Heart Beat

Listen to your Heart

"Are you happy with me, Angie?" Simon sipped his latte as they sat in the park. The pond was small, scenic, and, despite its urban location, relatively peaceful. It had ducks and fish and trees and space. Green and pleasant space. A mecca for dog walkers, baby minders, and people looking to escape the hustle and bustle for a few minutes. In the summer, the benches were usually busy.

At 10.30 on a sunny but cool April morning, they had little trouble finding a seat. The two of them sipped their drinks and scoffed their cake. A pleasure neither of them would ever feel guilty about.

"What do you mean?" She rested her cup on the arm of the bench and broke off another piece of chocolate sponge. "Am I happy with you? What kind of question is that?" She popped it in her mouth, licking her fingers carefully.

Simon shrugged,
"Just what I say. Are you happy? Do you want more out of life than just a small-time photographers?"

"You're hardly small time, Simon. I don't think Kevin would appreciate you assessing his offer as nothing short of The Big Time! And what about that one last year? I mean, the Palace? Hardly low key..." she smiled, feeling slightly worried about where this was going.

Simon sipped his coffee. "You know what I mean. You could go anywhere, do anything, you're good at what you do, Angie. Very good. Studios would snap you up for their visual effects departments in a heartbeat. Studios like Marvel, for example." He looked at her and smiled. "I think I know someone who could put a word in?"

Angie blushed and laughed. "I hardly think so, Si! One phone conversation hardly warrants a job recommendation now does it. Even if it comes from Kevin Feige!"

"Oh, I wasn't thinking about him!" He winked, and she snorted.

"Yeah, well, HE has even less idea about me. At least Kevin's seen some of your work that I helped with." She finished her cake. "Where's all this come from? One minute you're rescuing me from the clutches of concussion, the next delving into my state of mind re the business?"

Simon looked at her and smiled, picking at the lip of his cup. Now, as she looked back at him, really looked at him, she noticed the touches of grey at his temples. The slight crinkling of his eyes even when he wasn't smiling and the 5 o'clock shaddow that was more dusty than it used to be. She saw the man who'd been her mentor, employer, and protector for over twenty years. For the first time, she felt she didn't know what was coming next.

"I'm thinking of retiring early." He said simply. He looked away over the pond. He didn't want to see the look he knew would be on her face at that moment. "I-I don't want to be working till I drop. I want to enjoy life. And I want you to be everything I know you can be, Angie." He risked a look. He was right.

Angie was horror stricken. Not that she didn't want Simon to have a life, but she couldn't imagine one for her that didn't include him. "Wh-what about Jenny?"

Jenny was his partner. They'd never married, but they'd been together forever. It was impossible to imagine his life without her.

"She's keen. We're thinking about investing in a place abroad. Sunshine, sea, relaxation. Maybe finally learn to scuba dive?" He looked over at her and grabbed her hand.

"It's still just a thought. I just wanted to bring up with you, as you do with family." He paused and smiled, his eyes sparkling with emotion he'd never really admitted to.

"You're special, Angie. Always have been." He swallowed and squeezed her hand. "I never had a little sister. Not until you." His voice was thick with emotion, and Angie felt her bottom lip wobble.

"Oh, Simon..." she barely whispered, struggling to retain her composure. She swallowed and sniffed loudly. "And as your little sister, I'm telling you I'm going nowhere until you lock the door and close the blinds on me. Tough luck, BROTHER!"

She shuffled along the bench and hugged him tightly. "Just as well. I've got a head injury. No other excuse for all this emotion. Can't begin to tell you how awkward this would all be if I wasn't concussed." She looked up at him and winked.

Simon laughed and ruffled her hair, eliciting a disgruntled 'Oi!' "And if you weren't concussed, I wouldn't risk you remembering any of this!"

With that, they stood, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, walk you home, Jen and me going to the pictures tonight, so I better not hang around. She's scary when I'm late." He grinned.

"As well she might be, putting up with YOU!" she punched him in the ribs gently. "Come on, I have a pizza in the freezer with my name on it."

They walked away down the road, chatting as they went. They didn't notice that someone was standing outside their studio, looking rather disappointed. He'd been in the area and decided to come and see their setup on a whim.

As he turned away, he spotted a couple walking down the road, laughing and chatting. He smiled ruefully. It had been a while since he'd had time to do just that. Just walk, talk and chill. As he watched, there was something about the woman's laugh that appealed. It was a blend of mischief and sex appeal. That man was a lucky guy.

Shaking his head, he walked back to his car. Back to plan A, phone them tomorrow. As he unlocked the car, his phone rang, and he closed his eyes, taking a breath. No rest for the wicked.

"Hi Susie." He tried not to sound fed up. It really wasn't her fault. "Yes, on my way, I just made a quick stop. Sorry. Yes, sorry. Yes, I remember. Sorry darling." He hung up and sighed. He really needed to sort that particular situation out, and do it quickly. Sorry seemed if not the hardest word, certainly the most common in his vocabulary to her these days.

Maybe the new series would be the perfect opportunity for some space. Maybe he could take some time just for him. No complications.

Little did Tom know that if he thought his life was complicated now, it was about to get a whole lot worse.