Broken Wings

Part Thirteen - Getting to know you

Chapter Thirteen

Julia knew that Aaron was definitely right about one thing. The view from his roof garden. She sat on a padded chair, across a small table from Aaron, and they watched the last of the helicopters that ran trips around the island move into land, across the water. He'd opened a bottle of wine and the condensation was running down her glass. It was warm, and dusk. Her favourite time of day.

And what a day it had been. She'd didn't think she'd ever get bored of the city, but seeing it with someone who knew it well...it was a great thing. Aaron constantly pointed out things, the locations of films and TV shows, quirky shops, and brilliant bars that surprised her. They'd eaten in the quaintest of Korean restaurant in a place she'd never find again, tiny, family run...and the food was out of this world.

Now they were sharing a bottle of chardonnay with the greatest view...life was good, finally. Moving across the Atlantic had been the best move she'd ever made. She knew that it would see doors close, and new ones open. She was a million miles from London, and even further from her family and that made the air seem cleaner, her steps lighter...everything was perfect.

"That must be SOME daydream!" Aaron's voice pulled her from her reverie.

She almost jumped in surprise, "sorry I was a million miles away."

"Back home?"

Her laugh was shrill, too shrill, "no...anywhere but!"

His eyebrow lifted, and she realised she'd given him more than she ever intended; she closed her mouth, "so you're not missing home."

She felt the flush sweep over face, and she lifted her shoulders in defence, "I'm in the greatest city in the world, why would I miss home?"

He eyed her for a moment, "friends, family...home?"

She knew he was watching her, and it terrified her, so she smiled, "I don't see much of my family, and my friend is visiting in a few weeks. Nothing to miss."

He nodded, "you sound like me...I have been back to Manchester maybe ten times in the last..." he rolled his eyes, "I don't know how many years. My mother hates that, gives me all manner of grief for not visiting..."

He was waiting, for a that's exactly the same as my mother. But she couldn't say that, because it wasn't. Not really. Hers wanted to see her through guilt, for their own purpose.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for her wine, "you can't live your life for others, that's the one thing I've learned."

"Deep, Miss Curtis. Very deep."

She took a large drink of her wine, then gave a nod, "it's the philosophy that landed me here, at my dream job!"

He nodded, then turned back to the view. A plane flashed overhead, he was studying that, and she wondered what he was thinking. But rather than ask, she drank some more wine.

"Are you away at all this week?"

Aaron sighed, it had been a prolonged silence, and he was relieved that she'd broken it, there was something of note in her life, something that she was hiding from...she'd admitted as much when she was drunk, and now...now she wouldn't open up about her life back in London. He shouldn't care, it shouldn't intrigue him, but it bloody did.

"As yet I have nothing planned. This is looking to be a rare easy week. Though they could be my famous last words...but it appears that with my current diary I may be home before you. In which case, I will sort out dinner. I'm not promising to cook... I can run to pasta. That's kind of my limit."