Memories

The day of the move had come, and Kyle stood procrastinating on his front porch. The movers stumbled in and out with boxes and heavy furniture; not even battering an eyelash to the man standing before them work dodging, who seemed to be going over something in his head. But Kyle didn't care. He had given his own time to assist the movers with the heavy load, and assist he did! Couldn't he stand on his own front porch? This had been his and his families home for years! Even now, he thought about the first time him and Camilla had fumbled clumsily across the threshold, newly in love and newly married. How she looked at him with those eyes of hers. Eyes of hazel that had fixed their gaze only on him and no other. He let out a defeated sigh, as his face fell, and an image of her took over his mind. She had been so beautiful, but yet- so ugly on the inside. 

       "Fuck her-" He said to himself, and began searching anxiously around him for the box containing all his office documents. 

          "Shit! Where is it?!" He tugged on wrapped up rugs, and moved pictures out the way encase he accidentally shoved the box behind the frames. But it seemed to be missing... He gave himself a mental beating in the hopes of managing to make himself remember, but for the love of all things good- he could not think of where he'd left it. 

          "Elizabeth?!-" He shouted, some moments passed... And his teenage daughter still hadn't replied back to him. So he tried again. 

           "Elizabeth?!-" All that took notice were the birds in the sky, flying aimlessly no doubt? And then Kyle grew agitated. 

            "Bloody - well - sake Elizabeth, can you get your arse over here? I've been calling you for ten minutes!" 

Elizabeth strolled over to the front porch where her dad had been yelling- Probably cause of me... She thought. It had been weird for them at first. Living at home without Camilla. Taking things at a steady pace, waiting for the turnout; and it seemed as though this was it. Move house. Nothing original there then... But she remained hopeful just the same. 

                "Dad, I couldn't hear you... why were you shouting?" Her expression unaltered. 

                "Couldn't you hear me? I was shouting you-" 

                 "Oh... Well... I was in the garage arranging my cd's. That box has been in there for ages, so I figured I might as well sort through what ones I want to keep, and what ones I want to chuck." She flicked her hair with the fresh afternoon breeze that swept through the garden, and made her way up the stairs for the house. 

                  "Wait-" Elizabeth waited. "Where are you going? We still have loads to load up and its getting later and later..." Kyle groaned. 

The removal men passed by, still minding their own business whilst Elizabeth digressed, and her dad sulked. If he didn't want to do the work, why did he wanna move?! But Elizabeth knew why, and she did sympathise with him- a little bit. But deep down in her most secret thoughts she blamed her dad for the way things turned out. Before everything with her mum came to the surface; her dad had been really withdrawn. That stupid book of his was to blame for all of this! And to some degree, she stood correct. "The Quiet Town" which had claimed the top spot as best selling novel back in 2010, and earning him the 'Booker Prize' award had unconventionally taken over his life. In preparation for his new book Kyle had taken it upon himself to sleep on the sofa at night; in hopes of avoiding Camilla, (worried she'd take away his 'focus'); and he had practically lived in his office. At one point Elizabeth couldn't recall having seen her dad for more than a week! 

               "Dad? I'm going up stairs to my room, to get my suitcase. What exactly is it you want?" Better lose the attitude, She thought. 

                "What? Now?! I thought I told you to pack that stuff in the car already?" Kyle leaned back in his already opposing stance awaiting her response. Does he want an argument? 

               "Dad? Come on. I'm tired. We've been packing all day. I swear I'm getting a blister?! Its just been a really long day! I don't particularly want to move house and I'm not too happy that we are!" She turned her back to him in a huff and carried on with her original plan. Finally getting her trunks in the boot of the car. 

                   "Lizzie- don't be a spoilt brat. Have you seen my office box?" His quizzical stare had gone unnoticed and his voice was lost along with the wind. But Kyle continued his search. He hadn't mean't coming along as harsh, the last person Kyle wanted to upset was Elizabeth. He just didn't realise how all the points Lizzie had raised had been affecting him too. That's when he decided to walk down the stairs and saunter over to an abandoned coffee table that held boxes containing papers. He scanned the papers twice, each resulting with nothing. Wrong box, he thought. 

There was still clutter prominent on the front garden, and it seemed to be taking these removal men longer than Kyle anticipated- clearly! But soon enough the clouds had separated in the sky and the moon had relinquished the sun from the day time making way for its glorious entry into night. And with cars loaded up, the Belle's were finally ready to make their way over to their new house. 

 .............................

Meanwhile, across the slopes and near the centre of town was the Quebec house. Standing complacently amongst the rearing town centre night life and loud crowds, nearly everyone knew the Quebec's. They were a friendly bunch, consisting of Clinton, Vanessa, and Jamie. But Jamie knew Elizabeth Belle from way back- primary school even! Having always been friends. But tonight, things remained quiet as usual... Vanessa cooking the families favourite meal of mac and cheese and Clinton nestled in front of television. 

As Vanessa went around cooking up a treat and adding tantalising spices and herbs to the mixture, she hummed a happy tune and danced around the kitchen. Cooking came easy to Vanessa as it had always done, and wearing her favourite dress made her feel like one of those 1960 housewives! Blissfully unaware of the hazardous things that transpired outside her safe abode. 

And when everything was all washed up and put away- dinner served, Vanessa could finally relax with a, " Bon appetite!" 

Yes. The Quebec's were innocent enough; working, paying taxes, their national insurance, all in the duty of being good citizens. 

                           "Hey hun? Where's Jay? She still not back yet?" Clinton stopped mid flow before ingesting another sloppy mouthful. 

                             "Hmm... I'm not too sure? Maybe she's back at the Belle's?" 

                            "No I don't think so. Wasn't it today she said that they were gonna be moving?" Vanessa raised her eyebrow's in thought containing the mild panic she felt. Oh no! was it today? Must remember! Think, think, think, think! Think DAMMIT!  

                            "Umm..." Oh jeez, I can't remember! Why does he always ask me as if I know?!

                       "Have you rung her today?" Clinton pried some more. 

                              "Well- Clinton, I have been rather busy today... so I assume I forgot? Besides! It's not as if she answers when I ring her anyway..." Vanessa could breathe happy again and preyed the topic of conversation would change. 

                             "Oh! I don't know?" Clinton put down his fork and rested his hands at the sides of his plate. "What is it with that girl? You know I haven't seen her to speak to in three days! Are you sure when you spoke to her she said nothing was up?" 

                             "Yes love- she did. She asked me to stop badgering her and to leave her alone..." Vanessa hovered her fork in the air waiting for Clinton's response, as undoubtedly he'd have one. 

                               "Vanessa- your too easy on the girl! Don't you know she needs boundaries? She can't just stay at a mates house and not come home for two days! God knows where she's been?!" Clinton brushed his lap and pushed back from the table to stand, he was worried about his daughter; what if something bad had happened to her and he had remained blissfully unaware of the fact?! What if she was in a ditch?! What if she had been violated! What if she was in dire need of him and he'd forgotten her! Loads of thoughts attacked his brain like flashes of light, each flash being another visual of his daughter falling victim to some major catastrophe beyond his control. 

So Clinton rang his daughter's phone waiting despondently for her voice to greet him on the other end. It rang, and rang and rang...

    ........................

The night time didn't reflect the beauty the house beheld, in Kyle's mind. At this point in time he was beyond the verge of just being pissed off, he was fucked off! It had taken all day from eight thirty in the morning to wait on remover's; lug heavy furniture in and out of the house, and then when finally getting to the new house- waiting on the lorries to drop off the rest of the furniture from storage!

Yes. Today had been a very long day. Kyle felt it, Elizabeth had felt it, and now that all the work was done Kyle felt cheated. 

And the time had come when Kyle could finally relax. Breathing in and out whilst hearing- nothing. Complete peace and quiet which was welcomed, and missed. Thoroughly missed. Kyle liked time to himself... When things seemed impossible to overcome he would just sit by his self and brood. But it didn't seem like brooding, just in deep thought- perhaps? He could see all his life play out in front of him... all the good times... the bad times... all the times that made him think twice. Like Camilla... Sixteen years they had been married! And it wasn't as though he hadn't done right by her, he just put himself first- for once... He could see it all now. The arguments- the lies- the hurt- the betrayal... especially the betrayal. 

Then an image of them would appear. Lying, cheating, deceiving...

Then another image! Two bodies entwined and intimate- intimate then he and Camilla had ever been, engrossed in heated love; powered by passion and driven by a compelling need, to destroy. 

Destroy his world and destroy his entire being. Destroy a life he thought was worth everything in the world to possess... Just to see it all fall down around him... 

.....................................

Indeed. The betrayal had been the worst part. And now thats all Kyle could see. Him and her. His best friend, and his wife. But Kyle could do no more than let out a contented sigh. Right now, he had come out on top- not letting her get to him too much. She had already taken away everything, he had nothing else to give. It was over. They were over. Dammit. She'd already seen to it that she invested in a good lawyer, and sent out the divorce papers. She had no heart at all and couldn't care less about what happened to him. And this gave Kyle a plan. The only reason why she'd send out divorce papers is so I'd sign them and send them off straight away... Kyle's mind continued to drift. Well... He thought. Maybe I'll just forget... 

Yes! I'll just simply forget.... 

Next Chapter!