Proserpina
The children spoke to Lucien every day, twice a day. Without fail. Even if it was midnight in the US, he would be wide awake, smiling, listening to their excited chatter indulgently. He seemed eager to hear them, to see them and terribly reluctant to stop their long conversations. We barely exchanged a few clipped words. It hurt me but I carried on with a brave face.
***
Lucien
Lucien hated to see them go, his wife and his children. But he wanted her to make up her mind, to explore, and to live. In his heart he knew he trusted her; she would never look at another man. Now he waited for the calls from his twins; listening to them eased his loneliness in the great mausoleum of a house that was empty and seemed devoid of noise.
How had he lived here before Proserpina and the children had come and made his house a home, he wondered as he sat in the huge dining hall, eating silently.
The food seemed tasteless and he had snapped at Beatrice on more than one occasion over the quality of the food.
'The f*ck are you feeding me, you old witch!" he bellowed, almost knocking over the glass of whiskey which was what kept him from staying awake all night.
The old woman had bristled but he knew that she would never leave him; she loved Proserpina and he had seen how she had clung to the young woman as his Woman had been preparing to leave, her beautiful face set and determined, a study in pain.
Pain that he had inflicted.
Finally, she had said, her hands on her hips, face dark with annoyance; 'No one can cook as good as Proserpina, and that's the truth.'
With that dramatic pronouncement, she had stormed back to the kitchen.
***
Proserpina
My work was completed in a month. Actually, I rushed through it, I wanted to return home
And Sandy Burns had come to me one afternoon, troubled and anxious.
"What?' I asked, her edginess rubbing off on me. "It's...ummm...it's Dmitri.'
She said, her voice strained.
"What about him?' I asked in alarm.
She sat down beside me, her hands folded. I looked at her wide-eyed. Sandy was not a person who minced her words. Looking me straight in the eye, she said. "Beston's men have informed him that ...Lucien might be in danger.'
She sighed and looked at her boot-clad feet and went on reluctantly as I stood, breathing fast, 'There was an incident; an attempt to shoot him when he was on his way to the city...but he managed to escape...' And no one had informed me about it, I thought bleakly.
The bald statement had me turning rigid. Not again, dear God! I thought, please. I stood up and began to pace up and down.
She watched me expectantly. I stopped, coming to a decision. "We are leaving. At the end of the week.' I announced firmly.
She looked at me, unblinkingly. "And what about your work?', she said. I shook my head firmly. 'There are people like Ryoko and Kioshi who are capable enough, I replied.' I have laid the groundwork, they can continue and besides, I shall be guiding them. And Alex will be taking charge.' But, I told myself, there is no way I shall lose my man.
If he could not say it, I was mature enough to understand that he was damaged, he had undergone too much for him to change.
Danielle had been talking to me regularly. From her, I had gleaned the information that my husband was keeping away from women; he had not had a single woman since Claude had been born, I knew that. As for his drinking, he had curtailed it magnificently. He was spending most of his time at the huge basement gym at the Club.
But I feared for him. I had almost lost him once. I was not going to take a chance again. We booked our flight back home.. Then I called Lucien.
***
Lucien
Lucien was surprised when he saw his wife was calling him. It had been a busy day. He had had meetings with his counterparts from Cuba and the Philippines. Tomorrow he was to meet another group from East Europe. Now that Shark was no more, the work he had been handling was being done by Danielle. Schwartz seemed preoccupied these days, he mused as he stood up, preparing to leave for the house. His bodyguards stood, ready and waiting to escort him.
Lucien touched his revolver absentmindedly. After that dreadful day, he made sure that he was always packed.
The phone pinged and he frowned as he picked it up. Seeing his wife's name flashing on the screen, he pressed the screen hard, his hands sweaty.
Her face appeared, pale and tense. She looked worried. " 'Lucien,' she began in a breathy voice and he realised that she was upset. "Lucien..'
"What is it? Is it the children?' he shouted, panic in his tone. "NO!' she snapped. And then, in a softer tone, she went on, "I...I mean... I called to tell you that we are returning. Tomorrow.'
He stared at her, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.
They were returning?
The jolt of happiness that shot through him was almost physical in nature. "Why...?' he sounded harsh, disguising his happiness. 'Have you come to a decision, Woman?' The pain in his voice was clear. She hesitated and opened her mouth to reply, her face flushing as she said, "I am returning to ...' And that was when Claude's wails pierced the air.
"Ria and Piers are here," she said hurriedly and disappeared.
He sank onto his chair, settling down to listen to his daughter and his son as they gabbled away. They enjoyed being in Japan, the quaint little place they were residing in had caught their fancy.
But the excitement they felt was apparent as they spoke of seeing him soon.
Lucien was smiling in anticipation as he shut off his phone.
Soon, he thought, soon, I shall see them again.