A World Apart (13 page)

‘Take a look Kerry, it’s not good’ said Rupert, handing Kerry some yellow and pure white documents, accompanied by a few photographs that were exceptionally good photos of grounds, planes, buildings and certain people. Kerry flicked through the documents, still unaware about what this meant, as she handed them back to Rupert uninterested.

Rupert took the documents and located relevant pieces of the papers and photographs that would mean something to her. He extracted a document of official order requiring his participation in the NuOb, which Rupert assumed was an abbreviation for basically a field observation of some kind. The document went on further to say details about his transportation and the items that he needs to bring with him. Rupert then realised himself where he was going, as he looked closely, bending towards the photograph as he saw the name on a uniform of an official that had attachment notes specifying that he was a primary target.

‘He’s in Iran…on an observation mission at a nuclear plant’ declared Rupert out of the blue that finally diverted Kerry’s attention fully on him and the documents he was holding under his arms and in his hand.

‘What? He told me a few weeks ago that he was researching in London for something dangerous he said…how can he be in Iran’ replied Kerry analysing the details she was given. Rupert agreed, although had a sneaking suspicion that he was more likely to be in Iran. They both moved into the kitchen for more light and to keep an eye on their daughter, who had been propped unfavourably in a chair that made her look microscopic as she bounced her toy rabbit around on her knee, making noises and stories up that Kerry found hilariously funny and bright. The spaced out kitchen that they were in had a dining room attached to the left of them which led out onto pink patio followed by lawn and a gigantic field that was being grazed by a few angry and moaning cows. Kerry looked longingly out of the windscreen-like windows in front of the sink, her eyes distant with the hills and the trees blowing kindly across, calming her. A cow moaned just as Rupert was about to speak, which muffled what he said, causing Kerry not to react. Thinking about saying it once more, along with chuckling to himself he now decided to keep it from her and to make her wonder rather than worry about Frankie, thinking this would be the best thing to do. Rupert observed the field, saying a thank you to a Mrs Daisy as he walked over to the doors leading out to the garden and unlocking the door with a swift turn and clunk of the key that was still in the keyhole. Kerry turned and seemed to have heard what he said under his breath, although she ignored it. The beard-like wall plants that have appeared next door gave Rupert a shock, as they were untidy and overhanging, even not his own garden Rupert hated lazy gardening. It was late December and quite frosty as if it were to snow although the wind was very piercing and too cold to. Rupert viewed the oncoming clouds, deducing that there is maybe a downpour coming due to the navy clouds approaching over the horizon to the northwest of him. A crow angered in the distance and the sky dropped a notch in brightness, making the feeling of nightfall loom. It was getting on now as Rupert saw Kerry yawning whilst making themselves some quality assured food, having been travelling all today or yesterday rather according to Greenwich Mean Time. After taking a short breather, Rupert returned to the kitchen where Kerry was nestled in a slightly warmer atmosphere.

‘Maybe we should get some rest after these?’ announced Rupert, on taking a unanimous bite from his sandwich, which he struggled to fit in his mouth, forcing a chopped tomato to slide from the bread and bounce onto his plate.

‘I’m not sure if I feel comfortable her though, with the door ajar and the weird disappearance of Frankie’ replied Kerry lifting her drink on saying so, looking frightened and anxious. There was nothing better Kerry wanted right now and that was for them to find a hotel and come back to the house tomorrow.

‘Yeah…ok…I understand. We could go and see Jim for a while and get a hotel there, I remember there being quite a few when he first moved there’ realised Rupert, even though this involved more travelling and his legs really did feel like jelly. Kerry grabbed Francesca’s cot and they all headed for the side exit door of the house. Rupert located Frankie’s keys he had picked up whilst adjusting his overcoat as he proceeded to the car, opening the door for Kerry to place Francesca in the back. Frankie’s car was left on the drive positioned erratically across the drive, which created an atmosphere of wonder for Rupert and Kerry. They decided to take the car, as it was getting late and plus they would have somewhere to sleep if they couldn’t find accommodation.

‘I think it’s a left here isn’t it?’ said Rupert to the rear of the car to Kerry. Kerry looked at Rupert and their surroundings, trying to figure out their position and where they were heading. Kerry had always been better for directions compared with Rupert which always makes her worry as he is the one in control of the vehicle.

‘Erm, yeah I think that’s right’ replied Kerry in a droning unsure voice.

    After around forty-five minutes of swaying around London, they managed to reach the outskirts and head north for Manalan Nursing Home in Oxford to visit Jim. Rupert slowly started to drift occasionally when he took to the wheel, frightening himself, as Kerry and Francesca had their heads way up in the clouds by now. Rupert spotted the digital green clock within the cars dashboard as the numbers faded when he looked, making him strain his eyes to read properly, it was getting close to eight as the darkness fluctuates above them all, preparing to settle in. Kerry’s eyes opened as she was woken by a strong odour of coffee weeping its way through the ventilation of the car. She could see a white hut-like house or trailer in front of the car, as she noticed the driver’s seat was vacant. Francesca was still asleep in the back tucked up against her tiny rug, one of which had twisted and was incarcerated amongst her, keeping her tightly in position. Kerry waited a while and a figure was getting closer to their car, it was Rupert who had come back loaded with refreshments. He got into the car silently, being thoughtful not to wake Francesca up and paced the cardboard cub stations on the seat next to him. He then handed Kerry a white polystyrene cup, full of hot coffee that steamed immensely from the frosty weather. Kerry hugged the cup, feeling like it was the warmest thing she had ever discovered she began taking a sip, although it was too hot so she carried on holding it for a while.

‘Why have we stopped?’ asked Kerry, slowly becoming aware of their whereabouts. Rupert was still drinking, so he hurried himself to answer.

‘I was falling asleep so I parked up here for the night, then I woke up and it was half six so I thought I would leave you to sleep and not set off again’ replied Rupert with coffee essence dripping from his lips.

‘When we are ready, we can go and see Jim, book a room and find out where Frankie actually is’ added Rupert looking straight ahead of him at an eager family on a day out getting their greasy bacon sandwiches that really did smell gorgeous. Rupert decided to equip them all with food as he told Kerry and slid from the front seat. Kerry opened the wound the window down and shouted to Rupert to purchase some milk for Francesca. She quickly removed her head from the bitterly cold weather and wound the window up in desperation. They had stopped in a small in small old fashioned service station, providing them with toilets, refreshments and a tiny area for children recreational activity, along with the dire cleanliness of a modern day pond, which Kerry noticed a few swans gliding along, their heads looking left to right on occasion. There is a grassed area over to their right from where they had parked, which Kerry gloomily stared at wishing she could be greeted by a huge bath and dynamite of sun. The leaves were being bullied across the car park as she searched for her coat to assist Rupert in carrying all the drinks and snacks across to the car. The sun was now emerging from hiding and it was delivering a consistent band of warm that could be seen reflecting on the dodgy tarmac. Rupert dished out the snacks for everyone and they all began eating. Kerry woke Francesca, who became annoyed and let out a high pitch cry, until she was given her milk that Rupert had warmed for her using the hot water taps in the gents. Rupert loved the sandwich he was given, he loved English cuisine especially on the side of the road, none of this fancy stuff he thought just purely value for money. It wasn’t long before they were making tracks, which somehow they managed to end up in Cambridge town centre, cyclists scurrying by risking their lives through the horrendous traffic. They proceeded past the University which was on their left, full of scholars obviously on a short interval between lectures. Over to the right near Francesca was the glamorously built swimming complex which Rupert was fond of profoundly. As they queued in the traffic, about to approach an incline and then a small bridge they had time to plan their route better and get back on track as it was getting closer to brunch, so Rupert felt as his stomach equated inside him, letting out a rather poor sign of digestion.

    Finally, they had found a consistent set of sign posts and Rupert now knew where he was going so it wouldn’t be long before they were at the Nursing home. Rupert heard his phone calling, so he asked Kerry if she could take it for him, disappointingly for her she found out it was Rupert’s work calling him about something incomprehensible to her. She placed the phone in the compartment between the handbrake and cup holder and informed Rupert of the calls contents, although something made her smile and it was Rupert’s assiduousness to reveal unintentionally that he didn’t care.

‘I told the commissioner that I was away with you for the weekend, if they call again I’m having that O’Neil sacked’ eventually spoke Rupert getting angry which aroused Kerry feeling safer than she has done in a while. She had always resented the job because he would always have to be away from home, travelling and doing reports and on call, which made her feel insecure and unloved, although this all came back when he stamped authority for once.

    The wrinkled face of the weather man poured with delight as he was greeted by a young blonde slender woman that was very attractive. Her eyes glistened as she walked, the hair dancing on every foot step. The man couldn’t keep his eyes off her; he thought he recognised the woman in front of him. Suddenly he awoke; he had been dreaming, but of whom he thought. The proud smile soon left his face to be replaced by the usual look of desperation and sadness that has stuck with him for a while now.

‘Jim…Jim…’ repeated the matron Henchworth ‘You have guests waiting for you. They are in the lounge area waiting for you if you wish to go through’ added the matron, walking away attending to other calls from the annoying buzzing sound of the patient call alarms coming from above them both. Jim thought inquisitively about whom to it could be. He looked over to the young nurse who escorted him through into the lounge, through the narrow corridor and past the stench of placid washing detergent coming from the laundry room in the basement. Jim’s heart raced as he anticipated who he was about to meet in the next room. As he was wheeled into the spacious lounge that was to the front of the building he scanned the room looking for someone familiar, only there was no one to be seen. The light was shining dominantly through the tall sachet windows, making everyone’s eyes squint on entry. Jim noticed that the person’s present were a few families, people alone and a few members of staff that are spending one-to-one contact with the patients. The small nurse with a look of utter dullness placed him next to a master chair, a stool near an open window that blew into Jim’s face making him feel more awake than normal, as this never happened to him, he is so used to the usual routine that to him now seemed a blessing, feeling disorientated and overwhelmed. He sat patiently for around a minute and then a familiar face appeared at the doorway, making a clogging sound on the wooden floors which made Jim’s eyes focus on them. The face of Rupert was apprehensive as it all came flooding back to him on their last meeting with each other, which ended in them never speaking. Rupert deemed that his father was to blame for his rugged regimes covered with anomalies, which had torn away at Rupert for most of his childhood, running into his young adult life, resulting in the move that miraculously altered his perception on life, letting him explore for himself at last. He looked at his father expecting a stubborn complexion although he could hardly recognise the old man before him. Deep inside his father leapt this cowering creature desperate to take back the things he had done to his son. This was however swallowed down and digested as Rupert and Kerry sat down, placing Francesca on a stool next to her as she sat in between father and son, creating a tiny space between them as she was unsure of the tension between them both and wanted to prevent any initial awkwardness. Jim and Rupert were silent, both nervous expecting the each other to begin the conversation, when Kerry chirped in just as Jim looked about to mummer something as best he could since he was struggling after his stroke, paralysing some muscles in his face, arms and legs.

‘How are you James? Have the lovely young nurses been treating you right?’ spoke Kerry leaning towards his drooping face pointing down upon himself. He is so usually known as Jim by his friends and family that it was his wife that used to call him that in their early days of courting. Jim pondered on the thoughts of his wife and how he missed her so much. After a short while Jim responded with an encouraging nod even though he had no idea what he was nodding at. Kerry saw Rupert fiddling with his fingers and generally looking like he was anxious, so she decided to spark them off in a conversation, mentioning something that Rupert had told her about them both going for walks in the country and sports in the early years. Rupert was staggered to realise that she had rudely brought a conversation when he was clearly ill-prepared for the discussion, being a lot of grievances and hatred pent up inside them both. It was like to balloons inflating at once and it was inevitable that in time one would burst and let their onslaught of wrath, in the search for explanations. Rupert had a really bad childhood, beaten at home, bullied at school, always getting into trouble and most of all his father’s presence cast down on him like a rising shadow. Rupert doesn’t like to confess about having to have a psychologist to overcome this unwanted aura that presented a number of side effects such as nausea, malnutrition, unkindness and also inflicting pain on others to compensate for his. This resulted in nearly costing their marriage, until Rupert confessed his childhood to Kerry. A part of Rupert despised Jim although there is an unknown desire to uncover reasons for his suffering and the reasons behind his father perpetrating the upset.