Part 5

Max pulled up and parked his car in the garage. Jack unbuckled the seat belt and climbed out of the car, looking around at the house.

"This is nice, Max."

"Yeah, we like it. Terry owns half of it."

Jack looked at him and followed him inside.

Connie met them at the door. "Hello, Jack." She hugged him and looked past him. Not seeing Terry, she turned to Max. "Terry?"

"Not coming. Where’s Toni?"

"In the lounge with the children. Max, what…?"

He shook his head and walked into the lounge.

Toni looked up from the floor where she was playing with Jacky. "Max…" she began, getting up.

"He didn’t come."

"From Australia?"

"From London. He went home." He caught Jacky up from his knees and held him.

Jack walked into the room, hesitated a minute, then went to Toni and held her close.

"Jack…Jack!" she pulled back and looked up at him.

"Toni…Pet…." He held her eyes. "I am so sorry."

"No, don’t be. Where’s Terry? Why didn’t he come?"

"He has some things to think about. It’s best he’s alone right now. He needed to sleep, rest after his trip."

"He’s mad at me." She rested her forehead on Jack’s chest, closing her eyes.

"Give him some time, Pet."

Toni broke away from him. "He doesn’t need any time! What happened?"

"I think we should go in the sitting room and talk about this," Max said, handing Jacky off to Connie, much to Jacky’s displeasure.

After Max and Jack had explained everything that had happened in London…

"You will be taken care of, Toni. Not to worry," Max said.

"Wait a minute! You act like it’s a done deal, like I have nothing to say here. I’m not going to hand my son over to Terry. He’s my husband. It’s not all up to him, what he wants. What makes you think I’m going anywhere?"

"You mean to fight him for Jacky?" Max asked.

"I mean to fight him for him. I know I’ve been living in a dream world. Jack, you’re part of that dream, but I don’t function there…I live with Terry. He is my life."

"Perhaps some time apart will help him to see and to understand where he is supposed to be, Pet."

"I…I can’t believe he doesn’t…want me." She put her head in her hands.

"I don’t think he knows what he’s talking about right now, Toni, love. Give him some time."

"No, I won’t! I’m going to London. I won’t let him do this to us."

"Toni, don’t! Wait a little. Give him a couple of days."

"Max, I can’t. Is there another train tonight?"

"No, love, and if there was I wouldn’t put you on it. I’ll take you tomorrow. He’s so tired tonight you couldn’t talk to him anyway."

"I could be there when he wakes up."

"Toni…." Max felt for her.

"Max, I didn’t go through all this…all those years…all that’s happened since then for him to tell me to fuck off!" Toni got up and walked across the room. Max caught her.

"Toni, there’s something else." He looked at Jack.

Jack stood up and walked over to them. "He’s  got some problems of his own to deal with. Let him have tonight, Pet. Tomorrow I will go with you. I don’t believe he’s in his right mind tonight."

Toni looked from Jack to Max. "Tomorrow?"

Max wasn’t sure why Jack hadn’t told her about his Australian, but he wasn’t going to mention it. "Tomorrow, love." Max thought his heart was going to break for her.

She left the room and went upstairs and once in her room she gave way. Locking the door she cried her heart out.

"This is not good." Max walked over to the empty fireplace.

"No, It is not. Of all the repercussions I thought may occur, I never thought he would leave her." Jack pushed back a stray strand of hair. I had no idea when I took her with me. I would never have done so, Max.."

"I have spent several years regretting the fact that I did not. What was I thinking?" He dropped his head.

"What are you talking about?"

"I could have taken her and I let it go… too concerned with everybody else. Too concerned for her feelings and Terry’s. I didn’t do it."

"You are talking about using your power, your element. Do you know that if it were Terry in your place he would have scorched the earth and hell be damned?"

Max looked at Jack. "I could still do it."

"Lay waste your family and hers? Are you prepared to do that?"

That’s what stopped him, Maxi and Jacky. "The children…"

"You would lose, Max."

"I don’t lose."

"Well then, the time has come and gone."

"Yes." He closed his eyes.

"You cannot do it. I am sorry for you, Max.

"If he does this…follows through with what he said tonight…then …"

"Have you that within you?"

"Yes."

"And what of Toni? What about the child she carries?"

"Yours…mine…!"Max was in a turmoil. Could he do it knowing what the outcome would be?

"Max, I will do what I can for the babe. My life is not quite my own. You must understand that."

"Yes, It would be loved and …"

Jack placed his hand on Max’s arm. "I do not doubt you."

Max turned toward the fireplace. Could he do it for her now with what was at stake? If he had to…oh, Toni.

Part 6

Terry woke early, before daylight. He’d been through so many time zones in the last forty-eight hours his body didn’t know day from night. He pulled on a pair of track pants and a tee shirt, went down to the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea. He carried it over, opened the back door and walked out in the garden courtyard. He sat down at the table, lit a cigarette and thought about what had happened the night before. He played it all back, how his brothers had gathered to tell him Toni was pregnant with Jack’s child.

He’d been tired and emotional then. He was clear headed now and he checked his watch. Another two hours and he would call Anna to go get Jacky. It was the only way. He just couldn’t deal with it anymore. He would always love her but she had never been totally his. Maybe that was his own fault. He took a drink from his mug. And maybe it wasn’t all his fault. It really didn’t matter now. He was going to set her free. He looked up over the back garden wall, the sun was turning the sky pale lavender. He had time for a run.

John woke up in Max’s bed and padded to the kitchen, looking for coffee. All he could find was some instant so he plugged in the kettle and waited, walking to the glass wall. The sun was trying to send rays down through the mist over the Thames. Damn Terry! How could he even think about leaving Toni? He decided to go see him this morning, see if he could talk some sense into him.

Terry was showered, shaved and dressed. He opened the door to a still rumpled- looking John.

"G’Day, John. Come in."

"Morning, Terry. I know you must have a real coffee pot here."

Terry smiled, "That I do. Come down to the kitchen." He hadn’t called Wiggins back in yet. It was on his list of things to do.

"How ya doin’ this morning? Get some rest last night?" John noticed he still had circles around his eyes.

"Yeah, I did. It takes a while to get the body clock reset, you know." Terry had the coffee pot going.

"That’s true. I thought I was waking up in the middle of the night. What passes for sun here was coming in through the window. So, ah, what’s on the agenda for you today?"

"Oh, I’ve got a couple of days to get organized here, get Wiggins back in. Um, Anna’s gone to Hartley Wintney for Jacky."

"You didn’t? Ah, fuck, Terry! Why are you doing this? That’s gonna tear her apart."

"I can’t help that. Better to do it now and get it over with." He found a coffee mug and poured John a cup.

"I was hoping after you slept on it you’d be thinking clearly today but I see that didn’t happen. You’re still muddied up. You haven’t even talked to her, have you?"

"No." Terry looked up, meeting his eyes as he set the mug in front of him.

"Don’t you think you owe her that? You two need to sit down and talk about this. It ain’t all up to you."

"If she’d wanted to talk to me she would have been here yesterday when I got home. She wasn’t."

"Well that ain’t her fault. Max and I thought it would be best if she stayed in the country until we had a talk with you and Jack."

"She can still think for herself. She should have known me a little better than that."

"This ain’t right, Terry. It’s going to blow everything apart. It’s not just you and Toni. It’s all of us."

"The ground shaking on your side of the pond?"

"No, and I don’t want it to, but it’s gonna shake over here. This is not the first time she’s been with Jack. Why are you blowing it up like this?"

"You’re right, it’s not, and probably won’t be the last, either, but that will no longer be my worry, will it? She can do as she pleases, John. I’m setting her free."

"She don’t want to be set free."

"I think she does. She wants her cake and eat it, too. Now she can. I’ve been through it all, John, tried to let her have it all. It’s taken too much from me. She likes to say we aren’t like other people. That’s bullshit. It is what it is, John…we are who we are. It’s been almost three years since I walked out of the House of Four Seasons with her. We’re just like everybody else on the street except for a few magical powers and, who knows, John Doe might have them, too."

"I don’t understand what’s got into you. Is it the fact that she’s pregnant with Jack’s baby? You can’t accept that? My God, you summoned Jack for her when you went off one time on one of your trips. You knew then what was going on. She was sleeping with him with your blessing."

"Things have changed. I’ve changed."

"Well maybe you shoulda clued her in on that change. What change are you talking about?"

"She’s not the only one that’s been unfaithful in our marriage. I don’t want to put her through what she’s put me through."

"You’re fucking around…?" John couldn’t believe it. "You got somebody else? Is that what’s driving this? You found another woman?"

"No, I haven’t ‘found another woman’, not one I loved."

"God damn, Terry!"

Toni rolled over in the bed and opened her eyes. She’d lain awake half the night and slept late. She’d heard voices in the hall earlier but didn’t wake up enough to recognize anyone. Now she was up and went into the bathroom, took a shower and dressed. She heard a knock on her door as she was tiding up the bedroom.

"Jack, good morning or afternoon. I think I’ve slept it away."

"Good morning, Pet. It’s still morning. How are you?"

"Okay, what’s…what’s going on this morning?" She was almost afraid to ask because she planned to go to London.

"Anna came for Jacky about two hours ago."

"She took him? No…why didn’t somebody stop her? Why didn’t somebody wake me up?"

"Max tried. Your door was locked. She told him he was going to see his father. He wanted to go with her, Toni."

"Oh no…!" Toni felt for the back of a chair and sat down. "He doesn’t want to see me. I can’t believe this is happening, Jack. I don’t know what to do!"

"Max had a call from John, who went over to see him this morning. He says he’s going to set you free." Jack went to her and took her in his arms. She was crying and shaking. "Now, Pet, we’re not through with him yet."

"Max, you’re not going into the bank today?" Connie asked.

"Um, no…not today."

He’d been distracted all morning and unusually quiet. Connie knew he was upset over Terry’s actions, especially the nanny coming for Jacky. "Is there something I can do…possibly talk to him? I don’t know that anything I could say would sink in right now but I’m willing to try."

Max looked at her. "He’s not in a listening mode right now." He looked down at the cup of tea he had in his hand. "We were supposed to go to La Siroque this week. I don’t think I’m going." He sipped his tea.

"Do you want me to stay until this…crisis is over?"

"No, um, you go ahead. Maybe go to your Dad’s. He’d like that."

"Yes, he would. Will you stay here at the cottage or…?"

"I’m not sure. Probably not…I don’t know."

"Okay…well, should I make the travel arrangements or…?"

"No, I’ll call and arrange it. I’ll do it now." Max left the kitchen, Connie staring after him.

He was back in a few minutes. "Tomorrow at 11:00 out of Gatwick. I’m going to London to see Terry. I’ll call you later."

"Okay…give him my love." Max gave her a quick kiss, felt for his keys and left.

Part 7

Wiggins let Max in the door and directed him to the courtyard. Terry was out in the garden with Jacky.

Max walked out and Terry turned. "I should lock my door."

"Wouldn’t do you any good."

"It must be brother day. The only one who hasn’t been here is Jack, but he was here last night."

"I want to know what the fuck you’re doing."

Terry sighed and sat down in one of the chairs. "I should have called a meeting so I don’t have to repeat myself. I’m setting her free. She can do what she wants, Max. You should be glad to hear that."

"You’re fucking with our lives, Terry."

"No, I’m not. I’m tired of having mine fucked with. So if you’ve come to try and talk some sense into me as John said he’d come for, you’re wasting your time. I’ve got my head straight. I know what I’m doing."

"Anna came for Jacky before Toni was even awake this morning. She didn’t know until a couple of hours ago. She’s devastated. Is that what you wanted to do, is it? She was coming to London this morning to talk to you, wanted to come last night but I wouldn’t let her. She’s hurt, she’s all to pieces. You’ve succeeded."

"I’m sorry. I know this is not easy for her but it’s best to make a clean break than drag it out. I don’t want to hurt her. I love her. I always will, but we can’t live like this. I don’t want to live like this. She’s yours, Max. That’s what you always wanted, right?"

"I should beat the shit out of you."

"Is that what you came for?"

"What is wrong with you? What the hell happened to you in Australia?"

"In Oz, nothing, nothing that wouldn’t happen anywhere and probably will." Terry lit a cigarette and offered one to Max. He looked up, meeting Max’s eyes and lit it for him.

"You know what I’m going to do."

"I always knew you would one day.  Said as much to Toni one time.  Does Jack know?"

"He knows. I don’t like it, Terry. This is not what I wanted, not the way I wanted it."

"We don’t always get what we want, do we?"

"Jacky…?"

"Stays with me. She can see him when she wants."

"You’re fucked up, Terry, and you can’t see it. I’m telling you…you are and because of that you’re fucking everybody else up."

"I’m not responsible for what you or anybody else does, only for myself and Jacky.  Where’s Connie?"

"I’m sending her back to France tomorrow."

"She has no idea…you’re as fucked as I am."

"I’ve been that way for a long time. I don’t know what is going to happen or how.  This is not easy for me. She loves you so I’ve got that to deal with."

"Time…time heals everything."

"The timing is not right. Just when things started working out for me…"

"Sorry about that…but, then, you don’t have to do anything, do you?"

"Won’t you talk to her?"

"My mind is made up."

"You don’t trust yourself with her. Is that it is that why you won’t see her? I need to know these things, Terry, because if I clear the landscape you’re going, too."

"I don’t trust myself with anybody of the opposite sex. I’ll see her if she wants. I owe her that but it won’t change anything that’s happened to either one of us." Jacky, tired of his trucks, came over and climbed up in Terry’s lap, thumb in his mouth. Terry cuddled him. "This is what is important to me…right here."

Max thought of Maxi. The pain in his chest made it hard to swallow. He got up, looked at Terry for a moment, and left.

As he was getting in his car his phone went.

"Max, I’m trying to get to the cottage. What train is it that goes down there?"

"Where are you?"

"Uh, Victoria Station."

"Walk out front. I’ll be there shortly. I’m just leaving Terry’s."

"Do any good there?"

"No."

"All right. I’ll wait for you."

"I got thoroughly disgusted with him this morning and told him so. He’s making the biggest mistake of his life."

"He’s a hard-headed bastard, John." Max pulled out into the traffic.

"He’s gonna break us all up, you know that."

"Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Look where it’s gone, Toni carrying Jack’s child."

John looked out of the window. "I never was in favor of that anyway. Terry should have stopped that a long time ago."

"Yes, I agree with you, but he didn’t…and here we are."

"You know he’s screwing around on Toni?"

"Yeah, Jack told me. He didn’t know he could. He found out when he was going to that psychiatrist. Toni told me about that."

"Well, what are we going to do about Toni? The son of a bitch has taken Jacky from her."

"I’ll take care of her."

"You got your own to take care of."

"I’ll manage."

"If there’s anything I can do? I mean she can come stay with us for awhile."

"She has a place to stay for as long as she wants."

"You mean the cottage?"

"Yes, for now anyway." He pulled out onto the motorway.

"You know that year we all married at the House of Four Seasons, I knew then what was gonna happen next. Didn’t know it would come so soon. I thought it would be you because you were the first one to marry her."

"I didn’t know it would come so soon either, John. That was all Terry’s work but it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t be the one she chose when the time came. Among other things, he’s a smart bastard."

"It shoulda been  you. Think what a different life she’d have had. All the stuff that happened with Terry, she would have been spared that. He ain’t such a smart bastard right now."

"I agree, it couldn’t have come at a worse time for me, but that’s okay. I’ll deal with it."

"And there’s Jack now. Toni’s gonna have his baby and no father. Jack can’t be around that much."

"It will have a father."

"It won’t be Terry unless he…you?"

"Yes, me."

"Connie okay with this and what makes you think Toni will give it up?"

"She doesn’t have to give it up. It has nothing to do with Connie."

"Max, what are you going to do?"

"What I should have done a long time ago."

"You’ve lost your fucking mind! The whole lot of you are nuts!"

Max turned and smiled. "It’s less complicated in Maine."

Part 8

Once at the cottage, John went upstairs to see Toni. Connie said she’d slept a little and she’d just taken her a cup of tea.

Max went into the lounge where Jack was entertaining Maxi.

"Toni, you up?" John stuck his head in the bedroom door.

"John…?" Toni sat up on the bed. "I’m a mess."

"You look good to me." He came over and kissed her. "Rough day."

"Yeah, it has been. I was, uh, going to London but…."

"I wouldn’t go there today, sweetheart. I hate it for you."

"I don’t know what I’m going to do. He’s taken Jacky and himself away from me. I can’t live like this. I don’t understand it. I mean I know he’s angry about Jack and about the baby but…."

"I think it’s more than that, Toni. He ain’t thinking straight. I went to see him this morning, hoping you know, but I didn’t do any good. Maybe sitting up there without you for a few days will bring him around. I don’t know. He’s cold. You know what I mean?"

"Yes, I think so, John. That’s the way he was when I first met him. He’s got that shield up again. Nothing can touch him inside."

"You broke it down once before."

"I know, but he wanted me to then and now…he doesn’t want me at all." Her voice broke and fresh tears began gathering on her cheeks.

John found the tissue box on the bedside table and wiped her eyes. "I don’t think he knows what he wants. He thinks he does. Give him a little time, honey."

"Connie’s going back to France tomorrow and I thought I might ride with them. Maybe Max can drop me off so I can talk to him and see Jacky. It  just…that’s my home, my things are there…my life is there and everything that means anything to me, Terry and Jacky."

"Well, maybe we should call first and make sure, you know. If Max drops you off and he won’t see you then…"

"I’ll sit on the door step until he comes back for me. I’ll pound on the door. He can’t keep me from Jacky."

"Talk to Max, Toni." He hugged her. Max would take care of her. He knew that but at what a cost to him?

"What did he have to say for himself?"

"Pretty much the same thing he said to you last night and to John this morning. He gave me Toni."

"The bloody bastard!" Jack turned and walked the length of the lounge and back.

"He knows what I’m going to do."

"Do you know…truly, do you?"

"Yes. I’m going to tell Connie in the morning."

"Why not tell her now? What are you waiting for?"

"He said he would see Toni if she wanted to see him. I’ll give him that."

"Your timing is off, Max. That needs to happen before you say anything to Connie. He may relent and all would be for naught."

Max thought about that. "I can take her tonight if he’ll see her."

"She’s not good today. I’ve been with her most of the day. I fear for her, Max. The bond between them is strong. If he breaks it…."

"I’ll be there for her."

"Whatever you decide to do, you have my full support. It won’t be easy for you. I’m still not sure how you plan to divide yourself. What if Connie will not agree? She may divorce you."

"She may. I’ll weather that storm when it comes…whatever comes."

"Then call him and take her to him but prepare yourself, Max. She may not come back with you."

"I’m well aware of that. It’s a chance I’ll have to take."

Max made the call to Terry, who agreed to see her. He went upstairs to tell her.

"Hey, Max, you need to talk to Toni?" John got off the bed.

"Yeah, John, if you don’t mind."

"What is it now?" she asked.

"I’ve talked to Terry just now. He’s agreed to see you tonight to talk to you. Are you up for the trip?"

"Tonight…yes. I need to um get myself together." She ran her hand through her hair.

"Cold tea bags on your eyes." Max smiled a little.

Toni grabbed him around the neck and squeezed. "I need your strength."

"You’ve got it. I’ll be with you but I’ll give you whatever privacy you need with him."

"He may toss me out."

"I’ll catch you."

"And if he doesn’t?"

Max blinked, "I’ll still be here. Toni, I can take whatever life throws at me. I’ll make it work."

"I love you, Max."

He buried his face in her hair for a minute and then pulled back. "You’d better start gathering yourself. I’ll see you downstairs." He kissed her lightly on the lips and left her room.

Toni took another shower and washed her hair. She carefully made up her face, trying to cover the ravages of the day. She dressed in her good clothes and went downstairs. Max was at the bottom of the stairs. He looked at her and smiled.

"You look ravishing."

Jack and John both came out and kissed her, wishing her luck. Connie came up and gave her a hug. She took a breath and left with Max.

She buckled herself in. "How many times have you been up and down the motorway today?"

"Twice today, twice yesterday. I just put it in gear and it knows where to go."

"I’m nervous."

"I’m sure you are. It’s only Terry."

"You saw him today. How was he?"

"Ah, he looks good a little gray around the eyes."

"What did he say about me?"

"Now that would be between him and me. Sorry, I won’t say."

"Then it wasn’t good."

"That depends. Just give it your best shot, love."

"Don’t let me walk into something I’m not prepared for. You’ve got to help me, Max."

"Jack’s already told you he wants to set you free. He wants to keep Jacky with liberal visitation rights for you. Beyond that I…."

"What about what I want? Doesn’t that count with him?"

"You’ll have to ask him that. Don’t start, Toni. You’ll muss your face."

Part 9

Wiggins answered the door with a pained look. "Himself’s in the lounge."

"Jacky?" Toni asked.

"Miss Anna’s taken him to the park." She looked at Max and winked. "You come down in the kitchen I’ll make a pot of tea."

Max touched the middle of Toni’s back and followed Wiggins downstairs. Toni walked into the lounge to find Terry looking out of the French doors into the garden. She wanted to run to him and hold him. Six weeks it had been. He heard her come in and turned.

"Toni…hi. Come and sit." He moved to the sofa and sat in the middle which put her on the opposite sofa from him.

"Hi, Terry," she said softly.

"You wanted to see me."

"That’s an understatement."

"I came home yesterday."

"I wasn’t here. I wanted to be."

"If you had wanted to be home, you would have been. What did you want to see me about?"

"I remember you, cold, detached, covered in an invisible shield, a protective shield. You didn’t want to be there."

"That won’t work, Toni. I’ve been there and back." He spoke softly.

"You wanted me to break through…but not now? I’m the same person I was."

"I’m not. We’ve come through a lot together, Toni. I’ve loved you. I will always love you, but we can’t live this life together anymore. I can’t trust you and you can’t trust me. Neither of us need that."

"Terry, I’m sorry about Jack. I should never have. I know that now. I knew it then but…."

"But you did it anyway. I don’t put all the blame on you and Jack. I’m responsible, too. I should never have allowed it to begin with. I was so convinced we were different and different rules applied. I was wrong. We aren’t any different and infidelity is what it is. We left the House of Four Seasons nearly three years ago. The time for sharing you was over the day we walked out of it."

"You knew what was happening. Why didn’t you stop me? Why didn’t you say something?"

"Oh, I was worse than that. I sent Jack to you. I didn’t know what else to do at the time. You were falling apart because I was on a mission to save someone’s life. I’m stuck out in the middle of nowhere and I couldn’t do anything for you. Like I said, I’m responsible, too. People don’t live this way, luv."

"We don’t have to. It can be different, Terry. Don’t do this. I don’t want to be with anybody but you."

Terry smiled a little. "You can say that, carrying Jack’s child? I don’t want to be with anybody but you, either, but I have been. So you see about trust…"

Toni’s eyes widened. "You’ve found someone else…?"

"I found someone. There are lots of someone’s out there. I’ve never loved anybody but you."

Toni had kept her composure. She looked down at her hands. "Love’s not enough? You don’t want me anymore?  I’m not so special anymore to you? All we’ve been through, all we’ve shared, the love…Jacky. You’re turning your back on all of it…except Jacky. You’ll keep that, but not me. Well, I think you’re going to regret this for the rest of your life. Nobody will ever love you like I do." Toni got up, her face coming apart and she turned away from him, stopping on the other side of the sofa. "I…I wasn’t going to do this. I’m not sure either one of us deserves it. If I don’t see you by six in the morning I don’t ever want to see you again. I’ll be in our room at the cottage."  She walked toward the door, stopping at the top of the stairs to the kitchen. "Max, I’m ready to go."

Terry walked toward the door as it closed behind Toni and Max. He felt like he’d been gutted. He stood there for a long time letting the tears run freely down his face. That’s where Wiggins found him and led him to the sofa with a cup of tea.

"There now, you ‘ave yer tea and then…then we’ll see what’s what."

Max led Toni to the car and buckled her in. "What do you want to do? Where do you want to go?"

"Your car knows the way. Take me there."

Max looked at her. "And then what?" He could barely breathe. She’d come away.

"I’ll know by six in the morning." She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"You gave him an ultimatum?"

"Sort of. He’ll either be with me in the morning or he won’t. That’s the way I left it."

It was quiet in the car, Max thinking. If Terry didn’t show up by six then it was up to him. He would have to tell Connie, say goodbye to life as he knew it. He didn’t want Toni to know what he was planning because he knew she would object. A done deal is what he would present to her. She would be his and he would be hers. It wouldn’t be easy. Neither one of them would have their child. A lot of pain and sacrifice there. He would lose the chateau. Aubrey would see to that. He still had the flat and the cottage. Maybe Terry would sign over his half to Toni?

"Max, you missed the exit."

Brought out of his reverie, he muttered, "Bollocks!"

Toni put her hand on his shoulder. "I feel better now, you know, just having seen him and hearing what he had to say."

"What did he have to say?"

"It’s all about infidelity and trust. He’s had a lover."

"How do you feel about that?" Max pulled off the next exit and turned around.

"I’m not surprised. I guess it was inevitable once he found out he could actually have one. But who am I to object? I have Jack’s baby in my belly. If he shows up by six all that will be behind me. There will be no more of that, Max."

"And…if he doesn’t?"

"I will never see him again. I don’t know what I will do. Go back to Virginia I guess and have my baby."

"The cottage, Toni, I’d like for you to live there."

"Thank you. That would be nice and convenient for Anna to bring Jacky down." She wiped her eyes.

At the cottage, Jack, John and Connie were watching out the front windows for Max’s car. Would she be with him or not? Connie spotted him pulling up the lane.

"She’s with him."

"Shit!" John said, jamming his hands in his pockets.

Jack moved to the window and watched them get out of the car. She carried herself well. She was okay. Max had her by the hand.

Toni went straight upstairs. Connie hesitated a moment and went after her.

"Toni, what happened?"

Toni told her some of it. "So don’t lock the door tonight just in case he wants in."

"You did well, Toni. I’ll say a prayer for you."

"Yes, do, because I really don’t know what he will do." She really didn’t. That wall he had up around himself was opaque.

Downstairs Max told John and Jack what he knew. "So gentlemen, that’s where we are."

"This will be a long night. John, perhaps we should leave?" Jack suggested.

"I’m not driving back to London tonight," Max said and went to the dining room drinks cabinet.

Connie came back down the stairs. "There’s food in the kitchen if anybody is hungry, Max, are you going to drink your dinner?"

"Yes, I believe I am."

Max was still at the drinks cabinet after everyone had gone to bed. He wanted to go up and talk to Toni but he held himself back…wait…wait and see. If the bastard didn’t show up by six, he himself would go into to her, all be damned. Connie had been down to check on him, finding him sitting in a chair in the sitting room in his pajamas. She left him quietly and went back to bed, not knowing exactly what kept him awake.

Toni tossed and turned, no sleep for her. What if he didn’t come? Could she bear it? She would have no choice but to put on a face and walk out of the bedroom alone.

Five o’clock in the morning Max made it to the top of the stairs and sat down, leaning on the banister for support. He was unaware when consciousness left him.

He parked his car in the drive and stood quietly beside it, finishing his cigarette. He took a breath, stamped it out and walked into the cottage, dark and quiet, only one lamp burning in the lounge room. He went up the stairs, pausing on the top step, looked down at Max, smiled a little and briefly touched his hair.

It was a sleep of sorts that she’d fallen into, covers all askew, half on and half off the bed, the sheet barely covering her nakedness. She didn’t feel the bed give way beside her. What she felt was his tongue on her lips and instinctively her arms went around him, pulling him down on top of her. It was exactly 6:00.