The Rule of Three by Kristian Parker

Author:Kristian Parker [Parker, Kristian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQIA Romance Fiction
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group
Published: 2022-04-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

James skimmed the stone, but it plopped into the tarn after the second bounce. Frowning, he picked up another and it did the same.

“You always were rubbish at this.”

Liz picked up a stone, examined it carefully then launched it into the still water. It bounced about five times before disappearing, leaving a ripple.

They wandered along the shore for a bit.

“I don’t know. You ask me for a walk and haven’t said more than five words,” Liz complained.

“You know why I want to talk to you.”

Liz sighed. A heron took off from over the other side of the water. “I know. Is it whether I’m entering the baking competition at the fête? Or maybe you want a hint on what I’ve got you for your birthday? Or perhaps it’s bloody Ed.”

“Not just Ed, Arthur too.”

Liz stared at him. He could see his mother’s haughty expression in her face. She had never been one to argue with either.

“Why do you care about him? You don’t even know him.”

“Neither do you,” James said, being very careful to keep his voice under control. “You don’t believe half of what you’re saying.”

“Don’t I?”

“No.”

They walked in silence for a little while.

“Shall we go into Bennett’s Woods, see if the tree is still there?”

They used to play down here all the time as kids. Their parents would be busy in the pub so they would climb over the fence in the car park and disappear into the woods.

Liz followed him into the trees. “I thought you’d be more concerned with your nephew’s teacher. What kind of rubbish he might be filling his head with?”

James threw his hands up. “Liz, you were telling me what a good teacher he is. Now you’ve turned into some judgemental nineteen-fifties puritan. What are you doing?”

Liz stopped and stared at him. “I’m protecting the village.”

“Oh bullshit. You’re diverting attention from your bloody extension.”

They started to walk again.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she muttered.

“I know you better than anyone on this planet.”

They walked in silence.

“I couldn’t stop it now even if I tried,” she said eventually. “It’s not just me who’s upset.”

“It’s you holding meetings about it and going snooping on the internet. I’m telling you now, you won’t have another meeting at the pub.”

Liz raised an eyebrow. “The big man speaks. Dad would have let me.”

“Dad hasn’t been behind that bar for many years.”

They reached the place where the tree they had played in as kids should be, but only a stump remained.

“Oh no,” Liz said.

“I guess nothing lasts forever.”

They stood looking at their old childhood friend, or what remained of it.

“Maybe I’ll calm it down,” Liz said, taking hold of his hand. “Would that make you happy?”

He squeezed her hand. Despite her many, many faults, he loved her furiously. “I think it would make everyone happy.”

“Hello.”

They both jumped at the voice. James’ nerves jangled as Ed approached.

“I saw you two coming in here and I guessed where you’d be heading.”

“It’s gone,” Liz said.

Ed stopped in his tracks and surveyed the stump.

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