Before Another War

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Kirk read the document through again. He was really going to do it. After years of debate, Kirk had made up his mind, but he knew it was the right decision. Now, all he had to do was press print.

Still, he knew the divorce wouldn't be easy. Who would get the house? The kids? Yet Kirk was truly miserable here, and he could tell it was rubbing off on the rest of his family.

Trudy had threatened to lock him out of the house just a few moments ago. Then, in a fit of rage, she'd stomped upstairs and into their room. He wished she'd had the decency to stomp off to another part of the house. Kirk had gotten home early for once, changing into his pyjamas. It had given him time to think. Now, with his renewed plans for the evening, he'd need to get dressed again. But he couldn't face Trudy for a while.

With a smile, he thought back to when they were first married. They'd been so happy then. What happened? He and Trudy never used to argue. At least, not like they did now. Kirk had been too timid to raise his voice with her. Yet, over the years, he'd become braver. I need to get out. He'd found the papers online. They'd been sat in an open tab on his computer for a week, giving him time to go back and forth over his decision. Not because of Trudy, but because of the kids. Hopefully, I'll get them at weekends.

However, Kirk had something else he needed to do tonight. Just a few hours earlier, it had hit him. Until Nadia was found and Cyrille was caught, he'd be living in fear, always checking over his shoulder for a gang member who'd decided he was too much of a liability. Kirk didn't know if it was the terror, or if he just wanted a distraction from his family, but he needed to tell the truth, the whole truth. And suddenly, sorting out the divorce didn't seem so terrifying.

He printed off the documents. Trudy would find them in the morning, on the kitchen table. Kirk had a feeling he wouldn't be coming home tonight. He resented himself for his cowardice, but he was petrified of what Trudy would do to him once she found the papers.

Kirk grabbed the paper from the printer, set everything up, and began to leave. Silently, he opened the front door and walked out into the garden. Freedom. Bugger the pyjamas.

Kirk breathed happily in the midnight air and strolled down the street. Once he'd had a moment, Kirk knew he had to get on with his next job. In his naivety, he hoped it wouldn't take long.

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The bus ground to a halt as it pulled into the cul-de-sac. Alex was sat with the brown bag on her lap, with Cornelius next to her. The house was way out into the suburbs of the city, and Alex would admit to never having been there before. Obviously, however, Cornelius knew the way. He leapt up and dashed out of the bus while Alex stumbled behind him.

'Thank you!' she said to the tired, middle-aged bus driver who only grunted in reply. She followed Cornelius through the streets, which were spacious and green with houses made from beautiful sandstone. Alex had been expecting a derelict place with stray cats and tipped over trash bins — but it wasn't. The gardens were well kept, many of the neatly bordered by hedges. Although, there was something off-putting about seeing them in the dark.

Without warning, Cornelius stopped sharply as they reached a home that looked like any other on the street. It was two stories with big square windows. Cornelius paced up towards the door, strutting through the colourful garden. Meanwhile, Alex hung back, noting that all of the windows were lit up, either a big family or just one that didn't care about their electricity bill.

'Are you sure this is it?' She asked. Surely this neighbourhood was too nice to be involved with gangs?

'Of course it is,' he snapped, 'I grew up here.'