Talk Me Down From the Edge Read online

  Talk Me Down From The Edge

  Jade Winters

  Copyright 2011 by Jade Winters

  www.jade-winters.com

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author.

  All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Cover design copyright Half Pint Designs

  In loving memory of my Dad...

  1

  As the street lights mingled with the last dregs of day, David hurried along the wide tree-lined street. He was eager to get home. Ever since he had become a full time partner at Withers and Peterson Solicitors, arriving home before dark had been a rarity. He stopped outside a sizeable Edwardian house, the front lawn manicured to near perfection, surrounded by a cavalcade of chrysanthemums in spectacular bloom. As he started along the path towards the house, he rummaged in his jacket pocket searching for his keys. Finally locating them, he inserted the key into the lock and pushed the door open, stepping over the threshold into a spacious hallway.

  'I'm home,' he called out as he shook off his jacket and hung it on the coat rail. He placed his briefcase on the floor next to the telephone table. He could suddenly hear the faint pitter-pater of feet advancing towards him.

  'Dad!' Emily squealed as she rounded the corner and ran straight for him, nearly slipping on the polished oak floor.

  He bent down and hugged her tightly. 'Hello squirt,' he said, as she looped her arms around his neck.

  'You're home early,' she said excitedly.

  'Told you I would be, didn't I?' he said as they walked along the high ceilinged hall and into the brightly decorated living room.

  'Hi Dad,' James said coolly, barely looking up from his Xbox game. At ten, he was treading the fine line between childhood and soon-to-be moody teenager. A fact that was, at times, more evident than others. David rustled his hair with his spare hand and headed towards the sofa where his wife Laura sat.

  'Hello gorgeous,' he said with a wink and flopped down next to her, out stretching his long legs.

  'Hello yourself,' she said leaning towards him and planting a kiss firmly on his lips. Laura's sandy brown hair fell down on her neck in the frailest of ringlets, her adoring green eyes met his. 'Good day?' she enquired.

  'So so,' he said. His strong lean face looking weary.

  'Dad,' Emily said slyly as she squeezed her small frame between them, turning to look at her father to ensure she had his full attention.

  'Yes Emily?' he replied. He wondered what she was after. Emily could wrap him around her little finger and he indulged her with great pleasure, most of the time.

  'What are the chances of me getting a puppy for Christmas?' She looked up at him, her eyes glowing like gems. Her hair, the same colour as her mother's cascaded over her shoulders.

  'I don't think Ninja would be too happy darling,' he said looking at Laura, 'what do you think?'

  Putting a hand to Emily's cheek she said, 'I think, we've had this conversation before and we agreed that it wouldn't be kind to bring a dog into a home where a cat lives.'

  'But Ninja is hardly in,' Emily challenged, 'and when he is, all he does is sleep - he never plays with me,' she said sulkily.

  'That's what cats do silly,' James said as he paused his game and turned his attention to her, his sky coloured eyes mocking her. 'Animals are not toys for your entertainment.'

  Laura looked at her son, impressed by his sensitive nature. It was something that she adored about him.

  'I wasn't asking you,' Emily said huffily, moving to the single armchair.

  'No, but he has a point,' Laura said leaning back into David's arms.

  Emily stared daggers at James who returned her stare with a look of smugness.

  'I'll start dinner before world war three starts,' Laura said with a chuckle as she attempted to get up.

  'No,' David said playfully, 'stay here.' He pulled her back into his arms. 'Why don't we eat out tonight, what'd you say Em?'

  Emily refused to meet his gaze, looking out of the window instead.

  'When does anything I say matter?' she asked with a pout.

  'Em, that's not fair,' he replied. 'What you say matters loads - both of you - but when it comes to things like getting a dog, that decision will lay with your mother and I since it would be our responsibility.'

  'But I would look after him,' she turned to look at him in the hope she could still persuade him.

  'Okay, let me play devil's advocate,' he said, 'what happens to this imaginary dog when you're at school or when you want to hang out with your mates?'

  'And boys,' James interjected, attempting to wind her up. She poked her tongue out at him, but said nothing to her father.

  'James...' David said to his son, glancing at him - his eyes giving a subtle warning. He turned his attention back to Emily. 'Dogs are great responsibilities that need a lot of care and attention Em, and I don't think at this moment in time getting a dog is such a good idea. You say that you'll take care of him, but will that be so once he's here? Or will your mother and I end up being the ones feeding him and taking him for walks?'

  Noting that he said "at this moment in time", Emily jumped at the opening. 'So we could get a dog sometime in the future?' she asked hopefully.

  Laura tried to conceal her smile. David had walked straight into that one and as a solicitor should have been more selective with his choice of words.

  'Maybe,' he said treading carefully, 'we'll see in a few years.'

  Satisfied, she smiled at him, and then it was her turn to look smugly at James.

  'Won't happen,' James mouthed at her, then resumed playing his game.

  'Okay, enough talk about animals,' Laura said. 'Let's decide where we're going to eat.'

  It was common practice when they were dining out, for each of them to write down the restaurant of their choice on a piece of paper and either James or Emily would pick the winner out of a bowl.

  'It's my turn today,' Emily declared after the bowl had the four balls of paper in it. She squeezed her eyes shut and using two fingers picked out the paper. Opening it quickly, she squealed with delight. 'My choice,' she boasted, 'pizza.'

  'Yum yum,' David said, 'pizza it is.' He stood up and held his hand out for Laura.

  'Go and get your coats on,' she said taking his hand and heaving her up. Emily and James ran out of the living room and thundered up the stairs.

  'Do those two walk anywhere?' David asked Laura half-joking, as he wrapped his arms around her.

  'Nope,' she said looking up at him. Rich blondish-brown hair surrounded his lean intelligent face. 'Are you sure you're up for going out, you look tired, I can always run you a hot bath and bring dinner up to you.' Laura suggested. She hated seeing him like this.

  He rested his forehead against hers. 'I got some bad news about a case today and it's kind of getting to me.' He sighed.

  'Do you want to talk about it?' she asked, looking worried.

  He looked at her tenderly. 'Maybe later,' he said.

  Laura's brow furrowed.

  'You don't have to tell me all the details,' she assured him, 'I just don't think you should have to keep things bottled up inside all the time.'

  'Ready!' they heard the children calling from the front door.

  'I know, I just don't want to burden you with any unnecessary stress, I know what a delicate flower you are,' he said winking at her. 'Come on, let's go.' He held her hand and led her to the door.

  A black shadow rushed through as they attempted to leave, nearly tripping James. Ninja had decided to come in for the night.

  'A dog wouldn't do that!' Emily exclaimed, still trying to make her case.

  'Enough, Em. The discussion is over.' David said as they walked to the car.

  The local pizza restaurant was an eye-catching slightly upscale place with a broader menu than other pizza places. For this reason, it was always full.

  A young buxom girl with bright red hair and a cheery face greeted them at the door.

  'Good evening,' she said, 'I'm afraid there's a twenty minute wait for a table this evening, would you like to relax in the bar and I'll call you when your table is ready?'

  'That would be great, thanks,' David said as he gave the waitress his name and led his family through to the bar. James and Emily headed straight for the video game machine whilst David ordered drinks for himself and Laura.

  'So is Joe working this case with you?' she asked as she sipped her soft drink. She had opted to drive for the evening so David could drink and relax.

  'No,' he answered, wincing as he experienced a sharp pain in his stomach.

  'Are you okay?' Laura asked concern in her eyes.

  'Yes fine,' he said as the pain receded, 'probably doesn't help with me drinking too many of these,' he said raising his whiskey glass in mid-air before drinking the last remains and ordering another one, 'I think I have a serious case of acid. Either that or an ulcer!'

  His glance fell on James who was energetically killing all the bad people in the virtual reality game he was playing whilst Emily looked on, admiring his obvious skill. They sat quietly for a moment, sipping their drinks, David in a world of his own.

  Finally, Laura broke the silence. 'So,' she said, looking into her husbands eyes, 'tell all.' She was eager to find out what was troubling him.

  David took a deep breath. 'A young
boy, well he's eighteen, but looks much younger, has been charged with manslaughter for stabbing his stepfather.'

  Laura raised her eyebrow in surprise. 'And you don't think he should have been?' she asked trying to understand.

  'It's not that clear cut,' David continued, 'there's a long history of abuse in the family, seems the stepfather went one beating too far and the boy just flipped, stabbed him thirty nine times in his legs,' he said, pausing to sip his drink, 'by some miracle he survived but was left paralysed from the waist down. Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse he died this morning from a blood clot, we were informed that this was due to the injuries he sustained.'

  'Oh that's terrible,' Laura said thinking, what a waste of two lives.

  'Yep, I'm going to try and appeal to the court for leniency. This kid has been abused since he was five yet when he stands up for himself he's the one that is punished. It's cases like this that makes me want to chuck it all in,' he said, a tone of sorrow in his voice.

  'Sometimes I wish you would, it's so emotionally draining for you,' she said placing her hand over his.

  'It helps having you and the kids to come home to, without you, I don't know if I could do it.' He squeezed her hand. Laura blushed. They had been together for years, but he still made her melt.

  'Well it's a good thing you have nothing to worry about on that score,' she said smiling, 'I will be with you forever.'

  'And I with you,' he said lifting his glass up to her.

  The evening out had done David the world of good. He consumed several more whiskeys, and was able to forget about the impending case and concentrate on his family. They ate more pizza than they should have and all declined the delicious desserts that were offered on the menu because of it. On the way home, Laura stopped at the local video shop and hired a family movie for the evening. It's a perfect way to finish a perfect evening, Laura thought to herself as she slipped the DVD into the player and joined her family on the sofa.

  2

  Eight had been a terrifying age for Laura. It was the year life had unveiled itself to her. It had been indifferent to her age, her wants or needs, when like a thief in the night it had stolen her father; in a blink of an eye, he was gone.

  'Come on,' her tear stained mother coaxed her, 'you need to get out of this room, you can't stay in here forever,' she said, despite wishing she herself could crawl into her own bed and never get up.

  'No,' Laura said stubbornly, 'I won't.' She pulled the covers over her head.

  'Darling, the priest is downstairs and he would like to speak to you,' she said her voice gentle and soothing.

  'Tell him to go away. I don't believe him anymore! God doesn't love me, he doesn't love anybody! If he did he wouldn't have taken my dad away,' she cried, her body shuddering with every sob.

  Patricia's gaze fell upon the picture frame on the bedside table; Greg full of youth and vitality holding an innocent smiling Laura in his arms. She blinked back the tears that blinded her grey eyes.

  'Patricia,' a tentative voice called from below, 'visitors are arriving.'

  She heard the front door being opened and the voices of women talking animatedly, albeit in hushed tones. Several seconds later, silence descended on the house again as the women were ushered into the living room.

  'Laura, I'm going to have to go downstairs. Are you sure you don't want to come with me? Company might help get your mind off things.' Patricia asked. Her question was met with muffled weeping. Without saying a word, Patricia knew exactly what the answer was.

  'Okay sweetheart, if you need me, just call,' her slender, dark-haired mother said, gently closing the door behind her.

  Hearing her mother's footsteps descend the stairs, Laura lifted her head from beneath the covers. She rubbed her eyes, trying to correct her vision that was blurred with tears as she took the photograph that had meant so much to her and placed it against her chest. There was a gentle tap at the door. Before she could escape back under the covers, the door opened and Sarah, her best friend, stood at the entrance. Dressed from top to toe in black, she could have easily been mistaken for having just come from a funeral.

  'Do you mind if I come in?' she asked with slight hesitation.

  Laura shook her head, still clutching the precious frame in her hand.

  Sarah took off her coat and sat on the bottom of the bed. A brief moment of awkward silence ensued before Sarah piped up, 'Father Donnelly is downstairs.'

  Laura shrugged her shoulders. Father Donnelly had suddenly gone from someone Laura believed in and looked up to, to nothing more than a storyteller. Admittedly, he was quite the raconteur, but the tales he told were now nothing but fiction in her mind.

  'He said that your dad is at peace now and is up there,' she said pointing upwards.

  'How would he know?' Laura asked her, turning more bitter as the seconds ticked on.

  'I don't know, but I remember him saying stuff like that when my mum died,' Sarah said, tears filling her own eyes.

  Laura put the frame back on the table gently, crawled to the bottom of the bed and held Sarah's hand.

  'It's okay though,' Sarah continued bravely, 'because Father Donnelly said we'll all see each other again... even Sandy is up there,' she said smiling as she thought of her old German Shepherd dog.

  Laura did not say anything else about her own shattered illusions of life in the sky. She did not want to upset Sarah.

  'Why don't they ever say goodbye?' Laura asked suddenly. 'Why do they just go away? Do you think it's because they don't love us?'

  'No,' Sarah said thoughtfully, 'Father Donnelly says that God has work for them to do so he calls them home.'

  'Do you believe him?' Laura asked.

  'I don't know, but I hope he isn't making my mum work too hard, she was always so tired before she went,' she said her bottom lip trembling.

  They heard the front door slam shut then the soft padding of footsteps slowly mounting the stairs. They came to an abrupt halt as they reached Laura's door, then carried on walking further down the hallway.

  ***

  The years following her father's death were tumultuous at best. Laura would never have got through them without Sarah's support. The depression her mother suffered had made it impossible for them to carry on as a normal family. Sarah remained at her side throughout all the vicissitudes of life.

  'I just can't believe she wants to marry someone else and move to Australia, it's like she's forgotten all about Dad,' Laura cried like a spoilt child.

  'Laura, it has been quite a few years,' Sarah said as they both sat on her bed. She lit a cigarette, trying to appear grown up. She took a drag and started to cough.

  'Oh, put that out Sarah, you look very silly. I can't understand why you think you look good inhaling smoke, you may as well go and put your lips around an exhaust pipe.'

  'You're just out of date,' she said trying it again, inhaling a lesser amount. 'All famous people smoke.'

  'Then they're idiots as well,' Laura said still annoyed as she moved her hands to waft the smoke away from her face, 'anyway getting back to what's important,' she snapped.

  At seventeen, both girls were quite the opposite of one another. Whilst Laura was serious and studious, Sarah was a free spirit, refusing to be bogged down by anything. She liked to live in the moment.

  'When my dad married the witch, I was just happy to see a smile on his face again. God I don't think he smiled for years after my mum died, it was like growing up in the dark, I'm surprised I turned out as well balanced as I have,' she said.

  Laura laughed. 'If you're well balanced, I'd hate to see what an unbalanced person looks like.'

  'Hey you!' Sarah said slapping her arm jokingly, 'seriously though, just be happy for your mum, she's been on her own for such a long time, it can't be nice not having a boyfriend,' she said, 'I know I'd go insane if I didn't have one.' She took another small puff, flopped back on the bed and stared distantly at the ceiling.

  'And how is boring Pete?' Laura enquired, lying down beside her.

  'Boring!' Sarah laughed, 'trying to get any action out of him is like trying to revive a corpse. He's definitely got to go.'