(All characters are fictitious. No resemblance to anyone alive or dead is intended).
Rubies are Red. Part 27.
Paul
I stood in the corridor and watched Heather's back as she walked back to the room the others were sleeping in. My grandfather stood looking out of the window at a fire that lit up the centre of the city.
"Well?" He asked when the others had gone. "What have you got to say for yourself?"
"I." I didn't know what to say.
He was my grandfather. I could hardly tell him it was none of his business as Heather had done.
"Do you really know what you have done?" He went on as if I hadn't started to speak.
"I didn't mean to." I lied.
"Oh it was your first time together. A spur of the moment thing."
He took my words right out of my mouth.
"Well?"
"No. We have done it before."
"When?"
"In London and in New York and Miami."
"You are a married man." He spoke in a whisper full of emotion. "How could you do this to Jenny? I thought you loved her?"
"I do." I said hanging my head.
"There is so much of your great Uncle Alistair in you." He was looking in the far distance. "Too much in many ways. He broke his wife's heart."
He left it hanging there. How? Why?
I'd never really known Alistair. He had died when I was two but I did know Natasha. A tall thin beautiful woman, even in middle age and beyond. But she always seemed sad. Her children from her first marriage had died young and she and Alistair had never had any of their own.
Natasha had died when I was fifteen and had left me the block of apartments in London. Her and Alistair had moved into the block in the late twenties and had purchased the freehold to each apartment when it had become available.
"You are becoming too much like Alistair."
"I won't do it again." I promised as I had to my parents and grandparents so many times in the past.
"I hope you won't." He turned and looked at me. "Try to think of Jenny. What would she think if she knew?"
"I know." I mumbled.
I tried not to think of Jenny and what she would think. I was never going to do this again.
He moved slowly to the front door, stopping once as he was overcome by a burst of coughing.
He went outside and I followed stopping at the end of the building while he went and relieved himself in the toilet block.
Howie was standing by the main entrance when we returned. He was yawning and stretching.
"Okay Paul." He said, fingering the sub-machine gun. "I'll take over now."
I nodded and said goodnight then followed my grandfather in the sleeping room.
"Get some sleep," he whispered as I lay down in the spot recently vacated by Howie, "It's going to be a busy day tomorrow."
I turned onto my side and pulled the fragment of old curtain Howie had used a blanket about me.
Sleep. Fat chance of that.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Jenny
I replaced the receiver on Paul's mother, Mary. The Foreign office had heard nothing more about Paul or my grandfather since the previous afternoon when the American Ambassador in South America had managed to get list of all foreigners being held by the government.
No news is good news they had insisted to Mary when she had phoned earlier. The latest news on the radio was that the government leaders were seeking meetings with the rebel leaders. Both sides had agreed to stop all hostilities and the movement of troops until that meeting had taken place.
My heart wasn't really into preparing to deliver my formal lesson the following morning.
Also, I was going off the thought of meeting Ron again that afternoon.
It hadn't been all that great with him so far anyway. When you discounted the size of his prick that is. Perhaps I should really put it down to nerves on both our parts. Although he was lasting longer each time we did it. That was one good thing. And he was certainly gentle if clumsy.
But, did I really want him again? Had I really wanted him in the first place? Or was it I had wanted the thought of having him? Still I couldn't undo what had happened.
He had had me. Well at least he wasn't going to tell anybody. Shirley was sound as well. That left Matt. Shirley was keeping him too busy at present to think about anything else I would have thought and he had nothing to gain by telling anyone. So I was safe so far.
Why had I let Ron have me? Was I just using him as a safety valve to release the tensions I was feeling over Paul and these bloody exams? I should have gone with Paul and said sod the exams. I could have always come back next year and started the course again.
No. That would have been silly. When he left there was not expected to be any problems. He had only to fly down there and make sure two obstinate old men caught the plane back with him. It should have easy. A long boring plane flight. Then five or six nights in various hotel rooms.
Should I try to ring Ron and tell him this evening was off? No, I couldn't do that. Just don't turn up then? No, I couldn't do that either. I would have to meet him and tell him that it was over. It was very nice. Thank you very much. It's over now.
Yes. That would be the best way to play it.
Surely I could keep my legs together long enough to do that?
If only he didn't look at me or stand too close.
Oh, Paul. Why aren't you here when I need you?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Paul
Somebody was shaking my shoulder.
"Go away." I muttered, brushing at their hand with my own.
I didn't want to wake up.
"Come on Paul." Louise said. "Have some baked beans."
I blinked open my eyes. It was broad daylight. I rubbed my eyes and sat up.
"We are leaving in five minutes." Louise's face came into focus. "Eat this."
