“I’m going to plate these up. Sure you don’t fancy a chip butty, they gave me tons?”
“Nah - not for me thanks Chris - Lu & I have a meal to devour as soon as she lands.” Amongst other things. “You’re out tonight, right?”
Chris laughs at my comment. “Don’t worry, you’ll have the place to yourselves in an hour. I’ve got a hot date.”
I wave him off with a frown as I dial Lu’s mobile, but it goes straight to answer phone, offering up the sound of her lovely voice telling me ‘to leave a message after the annoying beep’. Oh well, she’d be here soon, no doubt. Women were always late. I’m about to head back to the kitchen when my mobile rings and I answer it without glancing at the caller ID.
“You know how to keep a guy on his toes…”
“Hello? To whom am I speaking?”
“Er, who is this?” I look at my phone and see that it is definitely Lu’s number dialling me.
“This is PC Hirst from West Yorkshire Police calling…”
WTF? Chills works their way up my spine, over my arms and I swallow deeply before I ask the question I really don’t want to hear answered.
“What’s happened? Where is Lucia?”
“Is this Sebastian Silver?”
I’m filled with dread as the wash of something terrible pours over me, drenching me with goosebumps.
“Yeah - I’m Sebastian Silver.”
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident.”
This isn’t happening. “Just tell me where Lu is - what the hell happened?”
“Mr. Silver, I know that this is hard to hear. Your number was the last one she dialled and we found your business card in her purse at the scene.”
“Scene? What fucking scene?”
“Mr. Silver please calm down. Miss Myers has been taken to Lords hospital. I’m afraid she’s been involved in a car accident.”
“Is she alright?” My voice is weak - almost a whisper and full of fear. I’ve asked the one question I don’t want to hear the answer to, yet at the same time I need to know so I can breathe.
“She was unconscious when we found her. It’s pretty serious. She hit a wall.”
“So there’s no one else involved?”
“It doesn’t appear so.”
“Right, I’ve got to go. I need to be with her.”
“I understand. I’ll ring you later to discuss things in further detail and hopefully once Miss Myers regains consciousness, we can get her statement at the hospital.”
I don’t even say goodbye to the copper on the other end of the phone. I hit end and for a second am entirely frozen to the spot.
Then I go into survival mode.
“Chris! I’m going out. Lu’s been in an accident.”
“What?” His screech is enough to break my blinkered behaviour.
“She’s been in a car accident. I’m off to Lords hospital.”
“Is she ok? Do you want me to come with you?”
“I don’t know and no.” It comes out harsher than I wanted but at this moment I don’t care.
I grab my keys and ignore Chris’ shocked expression, shrug into my coat and head to the front door. Then stop and pat him on the shoulder. It wasn’t his fault. “I’ll keep you posted mate. Thanks. Oh shit is your car parked behind mine?”
“Er no, no it’s not - I grabbed a taxi from the chippy. My car broke down - had to have the pile of junk towed. Look you go and I’ll grab a taxi and meet you down at the hospital in a bit - can I call anyone for you?”
“No, I don’t know - look I’ll see you later, Chris.”
“It’ll be Ok, Seb - Lu’s a fighter and it’ll all work out in the end I’m sure.”
I nod at his answer and don’t give it a second thought, before yanking the door open and running hell for leather to whatever carnage awaits.
The drive to the hospital is a blur of lights. Amazing how you can climb into a car in one place and land in another with no real recollection of how you got there. My mind is filled with images of my girl; all of them gruesome and devastating - her beautiful face covered in blood and glass; her body bruised and battered. Man, I’m killing myself here. I attempt on many occasions to allow my inner voice to reason with me and for short snippets I allow myself the luxury of reminiscing about our most recent stolen moments; the trip to The Maldives, god that had been life-changing, a time that I had realised that I really couldn’t live without her.
One month would never be enough with Lucia Myers, I’d always known that.
An image of a vision in gold flickers into my present, resplendent at the black and gold ball in Dubai. She had stopped my breath and I’d been so proud to call her mine. Every man in that room that night had envied me and she’d not even realised it. I can see her now, when I made love to her, my name on her lips and luscious breasts in my hands. I shake my head to change the memory.