The Gift

When my breathing slowed and my gentle sobbing stopped, she stepped back from me, undid the laces at the neck of her gown and let it fall to the floor. She walked slowly to my bed, pulled back the covers and got in.

Afterwards, her head resting on my chest, I said. "In many ways you're much like her you know."

"Who Freddy?"

"Letty. Leticia, my wife."

"Ohh, was she a hooker from London too?"

I laughed, and it felt so good to laugh. "God's no. But had she been born into a different set of circumstances; she might very well have been. She was passionate, interesting, held shocking views on everything. Didn't give a damn what anyone thought, even me many times. You know she traveled to India and lived in an Ashram for a year shortly after we wed?"

"Did she?" Melissa murmured. She was running her fingers through my chest hair.

"She did indeed. And she ..."

Melissa brought her hand up and touched my lips, stopping me. Without raising her head from my chest, she said "I'm not her. I can't ever be her. I'm a poor working girl from London and I lost my mother when I was four. I have one year of Uni and have made my living for the past year on my back because I got made redundant at work and I had to pay for my father's care. But tonight, at dinner, you made me forget all that and all. You treated me like a right lady since I walked in the door in those ridiculous clothes and playing up my cockney accent."

I felt warm tears dripping onto my chest.

"Freddy. I know there can't be anything between us... ever ... but I think ... I think I was meant to come here today. And I think I love you."

I pulled her up to me and kissed her deeply.

################### Part 5 ###################

We married 4 months later. I sold the manor house, gave Edward, Mrs Beedle and Daniella excellent letters of recommendation and sent them on.

Melly and I moved to a very nice flat in London. She re-enrolled in Uni and is pursuing a degree in English Literature. She expects to finish within the next year and intends to teach. I moved my practice, many of my clients were in the city anyway, and am happily doing a lot of pro bono work for the poor. I moved her father into a better care facility, but sadly he passed shortly thereafter. He never knew what Melly had done to support him.

"Freddy?"

I looked up from my desk. Melly was standing in the doorway of my small home office. She held something up, waved it gently and smiled happily. It was a small white plastic stick and there were two, small red lines in the little window on it.