Love Will Come Through

An hour later, Chris and Noreen sat in the waiting room at the hospital. Noreen was sitting in a chair, sobbing quietly. Although he wanted to hold and comfort her very badly, he held back. They could not be seen being close in public!
After he had taken a good look at the boy, he had called for an ambulance. When the paramedics arrived, he had told them he was her piano teacher. He had seen the keyboard in her bedroom before and he himself owned a piano. It was the only thing they had in common, which would not cause suspicion.
They had taken the boy to the hospital, and they arrived later.
‘His arm is broken, along with some ribs’ a doctor had told them. ‘He’s got many bruises, and some internal bleedings, but we managed to stop those.’
Another thing was made clear now. He had seen the boy, and now knew why she felt so much love for him.
They were twins. Although the boy’s face was badly bruised, he had seen it. He was the same age as her, and they had the same features. She hadn’t told him this before.
And now, they were waiting until the boy was conscious again, and until the police would arrive.
Chris felt nervous, and he actually wanted to go. But he just couldn’t bear to tell Noreen this. It was not he didn’t want to be with her. He was sure that things could go wrong if the police would arrive. He had to tell her.
‘Noreen’ he said as he turned around to face her. She looked up, her face wet. ‘I can’t stay. If the police come, they would want to know who I am’
‘You’re my piano teacher’ she said.
‘I’m not, and if they find out, we will be in more trouble’ he said as he stepped closer to her.
‘But I need you here’ she said, probably seeing where he was going. ‘I want to get him charged! I can show him my face, and you must show yours! They must know how violently can be! He can get arrested!’
‘Yes, but so can I!’ Chris said, louder than he had intended to, which made Noreen startle.
‘But don’t you think this is a lot worse than what we did?’ she hissed at him. ‘What do you think they will find more important? You loving me? Or him, beating us up?’
‘I don’t think it can be compared, Noreen’ Chris said, running his hand through his hair. He watched how she looked at him, the disappointment clearly viewable in her eyes.
Chris looked around before he crouched down in front of her.
‘If this gets open’ he said softly. ‘It can become a public matter. The media can find out, and the whole of England could find out. What we did, is a crime to them’
‘Yes, but so is beating up-…’
‘No, it is not’ Chris said. ‘Of course, it is!’ he added, and went on: ‘But it happens very often. People aren’t surprised anymore when these things happened. But they are, when they find out a teacher had been screwing his students.
‘You didn’t screw-…’
‘I know, I didn’t’ he said and took her hand in his. ‘But that’s what they will think! I’ve seen this before, Noreen. It happens once every few years when a teacher does something like this. It’s a scoundrel to the public’
There was a long silence where she stared at him. But she nodded.
‘I think you should go than’ she said softly.
Chris smiled at her, feeling grateful she understood.
‘If it wouldn’t have been for these people, I would have kissed you and told you I loved you’ he said, squeezing her hand. ‘But I can’t, and I am sorry, Nori’
She smiled, and Chris knew why. He had never called her Nori before, but he liked it, and so did she probably.
Suddenly, the door of the hallway opened, and another boy came in. Chris got on his feet again, and recognized him at once. His heart sank.
It was James Brooks, also a student of his. He had long dark hair, and also always wore black clothes.
He looked a bit puzzled when he saw both Noreen and Chris standing in the hallway.
‘Noreen’ he said as he looked at her. ‘How is he?’
‘He’s got his arm and ribs broken’ she said as she looked at James, but than looked back at Chris. ‘This is the friend I mentioned’ she said to him. ‘He’s a friend of Corrie’s’
Chris only nodded at the boy, but he held his breath as the boy looked back at him. Chris looked back at Noreen.
‘I will see you soon’ he said before he went down the hallway and left the hospital.

Once at home, he dragged himself to the sitting room and he sank down on the sofa. He grabbed a fistful of hair and stared at the ground for a moment. Strummer jumped on the sofa, but didn’t begin to purr at once. He was just staring at Chris.
‘What?’ Chris said as he looked at the cat. The cat narrowed his eyes. Chris sighed.
‘Yes, I know’ he muttered and he got up, walking over to the phone. He dialled the number he knew so well.
‘Paul? It’s me, Chris…. Hey… let’s go for a run tomorrow?’

Chris stood bent over, leaning on a bench in the park. He was out of breath.
‘Oh come on, Chris’ Paul said. ‘We haven’t even been running for 20 minutes’
Chris sank down on the bench, clutching his sides ‘Actually…’ he panted ‘I…. I need to talk to you’
‘Well, we can talk while running’
Chris frowned.
‘That will-… kill me!’
‘Of course not!’ Paul said ‘Come one’ and he began to run again Chris sat on the bench, still panting as he watched his brother run further and further away from him.
‘Paul!’ he called and jumped up, running behind his brother. When he caught up with him, Chris took Paul by his shoulder.
‘I really - need to talk to you…’
This time, Paul looked more serious at his brother
‘Something wrong?’
Chris didn’t look at his brother, but raised his eyebrows as he was still panting.
‘Apart from that I feel like I have no lungs…’
‘You’ve got my attention, Chris’ Paul said a bit impatiently.
Chris breathed in sharply and sat down on the nearest bench, but Paul kept standing.
‘Remember - when I told you about this student?’
‘Noreen’ Paul said at once.
‘That I - kissed her?’
‘Yes’
Chris looked at his brother for a long time, but it was Paul who asked: ‘She came to your house again?’
‘Yes’
Paul closed his eyes and turned his back to Chris. ‘Oh God, Chris’ he said.
Chris stared struck at his brother.
‘What?’
‘Don’t tell me you did screw one of your students?’
‘Hush!’ Chris said as he looked around, trying to see whether someone was near them. He looked up at Paul again, still feeling astonished ‘How do you-’
‘I know you well enough, Chris’ Paul said.
‘Oh that only makes it easier for me’ Chris said ironically, raising his eyebrows
‘I’m being serious, Chris’
‘Well so am I!’ Chris now said
There was a silence for half a minute until Paul sat down as well. ‘What happened?’ he asked.
Chris didn’t answer, but stared at the bushes opposite them. ‘She came over to me’ he sighed. ‘Her father… he had hit her. And I had offered her to come over if something would ever happen… so she did. And I…. well… I comforted her…’
Paul raised his eyebrows.
‘Comforted?’
‘Yes’ Chris said. ‘But it ended up differently than I had in mind’
‘Did you two -?’ Paul asked
Chris nodded.
Paul looked at Chris, who kept staring away.
‘If anyone finds out-…’
‘We’re already in trouble’ Chris sighed, finishing, but adjusting Paul’s sentence. ‘Her father knows. He did this’ he pointed at his face
Paul snorted.
‘And I was thinking you had to many beers’
Chris closed his eyes, remembering he had been slightly tipsy that night he and Noreen had made love to each other. He still didn’t look at Paul, but he could see how his brother’s mouth dropped. Paul didn’t speak for a few seconds, so Chris turned his head sideways so he could look at his brother, who looked struck back.
‘Do you have any idea what can happen is he goes to the police?’ Paul said.
‘I know, I know’ Chris said a bit irritated. There was a moment they both stared at the bushes.
‘Do you regret it?’ Paul eventually asked
Chris kept silent. No. He had not regretted it. He had never felt better. He knew he could loose so much, and that it would be impossible to “live happily ever after” with Noreen. But being together with her had been so amazing.
‘No’ Chris said, not looking at his brother. ‘No, I-I… I don’t’
‘Why not?’ asked Paul, ‘And don’t give me that bollocks that you really love her’
‘But I do’ Chris said, looking at Paul this time.
Paul shook his head in disbelieve. ‘You know that would be hard for me to believe, Chris’ he said.
‘But I am’ Chris said, now sounding more desperately
‘How do you know?’
‘I - I can feel it. She makes me feel like I’ve never felt before’
‘How?’ Paul demanded ‘How does she make you feel?’
Chris hesitated, but after a few seconds, he answered: ‘Happy. Loved. And…’ he looked away from his brother, feeling slightly embarrassed ‘alive’ he added.
Paul sighed, running a hand throw his hair.
‘Well than at least it did brought you something good’
‘Pardon?’ Chris asked, turning his head to Paul.
‘Happiness’ Paul said, looking back at Chris.
Chris frowned. ‘Happiness? He asked ‘Happiness? Paul, I can lose my career’
‘Yes, but you did find someone to love’
‘A student, Paul’
‘At least now you know how love is’
‘I know what love is’ Chris sighed ‘I just…. Never believed in it’
‘Maybe you should start doing that’ Paul said. ‘Now you know how it feel, you will get addicted soon enough’ he added with a laugh.
‘It’s not funny, Paul’
‘I know, Chris’ Paul said, placing a hand on Chris’ shoulder ‘I don’t approve it, and I’m not saying you did the right thing. But you are my brother, and I grant you any happiness you can get’
And than, there was a long silence. Chris felt emotions coming up. He didn’t need to cry, but he felt touched by what Paul had just said. He sighed, feeling happy for the bond he and Paul had.
‘Thank you, Paul’
Paul squeezed his shoulder and leaned in, resting his head against Chris’ head. ‘You’re very much welcome, big brother’ he whispered and Chris smiled
underneath that tough, handsome look was why he loved his brother so much. A soft, listening and caring person was really who his brother was. He had always been able to talk to Paul about anything, and that was why it was so hard for him to lie
There is no need to lie to him… I trust him…
Paul withdrew his head.
‘How about a nice diner at my place tonight?’
Chris nodded
‘Excellent’

Chris placed his knife and fork down next to his plate
‘Wonderful, Kirsten’ he commented, smiling at Kirsten who was sitting opposite him, next to Paul. She smiled back at him
‘Thank you, Chris’
‘I haven’t had any home-cooked meals in months’ Chris said, picking up his glass which was filled with a good Bordeaux. Chris wasn’t really a whine drinker, but he did enjoy them at occasions like these. Kirsten chuckled.
‘I notice that’ she said. ‘To be honest, you look dreadful’
‘No, that is how he usually looks like’ Paul said, also placing his fork and knife down
They all laughed, but it followed by a silence. Until Kirsten spoke: ‘I hope you don’t mind, but - Paul told me about -’ she didn’t finish her sentence but Chris knew about what she was talking.
Chris didn’t mind if Paul told Kirsten about what they had been discussing. She was a children’s psychologist, so she knew how to keep a secret, and she often had been able to talk good hope to him.
‘So, what are you going to do?’ she asked him
Chris lowered his glass. ‘I don’t know’ he sighed and licked his lips. ‘I guess I can only wait’
‘What about the police?’ Paul asked, now taking a sip of his own whine ‘If her father hits his children and you-’
‘Yes, but than I could also state that his daughter and I had under aged sex’ Chris said a bit impatiently. He saw that both Paul and Kirsten looked a bit uncomfortable because of his last words
‘You must compare it’ Kirsten said. ‘If I understood it well, he has been abusing his children since their mother’s death’
‘Yes’
‘He doesn’t support them at all, and he blames Noreen for his wife’s death’
‘Yes’
‘He hits her, and you?’
‘Yes’
‘So he did both physically as mental abuses’ she said. ‘You can easily charge him for that’
‘Yes, and so can I’ Chris said a bit irritated. He had told Noreen the exact same thing yesterday afternoon
‘Just see what is worse’ Kirsten said.
‘Than I think I will win’ Chris said more irritated
‘Don’t be so ridiculous, Chris’ Kirsten said. ‘If she tells it was her own choice-’
‘Than I can still be convicted!’ Chris said with raised voice
‘If she says she loves you-’
‘And if she doesn’t? It doesn’t matter. No matter what. I will end up behind-… bars’ Chris added, taking his napkin from his lap and throwing it on the table ‘Cat-less’ he added ironically.
‘We will take Joe’ Paul said smiling faintly.
‘No’ Chris muttered. ‘I don’t know what I will do with him. You’ve got that’ Chris said and nodded over at the black Labrador that was sleeping on the rug next to the table.
‘Chris, you are already talking like you are a prisoner’ Kirsten said. But Chris didn’t reply.
‘What are you afraid of?’ Kirsten asked after a few seconds of silence.
Again, Chris kept silent, but Kirsten waited longer until he finally replied: ‘I’m afraid - to lose her’ he said, not looking at the others ‘I’m afraid she will say it’s all my fault… which it is… but I mean… that she will say she doesn’t love me’ he added, looking up at them. ‘I’m afraid… that her father will - do something to her - to make her state that I violated her’
He noticed how Paul was looking at him, but Chris did not look back.
‘I’m sorry, Chris’ he said, pouring Chris another glass of whine. ‘But I can’t help you with this’
‘I know’ Chris sighed ‘I guess I just have to wait’ He looked up again. ‘Listen, I still have some work to do before I will go to work tomorrow, do you mind if I-’
Paul shook his head ‘No, not at all’ he said. ‘You go -’ he said and got up, together with
Chris. Kirsten remained seated. Chris walked over to her and kissed her on her cheek, thanking her for diner.
Paul was grateful she stayed in the kitchen so that he could let Chris out.
‘Listen’ Paul said. ‘If there is anything, you can always ring me’
Chris nodded, and smiled faintly. ‘I know’
‘Do so’ Paul said, patting his brother on the back. ‘And good luck tomorrow’
He bade goodbye to Chris and closed the door.

When Chris had finished his work, he had gone to bed at once. But he had not been able to sleep. At 5 A.M he got out of bed and spent the rest of the morning watching home shopping channels. He eventually get dressed and left the house, against his will. He actually felt like calling of sick again, but he thought it was better to go to school anyway. He took the tube to school, not buying any lunch because he felt too sick to eat.