Legal Prejudice 2 - Weather The Storms

Epilogue

Allie walked arm in arm with Susan through the steep churchyard with its weathered gravestones either side. The warmth of the sunshine peaked through the trees periodically and they smiled as the children skipped up the path, flanked by Daniel and John. Susan gasped as they reached the church and said, "Allie this is so pretty! And so old!" Allie smiled, "Yeah, it dates back to twelve hundred and something. The park's just across the road."

Daniel and John stopped to let them catch up, and they all crossed the road to enter the park. The girls ran off enjoying the freedom, and as they followed them deeper into the countryside John turned around in surprise shouting, "There's an actual castle, like a proper king Arthur, godamn castle!" Daniel turned to Allie and Susan grinning. They all clambered up to the ruins and Allie's phone rang incongruously around the ancient stone walls. Glancing at the screen she said, "It's Max, hang on I'll just see what time they want us to meet them at the hotel." She climbed a little higher on the outside of the walls to get a better signal and answered. Max said he and Margie would be ready in thirty minutes. Allie explained they were in the park and said, "That's great, half an hour will give Emmie and Rose enough time to run off their energy, and for John to role play being a knight at Camelot in the old castle." Max's laugh rumbled down the phone, "See you in thirty Allie," and he ended the call.

Allie smiled looking down into the ruins watching the adults exploring the ancient stone walls with the two children. She turned around to look across the countryside and had a sudden realisation that this was exactly where she was standing when she'd heard Michael calling her name all those years before. A breeze lifted her hair, but there was no movement in the trees or early spring flowers around her and her skin prickled. She took a deep breath and whispered, "Michael?" Allie felt a warmth all around her and she felt him touch her face. Her eyes filled with tears and she turned, almost certain she would see him, but there was no-one there. She gazed at Daniel, Susan and John playing with her children and heard him say quietly in her ear "So happy, love you all." She closed her eyes gasping, and with that the warmth was gone. She stayed motionless, recovering from the power of the moment, and didn't see Daniel climbing up to join her.

He wrapped his arms around her and said, "Hey beautiful. You okay?" She let herself sink into his body breathing him in and said, "Yeah Dan, I love you so much you know." She looked up smiling and he kissed her, "I love you too Allie." He held her tight for a couple of minutes and then said, "I think Susan and John are in love with this place." Allie looked over his shoulder to where John had climbed up to a part ruined tower, laughed softly and said, "Max and Margie said they'd be ready in thirty minutes. We'd better go let them know." She took Daniel's outstretched hand and they headed down the slope to join the others.