The Selfless Gene

Chapter 45

The change of plans made Thame wary. The move meant that The Intern's security would be comprehensively prepped and he'd be walking into a clear trap. Yet what choice did he have? He owed it to Isabella, to Andrea, to himself to be there. If it was a trap and everything ended at St Maria's, then so be it. No matter what they knew, he would be there. He would just have to be prepared. Be bold, make a stand.

Thame walks up to the church in the midst of people he doesn't know. They're a mixture of solemn colleagues, second cousins, wives, husbands and friends he never got to meet. Andrea and Daniel are waiting a little away from the church. Andrea, although already crying, had not lost the resolve she'd previously shown Thame. They all hug and slowly pigeon step towards the church. Thame liked Daniel, he was a good man. They can see groups of people already in small quiet conversations about nothing in particular: work, personal lives, the weather.

Thame pegs the security set-up almost immediately. There were two plain-clothed people at the gates to the church's grounds, wearing oversized coats and flesh coloured ear pieces. Two more were chatting at the entrance to the old church and four were already in the building, sitting near the front on the edge and back. He sees one of them send a text and assumes that there would be more coming now he's been spotted. Everybody's taking their seats, so Thame and Daniel join Eddie and Tony a row back from the front. Brazen, bold, beastly right in front of him. Andrea waits outside to join the procession and texts Thame to tell him that four more strangers had arrived and are waiting in the church foyer.

The crowd quietens down, people fiddling with their programmes. There, smiling and laughing back at Thame, is Isabella. He remembers the day when the photo was taken: it's been copied from his social media. A tiny gag reflex kicks into action. Fucking bastard. The church organ begins and everyone turns back towards the entrance. Isabella's Auntie is led down by Andrea, both already in tears. As she reaches the front, Isabella's Auntie clocks Thame and thanks him for coming with a squeeze of the hand. She's aged ten years since the wedding; she looks smaller, defeated. Behind them followed Isabella's casket, carried by frowning cousins and a crying Intern. He looks up, seeing the hand squeeze, and looks straight at him. Evil intent burns in his eyes, scorching a hole through Thame.

Andrea shuffles in between Thame and Daniel, a row behind Isabella's Auntie and The Intern. As the priest begins the ceremony, there are collective, muted and personal sobs; waves of shoulders move up and down as people choke up in their own time. Throughout unwanted hymns and religious readings, Thame stares intensely at The Intern's head. He killed her. He wanted to sing it from the rooftops. Following one of Isabella's favourite songs, The Intern gets up to talk about his memories of her and their special day.

Andrea squeezes Thame's hand with anger, clenching her teeth. Before he starts, The Intern looks up from his paper and locks eyes with Thame. A mixture of grief and anger washes over him and he feigns an attack of choked sobbing to hide it. The crowd partly sigh 'aww' and partly join in with their own tears. Before he can start, Isabella's Aunt helps him back to his seat. As he sits, he catches Thame's eye again. The fight had begun.

Thame's anger hasn't abated; he's still seeing Isa fly through the air and hearing the concrete break her. His veins are still poisoned by guilt and the Intern's look has triggered his devastation, the emotion rushing up through his throat. He fights to hold it down, making him heady and nauseous. His grief can only escape through a single tear, which falls at the end of the ceremony and runs down his now hardened stare.

As the service ends, the church's volunteer bearers pick Isabella's coffin up and take her out of the church. They head to the hole dug next The General, her final place of rest. The Intern and Isabella's Auntie are first out and everyone follows slowly. Thame doesn't immediately move and moves in to whisper to Andrea.