The Way Back Ch. 07

"You do know Ann still loves you don't you?" asserted Viv, unwilling to give up. "I told you; as soon as she knew who you were she would still love you." She ploughed on. "She feels dreadful about not looking harder for you. She simply left it to Derek. He was so good, taking the strain for her; she was a real mess."

"He was so good!" shouted David derisively. "He organised Allan's murder!"

"Well, she didn't know that. Anyway, she still can't believe he would do such a thing. Don't forget she knows him very well."

She stopped, realising what she had said.

"Exactly Viv," I broke in. "She still believes him over me. Not a good basis for our reunion, is it? Makes me wonder how well they 'knew' one another before I disappeared."

"Nonsense Allan," she expostulated. "She always loved you first."

Once again she realised what she had said.

"And him second, behind my back? Viv, when you get in a hole, stop digging! Or do you know more than you're saying?"

"You don't really believe Ann was unfaithful, do you?" She was becoming uneasy at the direction of my thoughts.

"I don't know what to believe. I don't know what was going on before I disappeared. She admitted that she told Derek I was going to York. I'd like to know when she was with him to tell him that. Certainly not with me!"

Now this was unfair. The whole factory knew I was going to York, so whether Ann told Derek about it was irrelevant. However, It didn't hurt to discomfit Viv.

There was a horrified silence. On my part I was trying to make sense of what I'd said. Was that a suspicion lurking there in my subconscious? Now it was out in the open. Was I appalled at my suspicion? No. I just didn't know. But it was clear that Ann and Derek had met to talk or perhaps more? Oh dear!

David broke the silence.

"Allan," he said quietly "I think Ann and Derek having an affair is unlikely. Don't forget it was only after he forged that letter that she started living with him."

"Yes, but I suspect there was more than just friendship between them before she moved in. I think he was working on her for a long time before that, and I've no way of knowing how close they were, how much she allowed, and how soon."

That ended the exchange. I had the impression Viv felt guilty and wished she'd never started it which gratified me a little.

The conversation had put a damper on the evening and I left soon after, wondering if my relationship with the couple had been damaged.

On the way I thought again about my comment. It had niggled me knowing that Ann and Derek had been talking about me before I went away. I didn't know whether I was in on the conversations.

And Viv's response: silence. Did she know more than she was saying? She'd be hardly likely to tell David who would have immediately have told me. I arrived at the flat and my musings were cut short.

I phoned when I reached the flat, to be assured that we'd had worse 'discussions' before and no harm was done. As I replaced the handset, the loo flushed and Jenny emerged.

"Sorry, Allan," she looked uncomfortable. "I'm going to see my parents tomorrow and a friend's birthday bash on Sunday. So I need you tonight."

I smiled broadly. "I'm glad. I need soothing after getting the third degree from Vivienne."

"I wasn't thinking 'soothing'," she said seductively, and proved it by unzipping her dress slipping it down slowly, and revealing her slender body in a red and black teddy. She was wearing five-inch heels!

"Bit trashy, red and black, and these boots are definitely not for walking!" she smiled at her quotation from Nancy Sinatra's song, as she slipped the straps off her shoulders.

"No comment," I growled, dropping my trousers and pulling my tee shirt over my head.

She peeled the garment down her body with her back to me, bending over straight legged as she pushed it down her spread legs, allowing her pussy to be exhibited shamelessly for me. She was wet. I was hard.

"You been playing with yourself? Or has someone been here before me?" I said playfully as I traced my finger down her groove while she bent before me.

"I met a rugby team on my way up the stairs," she giggled. "What could I do?"

I replaced my finger with my straining penis and pushed in.

"Yes!" she gasped.

I think I grunted. I took her hips in my hands and pulled her onto my tool until fully impaled. Then I tried to start fucking her. Those five inch heels were ideal for height!

"Wait!" she said sharply. "Let me hold on to the back of the sofa."

We shuffled, connected, to the furniture. She braced herself.

"Now, lover-boy. Get going!"

I thrust. Again and again. She grunted, and moaned. Again and again. I muttered muted obscenities, gazing at her perfect tightly rounded bottom. She began to make higher pitched noises until she squealed and twitched on my cock, and I reacted with what I felt was a flood of semen. Conceited or what? But it was good for both of us. So she told me, and I told her; so it must have been true.

What she actually said was, "That was much better than the whole Rugby team."

I slapped her bottom. Well, there it was in front of me, tight and firm, begging for more attention.

"Again!" she giggled.

So I slapped again, quite gently though. She wiggled her bottom and grinned over her shoulder.

"I think I may need some more punishment once we're in bed," She said seductively.

She did, though the second session was more relaxed and gentle, not punishment at all really, and we drifted off to sleep afterwards and didn't wake till morning.

------

THIRTY-FOUR

Jenny left early on Saturday morning, and I was ready to leave for the house, when the phone rang. It was Colin.

"Allan," he said quietly. "Are you at home? I have some news but not over the phone."

"I'm at the flat," I replied. "I was just going out."

"Can you wait?"

"Yes."

He came over.

"Once again, Allan," he said, "keep this to yourself until I let you know that the defence have the findings."

"OK."

"We've gone over Derek's computer and his accounts. We uncovered a withdrawal of forty three thousand pounds from Derek's business account.

"It was taken in various amounts over a few weeks before your 'accident' and was paid electronically to a number of accounts in Derek's own bank, called Smith, Jones, Brown and Price etc. (not very original) and to a number of companies, none of which exist. We traced the money quite easily, not a lot of effort to conceal the transactions. It was made to look like ordinary bills being settled.

"The money was withdrawn from all those accounts three days after your attack. A bit obvious that. One of our three assassins deposited ten thousand pounds in cash into his building society account four days after your attack. That was stupid of him. If we accept what O'Malley told us, there is an extra ten thousand unaccounted for. I assume it was for the unidentified man who organised everything and then disappeared."

"Oh. It's all pointing to Derek, isn't it? Where does that leave things?"

"Well, much to our surprise, O'Malley gave a statement more or less saying what he told us. I think one of the lads will cough as well. This evidence, as you say, moves us toward Derek. He will have to explain where the money went, and why. If he can't, it will look bad for him. How could he not know whom he sent money to?

"I reckon he may change his story when he sees the evidence we've put together. We'll have to wait and see. His is the only name on the business account; no one else could have sent the money. The amounts and timing, and the fictitious names, are too coincidental. He's our man."

So it was finally proved to be true. Derek had tried to murder me. He had planned it very carefully to distance himself from the crime. Then he moved in and took my wife. I was angry. It was a cold anger. I had wanted justice; now against all my principles I wanted revenge.

"Thanks Colin."

I must have given my emotional state away because Colin became concerned.

"Allan," he pleaded, "please don't do anything silly. After all you've been through, you don't want to end up being arrested as well."

I gave him a hard look and he looked relieved.

"Had to say it," he mumbled and left.

With this information stored, I drove to the house to spend Saturday with my family. As I drove, the grey clouds parted and the sun burst through. By the time I arrived at the house, the sky was clear and it was going to be a fine, sunny and warm day. My mood however was dark.

It lightened when I was greeted enthusiastically by my children. They were hugging me and dancing round and I saw Ann standing in the doorway. There was no smile but a thoughtful look bordering, I thought, on worry. She turned and went in and we all followed.

I suggested a trip to Lyme Park, a circular walk up the hill where we could see all Cheshire and Manchester laid out before us, then some kite flying and frisbee. Ann looked annoyed for a moment and then said she'd make up a picnic.

The journey took about forty minutes, during which there was much chatter and conversation. But not between Ann and me, though the children did not notice this aloofness on Ann's part, since she laughed and joked with them as much as I did.

The day was a success. The walk was uphill for a good deal of its length, and I think I surprised the children by my stamina, though I needed to use the stick for support. Where the path was wide enough I was joined by one or other of the children, but Ann kept her distance. What on earth was wrong with her?

Ann took the boys kite flying, while Greta sat in the car with me while I rested my legs. Later, we all played Frisbee. It was while we were sitting in the car that Greta brought the subject up.

"Dad, Mum is acting weird. She hasn't talked to you at all. She seems angry with you. She was happy until she went back to Derek, and now she's got something on her mind. She's not happy any more. We were laughing about something and Jan commented that it was nice because we hardly laughed at all with Derek. Then Steph said he was glad to be away from Derek after what he did to you. Mum jumped on him. She said 'What did your father tell you?' It was weird, she never calls you our 'father', always 'Dad'."

I reminded her I was going to have a talk later with Ann, and that it might clear things up. Then we chatted on about what had happened over the past weeks. She hugged me and said how happy she was.

We returned home happy and tired. I made for the kitchen and was told by Ann abruptly that Greta and she would get tea ready. It was a slap. I resented it. I was angry. After the meal I rose to do the washing up and again was told quite aggressively, I thought, that she would do it, and with that she stomped off into the kitchen, leaving the children looking at each other and at me.

That did it. There was no way I was going to talk to her after such treatment. I stood up.

"I'm leaving," I snapped. "If any of you would like to come to the flat, I'll be in all day tomorrow."

"I'll come," said Greta. "I really need a break."

I wrote directions on a pad that happened to be on the coffee table, and handed it to her.

"Can we come too?" asked Jan.

"Of course. Now I'm going."

Greta came with me to the door.

"Dad," she said quietly. "You were going to talk with Mum."

"As you said earlier, Greta, Mum is acting strangely. She's avoided me all day and treated me like an unwanted guest in my own house. If she wants to talk she'll have to come to me but on no account is she to come tomorrow. She can phone for an appointment."

"Wow, Dad, That's a bit strong."

"Sorry, Greta, no one messes about with me like that, not even Mum. I won't be returning here until I get an apology."

"Ok, Dad. Bye." She looked unhappy as she went inside and shut the door.

As I drove away, I saw Ann appear at the front door. She waved but by then I was already on the road home.

I had undressed ready for bed and was reading a novel in the living room, when the phone rang. It was Greta; she was sobbing.

"Dad..." she cried. "When you left Mum ran to the door and then you'd gone and she started to cry and ran to her bedroom. She's not come out. I've just put the boys to bed. They're scared, Dad. I don't know what to do."

My heart bled for her. It was not fair. We had always been a team for the children, hadn't we? Now they were suffering because of us.

"Make her a cup of tea, and tell her gently that I was upset at the way she treated me today, especially keeping me from my own kitchen, as if I were a guest. Tell her to come and see me on Monday night and we'll talk then. That'll give her some hope."

She sniffed, "OK Dad. Thanks."

"That's my baby! Cheer up, Mum and I have got problems, it's been two and a half years, you know."

"Yes Dad. Bye."

Now I was really confused, but in a position of ignorance I would have to wait until Monday, always assuming that Ann would come to the flat.

On Sunday I had only just had breakfast when the doorbell rang and there stood my two sons with big grins on their faces.

"Hi, Dad!" they cheerfully greeted me and were past me and into the living room with cries of "Oh cool!" at what I did not know. I looked outside on the landing. No one. There was no one with them. Puzzling.

I followed them into the room.

"How?" I began.

"Uncle Peter brought us. Greta came too, but she wanted to go back to stay with Mum. Mum was crying last night after you went but she's happier this morning. Anything to eat?"

Well, that gave me the news!

"No breakfast then, Lads?"

"Uncle Peter came," said Stefan, "and we had to get dressed quickly. Mum wanted to feed us but Greta said you would. So she let us go."

"It was horrible after you went," added Jan, "Mum was like she was when you... disappeared. She was crying all the time, and Derek used to take her away to the bedroom to quieten her down."

"Did he succeed?" I asked and then kicked myself, but thankfully the implication was lost on the boys.

"Oh, yes. She would be much better then," said Stefan. Out of the mouths of babes...

I moved to get them some breakfast. Cereal then bacon and eggs and finally toast.

They hoovered up all the food.

Then, "What's for lunch, Dad?" asked Jan.

I marvelled at his single-mindedness.

"Can we do Pizza Hut?" begged Stefan. I blanched at the thought, but their expectant faces won the day.

"Where's Jenny?" asked Jan.

"She went to her parents and she's going to a birthday party tonight so she's not here. Sorry."

Jan looked disappointed. I said nothing.

The day had begun with bright sunshine, but clouds rapidly changed the face of the weather and the rain came pouring down. The lads watched cartoons on TV, and I searched the paper and found a film we could go and see in the afternoon after pizzas.

Then it was home for them to do their homework. I dropped them at the gate and drove home.

The phone rang. It was Ann.

"I'm making an appointment to see you tomorrow." Her voice was flat and emotionless.

"OK," I said, "Jenny might be here, but she'll keep well out of the way."

"Fine." She disconnected. I felt it was a little abrupt.

Now I became preoccupied with my meeting with Ann the next day. The more I heard the more complex it all seemed. Like a second-hand jigsaw, there were too many pieces and no overall picture to help me. I knew there was a good possibility that I didn't have all the pieces either.

------

THIRTY-FIVE

Jenny noticed I was somewhat abstracted at work. Thankfully she ably discussed the implications of the Austria trip with Geoff, and I was relegated to keeping a watching brief. There was a good deal of planning to be done and the complications of acquiring the building next door were, well, building.

At the end of the day, Jenny asked if I wanted her that night. What a silly question! Then I realised I hadn't asked her to be there when Ann arrived.

I pointed out that Ann might well be coming to talk about her attitude over the past week and predictably Jenny took it that I wanted to be alone with Ann.

"Jenny," I said, "I think it would be a good idea if you were there in evidence so to speak. In any case you need to meet Ann properly. You could disappear while we talk and then return at the end. Then bed!"

She looked thoughtful and uncertain.

"Please?" I begged. "She's been pretty cold towards me and I don't know why. She needs to know that I'm independent of her and she can't manipulate me."

She thought some more and then agreed.

At seven, after we'd eaten, the doorbell rang.

Jenny had changed out of 'office wear' into a loose tee-shirt which exposed a lot of attractive chest, and a pair of jeans which looked sprayed on, and which I wondered how I'd ever get off. So attired she went to the door. I heard them from the living area.

"Peter! How nice to see you again! Ann! Great to see you!"

I heard muffled male and female replies and the Jenny entered the room with Peter and Ann in tow.

We all greeted each other. Ann kissed me on my cheek, casting a glance at Jenny. Peter's smile was wide, though Ann looked by turns puzzled or worried, but thankfully not annoyed. I busied myself getting drinks for everyone. Peter was driving but everyone else had red wine, and I poured myself a malt whisky.

Then Ann looked at Peter and Jenny. Jenny smiled a lovely smile at Ann.

"Peter," Jenny said, "come on, they want to talk." He sprang up and followed her out of the room.

Ann looked round the room. "Nice flat," she said. "Viv and David have good taste."

I waited.

"Allan." She said, and stopped.

I waited.

"We've never had a chance to talk properly."

I waited. She became flustered.

"Allan, please?" she begged.

"Now is not the time for a long talk, Ann," I said in a flat tone. "This meeting is to clear the air and to allow you to explain your behaviour to me over the past week,"

"Allan, please don't be awkward--"

"Ann, just explain yourself."

At this tears started at her eyes.

"Allan, I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven. You should know that, but please explain because I don't understand."

"There are two things. I've been rehearsing them all the way here, and I can't remember any of it."

"Ann, just talk."

"OK." There was a long pause, then, "Well, It was when we were all together again at the house. You were playing in the garden with the children. It had happened so often before... well you know... but before we were one loving happy family and this time you were no longer my husband and I had let you down so badly.

"So now everything looked the same but we were missing, or rather I was. Then later you said something about being always here for the children, but you never mentioned me. It hurt so much, Allan. I wanted so much for everything to get back to where they were, and that's impossible.

"Allan, darling, I've just been very upset. Then this weekend I knew we couldn't be together, and I was upset and angry, not at you, at the situation. It came out wrong, and I distanced myself from you. I'm sorry. I'd give anything for you to come back to me and you can't."

She began to cry.

"Ann," I spoke softly, "it's not that I don't want to try to get back. It's that at present there are too many unsaid things; too many mysteries in my mind.

"I'm with someone else who needs me. You won't see that but she does need me. I will not let her down. I can't sort out my feelings for you. Everyone is pushing me to just go back to the way we were. I can't. It's not that I won't, it's that I can't. I've so little memory to go back to. You understand?"

She nodded, looking woebegone.

I continued, "Give it time. I don't want to go through all my worries and feelings now, but I am willing to meet you and to talk through them all in the future. How's that?"