Return

Автор: Anastasia

"Are you Pete’s friend?" I wondered but Peter already interrupted me, like he always did, hugging the woman: "Connor, Lin, it’s my wife, Rachel."

I was the first to speak: "Peter Axon how dare you marry without my consent?"

Both Pete and Rachel looked at me, troubled.

"It’s a joke," I smiled, rushing over to hug both him and his wife. "Congrats, Pete, I’m so glad you married! I always wanted you to be happy."

Peter returned my hug: "Lin, great you know it now. You’re not the only one to boast with a family."

"Perhaps you’ve got kids already?" Connor teased.

Rachel shook her head, laughing: "Just a bit too early: we only married three months ago."

"Well, we’re not in the Middle Ages," Connor shrugged.

Pete and I exchanged glances and said: "That was mean, Mr. Doyle." "For this mean joke you’ll have to cook a dinner tonight," I finished, grinning wickedly. "Pete however can help you. As for me and Rachel," I put my hand around the shoulders of my new friend, "we’ve got a lot to do, believe me!"

A new life with Connor that was what I always dreamt about and now it seemed to me that all my dreams came true. Of course we went to O.S.I.R. The team was flabbergasted but who wouldn’t? But I had a feeling that everyone was glad to see us. Even Praeger. Perhaps for him Doyle’s arrival meant getting rid of Peter who could get on one’s nerves, perhaps he thought he’d be luckier in another team. However everything went well. Shortly after we came back to O.S.I.R I went to see Anton who now became the head of O.S.I.R instead of Elsinger. He was the one who had to do with Elsinger as the last and therefore I had to talk to him. "Anton," I was facing him across the table, "I wanted to ask you about Frank."

"What do you mean by "asking"?" he pulled up his brows, a thing he usually did while talking.

"I mean it’s not top secret that Elsinger tried to kill both me and Connor. In the same way," I looked into his eyes.

"You know, Lindsay, he just disappeared into thin air, no one could find him. Came and went without any explanation. I thought that it could have something to do with your disappearing but I had no time to ask. Is something wrong?" he asked, a worried expression entering his face. Anton always reminded me of a caring father and I knew he really worried for us so I quickly reassured him that everything was all right: "No, it’s just that we wanted to find him and to make sure he’s thrown out O.S.I.R. It’s already happened and let’s forget this business. I doubt he’d ever come back into our lives."

Oh, how I was wrong! It was another of my mistakes: acting on an impulse and therefore thinking that others do it as well. I wish I knew people better!

The only safe haven was my family. I was so happy with Connor and AJ, happier than I could ever dream of! AJ was growing fast, too fast for my taste and again I wanted to freeze the picture, to stay in one moment for the rest of my life. To me Anne Julia seemed the most perfect child in the world. I think that Connor thought it as well. He loved the child very much and tried to spend with her as much time as possible, which was not easy. Finally one day as we were sitting in AJ’s room and watching her play, he spoke: "Lindsay, I think we both should give up our work at O.S.I.R."

I was too surprised to speak but then exclaimed: "What? We almost died because of this work and now when everything seems perfect and Elsinger’s gone, you want to retreat? I don’t understand it!"

"Lin," he didn’t change his tone, perfectly in control of his emotions. Like always. "Look, I thought of AJ. O.S.I.R is a great place and I love working there but it’s a work that needs too much devotion. It was ideal for a man like me or for a woman like you until we had a family. I think that AJ is too important to leave her for a long time that is why I wrote to a university not far from here. I think that I go teaching."

"Connor, I don’t really know what to say," I watched him with new eyes. Always devoted to the things he loved: at first it was his work, now his family. I lacked this selflessness though I loved him and AJ. But finally Connor was right: we had enough wild goose chasing, we now had a child. Anton would understand. And Peter as well. Now he had Rachel and he could easily imagine why we wanted to return to a normal life. "You’re right, Connor, like always," I answered. "I’ll be very sorry to leave O.S.I.R. but I reckon we don’t have a choice now. Look at this, AJ is only nine months old but she already tells us what we should do. What’s going happen next?"

He laughed: "Lindsay, the day you won’t change a serious matter into a joke will be the day you stop being yourself."

"But you must admit, Mr. Doyle, you married me because I am what I am. Now it’s too late to back up," I teased, perfectly aware of the fact he was a bit confused and enjoying this state.

"Oh, Lindsay," Connor sighed with an exasperated face but his eyes were dancing with hidden laughter.

That day came suddenly and overturned our lives though I thought it was just another Monday morning. I was standing in the kitchen, making toasts for Connor as my four – year old daughter burst into the room: "Mom, look at this! It was lying under the door! But it’s a letter, why is it under the door? And it’s addressed to you and Dad!"

AJ learnt to read half a year ago and was very proud of it, reading everything she could get into her hands. I took the letter from her. How often I wished later on I had just thrown it away! But how could I know I was holding my fate in my hands?

AJ kept hoping around me, while I slide open the envelope. I read, at first not understanding, then thoughtful and turned to my daughter: "AJ, could you please get your Dad?"

"‘Course Mommy," the child rushed up the stairs, scaring our beautiful red cat, Sunny, who sped after her.

I smiled. AJ grew up to a sweet girl, resembling me in every aspect, as Connor said. He often said he now had to look after two Lindsays which wasn’t that easy. But no matter what he said, I knew he was very fond of AJ and wouldn’t have liked to have someone else instead of her. AJ seemed to inherit the best features from both of us. She was a lively, friendly child so that there wasn’t a person who didn’t like her at the first sight. And AJ also liked meeting people, finding friends no matter where she went. But there was another side of her and I, partly amused, partly surprised, found her rather often with Connor at his desk. He showed her schemes and stones and then Peter, Rachel and I had to endure AJ’s endless talks of Bermuda Triangle. When Connor saw mocked reproach in my eyes, he only smiled, obviously pleased with AJ’s interest in this phenomenon. I wondered whether I deserved this happiness, having around people I loved so much and at this moment I had a bad premonition. Something was going to destroy the holy world I created. I wished I knew what.

Connor entered the room, talking to AJ about Sunny. I suppressed a smile: Connor was so serious in every way; even a cat should understand what were right and what wrong. It amused me but I loved his ways. In fact I loved every Connor’s feature.

"Lindsay, darling, what is the fuss about?" he asked; now addressing me. AJ stood a bit aside, watchful gray eyes alert.

"AJ brought this letter, Connor, it wasn’t in the mail box, but under our door," I waited to see his reaction but his expression didn’t change. "Lindsay, may be it’s just a joke," but I saw how attentive he became, reading.

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