Cooper was in a mood, and everyone knew about it. The moment he showed his face at the gym on Monday morning, his usually chatty workout buddies gave him a wide berth. These guys, not afraid of staring an armed enemy in the face, recoiled from Cooper’s vitriolic demeanour. He had practically barrelled into the room and had grunted and growled at everyone that dared to venture close. He pumped iron with a vengeance, and was building up a good sweat. The rest of the men fell away as the morning went on, and soon Cooper and a couple of tough nuts were the only ones using the space. The smell of sweat and rubber equipment hung in the air, and Cooper started to relax a little as he channelled his frustrations out through his muscles. He could feel the tension sweat out of him as he worked, and he once again found his mind on her.
Sunday had been perfect. A day of doing nothing, hanging out in the sunshine. Jamie had really opened up, shown Coop a glimpse of the carefree kid he once was. They had talked of everything and nothing, and the day had been unlike any other Cooper had ever known. He imagined it was how ordinary people felt most days, hanging out with their family at home, in the garden, or the park. Rita had joined them at lunchtime, bringing with her a colossal picnic basket, and occupied Jamie with talk of helping her bake in the kitchen. Jamie wanted to be a baker it seemed, and Rita hadn’t batted an eyelid, setting off in excited chatter about what she would teach him that week. Jamie had had the biggest smile on his face, and as Cooper watched Kate, he could see that she was soaking up every second. There had been no talk of Neil, but Cooper was intrigued to say the least. They had been together before the accident, so he must have played an active role in his life. Where was he now? He wanted to ask her, but every now and then he caught a glimpse of her and knew she was far away. She fiddled with her hair or pulled at her fingernails when she got that faraway look, and he knew that she was worrying about something. Or was she missing him? Had he left them?
The whole thing was tying him in knots. He knew he wanted to be with them, and he wasn’t a man who dealt in uncertainties. He had a feeling in his gut that something wasn’t right, but he just couldn’t get the measure of it.
Monday had heralded the start of their new routine, but when Cooper had gone to take Kate her usual contraband coffee, to see her face again, get his hit, the room was empty. The schedule said she was out all day, and he wondered why she hadn’t mentioned it. He felt stuck, trapped in his chair, in this place, and for the first time in his life, it wasn’t his life at stake, but his heart. He already knew that the pain from breaking that wouldn’t be something he could recover from, and he had resolved to get stronger, to do what he did best. To stand on his own, and fight for what he believed in.
Kate pulled into the drive of their old home and pulled up the handbrake. It was another mild day, and the lawn looked good, considering the house had been abandoned by its owners. She suspected that Alf next door had something to do with that, and she made a mental note to take him a bottle of his favourite tipple as a thank you. After all, buyers wanted something nice to look at, not neglect and dead flowers. The ‘for sale’ sign stood proudly in the front garden. After ringing the agent this morning, she had been surprised to hear just how many people had been to view the house. The agent was confident an offer would soon come, and it had spurred Kate to take the full day off. Rip off the whole band aid. She was hoping that today would be the last day she would ever have to see this house, and she had come equipped. Getting out, she lugged the boxes and bags from the back seat up to the front door. Taking a deep breath, she put the key in the lock. Ghosts of the past, time to be exorcised.
Two hours later, having changed into sweats and a large t-shirt, Kate was sweaty and covered in dust. It was amazing just how much dirt could accumulate in an empty house. She could see that Neil hadn’t been the best housekeeper while she had been abroad, and she added another item onto the ‘hate my husband’ list she kept in her head. 927 so far. Not bad. Worthy of full arsehole status in the dickhead hall of fame, she would venture. He would probably show up to claim his trophy too.
She had started in Jamie’s room, filling boxes with things he wouldn’t use again. Rollerskates, his skateboard. Football boots, recovered from the accident. She had wept over those, sat on his Avengers bedspread. The boots were scuffed, ripped in places, but she couldn’t bear to part with them. They all went into the box marked ‘Jamie storage’ with a red star marked on it. Red for open when ready. If ready. She had hired a storage locker, a huge space in which to store their furniture and belongings until the next chapter began. She had a moving van coming at five o’clock and a hell of a lot still to do. She was ruthless once Jamie’s room was all done. She had taken every belonging of his, and marked all his furniture, except his bed, with purple stickers denoting to the moving men that they were to go into storage. Jamie would need a special bed now anyway. She marked it on a list on the clipboard she had brought with her. She would give the list to the estate agents. They would have to pass it on to Neil. Anything he didn’t want could be tossed or given to the new owners. After that van showed up, anything not packed up or stickered would be consigned to memory as far as she was concerned. She would only take what was hers and Jamie’s, the rest was not needed.
She stickered her furniture, the items from her father’s house that she would never part with, one of the television sets, a good portion of the kitchen appliances and equipment. She moved from room to room, boxing and bagging, filling the recycling and rubbish bins outside. She heard the noise of a lawnmower out front, and reaching into the liquor cabinet, she pulled out two bottles of expensive scotch. Neil had been saving them for a special occasion. Moving day counted. She smiled to herself as she grabbed them both, heading out of the front door with the rest of the rubbish bags under her other arm. Alf was mowing the lawn, one eye on her house, and she realised that he had probably been using the chore as an excuse to check on her. She dumped the rubbish into the bin, squashing it down as best she could and headed over. Alf stopped the mower and smiled at her as she reached him.
‘You look well, my dear,’ he said, taking her in. He seemed to realise what he had said, and he harrumphed nervously. Kate laughed and touched his arm.
‘It’s okay Alf, we are doing well, Jamie and me. And these are for you, a little thank you for looking after everything.’ She placed the bottles at his feet.
He relaxed then, patting her hand with his. ‘You didn’t have to, but I’m not going to lie and say I don’t enjoy a quality tipple of an evening. Thank you. I am mighty glad to hear that you are okay, we both are. Sheila is down the shops again, spending our pension.’ He chuckled at the thought of his wife, who was just as lovely as he was. Kate realised that she was going to miss her neighbours, and felt guilty that she was always too busy to spend any real time with them. ‘No word from him, then?’ he ventured.
Kate shook her head. ‘I’m working on it though. Just wanted to get the house squared away, it looks like someone will be buying it soon.’
Alf nodded. ‘Well I hope they’re better at doing the garden then you were.’ Kate laughed. Alf’s face turned serious then. ‘He does come here from time to time you know.’
Kate’s blood ran cold. ‘Really? When?’
‘A week ago, last time. I rang the agents to get your number, but they wouldn’t pass it on. I can let you know, if he comes again?’
‘I’ll give you my number now, and would you let my solicitor know, too?’ Kate replied.
‘Of course I will, and please, keep in touch? We would love to see Jamie too, if he is up to it sometime.’
Kate smiled at her kindly neighbour. ‘I’m sure he would love that. I will call, once everything is sorted.’
He gave her a hug then, taking her by surprise. ‘I’m very sorry that things haven’t worked out lately, girl, but I am sure that the good things aren’t done with you yet.’
Kate didn’t answer, she was trying not to cry.