Chapter 3: Clive Comes Home

As Lewis was on his way to school Wednesday morning, his phone rang. ‘Lewis?’ a male voice asked. ‘Hi, Clive.’ Lewis replied recognising the voice. ‘I’m out,’ he said, ‘I’m just walking down to the railway station.’ ‘Is your ticket for a specific train?’ Lewis asked him. ‘No, it’s an all-day ticket.’ Clive said.

‘Ok, check the train times and pick one so that you reach here as near to one o’clock or after as possible,’ Lewis said. ‘I don’t want to risk anyone recognising you hanging about at this end. My phone will be off until twelve o’clock, so I’ll meet you at the ticket barrier.’

At mid-morning break Lewis asked his form teacher for special leave that afternoon. ‘Ok, Lewis,’ he said. ‘If you’re ever able to tell me anything, I’d love to know what you’re up to.’ he said with a conspiratorial grin. ‘Yes sir, thank you, I’ll keep it in mind.’ Lewis said.

Skipping lunch, Lewis left school just after midday, and headed on foot across town to the mainline station. Checking the arrivals board, he had half an hour to wait. He went inside and had a burger in the station café.’

Watching the train pull in, he waited to the side of the barrier until he spotted Clive. Waving he waited until he was through the barrier then went and shook his hand. ‘Welcome home.’ he said.

They left the station and took a taxi to Warrens flat. They had a cup of coffee as Lewis told him his plan. ‘After our coffee I am going to check you and your things over as if I was searching for drugs,’ he told him. ‘I want to make sure you have nothing on you that will give away where you have been. Do you have any problem with me doing that?’ ‘I owe you everything,’ Clive told him, ‘I’ll do anything you ask.’

‘After that, I’ll get you to repeat the story we agreed on. Then we will go over to your flat and you will meet up with your wife. You’ll see Daryl as soon as he comes home from school.’

‘Do you have any money?’ Lewis asked. ‘I’ve got two hundred and forty pounds.’ he said, ‘I’ve managed to save it up over the past four years.’ ‘You’re probably going to need some new clothes,’ Lewis said as he handed him an envelope. ‘There’s three hundred pounds in there,’ he told him. ‘It’s a loan which you can pay back when you can.’ ‘I can’t take your money... ‘ Clive started to say.

‘It’s from my long-term savings,’ Lewis told him, ‘So I won’t miss it for twelve months. It’s more important you get settled back in. Now if you’ve finished your coffee, I want you to strip off completely and put all your clothes on the table here.’

As Lewis took the cups and washed them, Clive started stripping off. When Lewis returned, there was a heap of clothes on the table and Clive was stood in his shorts.

‘And those too.’ please Lewis said. Once he was naked, Clive put his hands on top of his head and stood with his legs wide apart as instructed. Lewis studied him all over. ‘Put your arms down.’ he said. Taking each arm in turn he checked them all over. Then he told him to put one foot up on the chair. After examining his cock and his balls, Lewis told him to go and sit down in the chair.

Picking up each item of clothing, Lewis examined each one minutely to make sure there were no prison markings or labels on them. He passed them over to Clive and told him to get dressed.

Then he emptied his bag and searched it. Next, he went through everything he had taken out of it. Finally, he went through everything he had taken out of his trouser and jacket pockets.

He put two letters to one side. One was to the local benefits office in the name of Gregory Williams. The other was to a local prisoner’s aid society asking them to help Gregory Williams resettle.

‘Everything is ok,’ Lewis said, ‘I’ll hang on to these two letters for now.’ He put them on the top shelf in Warrens electricity cupboard.

Lewis rang Mr Kendrick. ‘Hi it’s Lewis,’ he said. ‘Would you be kind enough to check if Mrs Bassetts in and ask her to stay in so I can call in and see her in half an hour. I need some more information to help me find Mr Bassett. Thank you.’ he said as Mr Kendrick said he’d ring him back.

Five minutes later he rang back to say she would be at home all afternoon. Thanking him, Lewis promised to call in later and update him.

Lewis rang for a taxi, then they went downstairs to wait for it. They were soon at Mandela Court. Once the taxi had gone, they started up the stairs. Lewis knocked on the door and Clive followed his instruction and stood to the side out of sight.

Lewis stepped inside as soon as Mrs Bassett opened the door. He pushed it partly to behind him. ‘I’ve found him,’ he told her. ‘He is alive and well. He had amnesia, he didn’t leave you.’ As she burst into tears of happiness, she managed to get out, ‘Where is he now?’ ‘Clive.’ Lewis called out.

The door swung open behind him, and Clive stood there. His wife flew into his arms crying with happiness. Eventually they all moved into the lounge. Clive sat alongside his wife on the settee, holding her tight in his arms, tears streaming down both faces.

Clive told his wife the story he had rehearsed with Lewis. He had lost his job through no fault of his own. He hadn’t liked to tell her, feeling that he had let her down.

‘The day I left,’ he told her, ‘I was offered a job that I had to start right away. As soon as I got there, I sent a note to tell you. Then I must have had a bang on the head somehow. I was in hospital for two years with concussion and no identification. I had no memory of who I was. Because I had started doing some repair jobs for something to do, the hospital offered me a cottage in the grounds in return for carrying on doing the odd jobs for them.’

‘That’s where I found him,’ Lewis told her. ‘He recognised you and Daryl as soon as I showed him the photos. The hospital told me that he’s completely ok now. They say he may never recover his memory of what happened. It would be best if, rather than being questioned about it, everyone just forgot about it. You should start your life anew from today.’

‘The only thing that matters, is that we have got him back,’ she said bursting into tears again.

‘I’ll go and find Daryl.’ Lewis told them. ‘I’ll be back shortly.’ He went next door and knocked. When Mr Wilkinson answered, Lewis said, ‘Can we just stand here whilst I tell you the news, I want to catch Daryl on his way in.’

‘I’ve found Clive,’ Lewis said. ‘He didn’t intend to desert them, but I’ll explain fully when Daryl arrives, as it’s important you both hear the same story.’

‘That’s wonderful news,’ Mr Kendrick said, ‘I’m so pleased.’ Soon Lewis saw Daryl coming up the stairs. He was surprised to see Lewis at Mr Kendricks. ‘Come in here for a moment,’ Lewis said, ‘I have something I want to tell you and Mr Kendrick together.’

They went in and sat down. Daryl looked at Lewis expectantly. ‘Your dad had no intention of deserting you,’ Lewis said, ‘You’ve found him?’ Daryl said his face lighting up, ‘Where is he.’

‘Calm down a minute,’ Lewis said, ‘He’ll be back home very soon. But there are things I need to ask you both to do. Your dad lost his job,’ Lewis said. ‘He felt that he had let you down, so he said nothing about it. Then just as his money was running out, he was offered a job away from home, providing he left on the spot.’

‘That night, he had some sort of an accident.’ He explained all about the concussion and memory loss. Also, about staying on at the hospital. ‘When I found him and showed him a photo of you and your mum, he recognised you both immediately.’ Lewis told them.

‘He is now fully recovered, but what happened to him is still a total blank. The hospital say that he may never remember and that the best thing for you to do is to act as if it never happened. Just start your life from the day he comes home.’

‘There’s one other thing.’ he added. ‘If he learned about Jake and your beatings, he would blame himself and that could be harmful to him. So, I have to ask you if you can both manage never to mention him again.’ ‘I’d be delighted,’ Mr Kendrick said, ‘But how about you,’ he asked Daryl. ‘You’re the one who suffered.’ ‘I’m more than happy to forget he ever existed,’ Daryl said, ‘Especially now,’ he added with a beam at Lewis as he ran over and hugged him.

‘Ok, I have some more things I need to tell you all,’ Lewis said, ‘So let’s go next door, then I can tell your mum at the same time. You lead on.’ he told Daryl. They followed him next door and into the lounge.