Thief (14 page)

Chapter 2.

With Craig dutifully following in tow, we arrived back at our house and sat down to coffee and biscuits.

“If you don't mind my asking,” I enquired of Craig, “how
long
have you had this depression thing of yours?”

He put down his cup of coffee and leaned back in the chair. “As far back as I can remember,” he answered, thoughtfully. “It comes and goes. I wish I could find the answer because it's ruining my life.” He ruefully shrugged his shoulders. “But, what can you do? It's there and I've got to learn to live with it. But sometimes it just gets all a bit too much. Like tonight.” He looked across at Kim speculatively. “I haven't really thanked you properly, and I'm sorry I was so abrupt earlier. My mood swings can be extremely erratic and sudden. I feel a lot better now and apologise profoundly for my behaviour. When I'm in that frame of mind, I say things I don't really mean.”

I thought it was decent of him to apologise and I could see that Kim's frosty attitude was thawing a little.

“That's okay,” Kim grudgingly replied. “I guess you were under a lot of strain.”

“Thanks, you're being very understanding about this, considering what I said to you.” Craig flashed us a sudden smile, and his whole face lit up. It changed his whole persona instantly. Up until now, I'd seen only his dour side, but that smile transformed his whole personality. It was amazing. Kim blinked in astonishment, her prejudices against Craig undergoing a quick reversal.

Everyone fell silent for a few minutes and then Kim asked in a low, tentative voice, “Do you
really
think I'm unattractive?”

Craig flushed with embarrassment. “Oh god, I’m so
sorry
about that. Of course I don't.” He examined Kim appraisingly. “No, you’re very
striking
, truly.”

Kim awarded him with a pleased smile. “Now you're just flattering me,” she said coyly.

“No, I'm not,” he replied earnestly. He hesitated and then added, “However……”

“However……?” Kim asked, with a slight edge to her voice.

Craig bit his lip uncertainly. “Nothing,” he finally said. “Forget that last bit.”

“
However
…..?” Kim insisted, a little more forcefully.

“Don't make me tell you,” Craig proclaimed, uncomfortably. “I don't want to upset you and it's only
one
person's opinion after all.”

“No, it's fine,” Kim tried to reassure him. “You can tell me. If there's something you don't like about me, I want to know.”

“It's not so much about likes and dislikes,” Craig said slowly. “It's simply a matter of pointing out character traits. I'm not trying to be hurtful or mean.” He stopped, uncertainly and shook his head. “No,
forget
it.”

Kim's first thumped down on the table, making Craig jump. “Now
listen
, mister!” she exclaimed, compellingly. “I want to hear your opinion! If you think you know something
bad
about me, spit it out!”

Defensively, Craig put his hands up in front of his face. “Okay,
okay
!” he complied. “But remember,
you
wanted to know. And as I’ve said, it's only one person's view.” As he said this, I noticed that he pressed himself a little further back into his chair, as if to put an extra miniscule distance between himself and Kim’s wrath.

“As I've already told you,” Craig began, a little fearfully, “you're quite eye-catching,
physically
speaking. I can imagine that most men would fall over themselves to be with you, but here you are, living with your brother, with no sign of anyone else in your life.” He paused at this stage and nervously licked his lips. Kim stared at him, stony-faced, and motioned with her fingers for him to continue.

“Well,” Craig resumed carefully, choosing his words with the utmost delicacy, “we have to ask ourselves
why
this state of affairs has occurred. Women, and most males, like to
display
their conquests. But there's nothing on show here. I mean, beautiful women nearly always have swarms of admirers, but just by looking around the room I can see there isn't a single framed photograph of any other person apart from your brother. Is it because you're
afraid
of intimacy? I wouldn't have thought so, given your outgoing personality. So what could it be?”

“You tell me, Doctor Freud, why don't you?” Kim suggested, woodenly. “I suspect that you're dying to.”

“If you insist,” Craig doubtfully replied. “Remember, this was your idea.” He cleared his throat and continued. “Now, where was I? Oh yes, what could be the reason then? I notice a few toy teddy bears on the couch beside you. I find it hard to believe that they would belong to your brother, so they must belong to
you
. Now, what sort of grown-up woman keeps stuffed toys around? Answer: one who is extremely sentimental, of course. So, you have an emotional nature. Where does that leave us? It leaves us with a beautiful woman, alone, with a romantic tendency. So, why aren't you attached to anyone? Perhaps there’s some horrendous
personality
flaw present?”

Kim stiffened at his words and I could tell she was barely restraining herself from diving over the table separating her from Craig.

“
Ah
, Craig,” I intervened, “perhaps you didn't
mean
that the way it sounded?”

Craig waved his hand in apologetic dismissal. “Of course I didn't mean it,” he said quickly. “I was just theorising as to possible reasons. I'm not implying anything. After all, I barely know the two of you.” He settled himself and continued his musing. “By Kim's reaction, it's obvious that
she
doesn't believe she has that type of flaw. Now let's see, what's left?” He closed his eyes and sat silently for a few seconds. “The sole remaining thing,” he concluded, opening his eyes again, focusing on Kim, “and I'm saying this as someone who has just met you and therefore could be totally and absolutely one hundred percent wrong, is that you love
too
much.”

“What do you mean by
that
?” Kim solicited, her face blank and her eyes a mystery.

Craig fidgeted in his chair and explained, “Well, there are some people who have a very loving nature but they love indiscriminately. They’re extremely loyal to the object of their affection, but tend to ‘over-love’ them, if you know what I mean. The recipient feels
smothered
, and finally becomes annoyed with all the attention. Then they leave.” He shrugged his shoulders. “There's my analysis, for what it's worth. Feel free to disregard it if you want. As I've already said, I could be nowhere near the mark.”

Kim was silent. When I looked up at her, I was astounded to see tears glittering in her eyes. She hesitantly smiled at Craig. “On the contrary,” she said in a husky voice, “I think you may be one hundred percent correct.” She wiped at her eyes. “That was
some
psychiatry session, Doctor Freud,” she lauded. “You're exceptionally good at this. And you're right. I’m
very
bad at relationships, but I've never be able to figure out why. You may have just given me the answer I need. Thank you.”

“My pleasure, I'm sure,” Craig replied, embarrassed. He paused and asked, “Do you want to tackle your
anger
problem now?”

“Don’t push your luck, Doctor,” Kim warned, with a slight smile. “
One
breakthrough per day is enough.”

“Understood,” he placated.

“Why don’t you stay for dinner?” invited Kim. “I feel that I owe you something.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Craig corrected, “but I’d love to accept your invitation. My home meals leave a lot to be desired.”

Kim chuckled. “Don’t thank me yet,” she cautioned. “One of my many failings is in the kitchen. And Paul is worse. I’m surprised we’re both still alive after all these years of having to eat what I manage to dish up.”

Books by Steve Elliott:

* Vampire? (Part 1)

* Alien? (Part 2)

* Timing It

* Hog Mama

* Thief

*Depression World

* Picture Perfect

* Society Tart

*Betrayal

* Earth Angel

* Double Trouble

*Multiples

‘Soul Mate’ Series:

* Childhood.1(a)

*Dreaming.1(b)

* Rescue.2

* Lioness.3

* Wedding Woes.4

* Crossroads.5

*Daughter.6

* Endings & Beginnings.7

*Grandchild.8

*Final Chapter.9

‘Underground Kingdom’ Series:

*Crystal Thief (1)

* Dangerous Desires (2)

* Trix (3)

* Zenith (4)

* Pitfall (5)

* The Vile (6)

* Revenge (7)

* Retribution (8)

* Rosewing (9)

* Night Things (10)

* Blood Stone (11)

‘Diama the Destroyer’ Series:

* Diama the Destroyer (Vol.1)

* Sacrifice (Vol.2)

* Wizard (Vol.3)

* Finders Keepers (Vol.4)

* Sword of Destiny (Vol.5)

* Known Strangers (Vol.6)

* Deception (Vol.7)

* Time After Time (Vol.8)

* Return (Vol.9)

* Friend or Foe? (Vol.10)

* The Missing Mayor (Vol.11)

* Jigsaw (Vol.12)

* A New Beginning (Vol.13)

‘Vampire Curse’ Series:

* Vampire Curse

* Vampire Friendly

* The Orb of Rule

* The Haunted Portal