At the airport she was met by her long time and many time colleague and friend Simon
''You look like shit honey'' he kissed her on both cheeks.
''Thank you Simon darling and I've missed you too!''
They laughed and hugged ..as was their usual greeting.
Simon held her at arms length and looked her up and down shaking his head in pity...........''So care to tell me why you look so crap?''
''It was a long flight'' ......Heather said looking in another direction.
Simon tugged her arm..making her look at him. ''No it wasn't... I flew in from Moscow and I look great''
''So modest Simon...... and was that flew in ......with or without a plane?!''
''Ah-ha! that's more like the Heather I know!''
Simon grinned at her...she couldn't help but grin back.
''You can tell me..... you know you can.... could it perhaps be an 'affair of the heart'?''
Heather stared at him and snapped defensively........''Why do you say that?''
She could feel a choking nausea rising in her throat.
''Well.... one, you 've been crying!''
Heather hurriedly checked her face in a shiny brass plate on the wall next to her.....
''And two.... you appear to be wearing a ring with a rock the size of the moon on your finger!!''
Heather looked at her ring ..her finger softly stroking it! her eyes slowly drifted to Simons...
he grinned...''I'm a detective in my spare time!''
Heather tried but she could not stop herself .. tears crept out and trickled down her cheeks.
Simon was at once concerned.... ''Shit...I didn't mean to tease you honey.....god....tell me you didn't just break up before you left or something?''
''No ... it's okay Simon I've been like this the whole flight...actually I started before the flight...it's a wonder I haven't dehydrated'' her voice trailed off.....''I just didn't want to leave him''
Simon gave her a consoling hug.''Let me guess..... did they have to pull you apart to get
you on the plane?''
''Not quite.... but it was close!''
''C'mon you need some food and some coffee.''
Simon carried her bags and waved to a waiting cab driver.
They loaded up and Simon mumbled their destination to the driver...who nodded... gave no warning or signals to other traffic and lurched the cab out into the road.
''So how long have you known him?''
''Three weeks......''
""THREE...weeks''
Simon shrieked so loud the cab driver spun round and they swerved dangerously in the heavy traffic....
Heather stared out of the window not sure whether she was annoyed or embarrassed.
She hoped to god that Simon was not about to deliver one of his lectures.
She'd had enough of those when they were together!
Simon apologised to the driver and whispered...''Three weeks and you're marrying him?..are you insane?''
Heather glared at him.''Please don't start Simon....we have to spend two weeks in each
others company, in a mud hut miles from anywhere......I don't need one of your morality tales!!"
She turned away and stared out of the window thinking......"Damn him....how could he start on me like this"
The rest of the ride to the hotel was taken in moody silence.
Simon regretted his outburst...but hell three weeks!
The room at the hotel was functional and reasonably comfortable.
Heather turned as she realised Simon had followed her in and it was a twin room!
She watched in dismay as Simon bounced on the doorside bed testing it and smiled.....
''I'll take this one.......'' he registered the look of shock on her
face...or was it horror?....''What's the matter?''
''Isn't this my room?''
''Yeah and mine''
''Who booked it?''
''Uhm...that would be Me ...I guess''
''You booked a twin room!!''
''Yeah I didn't think you'd mind.....I'm sorry I wasn't to know you were an engaged woman''
''You're a married man ...with two children!''
''I know ....but it's never bothered us before when we've been on assignment...
we've shared rooms before..''
''This is different''
''Why would your boyfriend object?!''
Simon had that sarcastic tone in his voice that Heather loathed so intensely.
''Well actually....yes I believe he would!''
''Mmmmmmmm..one of those kind is he?''
''What kind!?''
''OH you know....possesive, jealous....... obssesive''
''I'm getting another room!!''
Heather charged towards the door..but Simon leapt to his feet to stop her.''Let go of me... I wish I'd never come here ..I wish I'd never taken this stupid assignment...I hate you and I hate this place and.....I wish I was with Nick........'' Heather sank to her knees sobbing almost uncontrollably
Simon was both alarmed and immediatley contrite.
He joined her on the floor....... ''Heather honey....god look I'm so sorry I never meant to wind you up''
''Yes you did!''
''Well ok I did...... but you used to able to take it.... and give it back!''
''I still can Simon.... but not today..... just not today''
Simon folded his arms around her and rocked her calming her slowly.
There was silence for several minutes just the sound of snuffles and muted sobs from somewhere near Simons' chest.
''Tell me about him..........I promise not to be provocative''
Heather wriggled out of his arms and rose to her feet ''You don't really want to know''
''I do.... I care about you...... you know I do''
Heather choked back a weak laugh.. ''The last person who said something like that tried to kill Nick!''
Simon stared at her.. ''jesus who was that?''
''Danny!''
''Danny!.....Danny tried to kill your boyfriend...I knew he had a temper but ....well he always did have a thing for you.''
''I don't call what he did to Nick 'having a thing for me'....if he cared about he should have been happy for me .... so don't you give me 'I care about you' cos frankly it means shit!''
''Okay Okay......look can we start again please.....I'm sorry about the room....but it's only for one night and then we fly out to the observation post...''
''The mud hut!''
Simon nodded smiling..''The mud hut...just one night... you can hack that I know you can...I promise to behave...now come on you need to eat and I need a drink...there's a restaurant nearby... excellent local cuisine...my treat..''
''I'll catch you up there's a very important phone call I have to make''
Simon opened his mouth to say something and closed it again....another sarcastic comment bit the dust!
''Okay honey you do that and I'll wait for you in the lobby''
''Okay''
The door clicked shut and Heather sank on to the bed.
She spent several minutes psyching herself up to calling Nick ...she felt strangly nervous..........she didn't want to cry over the phone she wanted to sound cheerful and
bubbly.
But as she felt exactly the opposite this would be a major acting achievement.
Besides if she sounded too happy would he be upset thinking she was perfectly fine without him....''Damn it Heather just call him''
She sat up and reached for the phone carefully dialing the number written in the pages of her diary...numbers clearly written by Nick before she left she smiled as she remembered him doing it..... pressing his pen down hard.... concentrating checking them so many times....not wanting a single digit to be mistaken for another.
The phone was picked up after three rings.... an out of breath voice answered a voice she loved..........it gasped ''Heather is that you?''
Her belly flipped over at the sound of him!
''Nick...how did you know?''
''I've been sat by the phone for hours willing to ring ....then I go to the bathroon and it does ring...it had to be you!''
Heather giggled........
Nicks' voice went quiet and soft......''Heather?''
''Yeah....''
''I love you babygirl''
Heather took a deep breath and pressed her fingers to her lips to force back the threat of choking tears..she answered just as quietly and just as softly.......''I love you too Nick''