Run To Me

Paradise Lost

"Ah, good morning. I'm so glad you could make it. Please, be seated, both of you." The solicitor held out his hand, and Tom and Molly shook it in turn.

"Mr Laing," Molly began, "let me cut to the chase. I have no interest in anything that man had to leave me. I neither want nor care to know about his motives, and I want nothing from him."

"Your father.."

"He's NOT my father." She hissed emphatically.

"Apologies. George always wanted to make sure in the event of his death that you would be provided for. I have been your.. George's... solicitor for over twenty years. He was a good, if misguided man. His only intention was to try and make reparations for the impossibly cruel situation you all ended up in." He sat forward, elbows on the desk, hands in a pyramid under his chin. "He regretted his actions until the day he died."

"Did he now." She said flatly. "Did he indeed." She sat back, crossing her legs,"so if you knew him, THAT well, how come you didn't know about me until his death?"

Mr Laing nodded, "Touché my dear. Well, I came on board, so to speak after you and James had been..." he paused, and Molly filled in the blank.

"Abandoned."

"Yes, quite. Well, anyway, he never mentioned you, and his will had been witnessed and sealed by your mother. She wasn't a beneficiary, so she could."

'So, ok, accepting he really was that altruistic,' Tom had sat silent up till now, not feeling it his place to speak. Now, however, there was a burning question nobody had addressed. "What about this 5-year clause?" He mirrored the Solicitor's pose using the arms of the deep chair to sink into.

Molly nodded. "Yeah, what's THAT all about?"

Mr Laing smiled. "I know this may be hard to believe Molly, but he really did have your best interests at heart. Two reasons. One, Carriacou is a beautiful, safe paradise. There is almost no crime, and the locals are welcoming to everyone. If there is anywhere you'd want to be stuck, I'd say there is in the top ten in the world." He smiled with the recollection of a man who'd seen it for themselves..

"You said two?" Tom prompted him, squeezing Molly's hand gently. He was so proud of her, sitting there completely in control, being every bit as cool and strong he knew her to be.

"Yes, well, the second is he wanted you to belong. Have somewhere to anchor to if things had gone horribly wrong for you. Living on the island for five years would automatically mean you could apply for permanent residency. You'd have a home with people who would look after you." He smiled and pushed a photo across the desk. "This is the house."

Molly picked it up. It was three stories high, pale green with a veranda covered in pink hibiscus. There was a lawn area, a swimming pool - a rareity on an island whose water supply was constantly in jeopardy - and a large seating area with a bbq pit.

Inside was just as lovely. Three large double bedrooms, breakfasting kitchen, living room, bathroom, and separate.WC.

As Molly looked at the shots, she had to admit, it looked beautiful. "So if I dont stay, what happens to it?"

"It will be sold, and the profit will come to you. Let me tell you something, if it were me? I'd sell and use the money to give yourself a good start here. Looking at the two of you, I should think you'd prefer that? You CAN always go on holiday, you know!" Mr Laing smiled and stood up.

"You don't have to make a decision now. You could, and here he paused, "visit it and then decide?" He smiled, "why not come back to me in a few days."

He shepherded them gently out of the office and into the lift. "It's been quite the afternoon for you. Perhaps I might suggest a little bar down the next street - The Cunning Fox.-.does lovely bar suppers.

Tom stuck out his hand, this time cordially. "Goodbye, Mr Laing, we'll be in touch."

"Goodbye, Mr Hiddleston, believe me when I say I truly believe George had good intentions towards Molly."

"Ah well, as my wee Scottish Gran would have said,'the road to hell is paved with good intentions..."

"Indeed." He held the door open, and they walked outside into the warm.evening air.

Goodnight, Molly. Goodnight Tom, see you soon.

The two of them bid him goodnight and walked away. Silence engulfed them as they walked to the car. Molly stared resolutely.ahead as they got in and drove off.

After about half an hour, Tom finally spoke. "You ok love? Thinking about it all?" He asked softly. "If it helps, I'm a good listener."

Molly looked over at him. For all her disappointment, she still loved him. More than anything. "I know, Tom. God knows you've done so much for me already. I just need to process this. I was so sure there was some ulterior motive. Turns out I was wrong. Im beginning to wonder if I was wrong about a lot of things." She turned away and looked out the window of the car. Maybe she'd be better to face reality now. After all, how many times could her heart stand to be crushed.

The night at the Pizza restaurant had, all at the same time, been sweet and sour. Heartbreaking and wonderful. Humiliating and reassuring.

She'd been so sure he was going to propose. When he'd brought out the box, her heart had almost stopped. When he opened it, it had. But not for the right reasons. Tears had spilled down her cheeks. Tom, caught up in his surprise, had assumed they were tears of happiness. How could she destroy that? How could she destroy him? This was nobody's fault but her own. She'd built their relationship up to a point he'd never reached. Maybe never would.

To her joy and despair, he'd adopted them a dog. A lovely little spaniel with floppy ears and a brown coat to match little brown eyes. Tom had brought the little lad home the next night, and they'd played with him, cuddled with him, and for the first couple of nights slept with him.

Now, Bobby was part of their little family. Tom and he walked for hours when they could. When Tom was busy or Molly was trying to work, he would curl up at her feet in his basket. He was a beautiful dog. That only made it worse. She couldnt bring herself to dislike ANYTHING about him.

So now, driving home, she wondered. Was this her sign to leave all this? Make a new life and stop waiting for something that may never happen? Or was it just a passing phase. Her mind was a seething mass of confusion once again. She loved Tom with all her heart, but was she right for him? Was that why she'd got it so wrong? Was she too shy? Should she have said something? She really had no idea.

Tom looked at her sidelong as he drove. Her smile never quite reached her eyes these days. She was as loving as ever, but it was like something had died, was missing. He tried to think when it had all changed.

As he drove, his mind wandered too. Eventually hitting back to the night at the Pizza place. It had all changed after that day. The day he'd presented her with the little velvet box and asked.... oh FUCK Hiddleston. What the FUCK did you do......he wanted to scream.

He was such an idiot. His poor little kitten....