Crystals (12 page)

“That was some
race. I’ve been commentating on Formula 1 for twenty years and I can honestly
say, this has been one of the best races I’ve ever had the privilege to
witness. It had skill. It had daring, but most of all, it showed a man’s sheer
determination to win.

He started third
on the grid and before lap one was completed, he took and held the lead to the
very end.”

“That’s the mark
of a real champion!”

“As he weaves his
way before this packed crowd, all I can say is, enjoy your celebrations, Shane
Tierney. You earned it—and you deserve it!”

Team Sinclair - Year Five

“Oliver Sinclair has pole position on the starting
grid, and in a change of fortune, Shane Tierney is down in eighth place. With
this the fifth race before the conclusion of the season, a win here today in
Sochi, could go a long way in tying up the championship for, Tierney.”

“I don’t see how
he’s going to do it, though. He’s a superb driver, but then so are six of the
men between him and the checkered flag.”

“And that’s not
all, Tierney is going to serve a ten-second stop-and-go. That’s huge!”

“It is, but he had
to serve his punishment for the overuse of additional engine components at some
point. Doing it in the fifth race of the season makes a lot of sense. This way,
it shouldn’t impact too much on what he ultimately hopes to achieve—a third
world title.”

“Even though it’s
clearly stated in the rules, I have to say I feel for Tierney. That motor
generator unit had to be replaced. But because his team has already used up all
their engine changes, he’s just going to have to suck it up.”

“Yes, he does. But
back to the business of the race. The last car has just lined up on the grid
and we’re nearly ready for the start of this year’s Russian Grand Prix.”

~~~

Shane knew it
would be a tall order to win this race, but he was going to give it a good try.
He loved this track because the circuit had enough corners which were ideal for
overtaking.

The ones that
would take the most skill were turns two and thirteen. He knew his strategy had
risks, but it was exactly at these bends that he intended to make his move on
anyone in front of him. However, it wouldn’t be an easy task. Every driver in
the race knew the track just as well as him. And they too would be thinking
exactly as him.

For Shane, if
winning wasn’t possible then a place on the podium was his next target.
Although they were coming up to the back end of the season, he wasn’t
particularly worried. Should things go against him today, there were still
enough races in hand for him to win the championship.

With a nod to his
team mechanics, Shane flipped down his visor and the car roared out of the pit
to take up his position on the starting grid. The engine idled as he gripped
the steering wheel while his thumb hovered over the accelerator button. The
tension grew, and for him, this wait was always the most intense part of a
race. But once he and the car were in motion—that was when he came into his
own.

The countdown
began. He was poised and ready. The fifth green light blinked on and Shane was
in motion. All thoughts left his mind. He relied only on his skill, instincts
and the feel of the thousand horsepower engine pushing him forward.

He flew past two
vehicles before he’d even completed the first bend. Coming into turn two he had
his sights set on the German driver before him. Try as he might he was unable
to get around him. Shane didn’t dwell on it. This was a fifty-three lap race,
his time would come.

By lap twenty, he
was in fourth position. Already having served his stop-and-go, his race plan was
working exactly as he and his team had strategized.

“Shane, you need
to come in for a fuel stop. If you do it now, you should retake the race in
third place. It will be touch and go, but you should just about be able to pull
it off.” Came the mechanical voice through his earphones.

“I hear you. One
more lap and I’ll come in.”

“How are your
tires?”

“Good. They’re
holding up fine. That’s one of the things I like about this track.”

“Roger that!”

Shane held the car
steady as he let out the throttle and honed in his concentration. He could see
the tail of the car in front of him. It was Ollie. They were both approaching
turn thirteen. Knowing he could overtake him, he pulled ever closer.

He had him. About
to execute his overtaking maneuver, Ollie drastically slowed down. Shane jerked
the steering sharply to the right to avoid running into the back of Ollie’s
car. Swearing a blue streak, he ignored the angry comments coming from his
receiver. The bastard knew exactly what he had done.

“Shane, you need
to pull back. You’ve got this championship tied up, just maybe not in this
race.”

What they were
saying was the truth, but he hated when other drivers employed this type of
tactic. Why not let their driving be the cause of whether they won or lost?

Sweat trickled from
his brow, past the corner of his eyes, along his cheekbone before finally
coming to rest in his thick black beard.

The gray metal
fencing that surrounded the track flew by in a blur of steel. The throng of
people in the crowd mere flashes of color that merged into facelessness.
Without conscious thought, he knew what he was going to do.

His concentration
sharpened. His vision tunneled. He emptied his mind and determination hardened
his jaw. He was going to win the race.

His car roared
forward and Shane entered a perfect moment. That tiny fraction of a second
where everything rearranged itself with seamless clarity.

He edged closer to
Ollie’s green and white car. They were side by side. Ollie recognized the
threat and veered to the inside of the track in an attempt to stop his
momentum. Turning the wheel sharply to the left, Shane accelerated and passed
him in a blaze of speed.

“Shane, you need
to conserve your fuel. I say again, save your fuel.”

He heard all they
said but didn’t respond. He probably understood his car better than all of them
put together. He knew he had to make a stop, but he was going to do better than
resuming in third position. When he rejoined the race, he would be in the lead.

With no time to
waste he engaged the throttle. The G-force slammed him backward and jarred
every bone in his body as he shot towards the race leader, Felipe Santiago.

For Shane,
Santiago was a complete driver. Not only was he smart, he was skillful. Knowing
the tactic he’d employed with Ollie didn’t stand a chance of working against
Santiago, Shane pulled alongside the red car. With their wheels in alignment,
they hurtled down the track, neither of them prepared to give ground. In the
end, it would come down to the classic game of who could hold their nerve the
longest before they conceded.

Racing along, side
by side at close to two-hundred and thirty miles per hour, neither of them was
prepared to back off. A second later, Shane saw the approach of the corner
rushing towards them. He saw his chance and took it. Santiago countered but it
was too late, he’d executed the maneuver to perfection. That was when he felt
it.

The downward
sloping nose of the other car hooked beneath his rear end and raised him off
the track. That shunt of touching fiberglass was all it took to send the
powerful machine into a spin. He fought to regain control but deep down he knew
it was already too late. He mounted the striped curb and the revolving momentum
flipped him over. His world was out of control. He could do nothing. Closing
his eyes, Shane awaited his fate. As he considered his mortality for the second
time in his life, his thoughts turned to Crystal.

~~~

Watching Shane’s
car continuously roll over was her worst nightmare realized. Shards of
fiberglass exploded into the air and fragmented each time they touched the
ground. Crystal wanted to scream, but the sound remained locked in her throat
while it echoed through her mind in an endless cry of horror.

Rushing into her
bedroom, she opened a drawer and flung aside important documents until her
fingers touched what she was looking for—her passport. She grabbed her purse,
opened her front door and ran outside. Her mindless rush came to an end the
moment she slammed her front door. The sound brought her back to her senses and
with it the recollection that she was no longer a part of Shane’s life.

Going back into
her apartment, she turned on the TV and allowed the media to take over every
minute of her free time.

Of course, she
called Krasnaya
Polyana
Hospital in Sochi. When she
finally overcame the language barrier, and told a number of lies, the staff
hung up on her when they realized she was unrelated to Shane.

Crystal brought a
daily newspaper, which she read in the office. Driving to work she
tuned
her radio to a predominantly sports station. When at
home, her computer never left her side because it was there she could find the
most up-to-date information on Shane’s condition.

Shane’s release
date was her first sight of him since his accident. As he limped out of the
hospital, he waved and smiled at the gathered reporters and fans. A feeling of
reassurance enveloped her, he was finally on the mend—he was going to be okay.

Crystal sat down
and cried as she had never cried before. Her tears were of joy because she
couldn’t begin to imagine a world without him in it.

Chapter 10

“So you’re going?”

“I don’t have much
choice.”

“There’s always a
choice, Crystal. I know Aunt Gwen still feels guilty about–”

“That all happened
a long time ago, Fern, and I don’t want to talk about it.” Crystal said as she
abruptly changed the subject and was relieved when Fern respected her wishes.

“What time’s your
date?”

“It’s in an hour.
I have to leave now or I’ll be late.”

“Make sure you
tell me all about it. This married mother of two only lives vicariously through
yours and Dara’s love life now!”

“Whatever, we both
know Dizzy adores you,” Crystal laughed in an attempt to dispel the seriousness
that nearly insinuated itself into the atmosphere.

“Yes, he does,”
Fern agreed with a smug smile. “I hope this date works out for you.”

“You’re joking
right. Did you forget this is a Gwendolyn set
up.
”

“Stranger things
have happened.”

That conversation
had taken place one hundred and sixty minutes ago. They had just ordered coffee
and Crystal couldn’t wait to get away. It was obvious that Geoffrey Patterson
had as much interest in her as she did in him. In fact, his attention seemed
fixated on their waiter.

Running scenarios
of how she could leave without being overly rude, Crystal never noticed the
lull that fell over the other diners nor the following loud whispers.

A feeling akin to
the brush of gentle fingertips passing along her back caused her to glance up.
The flash of cameras sparked in the dimly lit restaurant. Following the stares
of the other diners, she was just in time to see Shane disappear around a
corner into the VIP area.

Her heartbeat
spiked and she held her breath. Had he seen her? As the moments passed, she
realized that he hadn’t.

Feeling flustered
and confused at the mere sight of him, Crystal cited an early start as a means
to end the date. She needed to put as much distance between her and Shane as
she could. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t seen her, just being in the same
space as him pulled up too many unwanted memories.

Waiting for a taxi
outside the restaurant, Crystal couldn’t help but notice that Geoffrey
repeatedly looked over his shoulder. She rolled her eyes aware that as soon as
she left, he would be heading back inside to get their waiters number.

On one level, his
intention didn’t bother her. On another, it annoyed her that she had wasted a
whole evening of her precious time. Her uncertainty was whether to voice her
feelings or remain quiet.

Until recently,
keeping her true thoughts to herself had been to her detriment so Crystal made
her decision. She was going to speak her truth.

“On paper, you’re
every woman’s dream. But what you’re doing isn’t fair”

“What?”

Aware she wasn’t
his primary focus, Crystal just shook her head. She didn’t care about Geoffrey
because she didn’t know him. And after today, she wouldn’t see him again, which
was fine with her. She just wanted him to understand what he was doing wasn’t
fair. Everybody had a right to live their lives as they saw fit, but misleading
others shouldn’t be a part of the process.

“You like
guys—your life, your choice. If you’re not ready to come out, that’s okay too.
But Please give a thought to the women you agree to date. They’re probably
looking for love and from what I’ve observed, you can’t reciprocate that
feeling.”

For the first time
that evening, Crystal had Geoffrey’s complete attention.

“It sounds as
though you’re not one of those women”

“Then you’ve
misunderstood me. I’m more than ready to date and to find someone special to
share my life.”

“I see. Let me ask
you a question. Do you honestly think that as an openly gay black man, I could
reach the highest position in my chosen career?”

“Frankly, I never
thought about it. But I’m pretty sure you’re not the first gay black Queens
Council and you won’t be the last. For God’s sake this is the twenty-first
century. For what
it’s
worth, and you can take or
leave this piece of advice, people are far less interested in your sexuality
than you may think. I say, take your happiness while you can.”

Crystal had said
more than she had intended. Maybe it was because she had just seen Shane and
memories had come rushing back. All she knew was that happiness was often
transitory. One moment it could be within one’s reach and the next it was gone.

Geoffrey tipped
his head to the side and stared at her. “Until this moment, I only saw you as
your mother’s desperate spinster daughter she wanted to marry off.”

Crystal couldn’t
believe his lack of tact. She also couldn’t figure out if his words were
deliberate or if he had spoken without thought for her feelings. “God help you
if that’s the best you can come up with! I think I may actually feel sorry for
any client unfortunate enough to get you as their barrister.”

“I’m sorry, did I
say the wrong thing?”

“Are you joking?”
Crystal blinked at him in disbelief. “You’re a
bachelor
at the latter
end of your thirties and I’m a
desperate
spinster
having just
begun it. It’s still an unequal world don’t you agree?”

“Only if you don’t
grab it by the scruff of the neck.”

“Is that what
you’re doing?” Crystal threw back.

“Touché,” Geoffrey
smiled and inclined his head in respect to a point well made. “Of course I’ve
considered coming out, but it’s a big step, and one I haven’t finished thinking
through.”

“Fair enough, but
maybe you should give serious thought to curtailing your dating of females. It
might help to make the water less cloudy. Either way I wish you well.”

“And I you.”

Crystal saw his
attention was no longer on their conversation and had probably returned to the
young waiter. She knew everyone’s journey was different. But it was also true
that sometimes the way best way forward remained elusive.

As the taxi pulled
away, Crystal looked over her shoulder. All she had time to see was his stout
frame heading back inside the restaurant. Maybe this was going to be his lucky
night.

~~~

Crystal spent the
morning reviewing her notes. She had yet to see the property she was required
to make over, however, she had seen photos and had asked pertinent questions.
She also had a strong pitch and high hopes of landing the contract. The job
required the interior design of a large country house. It was a big job and one
she intended to add to her company’s growing portfolio.

Crystal arrived
exactly at the appointed time. A tall, slim brunette showed her in and
introduced herself as Emmie Carothers.

A short while
after her arrival, Ms. Carothers delivered a trolley of tea and sandwiches and
promptly excused herself. That was almost an hour ago and Crystal couldn’t
believe her host’s rudeness. If the woman didn’t make an appearance in the next
ten minutes, she was going to leave. With her decision made, she finally felt
much more at ease.

Looking out the
window at the gray sky and pouring rain had her worried. It had been difficult
enough traversing the narrow country lanes of the Surrey Hills to get to the
house when it was dry. Doing so while it was pouring with rain and pitch black
wasn’t something she looked forward to. Crystal was just glad it was Friday and
if needs be, she could book into the little hotel she had passed on her way to
the house.

A door opened and
closed.

“Sorry to have
kept you waiting, I was unavoidably delayed. That of course…”

Crystal stiffened
as she immediately recognized the voice. For the first time in five years,
Shane and Crystal looked into each other’s eyes. Run, her mind roared. Run as
hard and fast as you can, and don’t look back. Never look back.

“Crystal…” Shane
said a look of shock emanating from his golden eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“I… I have a
meeting for the interior design of this house.”

“Emmie,” came the
soft response.

“What did you
say?”

“It doesn’t
matter,” Shane dismissed her question while visibly pulling himself together.
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

He was standing
between her and her escape route, and she needed to get away. There was no way
she was going to work for him. “There’s been a mistake. I’m sorry. I have to
go,” Crystal muttered as she snatched up her belongings.

“Are you sure this
is a mistake, Crys?”

“Don’t call me
that!”

“Why not? That’s
who you’ve always been to me.”

There was so much
meaning behind his words Crystal panicked even more. For the last five years
all he represented to her was heartbreak. They had gone their separate ways.
She didn’t want to see him or look back.

“You look good,
the same.”

“I have to go. I’m
sorry, I can’t stay here,” Crystal moaned, without realizing how much her
distress showed.

“
It’s
okay, Crys–”

“I told you not to
call me that!”

“I know you did.
But you need to take a deep breath and try to calm down. I’m as surprised as
you at this meeting, but shouting isn’t going to make it any easier.”

Bastard,
Crystal thought. Who the hell did he think he was?
Just because he had made a name for himself, didn’t mean she would allow him to
patronize her.

“I don’t give a
shit what you think I should do!”

“You look as
beautiful as I remember.”

She didn’t know
how to respond. For her, it would be so easy to allow herself to fall for what
appeared to be sincerity shining from his unusual eyes.

Crystal attempted
to convince herself that the Shane she had known was gone. He sounded
different, and more importantly, he looked different. She didn’t recognize this
tall bearded man. This wasn’t the Shane she had once loved. This was a stranger
and she wasn’t interested in his flattery.

“Please tell
your
,
Ms.
Carothers,
I had to leave.” Pulling on her coat, Crystal glanced in his direction. “I wish
I could say it’s been a pleasure seeing you again, but honestly, it’s been
anything but.”

“Bloody hell, you must really hate the sight of me.
What did I ever do to you that was so wrong?”

She could hear the
hurt in his voice and for a passing moment it pulled at her heart. Then she
remembered the way he had callously walked out of her life and never looked
back. That thought was all it took for her to harden.

Back then they’d
had shared dreams. Now, all that remained was years of their individual
realities. And Crystal wasn’t prepared to give him access to hers. It was much
too late for that.

“Take care,
Shane.”

Dodging around
him, he said something which she didn’t hear because she was already through
the door. She paid no attention to the bare hallway or the magnificent parquet
flooring. All her concentration was on getting as far away from him as she
could.

Running down the
front stairs, she fumbled through her purse for her car keys. Unable to control
her trembling hands, she dropped them twice before she was finally able to
press the fob to open the door.

Crystal slammed
her car door shut, and panted through her mouth in an attempt to get her
breathing under control. Brushing a hand across her face, it came away wet,
whether from the rain or her tears, she couldn’t tell.

Switching on the
ignition, she looked out of the windscreen. She couldn’t see a thing. Night had
fallen and there was no light. Just a screen of blackness with raindrops the
size of bullets pelting down and bouncing into the air.

Frustrated,
Crystal called herself all kinds of a fool for purchasing a sports car. She
should have gone for the 4x4 as her family had advised. But as long as she had
space for her computer tablet, sample swabs, and portfolio she had been happy
with her choice. That was until faced with the British weather while stuck in
the middle of nowhere.

Putting the car
into gear, she turned it around and edged forward. The windscreen wipers moved
at maximum speed yet made absolutely no difference to her visibility. A few
yards more and the car dipped into a crater that caused her teeth to snap
together. Repeatedly revving the engine didn’t change her position. If anything
it made matters worse. There was no getting away from it, she was well and truly
stuck.

Banging the
steering wheel, Crystal threw back her head and screamed out her frustration.
“Why is this happening to
me!
”

A rap on the
window caught her by surprise. Shane was standing by the door with an amused
look. Embarrassed that he had witnessed her rant, she cut him a dirty look, and
sucked in a deep before slightly lowering the window.