by Amelia Grace
I also had permanent protection from the police force, and legally carried my own firearm.
This was a good as my life was going to get. The chains the CAI had been severed, and I was free. And I was eternally thankful.
Chapter 20
Twelve months later…..
11:03pm. My Tim Jennings emitted a once familiar sound that announced the arrival of an email. It had been such a long time since I exchanged emails in the cover of darkness to avoid being exposed.
I reached over to my lamp and turned it on before grabbing my Tim Jennings. I should have eradicated it from my life a long time ago. But I couldn’t bare it yet. It was my only connection to Georgia. Not that I would contact her again, even though my life was ‘normal’, safer. I still loved her.
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: ?
DATE: December 30 2012 23:03
TO: Tim Jennings
Dear Tim,
Hi.
X Georgia
I leaned my head back against the back board of the bed and closed my eyes, a smile etched on my face. I haven’t used the alias of Tim for such a long time. It brought back good memories of Georgia, and the sadness of our final parting.
I opened my eyes and focused on the dancing lights on my ceiling. I didn’t know whether I should reply to her. Would it be like opening up an old wound?
I did shut her out of my life for good. But it was a long time ago. She was probably married now. She should be.
FROM: Cohen Darcy
SUBJECT: greeting
DATE: December 30 2012 23:07
TO: Georgia Harrison
Dear Georgia,
Hi back at you. Smiling.
X Cohen
Send……
The softness of the pillow cocooned my weary head as I closed my eyes, still with a smile on my face. I placed my hand over my heart. It had accelerated at the mere sight of Georgia’s name. The remaining strength of my love for her surprised me. She was my soul mate, but I had consciously chosen to ignore my feelings for her.
The Tim Jennings vibrated in my hand. I opened up email again.
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: You replied!
DATE: December 30 2012 23:12
TO: Tim Cohen Jennings Darcy
Dear ?
I am glad that you are smiling. It is infectious. I am smiling too. And crying….
Georgia #thegingerbreadmenarejumpingupanddownwithhappiness
FROM: Cohen Darcy
SUBJECT: apologies
DATE: December 30 2013 23:15
TO: Georgia Harrison
Georgia, forgive me for making you cry. Please take my cybertissue and wipe your tears away before your sadness becomes contagious. When you are sad, I am sad.
I am no longer Tim Jennings. I have been freed from the chains of CAI.
Cohen #thegingerbreadmenneedtogotobed.itislate
Send…..
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: cybertissue
DATE: December 30 2012 23:20
TO: Cohen Darcy
Dear Cohen,
They are not tears of sadness, but of happiness. I would prefer for you to wipe my tears away in person. I have missed you terribly.
Georgia #whenevericlosemeeyesIreliveyourlipsuponmine<3
FROM: Cohen Darcy
SUBJECT: lips
DATE: December 30 2012 23:23
TO: Georgia Harrison
Our lives have changed now. I have followed your busy social life in the media. I am sure that you have a man who has stolen your heart and worships the ground that you walk on. I still miss you terribly.
Cohen #ourmomentsofpassionarepermanentlyburnedintomymemorynevertobeforgotten<3
Send……
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: Georgia HARRISON
DATE: December 30 2012 23:27
TO: Cohen Darcy
Cohen – I am single, until I find the one. Even if I have to wait a lifetime. I need to have tea for two with you – please.
Georgia #please:usedasapoliteadditiontorequests
FROM: Cohen Darcy
SUBJECT: I love tea
DATE: December 30 2012 23:30
TO: Georgia Harrison
Must I remind you that the book has rules?
Cohen #pleaseisassweetasthesugarthatIputinmytea
Send….
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: Rules Schmules
DATE: December 30 2012 23:33
TO: Cohen Darcy
Rules are meant to be broken.
Georgia #IamverygoodatpouringourteafortwoMrDarcy
FROM: Cohen Darcy
SUBJECT: The Meeting Place
DATE: December 30 2012 23:36
TO: Georgia Harrison
When? The gingerbread men know their way to Ooh Laa La Café. Do you?
Cohen #Iwillpourourteafortwowhenwemeetagain
Send…
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: You Haven’t Changed At All!
DATE: December 30 2012 23:40
TO: Cohen Darcy
Mr Darcy,
Because I really want to see you again, I will brush over that insult that you just catapulted at me. Tomorrow 10:03am. Don’t be late!
Georgia #oneofthegingerbreadmenisangrywithyouandtheydobite!
FROM: Cohen Darcy
SUBJECT: Run, run, as fast as you can!
DATE: December 30 2012 23:43
TO: Georgia Harrison
Miss Harrison,
The gingerbread men are not the only ones that bite! See you tomorrow. Don’t be late!
Cohen #perhapsthegingerbreadmanwilllikethegingerbreadwoman???????x
Send….
And I turn off my blackberry. I badly need some shuteye.
The rain poured down as I left the apartment with a liquid breakfast in my hand. Really? This is how the whole episode of meeting Georgia began such a long time ago.
My partner in anti-crime was waiting for me. As I sat in the front seat of the police car I turned on my Tim Jennings, which by the way, I never did in the morning.
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: adrenaline rush
DATE: December 31 2012 03:03
TO: Cohen Darcy
Can’t sleep Mr Darcy……
FROM: Cohen Darcy
SUBJECT: in the dead of the night
DATE: December 31 2012 05:30
TO: Georgia Harrison
Good morning sleepyhead. Don’t be late!
Cohen #itallstartedinthistypeofweatheronceuponatime
Send…..
The down pouring of rain equaled a quieter day at headquarters. It was a good day to catch up on the endless trail of paperwork. And before I knew it, I found myself at Ooooh Laaa La! Café.
The dingly dangly bell no longer announced the arrival of peoples. I missed it, although previously I had found it downright annoying. The café was busy as usual. It was a popular haunt for regular customers. And as the door closed behind me I found her. She was standing by the warm fireplace, her back to me. She wore a burgundy long sleeved fitted dress with a godet skirt that finished above the knees. The curvy shape of her legs were hugged in fine black stockings. Her ankle boot shoes elongated her legs. Her brown wavy hair fell loosely midway between her shoulder blades. And I could smell her sweet perfume. I would recognise it a mile away.
I took a deep breath as I felt my heart skip a beat and then start to race. This was my Georgia. My. Georgia.
As if on cue, she turned and faced me. Her beautiful smile took my breath away and lit up the entire café. I returned her smile with my own coy smile, and then looked to the wooden floorboards underfoot. I was falling apart before her. How can she disarm me so easily?
By the time that I had managed to look up again, she was before me, and then hugging me. I wrapped my arms around her and held her against my body. I was melting. I wanted to dissolve into her.
My. Georgia. I. Love. You. You. Are. Mine.
I breathed in deeply and then released her. She stepped back from me, smiling.
‘Georgia,’ I said in a low voice, looking deeply into her eyes.
‘Cohen,’ she replied, her smile gone, her voice serious.
I took her hand in mine, relishing in the warmth, the softness. Our hands were meant to be touching, together.
We sat in the wing chairs by the fireplace, a small table between us. She crossed her long legs as she sat down, and pushed her wavy hair over one shoulder. My heart skipped fifty beats. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her.
Georgia... What are you doing to me?
‘I’ll order Miss Harrison. Tea?’ I asked, in a quiet voice, raising my eyebrows at her.
‘Please Mr Darcy,’ she replied, her voice a sweet as honey.
I bowed slightly to her, turned, and then walked over to order our tea for two. To be honest, I was glad to move away from her. My attraction to her was becoming uncontrollable.
As I turned to walk back to her, our eyes locked. and remained locked. I sat back down in my wing chair. Her hand was draped over the armrest, her long fingers begging to be touched. I reached over, connecting our fingers.
‘You are too far away Miss Harrison. I like to have you closer,’ I disclosed in a hushed tone. I watched as she took in a sharp breath, her eyes connected to mine.
‘Cohen,’ she whispered as she shook her head slightly. I became confused. Why was I here meeting her again?
‘It is too difficult for me to be right next to you. I only want more if I am that close to you,’ she explained, clearing up my confusion.
‘But being this close, yet far away is making the situation worse Georgia. Let’s sit on the two seater sofa,’ I added. She looked down at her own fingers, which by now were tangled together.
‘No,’ she said quietly, furrowing her brows.
‘Okay. Torture it is,’ I added, and then sat back in the wing chair, my eyes upon hers. Perhaps I should put my glasses on? Then there would be no second guessing on what was going on with her. I felt like she had sent me some bait on a hook, and I had taken it.
She turned in the chair and faced the glowing fire, as if shutting me out of her presence. A feeling of dread came over me. Maybe I should just stand and leave?
‘Georgia, are you okay?’ I asked in low tone. She breathed in deeply. Then slowly turned to face me, her face pained.
‘I need to ask you something Cohen….I……I…,’ she started, looking down at her fidgety hands. I waited in anticipation of what she was about to say, concentrating on her body language. She was extremely anxious about what she was about to ask.
‘I……want to…..’
The arrival of our tea for two broke the intensity of her words. We both looked down at the tray of cups, saucers, teapot, milk and sugar. At once, I reached for the teapot to pour our tea, and then handed Georgia hers.
‘Thanks,’ she whispered.
‘My pleasure,’ I responded. Then I handed her a gingerbread woman, gift wrapped in cellophane with a pastel pink bow around it.
Georgia took it from my hands and looked at me, before her deluge of tears started.
I pulled my white handkerchief from my pocket and started to wipe her tears away.
‘Georgia, if I had known that the gingerbread woman would make you cry, I would never have given it to you. I think you should give it back to me so that I can eat it, and then you will stop crying,’ I whispered to her as I trailed the handkerchief over her cheeks erasing her tears of sadness.
Then she leaned into me, closed her eyes and kissed me, her soft lips caressing mine. I pulled away from her. This was going from sublime to ridiculous. Her emotions were all over the place. I didn’t know where I stood with her.
‘Better now?’ I asked, raising my left eyebrow.
‘No. I need more. But that will do for now Mr Darcy,’ she replied.
She placed the gingerbread woman onto the table and then looked seriously at me again.
‘Cohen…….I have been invited to a prestigious celebration of advances in the field of Medicine, and I need to take a partner. Will you accompany me to the event?’ she finally asked as smooth as silk.
I put down my cup of tea and looked at her.
Why me? There would be hundreds of men willing to take her surely?
‘And you choose me over the other thirty men that you have dated since we separated because……’ I said, waiting for her to finish the statement.
‘Because you are the only one that I feel totally comfortable with. The others gush over me and crowd me so that I have no space, and want every part of me outside and in……..they don’t understand me as you do Cohen,’ she explained.
I nodded my head at her. She finds me comfortable to be with……this, I take as an insult.
‘So I am the one that you feel safe with then Georgia…..’ I could not say anymore. My heart was breaking. I had hoped that I meant more to her. I stood up and walked over to the fireplace, and focused my eyes upon the dancing flames. Right now would be the time to leave the café.
I took a deep breath and about turned to say goodbye to Georgia. But she had placed a gingerbread man next to the gingerbread woman that I had given her.
I sat down in the wing chair once more, but I did not make eye contact with her. I couldn’t. She would see the pain that I was feeling inside.
I picked up the gingerbread man and ran my fingers around his outline. Georgia placed her hand on the side of my face.
‘The gingerbread woman is in love with the gingerbread man,’ Georgia whispered into my ear. ‘That is why she can’t go to the event with any other man.’
I breathed in deeply, and looked up into her eyes.
What are you doing to me Georgia?
She leaned in to me once again, and kissed me deeply, emotionally. She pulled away as I was wanting more. What was she doing to me?
‘Georgia,’ I said, my voice low and husky, my eyes still closed.
‘Come to the Celebration with me Cohen. I need you there,’ she whispered into my ear.
‘Yes,’ I whispered to her, and then opened my eyes, looking directly into hers. How could I resist her? My Georgia. Mine.
She kissed me lightly, and I felt her smile against my lips before she kissed me sweetly again, and then pulled away.
I caught her hand in mine before she sat back in the wing chair.
‘I have to go back to work Georgia. I have already overspent my time here with you,’ I said to her as I kissed the back of her hand. And then I stood, her hand still in mine.
She stood up with me, put her arms around my neck and kissed me again. Her arms slid down my shoulders and to my waist, and then up towards my chest under my coat.
Georgia gasped and stepped away from me.
‘You have a gun?’ she mouthed me, shock written all over her face. I pulled her back close to me.
‘Yeah – I work for the force now. I will catch you up to speed another time. I really have to go, ‘ I whispered into her ear.
‘You will,’ she replied, looking deeply into my eyes. I kissed her forehead, and then left the café, the outside cool air surrounded me, bringing me back to reality from the fairytale within the café. My Georgia.
Chapter 21
The Tim Jennings vibrated against my leg as a slid into the car.
‘Cohen, good to have you back on board,’ jeered my partner, smiling at me. ‘What was the attraction in the café, a girl?’
I smiled to myself.
‘Yes it was,’ I answered.
‘No way! You don’t do girls right?’ he continued.
‘Apparently,’ I added looking out the window of the unmarked police car. The rain was still beating against the pavement. The Tim Jennings vibrated against my leg again. I was on duty. I had to ignore it.
We returned to head quarters and I immersed myself in work. The time went quickly as per, and Tim Jennings was far fro
m my mind. Finally at 3pm I stopped for a break. I pulled my blackberry out of the drawer, and opened up emails.
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: Tonight
DATE: December 31 2012 11:30
TO: Cohen Darcy
Dear Cohen,
Dinner tonight 8pm?
xGeorgia #thegingerbreadmanandwomanhaverunofftogether
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: Tonight
DATE: December 31 2012 11:40
TO: Cohen Darcy
Dear Cohen,
Please let me know about dinner tonight. Missing you already.
xx Georgia #youlookedreallyhotinyourblacktrousersandlongsleevedwhiteshirttoday
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: Tonight
DATE: December 31 2012 12:30
TO: Cohen Darcy
Dear Cohen,
I need to feel your lips on mine again. Contact me.
xxxGeorgia #ireallywantotbreaktherulesofthebook
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: Tonight
DATE: December 31 2012 13:00
TO: Cohen Darcy
Cohen, I will track you down. I have my ways. Dinner tonight – 8pm?
xxxxGeorgia #thegingerbreadboysarearmedanddangerous
FROM: Georgia Harrison
SUBJECT: Tonight
DATE: December 30 2012 15:00
TO: Cohen Darcy
If you happen by chance to open your emails on your faithful blackberry, would you please mind responding to my request for a dinner date? Or, is it that you are indeed old fashioned, and object to me asking you out? Please let me know whatever way, so that I can plan my evening.
xxxxxGeorgia #whateverhappenedtotalkinginrealtimeonatelephone?
My Georgia…..
FROM: Cohen Darcy
SUBJECT: real telephones
