”

“Thank you, Jenny.  I take it that you and Amelia agree, Mel?”

They nodded, thankful that a solution had been found.

“There’s one other thing Oliver.” said Sarah.

“And that is?”

“When the camera goes backstage to the pods, can I keep out of range please?  The dressing is getting smaller every day but I don’t feel that it would help PR if I am in shot.  It might encourage media interest in the attack again, and it’s died down for the time being.”

Amelia nodded. “We need to keep Sarah out of the spotlight.”

“Okay, if the worst comes to the worst you can hide behind your fiancé.  Have you moved in with him now?”

“Thank you, Oliver.  I was meaning to change my contact address today.  It made sense to move out now because Millie will have Jiara and Tom staying this weekend.”

“Happy families! Right, let’s get on with it. I’ll have to go in my dressing room and practice my empathic smile.”

Once Oliver had left the room, Jenny turned to Sarah and hugged her.

“You may have saved our bacon today.  If the show does get shut down, at least it will end on a high note.” “Agreed.” said Amelia, picking up her folder. “Good luck everyone.”

Al and Sarah went to work separately the next morning; Sarah was due in later, and wanted to go over to Millie’s when she finished for the day.  She also felt the need to practise driving to and from her new home.  Her new home!  She knew that it was early days but everything seemed to fall into place now that she had moved in with Al.  Going to sleep in Al’s arms, and waking to the sound of his alarm, eating soft boiled eggs for breakfast together, and kissing him goodbye, before going off to bathe and get herself ready for work.

She found a parking space in the Quays car park quite quickly, and giggled as the sight of Al’s car made her stomach flip.  The actual sight of Al, sitting behind the security desk, made it very difficult to wear her professional expression. The whole thing was destroyed when he got up from his chair, put the security pass around her neck and gave her a very indiscreet kiss and whispered in her ear.

“Good luck for today.  Oz is on the war path already, so smile painfully as much as you can, it might make him feel guilty. See you at home about six o’clock, and if you aren’t too tired, perhaps we could go out for a meal?”

“I’ll see you later.  Can we go to your friend’s pub again?”

This provoked a very broad smile.

“I hoped that was what you’d say.  See you.”

Sarah went upstairs feeling as if she was floating on cloud nine.  The sound of Oliver ranting brought her down to earth with a bump.  She slid into the conference room as quietly as she could and took a seat next to Daryl, who looked on the verge of tears.

“Ah! Our poor wounded soldier has joined us at last.  Hello Sarah.  We were expecting you a little earlier.”

Drawing in a deep breath, Sarah put on a smile, and noted that most of the people in the room could see how much pain it caused.

“Actually Oliver, I shouldn’t be here at all.  I was advised to stay off for the rest of the week in case of infection.  I chose to come in today, and Jenny said it would be alright to come in for nine-thirty so that I’d miss the rush hour.  I’ve only just started driving again.  I could have come in by tram but that would have taken me a great deal longer, and I’ve no doubt that the dressing on my wound would have raised some unwelcome interest.”

“I did tell you about this yesterday, Oliver, and you agreed to it.” said Jenny.  “I should have mentioned it again at the start of the meeting.  I’m very sorry.  How are you feeling today anyway Sarah?”

“My face is still sore but it looks as if the cut is healing well.  Al took pictures last night, which I am happy to show to anyone with a strong stomach – later on, of course.”

“Right! Well, the rest of the team can bring you up to date once they’ve finished looking at your mugshots.  The cases we will be filming tomorrow are definitely pedestrian and I’ve no doubt that the audience will find little to make noises about.  We are putting the more interesting stuff on ice for now until we get the feedback from this chap’s inquest, but don’t get your hopes up; it looks as if your little friend Natasha may have scuppered all our careers in media.”

Oliver picked up his file of papers and left the room; his mood obviously destined to last for the rest of the day.  A team sigh rolled around the conference table, then the younger members of the team rushed over to look at the pictures of Sarah’s wound.  It was agreed that Sarah and Al had been brave and brilliant, and that Natasha and Marta were bonkers mad and evil. The rest of the day was spent going through the information on the guests, the plan for Friday’s show, and ideas about what to do if they were all made redundant. With Jenny’s blessing, Sarah finished at four-thirty and having blown another kiss at Al, drove over to Millie’s flat.

She was buzzed through to the flat, and the wonderful smell that met her as she walked in through the flat door, confirmed that Jiara was cooking the evening meal.  Millie invited Sarah to stay, but understood when she explained that she was going out to dinner with Al.  Millie had been busy and packed some more of Sarah’s belongings for her.

“I may have to buy some more comic egg cups.  I miss them, but not as much as I miss you.  Jiara and I went shopping this morning; she was very impressed by the supermarket and the range of herbs and spices available.  Perhaps you and Al could come over for a meal on Saturday when Tom is here as well?”

“I shall be really spoiled; Al’s sister stocked his fridge and freezer up for us yesterday, and I’ve a feeling that we may get an invitation for one her roasts on Sunday.  I hope so.  I really want to say thank you to her in person for my ring.  I just wish that we didn’t have this inquest hanging over us all.  Oliver was horrendous today.  I think I’ll go in early with Al tomorrow so he can’t moan at me for being late again.”

“He’ll find something; the runners are too slow, security staff are too obvious, the research is faulty, and the audience aren’t making enough noise.  How’s your poor face?”

Sarah showed Millie the pictures, and while they were examining them, Jiara came over to look at them too.  She put her hand very gently at the side of Sarah’s face and muttered a few words.  Although she had no idea of what Jiara had said, Sarah knew that it was something kind and caring, and felt touched by the gesture.

“She is sending good wishes and healing to you.” said Millie, smiling.

“Thank you, Jiara.  I am so glad you’ve come to live with Millie.  She is my oldest friend in the world, and I’ve been very happy here and I know that you will be too.”

“Come into your old room Sarah,” said Millie “I’ve boxed up some more things but I think that you took most of it yesterday.  I washed and dried your bedding but you know how I feel about ironing.  Shall I help you carry it down?”

“Yes please.  Al will be home by six, and it will give me more time to put stuff away.  Such a relief not to have to hide anything anymore.”

Jiara came to give Sarah a hug goodbye before going back into the kitchen.  Millie, Sarah and the boxes piled into the lift.

“There’s something I’d been meaning to tell you Sarah.  About Oliver.”

“When did the two of you have an affair?”

“How did you know?  Did someone say something?”

Sarah shook her head.

 “No, I sensed something between the two of you from the start, and the fact that everyone said that you were the only one who could calm him down.”

“It was a long time ago and it was over almost as soon as it started. More of a physical thing, but we were both feeling a bit vulnerable.  I’m not sure if he ever told Elena.”

“I think he may have done.  She phoned here to apologise after Oliver had been particularly awful.  I felt so embarrassed because Jude came to the show, and was really angry about the way he behaved.  Elena phoned to say that Oliver’s mother had been taken ill in the night, and she’d wanted him to stay home.  She also said that if you had been here, you would have been able to sort him out because you knew him so well.”

“Oh well, next week will be interesting.  With regard to tomorrow, I don’t need to warn you that sparks will fly, and the only way to deal with Oz is to stay calm and let him rant.  On a completely different tack, how would you feel about doing freelance social work if we get made redundant?”

“Another door opening?  Why not?  Al and I have a wedding to finance, not to mention finishing the renovations on the house.”

“You sound blissfully domesticated already.  I have a feeling that you may have to have something that requires bridesmaids.  Jude’s three, and how many nieces does Al have?”

“Three also – and a small boy, not to mention two sons of his own in their teens, your Tom and Jiara.  A fairly happy bunch of guests including all the adults.  We haven’t started talking about a wedding yet though.  Moving in is the first step.”

They packed the boxes into Sarah’s car. As Millie hugged her, Sarah looked up and saw Jiara waving from the balcony, and felt less guilty about leaving her friend.

“I love the idea of carrying on working with you, and no, before you say it, I don’t think any the less of you because you and Oz had a fling.  I can understand why, but I’m glad the two of you came out of it as friends.  I have a feeling that any bad news is going to hit him hard.”

“I nearly forgot!  There was some post for you this morning.  I put it in the top of your bag.  Now go!  Before you make me cry.  Keep me up to date tomorrow and I’ll let you know how Tom and Jiara get on.  Come over about seven-thirty on Saturday?”

“Will do.  Enjoy tonight’s meal.  It smells wonderful.”

Driving back to Al’s on her own was another new and exciting experience; she had his spare set of keys, and instructions on how to switch off the burglar alarm.  It took her a while to get all the boxes and bags indoors, it was only after she closed the front door and turned on the kitchen light that she remembered the forwarded post that Millie had given her.

Not surprisingly, there was a very unpleasant letter from Abigail, still annoyed that she didn’t know where Sarah had gone. There was a much nicer letter from Roseanne confirming that the house sale had gone through, and wishing her luck for the future, and a letter from Simon which she put aside to look at later.  At the bottom of the pile was an envelope containing a small pack of Andy’s postcards.  Sarah put the envelope down on the table, not feeling a hundred per cent sure that she actually wanted to look at them.  What difference would it make?  She hoped that Andy had found his happiness somewhere, and that by looking at his postcards, she could finally close the door on the years of their relationship.

The postcards were all much the same; nice views and tiny writing that Sarah found hard to decipher. The last postcard was much easier to read; it hadn’t been written by Andy though.  The writer identified themselves as being a good friend of Andy’s called Shane, who was sorry to have to tell her that Andy had been injured in a climbing accident, and although he was rushed to hospital, his injuries were severe and he died the next day.  Shane wanted Sarah to know that Andy had been very happy in Thailand and that he had loved everything about the place. Although he hadn’t found anyone to share his life with, he had made some good friends, truly fallen in love with the country, and intended to buy somewhere to live once the house sale had gone through.  Shane said that he had contacted Simon about Andy’s death, and wanted Sarah to know that Andy had only ever said good things about her.

Sarah cried.

And cried.

The box of tissues was well and truly depleted by the time she got around to opening Simon’s letter.  As she read it, she started to cry again.  Simon sent his condolences on Andy’s death.  He also had to advise her that in the will that Andy had left with him before going to Thailand, Sarah was a joint beneficiary of the estate, and there was nothing Abigail could do about it.  Simon needed Sarah’s address so that he could put the papers together for her to sign.

Sarah was still crying when Al came home.  She had planned to be changed out of her work clothes, hair and lippy done and ready to welcome him.  One look at her face as he walked in and Al knew it was bad news.  She handed him the postcard from Shane, and when he had finished reading it, handed him Simon’s letter.

Actions had always spoke louder than words for Al.  He took Sarah by the hands and led her to the sofa, sitting her down and taking her in his arms.  His handkerchief was more absorbent than the box of tissues, and his comforting presence soothed the pain she was feeling.

“Let me guess.” he said, “You are feeling very guilty about Andy, particularly as his friend says that he never said anything bad about you.  Added to which, he has named you as one of the beneficiaries of his will.  Perhaps you should accept that Andy did actually appreciate the years you spent with him; that going away helped him to realise that he would never be able to make you into the person he wanted you to be.  He died doing something he loved, and from the look of this postcard, he found a good friend in Shane.  There’s a return address, and I think you will want to write to him when you feel up to it.  As for the solicitor’s letter, it does confirm that Andy felt the time you spent together should be acknowledged if anything happened to him. Look on the bright side; Abigail will be SO annoyed when she finds out.”

Al’s words were putting everything back into perspective; and his last comments about Abigail made her smile. Just imagining Abigail’s face made her giggle and bury her nose in Al’s neck.

“How do you always know the right things to say, Al?”

“Years of realising that I was saying the wrong things to Sonia, I suppose.  We’ve both learned, haven’t we?”

“Poor Andy.”

“Don’t think of him that way.  He was happier than he’d ever been, or ever would have been if he’d stayed where he was.  You know that people will just say that I’m marrying you for your money now?”

“Millie says we’ll have to ensure that bridesmaids play a role in this wedding.”

“Six? And a pageboy? You don’t want a church wedding, do you?”

“No, and I don’t want one of those big white meringue dresses either.  An outfit more suitable to my advanced years, in blue or violet perhaps?”

“Do you feel up to going out to dinner tonight, or do you want to stay home?”

“Let’s go out.  You’ve brightened up my world again. I’ll even put on a dress. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to wear one of the glamorous dresses that Millie and I chose before she went away.”

Sarah changed quickly, and while Al was having a shower, she phoned Jude, primarily to tell her that she had moved in with Al, but also to share the news about Andy. He had never warmed to Jude, and it often felt as if she was the only person who understood their bizarre relationship .  Jude was very happy for Al and Sarah, especially now that it would be easier to see each other.  There was a stunned silence when Sarah explained about Andy.

“I don’t know what to say Sarah.  I never liked him but I would never wish him dead either. Are you okay?  What does Al say?”

“I’m fine now.  I cried a lot when I read the postcard and Simon’s letter, but Al came home, mopped up my tears, hugged me better and talked sense into me.”

“Good, what are you doing now?”

“Going out to dinner. Oh, I haven’t even told you about Millie’s news yet.”

They were still chatting when Al came downstairs, dressed to go out.

Sarah looked him up and down, smiled and said goodbye to Jude.

“You look very smart. I’ve only ever seen you in your uniform or in a tee shirt and jeans, and…”

“You look gorgeous in that dress, and if you say any more, I might have to cancel dinner so that I can carry you off upstairs…”

“Wonderful as that sounds, I am starving, and you must be too.”

“I am.  Do you want to drive or shall I?”

“I’ll drive, then you can have a drink.  I’ll stay on fruit juice tonight.”

“That’s the first time any woman has offered to be my chauffeur. I don’t tend to drink vast amounts anyway, but sometimes a pint of decent beer goes down very well. And I can guarantee that there will be decent beer on offer tonight. Thank you.”

Although she was trying not to, it was hard not to compare this reaction to the one occasion she had offered to drive Andy anywhere.  He preferred to drive, didn’t drink and she couldn’t actually remember him having been in her car when she was driving. Al pulled her up from the sofa and hugged her very tightly.

“Stop overthinking.  It’s all in the past, and no amount of guilt will bring Andy back.  Let’s go and eat, and I promise not to criticise your driving.”

The atmosphere at the pub was jolly and when Al’s friend announced that Al and Sarah were engaged, there was a rousing cheer from a room full of total strangers.  The meal tasted even better this time around; possibly because they were more relaxed in each other’s company and able to focus on the food (and beer).

“Did you get a chance to phone Millie?” asked Al.

“No. Jiara’s cooking dinner tonight and I didn’t want to interrupt.  I won’t have time till after we finished filming tomorrow – and by then there may be more of an update on Oz’s mood.”

“Call her when we get home anyway.  I need to sort out my kit for tomorrow, though the stab vest may be overkill if the guests are as tame as Oliver says they are.”

“Do you really have to wear a stab vest?  I never noticed before.”

“Only when filming and even then, only if we think there might be a violent reaction.  Two lie detectors and a DNA test.  Run of the mill really.  That sounds a bit blasé doesn’t it?”

“I would like to talk to Millie.  I’ll text her when we get home then.”

After finishing off with sticky toffee pudding and custard, they made the short journey home.  Sarah felt that he’d see nothing to criticise in her driving anyway, apart from the fact that she drove quite slowly, but then Sarah’s car wasn’t anywhere near as high powered as Al’s.  As soon as they got indoors, Sarah sent a text to Millie to see if she was awake and up for a chat.  The answer came back ‘Yes’, and Sarah curled up on the sofa; unable to suppress a smile as Al kissed the top of her head on his way upstairs.

“You first.” said Millie. “Have you had a lovely evening?”

“Sort of.  Dinner with Al was bliss.  I drove so that he could have a drink.  I think my confidence has come back again.”

“You never lost it; come on, what are you bursting to tell me.”

Starting with the postcards and ending with Simon’s letter, Sarah told Millie everything, including the feelings of guilt about the way Sarah felt she had treated Andy.  Ever the level-headed social worker, Millie lost no time in echoing Al’s words and adding a few of her own.

“Just remember, Andy had as much choice about staying still for ten years as you did.  If he was really as unhappy as you think he was, he should have come to an agreement with you about splitting up.  He could have swanned off to Thailand years ago but he didn’t. When we were at Uni, you had oodles of self-confidence and since you’ve been working on the show, I’ve watched you regain your self-esteem, and grow back into the Sarah I used to know.  Except this Sarah is a woman who is extremely good at her job, at being a loving friend, and capable of having a proper relationship with the wonderful Al.  I never met Andy but I think he was disappointed in himself for not being braver.  That disappointment came out in his efforts to change you, and his disapproval when you wouldn’t, and couldn’t change.  If nothing else, you should take some consolation that Andy found happiness and a good friend eventually, and you have found…”

“…YOU! And if I hadn’t found you, I would never have found Al.  How did your dinner go?”

“Jiara is a wonderful cook, and I may have hit on an idea to keep her occupied once I go back to work.  There is a wonderful Asian Women’s collective that supports independence, and encourages learning new skills whilst maintaining culture and heritage.  If that sounds a bit formal it’s because I’m reading it off a pamphlet.  As far as the rest of Jiara’s family are concerned, she is here on holiday; her twenty-first birthday is in six weeks’ time, and they are anxious to have her back before then so that they can marry her off, get a sizeable dowry, and split up her inheritance. I think that Ram realised their plans and that’s why he made the allowances in his will. By acknowledging Tom as a blood relative, and me as Tom’s mother, we may well be able to arrange for Jiara to have permanent residence in the UK.  If that’s what she wants.”

“And does she?”

“No pressure.  We’ll see how she and Tom get on this weekend.  Are you still on for dinner on Saturday?”

“Salivating!  Al and I are going to visit the scary storage place during the day and see what we can scavenge.”

“Good.  Make sure you phone me after work tomorrow and tell me if Oz has imploded.  Promise me that you will wipe out your time with Andy, and concentrate on building a new life with Al?”

“I will; and if we end up unemployed, we’ll have my inheritance to fall back on. Deal?”

“Deal. Sleep well.”

Sarah turned the sound off on her mobile and plugged it into the charger. Al came in from the kitchen and sat down next to her.

“Have you sorted out the world now?”

“Most definitely. Just one thing though.”

“Go on.”

“Is there a reason why you don’t have a TV in your bedroom?”

“Umm.  No one to watch it with?”

“I have a TV in the storage unit.”

“With a remote?”

“Of course.”

“What else have you got tucked away in there?”

“I’ve forgotten.  Will you come and have a look with me on Saturday?”

“I’d love to. Time for bed now, we have an early start – and a day of Oliver to face.”

“I think we should go food shopping afterwards – something to take the taste away?”

“We definitely need more chocolate Shreddies, and have I told you how gorgeous you look in that dress?”

“You did, and I remember what else you said at the time.”

“Good.  It still stands…”

Al pulled her up from the sofa and into his arms, before putting his mobile down on the coffee table and placing Sarah’s next to it.

“Do not disturb, you two.” he said, and kissed Sarah with a promise of so much more.

The smell of Lancashire hotpot brought Sarah away from her packing, and back to the kitchen where Al was mashing up potatoes. It was the kind of domestic scene that Sarah hadn’t experienced since her parents had died; she and Millie had tended to live on takeaways or basic pasta or salad dishes.  Al turned to her and smiled; putting the masher back in the saucepan, and giving her a hug.

“How’s it going?”

“Not quite finished.  All the clothes are hung up and put away, but the smell of dinner distracted me.  I’ve changed into something more comfortable than my boring work clothes.”

Al looked her up and down; her old Uni sweatshirt was so long and loose that it was more like a dress.

“I like it.  You look like a student, but it feels very – huggable?”

“Good.  That’s exactly the effect I was going for.  Can I do anything once you’ve had enough hugs?”

“I’m not sure that I can ever get enough.  You aren’t talking about rationing again, are you?”

“Not a chance.  My guru Jude says that you and I have lots of time to make up for.”

“Erm, do you tell Jude everything?” Al was beginning to blush in that endearing fashion that Sarah adored.

“Pretty much.  Does that embarrass you?”

“I’ll tell you when I get to meet Jude and Dan properly.  You can lay up the table if you like; plates and cutlery are over there in the dresser, I opened a bottle of red, but then I remembered that you aren’t supposed to drink with those tablets.”

“That was the first forty-eight hours; I wasn’t supposed to drive or operate heavy machinery either. I’m glad that I drove here though. My car has always been a symbol of my independence; once I bought it, I knew I could escape from Andy whenever I needed to. Before you say anything, there is nothing about you that I want to escape from.  I need to stop comparing though; I don’t even know what your ex-wife’s name is.”

“Sonia. I don’t talk about her much; I understand that if I hadn’t been so wrapped up in my job, we might possibly have worked through the issues between us. I kept putting it off though, and by the time I’d left the force, there was nothing more to keep us together, except for the boys.  They were old enough to make up their own minds by then, and made it quite clear that living with two hostile parents was unacceptable.  Sonia found somebody else, so I moved out. The divorce went through very quickly, and the boys live with their mother but they keep in touch, well my eldest does anyway.”

“If all my stuff is in the spare room there won’t be anywhere for them to sleep!”

“True.  The third bedroom only needs decorating and finishing off though.”

“If the show gets cancelled, I’d like to help you rather than just being a kept woman. Until I went over to Maggie’s, I’d never done anything like that. Millie’s flat didn’t need anything doing and Andy refused to make any changes.  I was so tempted to rip the pine cladding off the walls and ceilings, and as for the orange and brown tiles in the kitchen- I never want to think of them again! I didn’t do too badly at Maggie’s, did I?”

“You did very well, my love.  You mucked in and did what you were asked to do.  Some women might have been more worried about their nail varnish, or whether they got their clothes dirty.  So, what would you change about this house then?”

“I love this house, Al.  I felt comfortable in it from the moment I sat down and started reading your books.  It’s more than just a house.  It’s a home.  Your home.”

“And yours too now, I hope.”

“Much more of this and I shall be crying into my hotpot – which is gorgeous by the way.  Your Maggie really knows how to cook.”

“I can cook too,” said Al in a tone of mock offence.  “I’m just never here long enough to cook from scratch during the week, and I usually get an invite to lunch on Sundays.”

“Andy didn’t like my cooking. He said it was basic student grub and didn’t fit in with his healthy lifestyle.  My Dad never seemed to object to my cooking though; he liked to sit in the kitchen and chat.  Said it reminded him of when I was younger and my Mum was alive.  Oh no! Waterworks again. I seem to be developing a habit of bursting into tears these days.  The only time I cried about Andy was the day that he told me he had put the house up for sale, and was doing a bunk to Thailand. Even then I was crying about my situation rather than Andy leaving.”

Al got up and took the plates, stacking them in the dishwasher in a far less orderly manner than Andy ever did.  That made Sarah smile through the tears.  He handed her a box of tissues and sat down next to her.

“Physician heal thyself,” he said kissing her very gently on the undamaged cheek.  “After ten years with Andy, your life has changed drastically in the last few months.  For the better I hope, although Oliver counts as a major source of aggravation, and being attacked by two mad women hasn’t helped.  Let it out.  There are plenty of tissues, and your dressing needs changing anyway.”

Filling a bowl with some warm water, Al gathered up the cotton wool and clean dressings, and sat back down next to her.  Sarah turned to face him, and he very carefully took the dressing off.  The cut still looked clean and healthy. Using some damp cotton wool, Al wiped the cut and looked at his handiwork closely.

“They really did do a good job here you know.  There’s hardly any puckering at all, which means that the scar shouldn’t be too obvious.”

Al tilted Sarah’s face towards him and kissed her very carefully. “Do you feel ready to look at it now, or are you happy for me to put a new dressing on?”

“I should look at it, shouldn’t I.  There’s no point pretending it isn’t there.  Will you take some pictures on my phone please?  I can look at them then, and send them on to Millie and Jude.”

Sarah handed Al her mobile and sat very still while he took a number of pictures. Handing Sarah her mobile, he watched while she examined them.

“I hadn’t realised how long the cut was,” she said.  “It’s very close to my eye and my chin, isn’t it?”

“I think that Marta just slashed you to impress Natasha and scare you. If she really meant to cause permanent damage or kill you, there are other places she could have aimed for. Shall I put the dressing on now, or do you want to let the air get to the cut for a while?”

“Put a new dressing on please?  I know it sounds silly but I feel safer with it covered up.”

“Okay.  Are you still hungry?  I don’t have much in the way of pudding.  Maggie tends to concentrate on main courses.  There, all done.  If it’s any consolation, the dressing is getting smaller now.  Does it hurt much?”

“A little but I can take some painkillers now.  I’m too full for pudding anyway; can we just sit down in front of the TV and finish off this wine?”

“You go on in and get comfortable; I’ll top up the glasses and bring your tablets in.  The remote control is on the coffee table, and all I ask is that you put on something that will make us both happy.”

Sitting together on the sofa; Sarah’s legs over the top of Al’s, his arms around her and his head so close to hers that his laughter rippled through her whole body, as they watched an old comedy game show.

This was what happy was about.

 Being slightly tipsy on red wine, snuggled together and knowing that the rest of the night would be spent loving each other, and falling into that deep and very sweet sleep.

Sarah sat on the bed pondering about what to pack.  Although she and Al were agreed about her moving into his cottage, there hadn’t been a set date because she wasn’t sure when Millie would be back. She didn’t want to take Al’s invitation for granted, but at the same time she was certain that Tom would want to visit and meet his half-sister, and that Millie and Jiara needed time and space to get to know each other better. Although she had arrived at Millie’s flat with minimal possessions, her wardrobe had definitely increased since she started working on Oliver’s show.  Would Al welcome her egg cups? Surely, he would have a garlic press of his own? Just as she was beginning to feel desperate, she heard the door buzzer and Al’s very welcome tones. She buzzed him in and rushed to answer the door.  It was a relief when he came in and picked her up in a particularly loving bear hug.

“Oh Al!  I am so glad to see you.  I am in a quandary.”

“Hmm.  Give me a kiss first and we’ll see if two brains are better than one.”

Sarah obliged very willingly, then led him into her bedroom.  He looked a little shocked.

“In here, while Millie and Jiara are in the flat too!”

“Don’t forget Buster.  No.  We need to talk about me moving into yours.  I know that we hadn’t set a date because we were waiting for Millie to come home, but she’s home now, Jiara’s here, and Tom will definitely want to come and stay now he knows that he has a half-sister.”

“Shall we get packing then?”

“Are you sure Al?  I know that we’re engaged, but are you ready to have me move in lock, stock and comic egg cups?”

“Would you believe it? I haven’t got around to buying any egg cups, and I do like a soft-boiled egg.”

“With soldiers?  Buttered soldiers?”

“For breakfast, or Sunday tea? Or both?”

“I bet you’ve got a garlic press though?”

“It broke.  I was a bit heavy-handed with it.”

“Al, I do love you.”

“Show me these egg cups.  I’ve never seen a comic egg cup before.”

Laughing, Sarah took Al’s hand and led him into the kitchen where the egg cups were on display.

“Three?”

“Two for you and one for me?”

“Okay lovebirds.” said Millie as she emerged from her bedroom yawning.  “No canoodling in the kitchen.  I don’t want my young friend to be corrupted by your debauchery.”

“Sorry Millie.  I was just showing Al the egg cups.  Will you mind if I move out sooner rather than later?  I’ve a feeling that Tom may be wanting to visit once he knows Jiara is here.”

“Coming up this weekend and very excited.  I shall be sad to lose you Sarah, but you’re right, I can’t really make Tom sleep on the sofa.”

“I’ll pack up some things now and come back for the rest tomorrow.  Remembering how little I arrived with, it should fall it into Al’s car easily.”

“Don’t forget that you also have the stuff you put in storage.”

“I had forgotten!  Thank you for reminding me, Millie.  I can’t even remember what we put into all those boxes.”

“There’s a list on your laptop.  You’ve probably blocked it out with all the rest of what’s been going on. Are you going into work tomorrow?”

“I should really, there’s a show scheduled for Friday and we don’t want Oliver to explode, do we? Oh, perhaps we do?  It would be interesting.”

“I’m not too worried if the show does close.  According to Miles at the agency, you and I would have no problem picking up jobs – and not necessarily in media. Oliver will fall on his feet; he always does.  Jenny and Mel might have more of problem because of the level of responsibility they’ve had, but it’s the researchers and runners that I worry about. They’re all so young, and from what you’ve told me, this business with Natasha must have upset them a great deal.”

“Daryl especially.  Natasha sucked him in with her friendship, but it didn’t take long before she was bullying him in order to get what she wanted.”

“Hateful little cow, and her awful mother.  Another area where Oliver, Jenny and Mel have to take responsibility.  I told you, didn’t I that Oliver was under the impression that the runners and researchers didn’t need qualifications or even experience, provided they could move fast and do as they were told.”

“Al and I will shoot off with some of my stuff now, if that’s okay?  I’ll take my car and move it to Al’s so you have your spare car space back for visitors. You and Jiara have a lot of time to make up, and another couple of days before you come back to work.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.  After work.  I may have coffee and cakes for us to share and you can tell me all the gossip about Oz.”

“Yes please. You may have to administer wine and pat me down a bit though. I am expecting tantrums.”

Al picked up the bags that Sarah had packed most of her clothes and personal items into and led the way downstairs to the car park.  He packed the bags into his car and then turned to look at Sarah.

“Are you sure about driving?  You haven’t since the attack.”

“Thank you, but that’s all the more reason for me to get behind the wheel now.  I’ll follow you, but can you drive a little bit slower than usually please?”

Al laughed and took her in his arms.

“For you, anything.  We don’t even need to do any major cooking for dinner.  Maggie has been in and stocked up my freezer with meals for two.  She also bought milk – and eggs! She texted me earlier.”

“She’s so kind, but then she is your sister so I shouldn’t be surprised.  She couldn’t be more different than Andy’s horrible sister Abigail.  She was adopted though, so I’ve no idea where her horribleness came from.  I don’t know, and I have no need to know anymore. Thank goodness.”

True to his word, Al kept to a reasonable speed on the way home, and although Sarah felt a little nervous at first, her confidence came back as she felt that ray of happiness about moving in with Al.  Parking her little car next to his on the hard standing at the front of the cottage, was so unlike the squashed parking in the road outside the house she’d shared with Andy, and the busy car park at Millie’s.  Al carried her bags into the hallway and came back outside before Sarah had finished locking up her car.  He picked her up in his arms and carried her across the threshold, placing her very gently in the kitchen.

“I know that you are only supposed to do that when you bring the bride into her new home,” he said “but it feels right that you should make a formal entrance on your first proper night of living under this roof. If you need more room for your clothes, you can have the second bedroom as a dressing room; I have a feeling that you have far more clothes than me.”

“I don’t want to intrude on your space Al.  I’m used to fitting in with other people.”

“I want you to feel at home here.  I’ve been rattling around in this place for a couple of years, and the thought that I finally get to share it with someone who is very special makes me feel extremely happy.  Let’s decide on dinner and I can get the oven on while you unpack.”

Sarah was greeted by the members of the aftercare team with cheers and gentle hugs; she was pleased to see that Daryl was there, although he looked somewhat shamefaced, especially when she turned to him and he could see the dressing.  She walked over to him and took his hand.

“I’m glad to see you’re still here.”

“Sarah, I feel so bad about what happened with Natasha.”

“Don’t.  Natasha is a product of her parents; she was very persuasive as a friend, and when that didn’t work, she bullied and made threats to you.  You aren’t responsible for this.  She is.  Okay?”

Daryl nodded, and looked slightly less upset. “Did it hurt much.  When she cut you?” he asked.

“Not at the time; I was too busy trying to remember the self-defence techniques I was taught, then I was making sure that Al knew I was about to do something. He has extremely quick reactions.  By the way, I may as well tell you before the whole building knows.  Al and I have been seeing each other for a while now, and he asked me to marry him last night.”

She showed them her engagement ring proudly, and received another cheer.

“I was hoping for a cheer or two but this is more than I expected.” said Millie as she walked in through the door.

“Millie!  You’re home!”  Sarah threw her arms around her friend, almost forgetting about the cut on her face.  Millie returned the hug just as exuberantly and then held Sarah at arms-length.

“Al told me that you’d been in an accident but he wouldn’t give me any more information.  He said that you’d explain.  In fact, he was extremely mysterious, and now he’s grinning.  What’s gone on while I’ve been away?”

“More to the point, what have you been up to while you’ve been away?  You said you had a surprise.”

Millie went back out through the door and returned holding the hand of a young girl dressed in a sari. She looked around and smiled at everyone, but appeared rather shy.

“Allow me to introduce Jiara; Tom’s half-sister,” said Millie proudly.   “I’m afraid her parents died some years ago.  Her older sisters are married with children, and Jiara has always wanted to come to England.  So, she has come to stay with me.”

“You are very welcome, and Tom will be so pleased to find that he has a sister.” said Sarah.  “This seems like a good time to tell you that I shall be moving out of the flat.  Al and I are engaged.”

Sarah held out her hand for Millie to examine the ring and was rewarded with another hug.

“No wonder Al was grinning!  I shall be sad to lose you as a flatmate Sarah, but I can’t think of two people better suited to each other.”

The room went quiet as Oliver stood in the doorway, hands on his hips and not looking too happy. Millie walked over to him and gave him a gentle hug, whispering in his ear, “Stop looking so miserable Oz.  We have a great deal to celebrate, and I still don’t know why my friend is walking around with a dressing on her face.”

“You may think that you have a lot to celebrate Millie, but in a week’s time we may all be looking for another job if the show gets shut down – or haven’t you been brought up to date by your best friend yet?”

“Oliver, I have just flown home from India.  I am tired, and I could have gone home and stayed there till next Monday when my holiday ends. Now that I’ve told everyone that I’m back I think that I WILL go home – if that’s okay with you?”

Oliver shrugged and stomped off down the corridor. Sarah felt like rushing after him and giving him a good kick up the bum.  Al raised his eyebrows in warning, and Millie touched her arm.

“Leave him. He’ll calm down and feel very sorry eventually.  Here’s Jenny!  I’m back but I’m going home to unpack.  Can I introduce you to Jiara, Tom’s half-sister?  She’s coming to stay with us.  Is there any chance I can steal Sarah away?  We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Of course.  It’s good to have you back Millie,” said Jenny.  “Sarah can explain why Oliver is in such a foul mood as well. I meant to say, well done Sarah, so far, the press call has had some positive results online.  Even that young whippersnapper from the Mail had something nice to say about you.”

They said their goodbyes, and went back downstairs to the entrance; Al arranged for a black cab to take them back to the flat and promised to come round when he finished work.  His boss was also very happy with all the positive publicity for the security firm. The journey home was filled with Sarah explaining the attack, and the possible repercussions from the inquest on the guest who committed suicide.  Millie was rather stunned at Natasha’s level of involvement in all the things that had gone wrong while she was away.  Jiara was quiet, but Sarah could see that she was fascinated by the conversation and taking it all in.

Getting Millie and Jiara’s luggage up to the flat took some time, and once inside Millie and Sarah collapsed on the sofa.  Jiara looked around, unsure about what to do.  Buster strolled out of Sarah’s bedroom, and jumped up on the sofa, making a beeline for Millie. Then he spotted Jiara, and in a rare moment of sociability, jumped down again and began to rub himself around her ankles, emitting a loud and unusual purr when she stroked his head.

“This is Buster, Jiara.  He is usually cross and will only pay attention to people if they are giving him food. He seems to have taken a liking to you though.  Did you want to have a bit of a lie down and snuggle with him?”

Jiara nodded vigorously.

“My room’s a bit of a mess at the moment but I changed the sheets in your room and Tom’s.” said Sarah.

“Tom’s room will be fine.  I’ll show you the way.”

Millie took Jiara down the hallway and showed her where the bathroom was on the way.  Sarah could see that there was already a bond between the two of them by the way that Jiara responded to Millie’s hug.  She took advantage of their temporary absence to put the coffee maker on.  Millie reappeared and sat down at the dining table with a small sigh.

“I had to bring her home with me Sarah.  She’ll be twenty-one in a few months, and her sisters were making noises about marrying her off.  She is so bright and wants to continue her studies; where better than here?”

“What happened to Ram?  Did he ever find out about Tom?”

“Not for some time; his mother intercepted my letters but didn’t destroy them luckily.  He found them after she died, but that was only a few years ago. He wanted to come looking for us, but his wife was poorly, and Ram wasn’t in the best of health either.  He died about a year ago and that’s why the trail had dried up when you went searching for him. When I arrived in India and started making enquiries, I was pointed in the direction of Ram’s daughters, and the family solicitor. According to his will, Ram had left a substantial amount to Tom, and to any of his children who were still single at the time of his death. Ram felt that his two older daughters should be the responsibility of their husbands; they were not happy about this and tried to get the will overturned, but failed.  When she heard about Tom, and her own legacy, Jiara begged me to take her back to England with me.  How could I refuse Sarah?  She is the spitting image of Ram, and by taking her under my wing, I feel that I’m doing what he would have wanted for her.”

Sarah nodded.  “It’s a shame that you two didn’t get to meet up, but at least you know that Ram was aware of Tom, and that he wanted to do the best for him.  I was worrying about moving to Al’s but now that you have Jiara here, you and Buster will have plenty of company.  I bet you’re really looking forward to taking Jiara for some retail therapy!”

“I am, but is the situation with the show really that serious?”

“You and I are both in the clear because you were down in Cambridge with Tom, and I hadn’t started working on the show at the time.  Blame for the mishandling falls squarely at Natasha’s door, but it’s Oliver that will be criticised the most heavily.  There is evidence of the nasty way he spoke to the poor chap; as he and Jenny co-signed Natasha’s contract they are responsible for employing her in the first place.  I don’t mind telling you Millie, I was more scared of Natasha than Marta; the evil things she was saying just spurred Marta on.  I was lucky that Al stepped in when he did, much more and I think it would have been Natasha who was doing the stabbing.”

“So, tell me more about you and Al? Is this the real thing this time?”

Sarah blushed and looked down at the ring on her hand.

“We went out for a drink and a meal after you flew out.  We had a wonderful evening and I think we both felt it was the start of something.  I knew for definite the first time I visited his home.  That was after Marta tried to hold me captive here.  I’ve loved living here Millie, but Al’s cottage shows a side of him that most people don’t see.  I got totally lost in his library of amazing books; some of my favourites but quite a few that I’ve always wanted to read.  He took me round to meet his sister Maggie, and his nieces and nephew.  They were so welcoming and obviously adore Al.  It was Maggie that gave Al the ring to give me; it used to belong to their Mother.   You’ve known him a lot longer than me, you know what a special man he is, don’t you?”

Millie laughed. “I knew that Al had his eye on you right from the start.  He’s not known for showing his feelings, but I could see by the way he watched you – and watched out for you – that there was the beginning of something good. Stay at Al’s at night but don’t be in too much of a rush to move out; Jiara will be happy enough in Tom’s room for now, she was a bit like Cinderella with her two ugly sisters. Having privacy and opportunities to do what she wants are just what she needs now.  She misses Ram terribly.”

“Were they really that bad?”

“I never met Ram’s wife, but looking at the family pictures when I visited, the sisters definitely don’t take after Ram in their looks, intelligence or manners.”

“How do you and Jiara get on?”

“I think we took a shine to each other from the start, that was before all the legal stuff began. The woman who was helping me find out information on Ram and his family introduced us, and help to track down the solicitor. He wasn’t quite so pleased to see me at first; I was the wicked English woman who bore a son to Ram out of wedlock after all. Jiara is such a quick learner, and is fascinated by everything around her.  I think the sisters were hoping to make some money out of marrying her off. I also think that’s why the solicitor helped us in the end.”

Millie yawned.  The day’s travel was taking its toll.

“Go and lie down.  Al won’t be here for another couple of hours yet, and I’ll get some of my stuff packed.  He went shopping yesterday so there are plenty of goodies in the fridge.  I’ll go home with him tonight though; I think you and Jiara need to settle in here together.  Buster has already made his feelings known!”

“In the words of the song – wake me up before you go-go.”

Millie hugged Sarah, managing quite skillfully to avoid the dressing on her face.