The Winter Guest *Complete*

(Thanks for those who reviewed so often or only once, thanks for those who will maybe take the time to read the final chapter. Thanks to Alan for endless inspiration.)


CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

– Epilogue- Five Years Later

It was still early morning on a warm summer day in August. I had slept with the windows open and a gentle breeze played with the lace curtain as it swung upon its touch. The first sounds of the hotel coming alive drifted in my ear. The rummaging in the kitchen below me, the cleaning ladies doing the terrace, the strong whiff of coffee coming from the bar and low rattle of the plumbing coming alive as somebody turned on their shower.
Lazily, I kicked of the thin sheet I had slept under and stood up. I knew he was still sleeping as I could here his low, soft and steady breathing coming from the little room next to the shower.
I looked at how his blond hair curled sweetly in his neck, how the sun tickled his blond lashes and his red cheeks that seemed to light up whenever he was sleeping.

I tiptoed to the kitchen where I filled a glass of water and stepped out onto the balcony. A blanket of dew lay spread out on the grass before me and I inhaled the scent of Lavender that had begun blooming nearby.

The knot in my stomach tightened and I tried to ignore the memories of Alan and me that came rushing through my mind. That day he left was still etched in my brain, how he took of in that taxi and not even once glanced back at me. How I had picked up the phone over 100 times in those first weeks after he’d gone, but I had never called him not even when I needed to call him. The weeks turned into months and soon it would be 5 years since he had left. How fast time travelled.

Not one day had gone by without me thinking about him and his gentle smile, loving eyes and firm embrace. But most of it was just a shadow from the past. The only thing I still dreamed about was what he had told me that night we danced the Tango.
“This is how I want to remember you, beautiful and in my arms.”

The reason for all the memories flooding back was the e-mail I received a few days ago from Gary.
Gary and I had kept in touch for a little while after everybody had gone. He was still annoying and obnoxious but also had become a friend. I hadn’t spoken to him in a long time but still I knew he would be there for me if I needed him.

“Dear Kate”, his e-mail read
“I am so sorry for not trying harder to keep in touch with you. I think back to those days in France with great pleasure and I know you must too, even it isn’t on my account. Next week we are doing the premiere of Harry Potter’s final movie in France and just so you know, don’t bother making coffee for me, I’ll make it myself when I come to see you on Thursday.
Love Gary”

When he entered the hallway of the hotel and spotted me immediately, I knew things would start falling apart rapidly.

“You look gorgeous baby,” Gary walked up to me in all smiles and dark sun glasses. He hugged me.
“Look at you and your moustache!” I laughed as I saw how the stubble on his chin had gone a little grey and how his hair stood everywhere.
“You like?” he asked while pouting his lips with his new asset.
“It’s very you,” I grinned and I saw the familiar twinkle in his eyes.

The grin on my face disappeared immediately when he stepped from behind the door too. Maybe things would start to fall apart even sooner than I thought.

“Kate,” he whispered. Stopping in the middle of the hallway, his hands loosely in the pockets of his black trousers, a black shirt with rolled up sleeves somewhere halfway along his arms. The buttons undone one too far, like always. A shiver rolled from my toes to the top of my head, all the tiny hairs in my neck and on my arms stood up. The oxygen was punched from my lungs and suddenly I was hot and cold simultaneously the floor underneath me seemed to move and I had to grab the reception counter not to fall over.

Gary was gone in an instant and had left me alone with Alan, still standing a few feet away from me. He came walking up to me and nervously I took a few steps back.

“Please, don’t run from me.” He pleaded.

I wiped my eyes, suddenly filled with tears. “Why did you come here?” I looked up at him from under wet lashes.

He said nothing but reached out an arm, his hand stretched out to meet mine. I couldn’t lift mine so he finally spoke.

“It’s over Kate.”

Of course it was over, it had been over for nearly five years and it still hurt every day. Every day I was reminded of him, every single day I realised that I missed him.

“I know it is, but why did you come here.” I questioned him, my pain must’ve been visible because I saw him clear his throat.

“No, I don’t mean you and me. I mean, me and..” her name lingered between us, “I left her.” He concluded and grabbed my hand. He pulled my hand and suddenly I lay in his arms, my head to his chest folded into his scent.

A door behind me opened and I knew it was him the moment I heard his footsteps on the cold stone floor. Bare footed, like always he came over my way but was held in his track when he was this new person embracing me.
His big beautiful green eyes gazed up at me and I could still see the sleep on his rosy cheeks.

“Mommy, who’s he?” his warm little arms wrapped around my hips and I lifted him up, kissing him in his blond curls.
“This, sweety, is Alan.”
Alan looked at him and smiled faintly.
“Oh God Kate…don’t tell me he’s…” his voice faded away when my son looked at him with interest.
“Alan,” I said with a slight tremor in my voice. “Meet your son, Patrick.”
“Oh God,” he repeated as he let go of me and held out his arms to Patrick.
“Patrick, this is your daddy, he’s finally come home.”

**FIN**