an 8-hour drive to Bordeaux with only three hours of sleep, (and that was probably a tall tale judging by the look of him). But that he wouldn’t have time to drop her off in Paris to visit Elaine was the limit of unreasonableness.
“Look, you say yourself, I need a few hours’ sleep before I can drive, but if I do that, it will make it even later, and then I certainly can’t go via Paris” argued Keane. He could understand why she was disappointed, but she had to understand that she couldn’t have it both ways.
Jenny knew her only chance would be to let him sleep a few hours, and hope he would be more reasonable once he had rested. Besides, it would have been just plain irresponsible for her to let him drive so far on so little sleep. So she gave in. Minutes later he was fast asleep on the sofa, still wearing yesterday’s clothes.
She prepared everything for his overnight stay: razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, towel, change of clothes. It was so simple to pack for men.
Then it was Elaine’s turn. She arranged some home-made biscuits decoratively on a round, silver platter and wrapped some cling-fill around. She then placed it in a box alongside other edible items she had been putting aside for the first opportunity to visit her; they were mainly tins and preserves that Elaine was particularly fond of.
She then packed another box with a disparate collection of items that Elaine had been complaining about missing: candles, matches, vitamins, soap, extra towels, toothbrush, tampons, video tapes, diskettes, writing blocks, plastic bags, blankets and a frying pan.
It was five o’clock and he was still asleep. She knew she had to wake him. She knew he would now definitely not take her. She woke him gently and he came out of a deep sleep.
“What time is it?”
“Five o’clock.”
“Oh, no.” He said unconvincingly, as he rubbed his face and stretched out. Given the choice of waking up sooner, he would not have slept a minute less.
“Everything’s ready for you. Just do mankind a favour and take a quick shower, will you?”
Keane recalled that he had an ongoing disagreement with Jenny. As she was not forcing the issue, he surmised she had given in. He went to take a shower, and though it was just what he needed physically, he still felt rotten. It really was unreasonable of him not to take her. He just hated driving into and out of Paris, but more than that, he felt it was wrong to take her anywhere while he was on the way to interview witnesses. He had always felt it was imperative not to mix family and work. But he still felt bad. She had got everything ready for him for his trip. There were fresh clothes ironed and laid out. He would have to do something to show her how much he appreciated her loyalty and self-sacrifice.
“Look, I know you don’t have time on the way there,” said Jenny “as it is so late now, but couldn’t you drop off these things on the way back?”
Problem solved (well, partially), thought Keane. “Yes, I can do that. I’ll do that. I’m sorry, Jenny . . .”
“Yes, I know.” She paused while he put his coat on and looked for his keys. “The court finds you guilty of letting down your wife, and sentences you to take her to Paris on the first possible occasion.”
He smiled back at her, kissed her, grabbed his bags and went out to the car. “I’ll be back around midnight, tomorrow! I love you!”
“Take care, I love you, too.” She waved as his car pulled away.
Chapter 10
Sunday, 20th September, morning
Keane arrived at his hotel just north of Bordeaux, at 2:30 in the morning, European time. He had thoroughly enjoyed the ride, even if there had only been a few hours of daylight in France, and the last couple of hours had been very tiring. He found it invigorating to extrovert his attention to all the wonderful sights of the French countryside. It had blown away the cobwebs in
“Look, you say yourself, I need a few hours’ sleep before I can drive, but if I do that, it will make it even later, and then I certainly can’t go via Paris” argued Keane. He could understand why she was disappointed, but she had to understand that she couldn’t have it both ways.
Jenny knew her only chance would be to let him sleep a few hours, and hope he would be more reasonable once he had rested. Besides, it would have been just plain irresponsible for her to let him drive so far on so little sleep. So she gave in. Minutes later he was fast asleep on the sofa, still wearing yesterday’s clothes.
She prepared everything for his overnight stay: razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, towel, change of clothes. It was so simple to pack for men.
Then it was Elaine’s turn. She arranged some home-made biscuits decoratively on a round, silver platter and wrapped some cling-fill around. She then placed it in a box alongside other edible items she had been putting aside for the first opportunity to visit her; they were mainly tins and preserves that Elaine was particularly fond of.
She then packed another box with a disparate collection of items that Elaine had been complaining about missing: candles, matches, vitamins, soap, extra towels, toothbrush, tampons, video tapes, diskettes, writing blocks, plastic bags, blankets and a frying pan.
It was five o’clock and he was still asleep. She knew she had to wake him. She knew he would now definitely not take her. She woke him gently and he came out of a deep sleep.
“What time is it?”
“Five o’clock.”
“Oh, no.” He said unconvincingly, as he rubbed his face and stretched out. Given the choice of waking up sooner, he would not have slept a minute less.
“Everything’s ready for you. Just do mankind a favour and take a quick shower, will you?”
Keane recalled that he had an ongoing disagreement with Jenny. As she was not forcing the issue, he surmised she had given in. He went to take a shower, and though it was just what he needed physically, he still felt rotten. It really was unreasonable of him not to take her. He just hated driving into and out of Paris, but more than that, he felt it was wrong to take her anywhere while he was on the way to interview witnesses. He had always felt it was imperative not to mix family and work. But he still felt bad. She had got everything ready for him for his trip. There were fresh clothes ironed and laid out. He would have to do something to show her how much he appreciated her loyalty and self-sacrifice.
“Look, I know you don’t have time on the way there,” said Jenny “as it is so late now, but couldn’t you drop off these things on the way back?”
Problem solved (well, partially), thought Keane. “Yes, I can do that. I’ll do that. I’m sorry, Jenny . . .”
“Yes, I know.” She paused while he put his coat on and looked for his keys. “The court finds you guilty of letting down your wife, and sentences you to take her to Paris on the first possible occasion.”
He smiled back at her, kissed her, grabbed his bags and went out to the car. “I’ll be back around midnight, tomorrow! I love you!”
“Take care, I love you, too.” She waved as his car pulled away.
Chapter 10
Sunday, 20th September, morning
Keane arrived at his hotel just north of Bordeaux, at 2:30 in the morning, European time. He had thoroughly enjoyed the ride, even if there had only been a few hours of daylight in France, and the last couple of hours had been very tiring. He found it invigorating to extrovert his attention to all the wonderful sights of the French countryside. It had blown away the cobwebs in
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