☆ 3 Months later ☆
Early evening, Gatwick Airport, United Kingdom.
"Hello..? May I please speak to a Mr Hinn?"
"Speaking." Kenzo answered.
"Well, I'm in position to collect someone answering to the name of Chéri. I've been here waiting in arrivals, holding my card for the arrivals of three flights and no one came forward."
"Well, he has arrived because he texted his mother." Kenzo sighed.
"Yes he has. I had been looking for a small guy of about five-two. Very thin, white blonde hair and covered in cherry blossom tattoos. Wearing dark blue skinny jeans and a pink blouse?"
"Yeah, that's the guy." Kenzo said.
"Yes. My instructions were to drive him to, and across, central London and to an apartment, where I would leave him in the care of his father. When he didn't show, I went to ask baggage retrieval and showed them the consent letter to ask about him. They say he collected his case. They put out several announcements but still... nothing. What do you want me to do?"
Kenzo was incensed hearing the news. "This is fucking ridiculous! How does he expect to get all the way to his apartment...?"
☆
It was now dusk. The sun was low and the cold orange light filtered through the mist.
Chéri walked alongside the road in the cold misty air while dragging his small case behind him on the soft, wet grass. He pulled together the front of his bright red hooded top against the cold air, but he
was determined to get back to his father Sheriden, and some kind of normality, in his own time. And for once, his father would not hit him for money for the gas and electric meter.
On impulse, Chéri reached his arm out and held his thumb up.
After twenty minutes or so, he saw a vehicle signal, and then it crossed over into a layby.
Chéri ran up to the door of the large vehicle and hit it a couple of times until it opened. Climbing into the cab Chéri looked over at the youngish male driver.
"Hey, where ya goin' mate?" The driver, with a South African accent, asked.
"Hmm.... Just, anywhere. I don't even care." Chéri said in monotone.
"Well, I'm on route into central London. Surely you wanna get somewhere!" The driver asked.
Chéri just stared off into the distance, "It..." he paused for a moment, "It never seems to matter where I go. I always end up in the same place."
The driver looked a little confused, "Hmm, okay, how about I drop ya off in central London?"
"Sure... sure. It's where I need to get anyway, I guess." Chéri said with total nonchalance.
"Cool!" The driver said as he started the engine.
Chéri turned to the man, "So, what's your name...?"
The driver looked back at him, "David! Everyone calls me, Dave."
Chéri raised his eyebrows and shook his head as he fished for his phone in his bag, "Hiya, Davie. My name is Chéri." He said flatly, as if he were responding in an alcoholics meeting.
"Sherry...?" David asked.
Chéri rolled his eyes and sounded almost bored, "No. Shir-ree."
"Cool." David said as he nodded and indicated to join the road again.
Chéri looked at the man, and in a second read more about him than if he had narrated his whole life story, as they set off into the poor weather conditions ahead, as the sun started to set.
Fin.
Chéri
The Answers And What Really Happened behind the scenes In :
The Reliable Narrator
Link at bottom
https://tinyurl.com/y3v8v4my
•° ✿ °•.
☆ For The Love Of Chéri ☆
°•. ✿ .•°
*A phone dials and rings a moment*
"Hello...?"
"It's me. I'm out to sea dealing with business, so I can't be there. How is the situation?"
"Oh heyo mate! Obviously I can't talk much on the phone as walls have ears. But, very good and better than expected! I'm over the moon! I have a whole team on it. The best of the best."
"And you've covered your tracks?"
"Swear down! No one knows that it was me. But I couldn't have done it without you. You really came through for us girls."
"Yes! Your little circle! Girls really do run the world."
"Of course we do! Men fight and kill each other while we are always the true power behind the throne. Usually women never need to bare their teeth."
"Well, we have ways of getting things done. Have you had a call from Panama yet?"
"No. I think she's keeping a low profile, for now."
"She's following his advice then. I'm sure that one of us will hear from her in six months."
"By the way, I don't wanna mither you with this, but I've decided to keep tracks on the ice queen and her emotional hostage victim."
"You do care about that guy, don't you?"
"Yeah. She's an arsehole and a total bitch, and he just can't see it...yet. I had to cut him off because of the threat of her and because I just couldn't lie to his face, but I'm glad she can do no more damage. But! She must never learn the truth. I know we all did the right thing! And by the way, Fiona's debt to me is paid in full. I owe that woman soo much!"
"Yes, we all do. Was she successful?"
"Yeah! Total amnesia. She created a really good car crash story too."
"Well, I wasn't on board for that, I only care about our own. But, I have to say, you've been brave!"
"I had to be. But, I learned from the best. I was lucky. We all were, in fact I wouldn't be here an all if we weren't."
"For which I'm glad. I'll ring around the circle and see what everyone says."
"Yeah, I better go because my stomach thinks my throat's cut! I'm gaggin'."
"I take it you're hungry? I'll leave you to it."
"Okay sweetie. See ya in a week."
"See you then, Princess."
•° ✿ °•.
☆ For The Love Of Chéri ☆
°•. ✿ .•°