Splintered Lives (10 page)

David is finding his job less than satisfying and when he sees an advert in the Guardian Newspaper’s educational section for a lecturer at the prestigious Manchester University ‘s Science Department he is very tempted to apply.

He worries about Charlie but he thinks that they can perhaps move together if they can find a house where they have their own space but still have the company of each other.

Its four years since his mother died and Charlie is about to retire from his job.

He knows his father will hate to live in the city but there are semi-rural areas around Manchester and with luck they may find something within driving distance of the University.
 
When he approaches his father, Charlie is ready to move on.
 
His house has not felt like home since Amy died and although he has many happy memories of their life together, he now feels it is time to move on.

David applies and is successful in securing the position of senior lecturer in the Science Department.
 
His salary will increase and with the help from his father he will be able to find a home suitable for both their needs.
 
David does not start his new position until September and this gives them time to find suitable accommodation.
 
They spend the summer looking for a home somewhere they will love to live.

On one of their rovings they stumble on to the tiny village of Rivington on the outskirts of Manchester.
 
There is a country park where Charlie can wander and David also, on weekends.
 
The village is very close to a the small town of Horwich and quite near to Bolton, where there is a theatre and a good busy market, as well as, a number of first class shops and supermarkets. They find an estate agent and start their quest for a house to suit the both of them.

They find a remote cottage overlooking a reservoir and they both fall in love with it.
 
It is not cheap but after reviewing their financial position, they agree that they can afford it with the money from Charlie’s bungalow and the sale of David’s terrace house.
 
They may have to take out a small mortgage but with David’s new job it will not be a hardship.
 
Charlie will have his pension and they will have a comfortable life style.
 

“This is great,” shouts Charlie as he circles the grounds of the house by the water.
  
He is making plans for the garden and the idea of growing fruit and vegetables is exciting Charlie.
 
There are a few fruit trees and gooseberry bushes as well as raspberry canes and blackcurrant bushes.
 
Charlie has always loved to garden but has not had the amount of land that they have now.
 

“I’m going to love it here.”
 
He says quietly to himself.
 
He has worked as a volunteer in Ruthin for the Samaritans and with their contacts they have found him a place in the Bolton branch.
 
He has found many friends within the organisation and he knows that there will similar types of people in his new branch.

David settles into his new position and he finds his colleagues are friendly and they include him in their out of work activities.
 
He soon makes friends and they show him the ropes of working in the city, the best restaurants, the theatres and the various clubs.
 
David has been used to city life before when he worked as a civil engineer, but they were only short stays and most of his life was lived in the small town of Ruthin.
 
Charlie has started work on the garden and he finds there are friendly people who are walking the paths around the reservoir, who stop to have a word with him.
 
He finds the locals very friendly and his work for his local Samaritans, very rewarding.
 
He is really glad that they have made this change.
 
He finds David is a lot happier, as he is getting much more satisfaction out of his more challenging job.

“How about a look around the area.” Asks Charlie one weekend in late October.

“We have been here two months now, and because of the work we have been doing on the house and garden, we haven’t had time to look around and about.”

“Sure.” Replies David who is feeling a bit stir crazy, what with all the preparations for his lectures, as well as, helping his father with a bit of decoration some weekends.

“Let’s have a look around
Rosefield
Park
, my friend James at work, tells me that you get a good Sunday lunch at the Black Horse.”

“Great,” replies his dad.
 
I’ll just get my boots on and we can have a walk around our lake first.”
 
“It’s a bit muddy by the looks of it, and the few walkers I’ve seen walking along the path from here, all wear walking boots.”

“I’ll get my boots if I can find them, I think they are in one of the boxes I have not yet unpacked.” Says David halfway up the stairs in his half of the house.

They set off at a good pace along the edges of the reservoir and find the terrain quite challenging.
 
Some of the way is very muddy, but as they walk across fields in order to get them back on to the hard paths around the water’s edge, they find the views enchanting, as the trees are slowly turning from green to the various shades of autumn, red, gold and yellow.

“I’m really glad we made this move, son,” says Charlie who is glowing from the brisk walk and the fresh air.

“Me too,” replies David, who is pleased that his father is so fit for a man of his sixty years.

“How far are we off this restaurant you promised me,” asks Charlie, “I’m famished with all this exercise.”

“About half-hour up this road and along that smaller reservoir and we should be there.”
 
David replies.

They trudge along in companionable silence until they see the building they have been looking for.

They have their own friends. David sometimes invites his friend from work to visit him, and Charlie has made a host of friends, who are local neighbours, and who have taken an interest in what Charlie has done to the house by the shore.

In the following Spring David gets an invitation from Ann in Cork to her forthcoming wedding.

He has kept in touch with Ann and John from college, but Sarah has not kept up with any of them except Ann, who has heard from her from time to time.
 
Since Sarah did her V.S.O. service she has been very out of reach.
 
Ann has not had too much communication with her, but she has said that Sarah is now back home and has a teaching position near her family.
 
It is not unusual for college friends to lose contact because of the pressure of their busy lives.

He is looking forward to Ann’s wedding and he arranges a Friday afternoon flight to Cork.
 
He finds a hotel on the Internet and books in for the Friday and Saturday nights, so that he will be home in time for work on Monday.

Chapter 15

David finishes work early on the Friday of his visit to
Southern Ireland
. He has packed a bag the night before and has it ready in his car.
 
He will drive to Manchester airport and leave his car there.
 
Charlie has now found a lot of cronies who give him a shout on their way out on their walks, and if he is not too busy with his garden, he will go on long hikes with them.
 
His father is far from lonely so David is happy to live his own life.

He arrives in Cork after a short easy flight.
 
The weather is sunny and he finds that Cork a captivating city, there are entertainers on the city centre streets, musicians, street dancers and acrobats, all giving sterling performances.
 
The people stop to watch and give generously, of their time and money.
 

David loves the atmosphere of the Cork streets and smiling to himself he finds his hotel.
 
John, his reconciled wife and his children have been invited to the wedding and David is looking forward to meeting his old college friend again.
 
He has not met John’s wife, Brenda, but he knows that John is so pleased that he has found happiness with his family again.

The wedding takes place at the Cork Catholic Church.
 
The bride and the two bridesmaids are lovely.
 
Ann with her thick shiny blond hair covered with a crown of white rosebuds and her white flowing dress held beautifully by her two small nieces make an enchanting picture, as they arrive at the church with Ann’s handsome father.
 
The bridegroom, standing at the front of the church, has the spring sun shining on his dark brown hair and his calm strong face.

“What a gorgeous couple they make,” thinks Sarah to herself.
 
She sits at the back of the church, so that she can watch the ceremony from afar, and her heart opens with love for the friend of which she feels a great respect.
 
“If Taj had lived would we have been able to marry and live a life as Ann and her husband will?” she wonders.

She spots John and his family a few rows in front of her.
 
She feels joy that he has found his life again.
 
Then she sees David sitting next to John’s young son.
 
He is saying something quietly to him, and she remembers how caring David was at college and she is pleased to see them all again.
 

None of her friends know about Simon.
 
She is not by any means ashamed of him, but her love for him and the life they share together is her own domain, and she hoards their time together jealously.
 
She has had no time in her life for distractions, and although she was persuaded by her mother to come today to Ann’s wedding, she is already missing her little boy.
 
Her father drove her to the airport on the Saturday morning and she arrived just in time to catch the wedding.
 
She has booked a late flight for this evening so that she may stay for the reception and be home Saturday night.
 
Her father will pick her up at midnight.

The long wedding service is over and the wedding party is gliding down the isle.

Ann and her husband look radiant.
 
The crowd outside the church, for photographs, is large and just as the limousine arrives for the bride and groom, Ann spots Sarah and throws her bouquet and Sarah catches it.
 
The milling crowd parts as the cars are lined up to take the guests to the reception and John touches Sarah on the shoulder with a hoot of pleasure.

“Where have you been all this time?” he asks as he hugs her to him with such force.

“I’ve been teaching in Bolton since I came home from Nepal.” She replies struggling to disentangle herself from John’s arms.

“Why have you not been in touch as you promised?”
 
He queried.

Sarah turned to find David standing near and ready to give her a hug too.

She feels so safe here with these lovely friends and she knows she should have explained her situation to them.

“Come on, introduce me to your family John, I’m so glad that you have won them back again.” Sarah says.

“This is my wife, Brenda.” John brings forth this beautifully turned out brunette with lovely long legs and glorious smile.

“I’m so pleased to meet you, after hearing so much about you, no wonder he fought to get you all back again.” Sarah says giving them her cheerful smile.

Sarah turns to David and asks, “How is your father, are you still living near to him in Ruthin.”

“Father is fine and we are living quite near to you if you work in Bolton.” David says