Steeling My Haart

by Lizzy Roberts

  “Oh, George, I love you, too. You’ve been so good to me over the years and I feel like you’re a part of our family, too. Come here, give me a hug, then you and Charlie can tell me just how you know each other so well.”

  George stood and took Emma into a huge embrace, squeezing her tightly and as he let go she reached up and planted a big kiss on his cheek. Smiling as she headed back to Charlie’s side, George cleared his emotion-choked throat and said softly, “Well, Miss Emma, it’s a curious thing, but it seems out Charlie here is a lifesaver through and through. If it hadn’t been for him landing into my life in the bar downtown all those years ago I think I may have just died of a broken heart. Charlie here is a good man through and through and I owe him my life.” He choked back a sob and tried to continue, “This boy here saved everythin’ and kept me a roof over ma head and probably stopped me from drinkin’ maself to death that night… Charlie, boy, you tell her. It’s as much your story to tell as mine, son.” He choked again as he dabbed his now glistening eyes with a napkin.

  Bobby stood, looking slightly uncomfortable at the unfolding emotions and excused himself, “Guys, it’s lovely to see you, both but I think this is a conversation just for the three of you. Besides, judging by the look of it, I’m needed to sort those hoodlums out in the kitchen.” He stood and as he did both Emma and Charlie stood, shaking hands and embracing him as he returned to sort the chaos of the now increasing lunch rush.

  As Bobby walked away, Charlie began, “It was the year I found out you had decided to move to New York and the same year the diner back in Glen Springs had really taken off. Who knew I’d make a success of the place?” He laughed. “Anyway the success of the diner allowed me to take a few weeks off from the intensity of it all. Pete was in charge and I knew after all we had been through to get the diner open he would be okay. I had plans brewing to open a second diner, but wanted to take stock of things before I did. So I planned a trip to New York. Before I had a chance to decide where to open a second diner I realized I’d finally done it. I’d made enough of myself to come and find you, sweetheart. So I did. But things didn’t go as I had intended. In fact they couldn’t really have gone much worse.” Emma hugged him close then stole a glance over at a still emotional George. She knew things had been hard for Charlie in their missing years, but she hadn’t heard much of how he ended up in New York.

  “After two weeks of solid searching for you, I couldn’t find any trace of you. The day before I was due to fly back to Oklahoma, I had exhausted the last of my limited investigative resources and had hit a seedy bar downtown to literally drown my sorrows. I think I was about halfway down a bottle of some awful cheap whiskey when I found George sitting alone at the end of a bar two thirds of the way down a bottle of bourbon. I felt so low just then, despite everything had managed to achieve. It just wasn’t worth anything to me without you to share it with, Em.” He looked so sad, as if remembering the pain was almost too much. Emma took his hand and bringing it to her lips she kissed it and then squeezed it, encouraging him to carry on.

  “In a useless attempt to try wipe you from my memory, I decided to join in the alcohol fuelled marathon with George and we struck up a very drunken conversation.”

  George looked somber and took over the story, “I’d just lost by beautiful Karin to cancer.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “The medical insurance fell short and left me crippled with debt. We were a team. We ran a diner Karin was left by her ‘ol man, Karin only taking a short break when each of our sons were born. But she was so ill that I couldn’t leave her alone so near the end. I had to shut the place to care for her. I had such little time left I didn’t want to be stuck working myself to the bone and not getting’ a chance to say ‘bye to my sweet wife.” He choked again but managed to compose himself long enough to carry on.

  “She died peacefully in my arms on a beautiful Thursday morning, and I almost died with her. But Monday came an’ so did the bank. They were takin’ the diner. I had a week to make a payment or it’d be gone. The hospital needed payin’, I’d been to wrapped up in Karin I’d not paid a lot of bills, either, and then the power went off. I had a week and no chance of savin’ it. Between planning her funeral and sortin’ out the paperwork it was the day before my eviction and I hadn’t barely gotten cent to ma name. So I took the last of the bills from the cash till and headed to the bar where we’d first met all them years ago. It was no place for a lady, but she’d stepped into the bar outta the rain one night when I was workin’ there in the kitchen and it was love at first sight. After that moment we were inseparable ‘til she died” once again composing himself, he carried on. It seemed important to let him get this off his chest and as he continued, nothing mattered around the three of them, huddled in a quiet booth in the corner of the diner.

  “Anyway, I was ‘bout to lose the diner that we had tirelessly built up during our blissful marriage. I was days away from foreclosure and because of the huge debt I owed for medical costs he was also ‘bout to be evicted. We lived in the apartment above the diner. I was ‘bout to lose my livelihood and home, but worst bit was all the memories that would have gone too.” Finally too overcome with emotion, George waved to Charlie to continue. Emma was silent and just sat there listening, Charlie’s arm still wrapped tightly round her shoulders. A solitary tear dripped from her cheek, going unnoticed as the sad story continued.

  “I joined him, and for the first time since I walked away, I opened up to him about how I was helpless in trying to find you, Emma. I only realized when I was planning this trip that in the entire time I have known George, I have never once mentioned your name. Somehow it all seemed to be too real if I did and just that night I wanted to forget.” Sucking in a deep breath he continued,

  “I did tell him a lot of what had happened and that I was also thinking about expanding my business and opening a second diner. This is when a very intoxicated plan started to form. It hit me that I should open M’s Place number two in New York simply because you were here and one day you might find me. George then told me about his situation.”

  Realization hit Emma suddenly and she spoke quietly, “This is yours and Karin’s place, isn’t it, George?” she asked as she took in the busy diner, the tears now rolling down her face.

  “Yes, Miss Emma, it is. An’ I still have our apartment, too, and the memories, thanks to this amazing fella here,” he stated simply, looking at Charlie with a kind of admiration that could only be earned. “I spilled everything to him that night an’ this amazing young man offered me a way to keep it all an’ pay off the banks an’ the hospital. Hungover as hell, Charlie ‘greed to meet me here at the diner the morning after. And within the hour, we were phoning lawyers and a sale was agreed. I don’t know an’ will pro’lly not know ‘til the day I die what made him snap this place up like he did but whatever it was I will be forever grateful. I manage the place and still live upstairs in our home. I also still own a part of it, Charlie only insisted in buying out enough to clear my debts and signed me up as his partner ” Uncontrolled tears were now streaming down Emma’s face and turning to Charlie her heart just burst with love.

  “It’s no big secret George, and I’m happy to tell you. When I walked in here that morning, it felt like walking home. I felt like total crap that morning, my head was pounding and I’d even missed my flight home to come and visit and have a look. Like something was pulling me here, especially after hearing your story. Aside from the fact the premises were a perfect size in a perfect position for what I had in mind. I knew it was fate when I was sizing up the street side potential and I saw you, Emma walking past. I swear in that moment I was going to pay whatever it took to buy this place. I just stood here at the window and watched you as you walked on by, lost in yourself but looking so much more beautiful than I remembered you. It was the sign I needed.”

  “Well, I never.” George looked stunned.

  “Why didn’t you come after me?” Emma whispered.

  “I did, but as
quickly as I pulled myself together and I got out of the door, you’d got in a cab and gone. Out of my life again, but I was determined to get you back. Just wasn’t quite prepared at that point for what it was going to take.” He laughed out, then wiping the tears from Emma’s cheeks, he kissed her on the lips.

  “I bought enough of the place to help George out, we decided on a renovation plan and were open within a few months.”

  “An’, Miss Emma, my life started ‘gain. It wasn’t long after we opened that I remember you first visitin’ here with your friend Miss Lily as it happens.”

  “That’s right. And that day you saw me Charlie, was my first proper day in New York, too. I was here for my induction and I’d been living with Lily just round the corner. I can’t believe how this has all happened, I really can’t! And if I told you that M’s Place is what encouraged me to buy my apartment. And it all makes sense, Blaze’s Bake and the pumpkin lattes… They were for me, weren’t they?” As Charlie nodded, just when Emma thought it couldn’t be possible, she fell more in love with him.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Charlie

  As the afternoon drew to early evening, the diner had become increasingly quiet. George and Bobby seemed preoccupied and the other staff had disappeared, along with the crowd of diners he had expected to see at this time on an evening. As Charlie had made his way up to the office to go through some paperwork he saw Emma had opened her laptop. She been engrossed answering some emails and trying to get hold of Bruce. He had told her Bruce hadn’t a clue they were coming and wondered if wanted to at least get him and Lou to come over and grab a latte with her. In reality Bruce and Lou were in on the secret.

  Just before seven, Charlie appeared at the staff door and stood in the entryway watching his sweet Emma working away. She had no idea of what was happening tonight, but he needed her out of the way for a few minutes. Bruce was primed and ready to distract her and he quickly tapped out a text and sent it to him. Within about thirty seconds, Lou appeared at the diner door and headed over to Emma to surprise her.

  “Hey, darlin’.” Lou spoke up first, making Emma jump. Charlie smiled at the look of surprise on her face at the sight of him in front of her. It had been a couple of months since they had been back out to Edmond and Charlie knew she missed them. He stood there and watched her animatedly filling him in on their last few amazing months together. His heart was full and he was starting to get a little nervous. Lou caught his eye and indicated that they would be leaving soon with Emma so he could get his plans into action. He took this as his cue to head back upstairs to his office and he waited just a few minutes before Emma shouted up and let him know she was heading out her old apartment to surprise Bruce.

  “Okay, sweetheart, I still have a little work to do up here. I’ll let you know when I’m done and you can bring the guys back here for dinner? Love you,” he shouted back down to her as she left.

  The next part of the plan kicked in and the staff that she had thought she had seen leaving all flooded back into the back of the diner with arms full of decorations. They officially locked the diner up for the day and pulled down the blinds at the windows to shield the he helped them set up the banners, filled the helium balloons and set about transforming the diner.

  Bobby and George were busy in the kitchen and they had been handsomely rewarded for the additional hours they had put in over the last couple of days to get everything ready. Neither had been fully let on in the secret until Emma had left. George couldn’t wipe the smile off his face since. He was amazed at the results of their efforts and once again after he had seen what they had created, the butterflies took flight in his stomach.

  About half an hour after Emma had left with Lou, a couple of taxis arrived bringing the special guests that had been invited to the function that Charlie was holding tonight. He shepherded them into the diner quickly and settled them quickly. Everyone wanted to greet him personally and although they were all familiar faces, some he hadn’t seen in a while, he had to excuse himself to get ready. He had given Bruce and Lou pretty strict instructions about when to bring Emma back and time was ticking on. A couple of the guests needed to leave pretty quickly so it was imperative he was ready.

  He undressed swiftly and he put on the shirt that he had found over the back of his chair in the office and shrugged on his smart jacket over the top. Taking a look at himself in the mirror he was happy that he gave the right impression before he headed down the stairs and re-joined the guests. They were all eager to have a part of him and he relented for a few minutes, embracing a couple of the more eager ones.

  Just before seven that evening, he heard the sound of Emma, Bruce and Lou approaching the diner. He could distinctly hear Emma complaining that the place seemed to be shut. He nodded to George who walked over and opened the door.

  “Miss Emma, Bruce, Lou, would you all like to step this way?” he requested with a huge smile on his face as the rest of the guests hushed.

  “What on earth is going on George?” she asked, a hint of worry in her voice. “Why is the diner closed?”

  “Miss Emma, we’re holding a private function this evening. Why don’t you come in and see?”

  Charlie was now sweating slightly and his heart was beating out of his chest. All would be revealed as she walked round the corner into the diner and he was now extremely nervous.

  As Emma walked in she struggled to take in the scene before her. The diner had been decked out in the short time she had been at the apartment with Bruce and Lou. As she looked around the room she saw a sea of familiar faces. The next thing she heard was a shrill little voice shouting at her form the corner, “Hewwo Emmamomma” Leo’s tiny little voice echoed round the room.

  “Mom? Dad? What are you all doing here?” she said. Charlie watched as she then spotted Uncle Hank and Sonia, Charlie’s mom standing beaming at her from cross the room. He saw her scan the room more closely and saw her gasp as she saw a whole bunch of ‘congratulations’ banners hanging from the walls. Charlie waved across at her mom and quick as a flash, Nicky released a now walking Leo along with a very giddy Adie to head over to her confused daughter. As the two children approached, Charlie watched as Emma noticed they were wearing printed sweaters, both of them saying in bold letters, “Can Charlie be our daddy, please?”

  He watched as she crouched down in front of them and it took a moment for it to sink in before her hand went across her mouth and she slowly stood. As she turned to Charlie, opened his jacket to reveal his t-shirt that simply said, “Marry me?” He reached onto the table and picked up a small blue cake box and stepped a little hesitantly towards her and getting down on one knee, he opened the box to reveal one Blaze’s bake cupcake, with the most beautiful pink diamond solitaire ring fixed into the icing on the top.

  The room fell silent as Charlie cleared his throat and he said, “Emma McKellan, I love you, will you marry me?”

  She immediately fell to her knees, tears of happiness streaming down her face and said the only thing she could say in answer to her precious Charlie. “Of course I will.”

  Charlie slipped the ring on to her finger and took her in his arms, kissing her deeply as the entire room erupted in cheers around them. “Thank you, Emma, for giving me a second chance. I made a huge mistake all those years ago leaving you, and I don’t think I could survive again without you. It took years of steeling my heart to survive without you and I’m not doing that again.”

  Epilogue

  It was hard to make out through the closed blinds what was happening, but in the apartment across the street from M’s Place, a solitary figure had been watching the events of the day with interest.

  The telescopic scope of the now disarmed sniper rifle had provided a perfect way to watch the happy couple coming back to the city. From behind the lens, a sense of peace washed over the observer when it was clear that things had finally come together for the pair. No instructions from the boss had been issued in the last couple of days at least and the o
pportunity to observe the day’s events had been a refreshing bonus.

  In another life, the engagement party that was going only a few yards away from the empty apartment would have been a source of great joy, but today it only brought sadness.

  They hoped never to have to be asked to target the two beautiful children that had arrived at the party and that had once belonged to someone else. The same ‘Someone’ had been wiped out of existence under an execution order last year. At least one of the lives that were extinguished that day had once been as innocent as those precious two lives over there. The children’s true identity had so far been kept under wraps and that was something. They were also glad to know that the two precious children had been moved away from New York and they were living a happy life away from the danger that lurked in some corners of this vile city.

  More recently their interest in the children had almost been made known. A couple of times they had been careless in their covert surveillance. The last thing that could happen would be for their identity to be disclosed. It was okay to watch, but from a distance, and only when circumstances permitted. Like today, New York was their base and the yearning to see the children up close like this was too much to resist. In future better care would have to be taken to remain in the shadows. From this range, the scope had allowed a rare close up of the faces of the two children and now a fresh image of the innocent faces had been stored to memory for future use. Who knew when another opportunity this good would ever present itself again?

  The burner cell startled them from their own thoughts and they went to pick it up. The harsh, lifeless female voice echoed around the empty room, “Hello?”

  “You’re needed back at base ASAP! Where the fuck are you? The Raven is about to chew your ass to hell and back if you aren’t here in twenty.” The familiar gruff voice echoed across the line.