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Ghost Sight


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Chapter 50

 

Roman looked around the small church, decorated immaculately with white flowers and tall white candles and even the runner-up the centre aisle was white.  On the end of each pew was a bundle of white flowers with green foliage.  The whole effect was classic and tasteful but he couldn’t help comparing it to the design he and Ella had had at their wedding.

“What’s up Hardcore?” Jacko muttered from behind them making him aware he’d been -standing there long enough to be noticed.

“Just looking around,” Roman said quietly before steering Pete to the room at the back of the church earmarked for the groom. He guided him into a chair and pressed a bottle of water into his free hand. Looking around at the four of them he grimaced. Despite showers long enough to deplete Ella’s hot water supply at the studio and professional haircuts and shaves the previous day, they still looked half drunk.  He remembered when he would have put them all on charges for looking this sloppy.

“We look shabby,” James muttered echoing his thoughts.

Pete gave them another look, about the five hundredth death stare of the morning, “Charlie is going to kill me!”

“Not wrong there,” Ella said from the doorway.

Roman smiled at just hearing her voice although judging the expression on her face she wasn’t as pleased to see him.

“El,” he murmured hating the cajoling note in his voice.

She gave them all a look before reaching into the bag she’d brought with her and handed round bottles of sports energy drinks to them, the kind that promised to restore electrolytes and rehydrate. It wasn’t the fry up he’d planned that they’d run out of time for but as he chugged his down he already felt better and from looking at Pete and seeing that his normal colour was returning to his face he could tell the other man was too.

Giving Ella a grateful look he chuckled as he watched her gaze spot the handcuffs that were keeping him and Pete attached.

“I guess that explains why you are only half dressed but why is Jacko wearing odd shoes?”

The three men laughed as Jacko swore profusely and collapsed in a chair. “This is why I hate drinking with your husband,” he groaned.

“Come here,” Roman instructed her.

She nodded and sensing his intention she stood in front of him but facing away.  “Be careful,” she murmured.

Roman reached into the sleek bun she had in her hair and pulled out a single hairgrip. “Okay?” he asked her.

“Only if my hair doesn’t fall down within the next five minutes.”

“I think it’s safe,” he commented before turning his attention to the handcuffs at his wrist and with deft movements, he unlocked them from his wrist.

“He’s still got it,” Jacko commented.

“I think he gets a lot of practice,” James murmured back.

Roman lifted his gaze and stared Jacko down before he could come up with an embarrassing comment.

“I’m sure he was just going to say something about you being arrested a lot,” James said quickly.

“I’m sure,” Roman muttered turning his attention back to Pete. “How long have we got?”

“I’ve got to go check on Charlie now; you know to make sure she hasn’t changed her mind.”

“Huh!” Pete muttered accidentally tugging on his wrist.

“Steady,” Roman said swearing as his fingers slipped and he nearly dropped the hair grip. Glancing at Ella he murmured, “How are the kids?”

“Looking forward to seeing you later,” she murmured her cheeks flushing at his look.

He flicked the hairgrip one more time and the handcuffs opened on Pete’s wrist. The other man took them off and flexed his hand glaring once more at Jacko, James and then him in turn.

Roman moved to stand behind Ella once more and gently replaced the grip back in the intricate bun on the back of her head. He smoothed a small section disturbed when he’d removed the hairgrip until her hair was once more pristine. He could feel Jacko’s eyes on him and felt a surge of embarrassment to be caught ‘grooming’ his wife.

“There,” he murmured to her.

She turned and gave him a small smile before glancing around the group. “You are going to be ready aren’t you?”

“We’re going to be ready and waiting.” He promised her.

Ella gave them another doubtful look before she nodded.  “Your flowers are outside. Try and look as though you haven’t been drinking all night.”

With that, she pressed a kiss to his cheek and then turned on her heel to march out of the room. The door closed behind her and there were several winces at the sound of the slam it made although she’d closed it as quietly as it the ancient wood would allow.

“Why did I let you talk me into drinking?” Pete muttered.

Roman looked at him before pulling Pete to his feet and getting him into his clothes. It was easier to get Lily into a tutu than put Pete’s arm into one sleeve and button up his shirt but finally, he was presentable enough. He couldn’t do anything about the grey pallor of the other man’s skin but he was able to give him some mints to chew on to stop him smelling like he’d gargled with whiskey all night. In fact, he put a couple of them in his own mouth before passing the packet around.  He straightened up his own clothes before heading out to collect the white flowers that were their buttonholes and grinned at the packet of headache tablets Ella had included. Obviously wanting them to suffer just a little bit longer. He grabbed them all and took them back into the room.

Watching his friends’ get married Roman couldn’t help but be thankful Ella had married him. Charlie was wearing a floor length lace dress in a pale cream colour with white flowers in her hair. Ella and Charlie’s daughters, Ruby and Josey, were all dressed in deep red dresses of different styles. Ella’s was a long one-shouldered Grecian style that skimmed down her body. She had her hair pinned back and now a spray of white flowers was pinned in the back, that and the flawless makeup including her red lipstick, made her look like a movie star.  He found his glance drifting to her over and over again even as he listened to Charlie and Pete reciting their vows.

After the ceremony and the photographs, they went to the hotel where the reception was to take place and it wasn’t long before he stood up glass in hand to deliver the best man speech. “Ladies, Gentlemen, and Jacko,” he began hearing the ‘harumph’ from his friend. “We are here today to celebrate the marriage of Charlie and Pete, both of whom I’m lucky enough to consider friends.”

Roman looked around the room and then glanced at James and Jacko sitting next to him and although the three of them had acted as best men it was somehow down to him to deliver the speech and he wondered just what bet he’d lost.

“There are many things I could tell you about Pete but as he knows just as many embarrassing things about me we’re going to skip most of them. I have several apologies to make to you Charlie, first off, Pete did promise he wasn’t going to drink last night and unfortunately he happened to be hanging around with us,” Roman gestured to Jacko and James, “and in doing so we did maybe spike his drink, make him drink shots in various bars, eat too much takeaway and get into a bar brawl.” Reaching into his pocket Roman pulled out the handcuffs and held them up. “Also, he ended up wearing these, I’m not quite sure where they came from but if you want to borrow them for the honeymoon, be aware we don’t have the key!”

The room erupted into laughter and he glanced at Ella to see her reaction. She was smiling and he took that as a good sign as he put the handcuffs on the table.

“I also want to apologise for the poor deal you’ve made Charlie, not with choosing Pete because although he chose me to be his best man he is, in fact, one of the best men I’ve ever met. No, my apology is for this,” he paused to gesture to James and Jacko, “in marrying Pete you have to put up with us, with all of us. We seem to come as a package deal and although that might have advantages on occasion, well you have met Jacko so you can see the downsides.”

“Hey!” Jacko muttered as everyone laughed again.

“To finish, I couldn’t wish for a better match for either of you. Please be upstanding to toast to the lifelong happiness of this amazing couple,” Roman paused as everyone stood before finishing, “Charlie and Pete.” He drank from his own glass feeling the champagne roll across his tongue.

Looking across at Ella as he sat down he gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. She was never fond of being in the limelight.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Ella began as she stood up, “Many years ago I saw an opportunity to do a little gentle nudging when I saw Charlie and Pete together. Today is Charlie’s revenge for my matchmaking by making me get up and give this speech to you all.” She paused as people laughed and her gaze slipping to meet his. He gave her an encouraging nod and knew that he was probably the only one to know her hands were shaking or that she’d happily face a million General Baileys’ than give a speech to a room full of people. “I’ve known Pete a long time and can confirm he is one of the most decent men you’d ever meet. He is kind and compassionate; he is part of my family.  Without him, I’m pretty sure Roman would have managed to get himself into more scrapes than he did.  So, of course, I wanted someone special for my friend and luckily I found that person here in Summer Bay.  Now that I’ve got him matched up that only leaves Jacko…” she trailed off and grinned as Jacko swore under his breath.  “To Charlie and Pete, you truly deserve each other because you are both very special people. So I hope you’ll be happy for as long as there is a forever!” 

Ella raised her glass and toasted the happy couple as did others and then there were first dances, cake cutting before the couple left on their honeymoon. 

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Chapter 51

 

Roman looked across at Ella as they walked along the beach.  He’d danced with his wife earlier at the reception and felt she was holding back from him, the silence stretched between them until he tugged on her hand to still her.

“We’re in trouble aren’t we?” He finally asked.

She bit on her lip as she nodded. “I’m sorry Roman but I can’t slip back into a relationship with you.”

“We’re married El, do you want a divorce?” He held his breath as he asked the question that had been on his mind all evening, in fact, for the past few days.

She didn’t answer for the longest time. Just stood at the water’s edge letting the gentle waves lap at her feet, her sandals long since discarded and held in her free hand as she lifted her dress to stop it getting wet.

“I wasn’t sure until you asked the question. I…” she turned and looked at him and he saw a single tear slip down her face. “I do still love you. We are married. I told you I couldn’t take another break up…”

He waited for a heartbeat, tugging at the bow tie around his neck, undoing it until the ends hung down before pulling it off altogether and putting it in his pocket. Then with restless movements, he undid the top couple of buttons of his shirt.

“Ella?”

“I think we need time Roman, not a separation but well, we have the rooms so…” she bit on her lip again and looked up at him with that frightened look on her face.

“Okay, okay..”

He didn’t know whether to be pleased that he was still in the house or not but he’d take

“I’m not saying it’s…” she stopped and bit anxiously on her bottom lip before groaning at the expression she must have seen on his face. “I’ve got an assignment coming up. I might go to the studio early and just take a few extra days. Give us a break, you know.”

“Ella?”

“We’ve got Mark and William’s trials coming up. Then we need to find out about Catherine. There is still Jason to consider.”

“You seem to be listing all the reasons why we shouldn’t be together,” he muttered.  He watched as she shivered and with deft movements, he took off his tuxedo jacket and put it around her shoulders. She gave him a brief smile of thanks before moving away from the water’s edge and easing her arms into the sleeves, laboriously swapping her shoes from one hand to the other before she got settled.

“We need to be a united front for the family.” She stated quickly.

“I know just how easily the kids pick up on things,” he said after a moment.

He looked at her trying to judge how she was taking everything. He should have told her about Jason.  If he had his time over he’d do things so differently. Had he not chickened out at the book signing that time what might have happened? Or further back in their history, making sure that they didn’t lose Gabby or Toby.  She’d given him so many chances and he still took it for granted that she’d be there through everything.  He hadn’t even thought about the trials or asked how she was after surviving Catherine’s attempt on her life.

“So what are you saying?”

“We should try counselling maybe? Try and get things back to a routine?”

She gave a slow nod and then turned to walk up the beach. “I’m still going to the studio tomorrow,” she said finally.

“I know, I wasn’t trying to stop you going. I want to give you time, and …” he stopped and peered at her. “Where did you park the car?”

Ella spun around and blinked at him. “I got a lift down.”

He looked at his watch, too late to call someone to come get them.

“You planning on walking in those?” He gestured to the shoes she held in her hand.

“Oh, fudgebiscuits!” she muttered.

He couldn’t help laughing at her. She was so adorable, even with the glare she had on her face right now. Reaching out he lifted her into his arms and chuckled as she gave that breathy little sigh of hers. 

“Okay?”

“Depends, are you going to drop me? Do you really think you can carry me all the way home?”

“No to the first and probably to the second.” He murmured only just stopping himself from sighing when she cautiously placed her arms around his neck being just as careful not to drop her shoes in the process.

It was a long walk home but the wild flowers lining the side of the road make the air smell like her perfume he thought with a sigh as he held her close to him. Sure, his arms ached with effort and he could feel twinges in his back but there was no way he’d stop carrying her and mentally groaned at the metaphorical aspect of that. Ella had ruled out divorce and she was right they had a lot to go through with trials and Catherine. Not to mention he needed to make overtures to Jason because despite everything the boy was his.

Finally reaching the front door of their house he gently lowered Ella to her feet.  “We’re home,” he said redundantly.

She gave him a look from under her lashes, “I suppose you want sex now?”

“God no, I don’t have any energy left.”

They shared a laugh as he opened the door and allowed her to step inside ahead of him. It felt so long since he’d been home and he was forced to take a deep steadying breath as he followed her over the threshold.

Ella had rehung their pictures in the hallway and he looked closely at each one as e moved into the changed kitchen feeling strangely at home and yet at the same time a disquieting distance. He recognised it, of course, the same feelings that he’d had before when returning home from a tour of duty and swiftly clamped down on that emotion.  If he was home he had to be part of home, not thinking about things thousands of miles away that he couldn’t change.

“Drink?” She asked, her gentle voice cutting through his thoughts and he smiled at the way she seemed to be prolonging everything, first the nightcaps at the hotel after Pete and Charlie had left on honeymoon and then the walk along the beach.

“Please,” he murmured moving past the new kitchen island and over to the bench seats around the dining table. He sank down on one finally acknowledging his aching legs. As light as Ella was it had been a long walk from the beach carrying her.

She eased into the bench beside him and placed a cut crystal glass with his favourite whisky in, single malt aged in an oak barrel. For herself she’d poured out some of her expensive vodka and after taking a sip she leaned against him.

“I don’t want rules,” she whispered.

“Neither do I, but we need some. Just until we don’t need them anymore.”

She grinned at him, but there was still a hint of sadness in her eyes. “We’ve been here before.”

“We have and we’ve also come back from the brink. Sometimes, even when I didn’t think we could ever get those feelings back.”

“I didn’t ask you what you wanted. Do you want to be married to me, Roman? Because sometimes I think that we’d be better off if we had never met.”

His lips framed urgent words of denial but he didn’t speak for a long moment before reaching for her left hand and touching the trio of rings on her finger, stroking his thumb over them, “Forever and Always,” he vowed.

“Okay,” she gave a single nod before taking a long drink and draining her glass. “Goodnight,” she added before placing a soft kiss to his cheek and disappearing up the stairs.




Three weeks had gone past since the wedding, Ella was once again at the studio and although they spoke on the phone earlier he could feel the distance spreading between them.  As for Mark, he’d pleaded guilty to all charges in return for a plea deal. As for William Gardener, he’d got involved in a fight whilst in prison on remand and had been stabbed and killed by another inmate, which was a strange blessing.  Forensics hadn’t been able to tie William to his and Ella’s shooting so despite everything it looked like he had been about to get away with it. Catherine was another matter, she’d been locked up in a mental sanatorium and until she was declared competent she wouldn’t stand trial.

That was why he’d made the trip to the studio tonight to let Ella know and maybe they could talk and just spend some time with each other, especially away from the prying eyes of the children.  

 Roman looked up at the window. He saw two people in silhouette, one of them had to be Ella. Cursing he watched as one of them moved into the other’s arms. Then they kissed. The bouquet of flowers he’d bought slipped to the path and he frowned at them his mind unable to comprehend what was going on. Ella had said that she wanted to spend time alone. Ella told him they weren’t working. Ella told him she wasn’t happy but she wanted them to work on things.

How was it possible she could be hugging and even kissing someone else? Let alone how had she found the time to meet someone?

His gaze was drawn to the flowers looking sad on the grey pavement and frowned again thinking how could flowers be sad?  He didn’t notice the blinds closing in the big windows upstairs, all except one. Bending he picked up the beautiful flowers and looked at them seeing a crushed bloom and some broken stems. She should still have them, he decided. He’d leave them at her door and go home to wait for her. Not always his first choice when it came to Ella, remembering all the times in the past when he’d been stupid jealous of her.

“Roman, what are you doing here?”

Looking up at her voice he felt himself pale. If anyone had told him that after finding Ella with another man he’d walk away he wouldn’t have believed them but here he was giving up.

“I came to…” he stopped.

“Look why don’t you come inside and we can talk?” Ella offered.

Roman shook his head. “It’s too late for that, isn’t it? I thought, maybe we could just spend some time tonight but…”

“Do you think it is?”

“I just saw you Ella...” he stopped and looked up at the studio window before his eyes went to the sky. He saw the stars above them. How many times had he made love to her under the stars and tracing their patterns on her skin?  Groaning at the mental image he’d just given himself he forced himself to look back at her.

“It isn’t what you think…”

Roman chuckled at the cliché. It didn’t mean anything. I’m sorry. It’s not what you think. All the clichés drifted through his head robbing him of thought and speech. He found his mouth opening and closing before his gaze went to the flowers he was holding.

“I got these for you,” he said redundantly.

“They are nice,” Ella glanced at the traffic before she sprinted across the road towards him. “Come inside,” she urged.

“I can’t,” Roman shook his head.

“We can talk, that’s what you wanted isn’t it?”

“It’s too late.”

“When is it ever too late with us?” Ella asked with a self –deprecating laugh.

“This time it is,” Roman sighed taking a half step back away from her outstretched hand. “You should go back inside, it’s cold.”

“Roman, you are making me worried about you,” Ella spoke again.

“I’m fine Ella, it’s all ok,” He murmured. “I should have done things differently.”

“What things?”

“You, Gabby, Toby….. Things…” Roman shrugged watching as Ella looked around before taking a step towards him.

“Tell me,” she begged her voice husky.

“I should never have let half our lives disappear before finding you,” he gasped out emotion making his voice waver. Suddenly he felt like crying at the waste of it. All the years he should have been with her. Should have loved her and now it was too late. It was all too late.

“Roman please come inside,” Ella begged.

Roman nodded before his eyes strayed to the window. He saw the silhouette of a man inside her apartment and recoiled.

“No, I need to go home and see to the children.”

Ella backed away and he knew that he had a fierce look on his face.  He tried to smile but couldn’t seem to muster it.

“Roman,” Ella said again.

He shook his head and moved over to the car.

“You were right you know, talking won’t solve us, I thought it could…” He shrugged.

“Text me when you get in,” Ella murmured.

He nodded again, watching as she walked across the road and back into her apartment. She was wearing a long tunic type jumper over leggings with black boots on. It wouldn’t be the last time he saw her but he wanted to remember it anyway.  Glancing to his hand he saw that he was still holding the bunch of flowers and half shook his head.  They were for her. Decision made he began to cross over the road.

It was clear when he stepped off the pavement but as he reached the middle of the road a car began travelling towards him. The driver tried to brake when he saw Roman in the road, losing control of the car.  The impact knocked Roman flying over the bonnet like he was a doll until he landed on the road. Ella ran over to him kneeling down in the road next to him.

“Flowers,” Roman whispered his voice dulled by pain.

“Don’t you do this to me Solider,” Ella begged.

“Had to give you your flowers,” he said before coughing.

Ella looked around seeing the driver stagger out of the car then Toby coming out of the apartment with Amy-Belle.

“Call for an ambulance!” She screamed at them.

“I’m fine…” Roman whispered trying to stop her fear.

“Fine? You’ve just been run over you stubborn man,” Ella cried out.

“Should have done things differently…. Should have fought for you… been there…”  His eyes closed, “You should never have lost the twins.”

“Help is coming…” Toby muttered his voice sounding shocked.



The End.  

 

 

 

 

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