The Weir Legacy (Working title)

005: The Cries in The Night

Jo kissed me. That was totally unexpected. From the time we'd met the previous night, until now, I didn't think I had done enough to warrant a show of affection like that from her. She hadn't been so forward in any way. That said, she'd certainly let her hair down in the last few hours. She was no longer the stand-offish iceberg that I had met twenty-four hours earlier. She kissed me, and the kiss lingered. We were stuck together with cold hands and soft toys, waiting for her taxi. Jo didn't want to go. I could see that, but it would serve no good purpose that I could see if she spent another night with me.

"It's time I sent you home," I said. "I hope you had a good time tonight."

"I should have returned ages ago. Aaron will ask questions if he does not hear from me soon, Dad will go ballistic if he hears I have stayed the night with you, and Sanja, well ... I dare to think."

She looked down at her coat, futilely buttoning up the buttons that she had already buttoned up.

"Can I stay another night? Please?" She held my hand tight. "If I go back now, the girls will want to know the ins and outs of everything we did together and why I am home so late. It will be all conspiracy theories and accusations. I am not sure if I want another Sanja session after a lovely evening. If I am going to be accused of anything it should be in the morning when I have my wits about me."

Her mobile had gone off several times during the evening, as had mine. We hadn't paid much attention to them. The wild sounds and our excitement during our time at the fairground had drowned out the alerts. Now we were alone and quiet, the ringtones easily pierced the night.

"Oh bother! It's Aaron."

Jo walked far enough away from me so that her husband couldn't hear me, but close enough so I could hear her replies.

"Not sure that he understands," she said when she returned. "He couldn't get hold of me last night and had trouble this evening. He wants to know where I am, who I am with and he's making sure I will be home with Mother tonight."

I didnʼt do relationships like this anymore. Jo had to work this one out for herself. She had another text from her father, whilst I had my own demon stalking me. Lori.

Where are you? Harry needs his Mum, Thomas is losing his rag with Jo and he is not happy with you. Don't get me started on Sanja. Lori xox.

I showed Jo the text.

"Things could be better, I suppose."

"Things could be better for who, Jo?"

"For me of course. Aaron is asking the same things as Lori, but I want to be silly, reckless and stupid for at least one day away from the family. I want to be away from Dad, and Aaron. Away from being a mummy. I want to be me for a night."

Jo sniffled into her jacket sleeve. So that was what tonight had been all about.

"What do we do now?"

"Take me back to your place. Please."

Jo emphasised the last word. This was more than a simple request. This was a cry for help, to be comforted and to be understood.

"Let's talk over you and me, where we grew up and all those silly things that new friends do. Will you let me share your bed? I promise not to have sex with you but I want someone to hold me tonight. Will you do that for me, Adam?"

The scales hung heavy. On one side Thomas and her family were waiting for her to come home. Her husband wanted news. On the other, I sensed a deeply unhappy woman whose fears I could deepen in a moment. Jo was scared about something. I didn't know what hurt her but something had brought her to my bed the previous night and I wouldn't feel any better if I let her go without finding the cause. If I could, I wanted to be the one that made a difference. We found a park bench and made plans. If she sent out texts, who would she send them to? The answer, when we nailed down the list, was obvious. It would have to be her husband Aaron, her father Thomas, and her mother Jenny. I would text Lori and Sanja. They were not going to like me very much. Again.