Imagine There's No Heaven Read online

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  Guy couldn’t remember a time he had felt more positive as he sat on the park bench with Daniels. He’d wanted to speak about his mother for years, but as he sat down with Daniels it was his own life and his own future that were on his mind. The park was a picturesque break from the concrete of the city. A large lake sat in the middle, with geese and ducks wobbling around it. Two heavily overweight women were following a very muscular fitness instructor around the footpath. He blew his whistle. They lay down and began doing press-ups. Guy grinned at the sight and thought how similar they were to him and to everyone else, with their own issues that they themselves, as Gina had said to him, must decide, right now, that they want to conquer. As it turned out, that decision was everything. Deciding to succeed had taken fifteen years; the act of succeeding had taken just a few weeks. The representation of Guy’s success now sat right beside him; he had only spoken to Daniels for an hour and already the old soldier had endeared himself to Guy.

  ‘Dad says mum used to run around here every morning,’ said Guy. ‘She was so mental; six in the morning, running around a lake.’

  ‘Do you run?’ Daniels asked in his thick baritone voice.

  ‘A bit,’ Guy answered. ‘My instructor makes me. He says it’s good training.’

  ‘Good training for what?’

  ‘Boxing.’

  Daniels held the palm of his hand up. ‘Give me your best shot.’ Guy raised an eyebrow dubiously. ‘Come on, let’s have it.’ Guy purposefully hit him with little strength. ‘Oh, Christ, hit me for real already.’ Daniels taunted. Guy tilted his head then flung his fist into Daniels’ hand. Daniels shook the pain off. ‘All right, all right, not bad. My turn,’ he said. Guy held his hand up. Daniels hit him.

  ‘Damn,’ Guy said, surprised by the strength of the blow. ‘You’re good.’

  ‘Ha; not as good as I used to be.’ Daniels’ gaze followed the footpath through the park into fields in the distance. ‘How long is this path?’

  ‘About five kilometres,’ Guy answered. ‘Come on, let’s get moving.’ He stood up, cracked his neck to the side, stretched and began jogging around the path, Daniels following close behind.

  * * *

  Gina entered her bedroom quietly and placed her bag down on the floor. She crawled into bed beside Kevin and reached an arm around him. He stirred and looked up at her.

  ‘How did he do?’

  ‘Good, I hope,’ Gina nodded. ‘Hell, he tried, that’s the most important thing. He’ll be all right.’

  ‘And have you thought about that vacation I mentioned?’

  Gina paused, took a deep breath, looked to a future with Kevin by her side and said, ‘Let’s do it.’

  * * *

  Guy entered the kitchen, where his father and Daniels were stood drinking coffee and chatting. A worn letter lay on the table. Guy wondered if any letter had ever been read more than that one. He wondered if the time would come when he didn’t read it every night before bed.

  Daniels nodded respectfully as Guy entered the room. Guy returned the gesture. ‘I think that might have to be our last race for a while,’ said Daniels. He looked at the clock. It was five-fifteen. ‘I should really be getting back. The vets must be asking after me by now.’

  ‘Thank you, Adam.’ Jerry’s face glowed with the sincerest appreciation. He offered his hand. Daniels shook it.

  ‘You don’t need to thank me,’ Daniels said. He wanted to tell them that he would always do anything for Imogen’s family, but he didn’t want to risk dampening the mood.

  Guy eyed him questioningly. ‘I’ll see you again, right?’ he asked with concern.

  ‘Definitely,’ Daniels assured. ‘Perhaps you and your father can come spend some time down my neck of the woods next time. Anyway, I should probably be going back to the hotel, my train leaves soon and I still have to pack.’

  Daniels clapped a hand on Guy’s arm and the other on Jerry’s shoulder before moving to the door, turning and saluting them. He left. Guy and his father were alone again. Neither knew what to say, yet both felt an understanding that had been missing nearly all Guy’s life. He felt love for his father, and respect, and he knew his father felt the same way too.

  That night, Guy and Yasmin lay huddled up together on Guy’s bed. They had sat in meditative silence for hours. Yasmin rested her head on Guy’s lap and closed her eyes. He waited for her to fall asleep then gently lifted her off his lap and kissed her on the forehead.

  His mother’s letter was lying on the bedside table. He picked it up, kissed it at the top corner and put it back in its shoebox. Then he lay down, wrapped his arm around Yasmin and drifted off into a world of peace, dreaming of the future he now recognised.

 

  About The Author

  Paul Harrison is a writer, journalist and actor. His great passion is to spark the imagination of his readers, to inspire people both to dream and to achieve their dreams. To find out more about Paul Harrison, please visit his website https://PMHarrison.com or find him on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Paul.M.Harrison.