Two weeks went by quickly. And still no means of resolution offered themselves to me. I was lost in a secluded part of the world. With only one lonely man for company.
"Your move," said Jace, tossing the dice down to have it roll to a rest beside me. I spared a moment to appreciately glance at the numbers it added up to before I moved to pick it up. Rolling it in the palm of my hand and tossing it up contemplatively in the air.
I looked down at the monopoly board with a studied sigh, sad it had come down to this. Boardgames of all things. Ironic really where once I was made to play boardroom games instead. I found I didn't enjoy either. Not when I appeared to be in the losing streak in both.
But the high flying world with its high flying people were far away from here. So far that it existed only in my memories. Memories that chose to plague me in the dead of the night. Whether it was from the remembered stress of the work itself or from the bosses I worked for. Either way the memories were not pleasant. And when it wasn't past work harassment thst taunted me keeping me awake, it was the terrifying fear of physical assault or the mind numbing longing for a passion that only Eric could bring about.
All in all the weeks here saw me decidedly worse off than that restful first few days. Then there was the routine nature of farmlife that begun to grate past the first few days.
I rolled the dice then moved my play. The board was a fairly even split. But Jace had all the properties of value and a bank balance in his favour too.
A flickering image of Eric crossed my mind. He would pop up at the oddest times as I would contemplate his take on things. He would never have condoned my standing on this board game for one. Second place was never acceptable to him. I however was used to it. Second, third... to last place.
Just thinking about Eric raised my hackles. I bet that bounder didn't spare a thought at all for me. Not a call. Not a text. It was as if he and I never was. I wondered momentarily who his new flame was. He wasn't one to go without for long. He had a waiting list ready to usurp the places of his predecessors. Insert themselves in his lifestyle and delude themselves that they were irreplaceable.
Just as I had deluded myself.
The ping to the oven rang sharply. The roast was ready. I got up and slapped my pants down for the simple purpose of slaping away self pity.
I was better than this.
Christmas snuck up on me. Losing track of the festive season was not possible in a city that blatantly put it in your face before the month even arrived let alone the day.
But here secluded away from civilisation, it was an effort to remember such things. An effort Jace didn't bother to make and one in which I was to gloomy to notice. But Sam wished me this morning and so I set about preparing a suitable feast for it. The old chimney smoked heavily from the fire lit beneath. I was making my stew over its flames. The old crockery was dug out of dust for this purpose. It had lit a momentary spark of excitement. A sense of purpose to do all this for Jace. But now it all seemed rather flat. I wasn't even sure I had the appetite for it. And I had gone a little overboard. There was too much food for two. I was lucky I emerged from my gloom long enough to realise that fact earlier.
Sam and the boys had been cordially invited to dinner.
Having taken out the roast, I moved to my room to change my attire. The hour was drawing near. It was almost seven. Although you couldn't tell that from the sun still sitting high in tbe sky. But that was only to be expected in summer.
I splashed water over my face and hands to refreshen myself and changed into a simple cotton frock. Green and fairly new. I applied my make up with care then ran a brush through to fluff my hair.
The sounds of vehicles ariving could be heard closing in.
I moved out of my room passing a still shirtless Jace along the way and tossing him a re approving glare. But it was hot in here. The smoking chimney not helping. Even with the door kept open I was perspiring as well.
Placing what I hoped was a bright inviting smile I turned to greet the ariving ranch hands.
"Merry Christmas, Jo!"
I shivered in shock. "Eric?"
"Don't forget me," Nikki cried, lunging out from behind him to pull me into her perfumed embrace limp arms and all.
"Merry Christmas, darling! " Nikki exclaimed excitedly before she rushed off to toss herself into her equally surprised uncle's reflexively outstretched arms.
I turned away from their embrace and hesitantly raised my eyes back up to meet Eric's piercing dark gaze.
