Chapter 13: Milena

Henry and Ellen were left alone and had to find their way out by themselves.

"Any more surprises up your sleeve?" Henry asked casually.

"No, just this dinner at Eileen's. Tomorrow morning it's British Airways back to Gatwick."

"And what have you planned for the rest of this day?"

Ellen grinned at him, an impish grin.

"I was thinking of a repeat performance of this morning."

"Sounds like a plan," Henry seconded after what seemed to be some careful thought.

They skipped lunch that day, in fact they never left the bed until it was time to shower and get dressed.

Even that took a bit longer because Henry insisted on making sure Ellen was clean. Everywhere. She reciprocated and they arrived at Eileen Simmons' flat a half hour late.

The flat was small, but nicely decorated. Henry was ushered into a comfortable chair while the women were busy setting the table.

They had salmon steak and oven potatoes, followed by ice cream for dessert. Ellen had brought a bottle of Rhine wine to go along with the fish.

After dinner, they sat in the living room having Scottish ale before they switched to single malt whiskies.

Eileen Simmons was into Highland whiskies and she had a nice collection of those. Unfortunately, the next day was a working day for her and they had to call it an evening around eleven. Even though she had drunk only sparingly, the whisky had got to Ellen's head, and back in the hotel, she fell asleep once her head hit the pillow.

They had an early flight on the next morning leaving no time for any amorous activities and they landed at Gatwick shortly before ten.

It took some time for Henry to reach Ellen's parked Land Rover and it was half past eleven when Ellen stopped her car at High Matcham. She had explained that Andrew and Rose had invited them for lunch before he would be driven back to the rehab centre for the final days of his treatments.

Andrew ran late for lunch, but Rose welcomed them and made them sit at the table. Henry saw a new face sitting with the children. It was a pretty face. It came as a package with a tall, slender body and never-ending legs. The face was framed by straight brunette hair, shoulder length, and it sat atop a delicate neck. Rose noticed his look.

"Oh, Harry! Please meet Milena, Milena Janacek. She is our au-pair. Milena, this is our cousin Henry."

"Pleased to meet you, Henry," the face beamed, radiating a lust for life that was infective.

"The pleasure is mine," Henry smiled back. "Are you from the Czech Republic?"

"Yes, from Pilsen."

"Good beer!" Henry acknowledged, sadly aware that this summed up his knowledge of Pilsen. "Have you been in England long?"

"Almost a year. I have to find a real job or I'll have to leave soon."

"Milena is a treasure, Harry," Rose cut in. "The children love her."

Henry grinned. Anthony was thirteen. He would love any au-pair who looked like Milena. She was a walking wet dream.

"Can't Drew find a job for her at the bank?" he asked, merely to keep the conversation going.

The young woman affected a shudder. This did nice things to her unfettered breasts which jiggled under the light sweater.

"I could never work at a bank!" she declared with conviction.

"Milena is an excellent cook," Rose offered.

Suspicion rose in Henry. He looked at Ellen and raised an eyebrow. Ellen looked back guiltily.

"You need somebody, Harry. You can't cook to save your life. Somebody has to look after you."

Henry could not believe his ears. Did Ellen want him to hire this hot looking young woman as a housekeeper?

"Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?" he asked cautiously.

"Milena is looking for a job and you need somebody to take care of your house," Rose insisted.

Henry looked at the young woman. She gave him a cautious smile.

"What do you think of this idea?" he asked. "You know, I'm single, and there is nobody in that house but me."

Milena smiled. "Rose told me that you are a nice man."

"People might get wrong ideas." God, he sounded like his father.

Milena laughed at that. "If it's only that, I'll survive."

"Milena had a bit of a hard time back home, Harry," Ellen offered. "Her family has problems with her ... err, life style."

"I'm gay," the young woman said simply. "They caught me with a girl friend and kicked me out."

"So you need work and a place to stay?" Henry asked.

She nodded.

"Could we do this on a trial basis? I mean, you don't know me and I don't know you. I don't even know what I have to do to hire somebody. I mean, you'd have to pay taxes and such."

"I'll help you with the numbers and the paperwork," Rose offered. "You are right of course. Once you get released from that rehab, you two should have a trial run."

Henry thought about it some more. He looked at Ellen.

"I suppose my place needs some cleaning before I can move in again."

Ellen shook her head. "Rose and I took care of that. Don't worry. We hired a few people last week and went over the place. It's fit for living."

"You're a life saver, Ellen," Henry said and he meant it.

Just then, Andrew burst through the door.

"Sorry I'm late, Rose," he breathed hard. "There was trouble with Uncle Lloyd again. Hey, Harry! You look like new! How's the Queen?"

Henry grinned back. "Pissed off for having to work during her vacation. Well, she took it like a pro."

Andrew laughed. "We even had the P.M. work on her to get her approval."

"It showed," Henry laughed back. "I had a chance to speak to Silers-Spence. He gave me the rundown for my retirement."

"Everything fine?"

"Yup. They'll let me serve in my new rank for a month and then retire me."

"Sounds perfect," Andrew admitted. "And you Ellen? Had a good time?"

Ellen blushed which caused Rose to grin.

"Yes, it was quite nice. We had dinner with Dr. Simmons."

"That hotel, did it work out fine?"

"Oh, everything was perfect," Ellen said, her face still red.

Andrew let his gaze go back and forth between Ellen and Henry. Then his discretion gained the upper hand and he dropped the matter.

After lunch, Ellen drove Henry back to the rehab facility. Being alone in the car, they talked some more.

"How do you feel about yesterday?" Ellen asked.

"I loved it, Ellen," Henry answered quickly, anxious to dissipate any doubts Ellen might have.

"I loved it too. In a way, it was like the first time for me. The first time without fear or pain for sure."

"Any plans where we go from here?" Henry asked.

Ellen gave him a sad look.

"Harry, don't kid yourself. We're not going anywhere. We are friends and ... well, we can be lovers ... but I cannot compete with what you had and have with Josie. With another man I'd consider trying it. But with you I could never be the surrogate for the woman you really want. I love being with you, Harry, but I'm not the woman you covet."

Henry's brows furrowed. "What do you mean, Ellen? It's over between Josie and me. Her farewell words were 'I'm not the right woman for you'."

Ellen gave him a weak smile. "Harry, you have no clue about women, have you?"

"Well, not much, but I recognise a farewell when I hear it."

"Harry, she cares for you. She just hasn't learnt to show it yet. You have to realise that she is a crash survivor just like you. You both carry this huge pile of luggage around when it comes to relationships."

"Hrumph! I'm not..."

"Yes you are, Harry. I know because it's my fault. I hurt you and you still carry the scars." She put her hand on his knee. "Josie was hurt even more. Think of what she is achieving now. All that potential was there all those years! Yet she was reduced to being a doormat for her no-good husband. Then, when she was finally able to prove herself, you came and tried to rope her in."

"Ellen, I told her to take her time!" Henry protested.

"You gave her time, but never a choice! It was, 'Take all the time you need to agree with me!'. You tried to coerce her using her gratitude. Imagine how that felt to her after being coerced her entire adult life?"

Ellen used her soft voice, so full of sympathy, to point out his failures. That made it difficult for him to argue. He sat silent for a while trying to come up with a repartee.

It was painful to realise that she was right. He had blown it. At least he shared some of the guilt. It was confusing too. For years, for more than a decade, he had been able to blame all the bad things in his life on women. First Ellen and then Josie had been unfaithful and disloyal. His world had been neatly ordered in high contrast black and white. It was disconcerting to realise that things were not as easy.

Then another conclusion dawned on him. If he was partly to blame for what had happened to him in the past, then it was in his power to change things for the better in the future! He had to accept responsibility for his own life and make it better. He was only 34, damn it! There was a future for him.

Maybe not with Josie, maybe not with Ellen, but he could find a purpose for his life other than running away from his problems. He looked at Ellen.

"I guess I needed that dressing-down," he admitted.

"I didn't mean it like that, Harry. But you have to stop blaming other people for everything in your life."

They were already in the drive way that led to the main entrance of the rehab centre and they both looked up with surprise.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to put you down. I loved being with you yesterday. I would also love to do this more often. I care more for you than for any other man, maybe except for Drew, but I will never be your consolation prize."

"Of course, Ellen. I never saw you as one. But what if there is no fairy tale love? What if we both realise that there is nobody out there who is our missing half? Isn't being with a true friend better than being alone?"

"Yes, it is," Ellen conceded. "Believe me, I find the prospect of being with you very enticing. I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll continue to be friends, perhaps with benefits. Then, on your fortieth birthday, if you haven't found your missing half, ask me again. By then I may be desperate enough to consider you."

That last sentence was accompanied by a warm smile which took away any sting that might be construed into her words. Henry pulled her close.

"I care for you, Ellen. I really do."

With a sigh he pulled himself loose and stepped out of the car. He took his duffle bag from the rear seat and did his best to walk through the entrance without a limp.

"Let's call it a wrap, Major," Janis Cronebush exclaimed.

For twenty minutes she'd had him walking on the treadmill. She had watched his gait like a hawk. She stopped the machine.