FOLLOW YOUR HEART

Chapter 9 - So Crazy

The next day was another hot one, by UK and Canadian Shawn standards, and after a leisurely start to the day, partly because of a little tequila hangover and partly because of the novelty of waking up naked with each other, and what then naturally followed, they decided to use the pool, which Tally had already had cleaned and filled for the summer. The water was freezing as far as Camila was concerned but Shawn carried her in kicking and screaming and they had a fun afternoon. They lay getting dry and Camila read her book while Shawn listened to music on his phone. These little visits also had the added bonus of making them take time to relax. As busy over-achievers, they rarely had time that wasn't filled up with something, and this was a luxury.

"What are we going to do for dinner?" she asked.

"We could go to the pub?"

"We could get recognised, or photographed, and then how would we explain it?"

Funnily enough, neither of them were really thinking of their relationship beyond their monthly visits, and this brought everything into sharp focus.

"Would that be a bad thing?" Shawn asked, turning on his side on the lounger.

She raised her eyebrows, surprised. "I don't know, would it? How would we explain it? Not even our family and friends know about Garry, or this place, or the Will, let alone us."

"I don't think my friends and family would be that surprised about us." Shawn said drily. She blushed. Of course, all those songs, Shawn had been rather obvious. To most people.

"Well maybe we should do something about that, perhaps outside of our visits, and then we could go to the pub. Not this time, but maybe next time or the time after."

"You want to make it public?" She was nervous. She liked the secretive part of their once-a-month rendezvous. And it was still new. What if it didn't last? "Can we just see how things go? I don't know that we're ready to go public just yet."

"No, of course not," he said quickly. His face was pink and not just from the sun. "So, dinner?"

They ordered a pizza in the end, and a tattooed young guy with a shaved head riding a moped delivered it. His name was Arthur and he also cleaned chimneys, if they needed it, and he gave them his business card. It was still warm, even Arthur was sweating buckets, and after he departed, they took their pizza out to the pool and ate it then had another little swim before going upstairs to shower. This time they DID make love in there, and then again in their bed, before falling asleep in each other's arms.

On the third day, Shawn used the gym, and Camila went down to her room to get clothes and found herself staring at the items she had laid out in the dressing room. She picked up the first of the unread letters.

"Dear Papa,

Mama is sick. She doesn't know I'm writing. I know I have never met you but she has told me a lot about you. I am twelve now. I have learned English in school and I am a good student. I think you should come and see her because the doctor says she doesn't have long.

Your loving daughter."

There was no name. It was dated June 1973.

She reached in for the next letter and found it was a typed item, from a lawyer in Singapore.

"January 19, 1974

Dear Sir,

I regret to inform you that Miss Jamila Singh passed away four days ago after a long illness. She leaves behind her daughter, Putri Margaret, on whose birth certificate is written your name as father. Please advise what actions you wish to be taken regarding her guardianship.