Chapter 2

"It's Romania again isn't it?" My wife was holding my wrists shaking them pulling me out of the daydream. "I'm right aren't I? You've been quiet for ages. It's always Romania when you get like this." She looked lovingly into my eyes. "I've told you I will take all that away, just give me time. You know I love you don't you?"

"Yes of course I do."

"Then know that I'll make you forget. It will help that this is the last time we make this journey."

"Are you looking forward to moving into the Styles family home?"

"I can't say that I am; too many memories"

"Well I am curious to see you in your natural habitat as it were. Don't worry, if it's uncomfortable for you we can always sell it. I think it's important for you to be back among the people who know you and love you."

I smiled at her and took the first bite of my Chicken Korma. Almost immediately, I wished I hadn't bothered, I hate motorway food. After coffee we were on our way again.

Bing was on the Radio singing about wanting a White Christmas. It was alright for him, he didn't have to drive in it. We managed half an hour before we ran into another jam. Wham were singing Last Christmas I gave you my heart but the very next day you gave it away. Ouch, that one was just too close to home.

We went over the Alps into Austria and by the end of the first day we'd crossed into Hungary. With no more autobahns everything got slower. It took us ten hours to cross Hungary and the roads were getting progressively worse. We crossed into Romania at Oradea. At first the roads were actually cleared but as we moved further into the country the roads became more icy. The Romanians never treated the roads; they just ploughed them and left you to drive on the packed ice. We stopped, fitted the chains to the wheels, and continued. When we climbed up over the Carpathians into Transylvania, Jackie broke out a sledge and was swinging all over the road at the end of a rope attached to the van. Going back down the mountain she gave me several frights as the sledge caught up with us. I pulled her back into the van and in the wee small hours of the morning we reached Oituz. We donned our Santa suits and unloaded the van. The staff were pleased to see us, especially when they realised that one of the Santa's was Domnul Drew (the name they gave me when I worked there). They helped us with the unloading and fed us, and just before midnight we turned in. I'd planned to get the train from Onesti at 3am and the girls were going to drive me to the station so we all turned in.

I was woken by Percy shaking my shoulder.

"Come on Drew it's 2.30. We need to get a move on. I dressed quickly and we were soon on our way we made it to the station with minutes to spare. I queued for my ticket hoping the train didn't arrive until after I'd got my ticket. It was gone 3am when I got to the window and asked for my Ticket.

"Nu exista trenul a tres" said the clerk.

That was when I realised what the day it was. The three o clock train only ran three days a week. Percy noticed me cursing and walked over.

"What's wrong Drew?"

"It's Tuesday, the train doesn't run today. I'll have to wait here for a couple of hours, get the train to Adjud and change there to the train to Bucharest. I won't get there until 3pm."

She turned to look at Jackie. "Haven't you always wanted to see Bucharest, Sergeant?"

"What? Oh! Oh yes, Paris of Eastern Europe they say. Yeah, always wanted to see it."

"Well what are we waiting for?" She turned back to me."Looks like we're going to Bucharest, can we offer you a lift?"

The radio was playing Jonah Lewie trying to stop the cavalry as I crossed on to the M1. My wife squeezed my forearm.

"It will be alright you know. We'll soon settle in and you will be amongst all your old friends.

"I know." I said and I patted her hand.

Mud started singing about how they were going to be Lonely this Christmas as I caught up with yet another traffic jam.

It took six hours to travel the 160 miles to reach Bucharest and we set about finding Penny's apartment block. By 9:30am we were entering the lift. The girls wore their battle fatigues but I'd opted for the Santa suit, complete with beard.

"You won't be wearing that suit for long you know." said Jackie.

"She's right Drew; you'll be the best Christmas present she's ever had." Percy added.

"Thanks girls I really appreciate what you've done for me. I promise you at least one decent cup of coffee before you go."

I've got to admit I was surprised when the lift actually worked and we got out on the third floor. Looking down the corridor I could see the outer steel door open, and locked back against the wall. That was a good sign. It meant she was home. I rang the bell and for the first time felt uneasy. I could hear voices from inside. A young man in his mid twenties answered the door. He was a skinny lad with a thin face and pointed chin. He wore only a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Da" he said as he looked at me in my Santa suit. He obviously didn't recognise me but I knew him. It was Ion Damanescu, Penny's interpreter. I'd met him a few times before I'd left for England. I was about to speak when I heard her voice from inside.

"Who is it, darling?"

"Moș Crăciun." (Santa Claus) he said.

"There's money in my purse. Get rid of him and come back to bed."

I don't know why but I felt calm everything was suddenly clear. The girls would later tell me that it was all very quick but to me it was almost like slow motion. I put my hands behind his head and pulled him to me for the traditional Romanian greeting of a kiss on each cheek. However, the only kiss he got from me was of the Glasgow variety. My forehead came down across the bridge of his nose, not once but twice. When I let go of him he went down like a sack of potatoes. I walked into the flat giving his flaccid body a couple of kicks as I did.

Penny was still calling out to him as I strode into the bedroom. As she looked at me, her eyes widened, her mouth fell open and I waited for the scream. When it came it was loud and piercing. She pulled the sheet up to wrap it around her naked body. She held the sheet with one hand as she stretched the other arm out towards me.

"Please don't hurt me, please. I've got money. I can give you money, please don't hurt me."

It took me a while to realise who she was talking to. It sounded like she was talking to a stranger. Then I remembered the Santa suit and the beard.

"Where is Ion? What have you done to him?"

I just pointed to the hall as I moved over to check the wardrobes. I checked out the spare bedroom and the bathroom before returning to the hallway. Penny was kneeling beside Ion, still holding the sheet around her. I stood by them and she grabbed her purse and opened it.

"You see, see I've got money. Here take it but don't hurt us please."

I stepped closer and letting go of the sheet she held her left hand out to stop me." The sheet fell down exposing her naked breasts. "That's what he tells his mates." I thought. "She may be old but she's still got a hot body and she can't get enough of me."

I grabbed her hand and started to pull off the rings. The pleading started all over again.

"Not my rings. Oh please not my rings; Take the money please."

"What can I tell my husband." she said as the rings came off her fingers.

I looked down at her with nothing but contempt and I spoke for the first time.

"You don't have a husband, not anymore."

It's strange when you have that much adrenaline coursing through your veins. I could see the shock spreading across her face.

"Drew!" she almost whispered. She reached up and pulled the beard down revealing my face.

"NO" she screamed as I walked away.

"Happy Christmas." I said, as I walked out the door. The girls said nothing as I walked past them. The lift doors were closing as Penny came out into the corridor, still trying to cover herself with the sheet.

"Don't go Drew, we need to talk, it isn't what it looks like. Please Drew, come back"

Percy reached for the door open button but I grabbed her hand and held it away from the buttons. As the lift started moving I turned to look at them.

"Have you girls got room for a passenger?"

"No." said Jackie."Nobody rides for free. You'll have to earn your keep."

"I will, Jackie. I'll do whatever you want."

"Now that sounds interesting, what do you say Perce?"

"Leave him alone Jackie, can't you see what a mess he's in?"

"I'll tell you what, He may be in a mess, but I'm glad he's on our side. Did you see the way that guy went down?"

"Just zip it sergeant." Percy was getting irritated. She turned to me."Get in the back and get your head down, we'll talk later."

She slapped me lightly on the shoulder as I got in the back of the van.

Curled up on the mattress I tried to sleep but as my anger subsided the sorrow and the questions started. Did she just not love me anymore? Why not just tell me she'd found someone else? What could that scrawny little runt give her that I couldn't? Eventually rocked by the motion of the van, sleep swept over me. It was 1pm when I woke and climbed into the cab next to Percy.

"Feeling better? She asked.

"I don't know how I feel right now. I'm calmer than I was. It seems like a bad dream now, I can't believe it happened."

"Oh it happened alright. I wish it hadn't, I've never witnessed anything like that before. I hope I never see it again."

"Oh dear was it that ugly?"

"Not so much ugly as harrowing. You seem like a pretty nice bloke, we've come to like you a lot. It's hard to see a mate go through something like that. For what it's worth I thought you were very restrained."

She put a hand on my thigh and squeezed it "We're just coming up to Sibiu. What do you say we stop and break out the camping stove? I don't know about you but I'm missing that breakfast we didn't get in Bucharest."

"You've got my vote." said Jackie from the driving seat.

We stopped, we cooked, we ate and we talked. By the time we were ready to move on I was more in control and able to take my turn at the wheel. I was happy to continue driving so both of the girls got some sleep. They woke in time to find me arguing with the border guards about how much I should pay in export duty on the fuel in our tanks. They wanted fifty British pounds. They weren't interested in Romanian lieu. I showed the guards the mattress in the back and told them we would happily sleep in the van and take our chances with the next shift. Five minutes later they came back with an offer of five pounds. In the end they settled for all the Romanian money we had and we were on our way again.

I turned in once we got onto the main road to Budapest and surprisingly slept. I was surprised to find that after a few hours I was not alone. A warm slim body slipped into the sleeping bag with me. I turned to find Persephone snuggling up to me.

"Are you OK?" she asked.

"I think the hospital term would be, as well as can be expected."

"That bad huh?"

"I feel sort of numb really."

"That's understandable. It will get better and we'll help you."

She kissed me on the forehead and cuddled up to me. She was wearing nothing but her underwear and as we lay there I was surprised to find there were stirrings in my loins. Percy ran her hand down my chest and I started to get hard. When she reached my waist I put my hand on hers and held it.

"Any further and your likely to get a surprise."

"I'm a nurse, not much surprises me. To be honest I'd be very disappointed if there was no reaction."

"Oh there's definitely a reaction. Little Drew is getting very excited but big Drew is not ready for anything like that yet."

"That's OK we can just cuddle for a while."

"Thanks, I'd like that."

We must have lay there for more than an hour and I noticed Persephone had fallen asleep. I extracted myself from her embrace and joined Jackie in the cab.

"I knew it." she said. "Not so eager to get away from Percy were you? I should be insulted."

"Nothing happened, alright? Nothing."

She just smiled at me "If you say so."

"I do say so."

"None of my business anyway. You like her, she likes you. Where's the problem? You're not still thinking about your wife are you?"

"It may come as a surprise to you Jackie, but I'm not at all sure what I think about my wife at this time. For more than twenty years I've loved her unconditionally. Now I hate what she's done but I'm not sure how I feel about her. I'm still getting my head around it."

She went quiet for a while. It was another ten minutes before she spoke again. "Look Drew, I'm sorry right. It's just that the way you tore into that arsehole in Bucharest, I thought that it was all over."