Masters And Lovers 1-4 novel Chapter 41

Michael…

He’s depressed…

What can I do?

Change of scene maybe?

*****

“Charlotte, I was thinking, we’re about due for your road-trip.”

She pauses, half a sausage impaled on a fork midway to her mouth. “Road-trip, Master? What road-trip?”

“Have you forgotten that you were bequeathed a house? And everything in it. Perhaps it is time to make good your claim?”

The half-a-sausage drops back to her plate. “Go back to the farm you mean? The last time I was there, they… they weren’t very welcoming.”

Michael is listening, chewing on toast and marmalade, suddenly looking more animated than he has for days.

Thank God…

“Things have changed since then, haven’t they,” he says. “You’ve spoken with your friend Tom. He knows the truth of what happened. And of course, there’s Chad.”

Still she stares at the sausage and the fried egg congealing by it. “I’m not sure…”

I pour myself more coffee. “Even if all you decide to do is sell the house, you’ll need to visit to go over the contents. And I would have thought there would be something there you would want to keep. Some memento of your Mr Kalkowski?”

“And if you really don’t want to…” says Michael “… we don’t have to visit your farm, although it would seem a shame. I would have liked to meet your old friends.”

She looks down, stirring the sausage through semi-solid yolk.

*****

Chad half supports the woman at the waist, guiding her movement over thick rubber matting. “That’s it. Now tuck in your head, down and roll… And as you come down, slap the mat, both hands, as hard as you can.”

She lands on her back with a thwack and a gasp. “That’s it. You’ve got the idea,” he says. “Now try it again, but without me in the way.”

As he moves to one side, he spots me. “James?” His brows rise. “Didn’t expect to see you in the gym. Something I can do for you?”

“In fact, there is. When you’ve done here, could I have ten minutes?”

“You can have it now.” He waves across to a girl in a tracksuit. “Jill, can you take over while I talk with Mr Alexanders.”

Chad strolls easily by me, moving with grace and a hint of restrained power. “So?”

“Not here. Somewhere private.”

“Your house then?”

“Nooo… I don’t want Charlotte to overhear.”

“Let’s grab a couple of coffees from the kitchen then and take a walk.”

Sally makes two steaming mugs. “Sun’s shining, but it’s nippy out there,” she comments, glugging a shot of brandy into each.

Mugs in hands we sit on a bench, looking down over the meadows and down to the lake. Chad sucks at his mug then smacks his lips. “This private enough? What’s so secret?”

“Not secret exactly, but I wanted to ask you a favour without you feeling pressured into agreeing for the wrong reasons.”

“James, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“You and Charlotte… Jenny to you… you broke up because…”

“Because I’m gay, yes. So?”

“I gather that your mother blamed her for the break-up? And later took the opportunity to be sure that she wasn’t welcome back in the area.”

“Ah…” Chad sighs out steam fragrant with alcohol. “I see where this is going.”

“I’d like to take Charlotte back there, to visit your Mr Kalkowski’s house, but she’s reluctant. I think the trip would do her good. And I’m trying to shake Michael out of his depression too.”

“And you’d like me to go along?”

“Yes, if you’re willing.”

He takes a mouthful of coffee, staring down at the lake. Then another. “I should have done this years ago. Yes, I’ll go. And I’ll take Seb along too.”

“Sebastian? Is that a good idea?”

He chuckles. “It’s a very good idea. My mother’s too fond of imposing her ideas on everyone else. It will do her good to have someone rattle her cage.”

*****

It’s a pleasant trip, if a long one. Driving beyond the City, away from our mountain, and north. We stop overnight en route and get an early start the following morning. Just before lunchtime, we arrive at what was once the home of Charlotte’s beloved teacher, Mr Kalkowski; now bequeathed to her in his will.