Part 56: link


    “You’re lucky wewe weren’t pulled over,” Arthur says to her after they see Tom’s car safely into his garage.
    “I was careful. What about wewe earlier, following the ambulance, magari ya wagonjwa like wewe were in your moto truck?” she counters as they walk back to Arthur’s car.
    “Oh. wewe noticed that, huh?”
    “Of course I did. wewe were right behind us.”
    Arthur smirks as he opens the passenger door of his car for Gwen, closing it gently after her, before he goes around to the driver’s side and climbs in himself.
    They ride in silence for a short time, then Gwen says, “Good thing we had that nap, eh?”
    Arthur chuckles, saying, “See, if wewe hadn’t skipped out of work early, you’d be asleep on your feet right now.”
    “Imagine that: your randiness actually served a purpose.”
    “Hey!” he laughs, turning a corner.
    Arthur goes quiet again. Something is on his mind, Gwen thinks. She looks across at him, waiting.
    “Do wewe want to know what my father was doing while we were waiting?” Arthur says, sensing her gaze on him.
    “You mean with his mobile? I assumed he was working,” she shrugs.
    “Well, some. But he was mainly arranging a large donation to the cardiology department at the hospital.”
    “What?” Gwen stares at Arthur.
    “An anonymous donation.” I can hardly believe it myself.
    “What? Really?”
    Stopped at a traffic light, Arthur turns and looks at her. She looks as shocked as he feels. “I know. Usually when my father drops a wad of cash somewhere, he wants the world to know where it came from. He alisema that this was no one’s business but his.”
    “Wow.” Gwen is genuinely touched.
    “It seems you’ve turned both our lives upside down, my love,” he smiles at her, and the light changes. Guinevere squeezes his leg under her hand, and he puts his hand atop hers, rubbing his thumb lightly along the back of it.

    It is nearly midnight when they return home, and Gwen is dead on her feet. She shuffles back to the bedroom and is about to flop down on the kitanda when she sees the gift she had left there for Arthur. I’d forgotten all about it! She pretended to have forgotten something when they were about to leave, and went back to put Arthur’s copy of his parents’ photo, a smaller version, also framed and wrapped, on the kitanda for when they returned home.
    Arthur is right behind her, and he notices the box immediately. “What’s this?” he asks, going to retrieve it. “Guinevere?” he raises an eyebrow at her.
    She smiles and says, “In all the excitement tonight, I’d actually forgotten about this. Open it.”
    “What’s it for?” he asks.
    “Just open it.”
    He peels back the paper and opens the box. His smile is much zaidi immediate than Uther’s had been.
    “Thank you,” he says softly, lifting it from the box.
    “I knew wewe would want your own copy.”
    “I did.” He traces his mother’s cheek with his finger, then looks up and says, “Oh! This is why I couldn’t go pick up Father’s picture!”
    “Well, yeah, that would have ruined the surprise.”
    He sets the picha down and pulls her into his arms. “I do upendo wewe so much, Guinevere,” he says, bending to kiss her.
    “I know,” she says, teasing lightly, reaching up to kiss him again. “I upendo you, too, Arthur.”
    They collapse into kitanda ten dakika later, exhausted from the events of the evening. Gwen clings to Arthur, snuggling close into his arms, seeming to need them around her tonight. He is zaidi than happy to accommodate her, enjoying the warmth of her soft skin against him.

SATURDAY

    “Is it that late already? I need to run. Get some rest, Tom. Don’t be afraid to kick her out if wewe need a sleep,” Arthur says as he hurriedly pats Tom’s shoulder. He slows down to say goodbye to Gwen properly, kissing her sweetly and bending down for a hug, making sure to poke his head into her neck for one last whiff of her before he has to be away from her for the inayofuata 48 hours.
    “Love you,” he says into her neck.
    “I upendo you. Be safe.” Her familiar farewell.
    Arthur jogs out the door. He’s not really late, but to his mind he is, and Gwen laughs at him as he leaves.
    “Is he going to be in trouble?” Tom asks.
    “Good Lord, no. He’s not as late as he made out; he just always likes to be early. If he’s later than five dakika early he thinks he’s late. Plus he’s the chief, so no one will yell at him anyway.”
    “Really? I hadn’t realized that.” Tom sounds impressed, and Gwen notices.
    “Oh, so he’s just moved up a notch in your book, then?” she smirks at her father. “Drink,” she commands, holding the straw of his cup of ice water to his lips.
    He sighs, takes a drink, then says, “Yes, as a matter of fact, he has. I know the boy’s father is ridiculously wealthy, but I still want my little girl to be kept in the manner to which she is accustomed, wewe know. And now that I know that he’s not just a hose-jockey, I feel better about that.”
    “Dad! That’s a very elitist attitude!” she chastises him. “Gracious, you’d think saving your life would be enough…” she shakes her head, clearly teasing him now.
    He laughs, which devolves into coughing and Gwen stops chastising and resumes fussing over him.
    “Guinevere, please, that’s why there are nurses in this place,” he protests. “I’m fine.”
    “Pops!” Morgana’s voice exclaims from the doorway, and she comes rushing in, a vase of flowers clutched in her hands.
    “Morgana, darling, good to see you,” Tom says, smiling at her as she comes to hug him.
    “They told me all about it. I’m so glad you’re okay,” she holds his hand in hers.
    “Thank wewe for the flowers,” he says. Gwen rearranges them a bit and sets them on the windowsill.
    “So. moyo attack. What a way to break up a party,” Morgana says. “I mean, if wewe didn’t want to pay for your dinner, Pops, wewe could have just, I don’t know, gone to the loo and scooted out the door…”
    “Stop, Morgana!” he laughs, holding his side. “It does feel good to laugh, but it hurts some, too.”
    Gwen sits in the chair beside her father, also laughing. Morgana has always had a knack for lightening the mood, and it’s what her father needs right now.
    “Elliot been up yet, au has he not dragged that nicely-shaped backside of his out of kitanda yet? It is only just gone noon, wewe know,” Morgana says, looking at the clock.
    “He called. He was going to bring lunch. Can I have him get wewe something?” Gwen asks.
    “No, I had a bite with Wayne before he went to work,” she says, smiling a little too widely.
    “Yes, but did wewe get anything to eat?” Gwen asks.
    “Gwen!” Morgana is shocked that she would tease her like this in front of her father, but Tom just laughs.
    “So who is this Wayne? Not another musician, I hope,” Tom asks.
    “No, he’s a firefighter.” She rolls her eyes at him, but is secretly pleased at his concern for her. “He’s on Arthur’s crew. I met him at the engagement party.”
    “Oh, him. The one wewe were playing cat-and-mouse with all night,” he nods, remembering.
    Gwen looks at her father. “You noticed that?”
    “Oh yes, Uther and I had a right laugh watching her string him along all night. Until they disappeared into the ladies’ for about fifteen minutes…” he smirks.
    “Dad!” now it is Gwen’s turn to be shocked. Morgana actually has the decency to blush at this revelation. She didn’t think anyone had seen them.
    “Never mind, never mind,” Tom laughs. “Is he good to you?” he turns a serious eye to Morgana. Morgana’s parents both died when she was young. She was raised kwa a childless aunt, and Tom feels protective fatherly instincts over his daughter’s best friend as well.
    “Yes, he is. He’s a bit of a scoundrel, but his moyo is noble and good, I promise.”
    “Yes, daddy, he’s a good man,” Gwen confirms.
    “Hmm. We shall see.”
    “Morgana. How dare wewe onyesha your face around here?” Elliot scowls from the doorway.
    Morgana turns, and schools her features into a glare. “Mr. Thomas. This is… quite an unexpected misfortune.” She stands, facing him as if they are about to duel. “I hope wewe are armed. I’d hate to have to shoot an unarmed man.”
    Elliot’s mouth twitches slightly. “So. You’ve come to kill my father, is that it? No? My sister? What possible reason can wewe have to darken our doorway?”
    “I wish I had some popcorn,” Gwen whispers to her father.
    “Shh,” he shushes her.
    Morgana walks menacingly towards him.
    “Only this, you, you…” unable to think of an appropriate insult, she breaks first, busting forth with laughter, running mbele to hug Elliot and kiss his cheek.
    “Elliot,” Tom says, “nice of wewe to drop by.”
    “I told wewe I’d be back, didn’t I?” he grins, walking mbele with his arm around Morgana. He deposits a bag of takeaway samaki and chips on a side table.
    “So I get to watch wewe eat this while I get served some bland slop from the hospital cafeteria, yes?” Tom sighs.
    “Yep,” Elliot says, plopping down in a chair.
    Gwen smacks him. “Be nice. Dad, we can eat elsewhere if it bothers you.”
    “No, Guinevere, it’s fine, really.” Just then an orderly comes in with Tom’s lunch tray. “Oh, good,” he says unenthusiastically.

    “How’s Tom?” Merlin asks Arthur while they eat their lunch.
    “Seems to be doing well. He was in good spirits, anyway.”
    “How could he not be in good spirits with Gwen around? The woman is sunshine.”
    Arthur looks up. “That’s quite a compliment, Merlin.”
    Merlin grins. “I guess I’m in a good mood.”
    “Ohhh…” Arthur says, the implications clear in his tone. Merlin bends over his lunch, his ears turning pink.
    “Freya had the siku off yesterday,” he says quietly.
    “So wewe spent the siku cocooned in her loving embrace, then,” Arthur says with a smirk.
    Merlin clears his throat. “Something like that.”
    “Ah, so this morning as well?” Arthur teases Merlin, thoroughly enjoying watching his best friend trying to disappear under the his plate. “Sorry, mate, I haven’t had the opportunity to tease wewe like this in a long time,” Arthur laughs.
    “So what happened? With Gwen’s dad, I mean.”
    Arthur relates the story, kind of glossing over the whole part about how he potentially saved Tom’s life with his quick thinking.
    “Wait, wait, back up there,” Merlin interrupts. “Exactly what did the doctor say about the aspirin?”
    Arthur furrows his brow. “Why?”
    “Just tell me.”
    Arthur sighs. “He alisema something like my actions definitely prevented Tom’s moyo attack from becoming zaidi severe, and that I may have even saved his life. I think that was it.”
    Merlin stares, fork in midair.
    “What?”
    Merlin puts his fork down, then picks up his and Arthur’s plates and carries them to the kitchen.
    “Good thing I was done,” Arthur mutters. “Merlin, what on earth has gotten into you?”
    “Come with me,” Merlin commands. Something in his tone tells Arthur not to argue.
    They walk back to the infirmary, which Merlin treats as his own little office and hideaway. He pulls out a key, unlocks a closet and withdraws a book. It is a copy of the same book Gaius gave to Gwen.
    “You have one, too?” Arthur says quietly.
    “Of course I do,” he says matter-of-factly. He opens the book, scanning through pages until he finds what he is looking for.
    “Close the door.”
    Arthur closes the door, puzzled.
    “You can leave it open if wewe like, but I didn’t think you’d want the guys to hear all about your freaky past-life story. You’d never hear the end of it,” Merlin says, not looking up from the book.
    “Good point.”
    “Aha. Here it is.” He reads: “‘Guinevere’s father was put to death for the practice of sorcery, a crime of which he was innocent. Prince Arthur was in a position to put a stop to this, but was either unwilling au felt unable to sway his father’s decision. As a result, he had a hand in the death of the father of the woman he would grow to upendo very deeply and eventually marry.’ So wewe see, Arthur, wewe did an amazing thing last night. wewe saved Tom’s life. wewe made things right.”
    “Are wewe talking about karma?” Arthur looks sideways at his friend.
    “Yes. I am. Don’t laugh. kwa helping prevent Tom’s death last night, wewe righted a major wrong done in the past. And that is so cool.”
    Arthur laughs, “Cool?”
    “You got a better word for it, mate?”
    He thinks. “No.” He pauses. “Do wewe think Gwen knows? About past Arthur’s involvement in her past dad’s death?”
    “It’s possible. How much of this book has she read?” Merlin asks.
    “Most of it, I’m sure,” Arthur says. “She was very grateful last night…” he trails off.
    “Grateful?” Merlin raises his eyebrows, insinuating, thinking it his turn to start needling Arthur.
    Arthur laughs. “Not grateful that way. Time we got nyumbani it was very late and we were both exhausted.”
    “Find out if she knows. She should know. I imagine then wewe might experience some gratitude, my friend.”

    Merlin says wewe should read that Legend book. Page 212. Arthur sends a text to Gwen late that afternoon. He doesn’t know if she’s nyumbani au at the hospital, so he’s not sure when he’ll here back from her.
    Half an saa later, she responds. Oh. My. God.
    M thinks I righted a wrong I committed in the past.
    I got that, yes. Wow.
    Arthur finds Merlin outside, watching the lads kicking around a football in the crisp fall afternoon air. He sits beside him on juu of the picnic meza, jedwali and hands him a bottle of water.
    “She read it. And she got it,” he says quietly to his friend. He shows him the message he sent and her reply.
    Merlin smiles. “She’s smart. I knew she’d make the connection.”
    “How is it that wewe never told me any of this stuff, kwa the way?”
    “Self-preservation.”
    “Huh?”
    “Uncle Henry tutored me in all this lore since before I could read. And I started kusoma at three and a half. There was no denying our connection to it all, we’ve been… self-aware, I guess, in each life we’ve lived.”
    “Self-aware?”
    “We know who we were; who we have been.”
    “Go on,” Arthur nods, waiting for him to get to his point. He knows Merlin will get there, it just a matter of when.
    “But that makes for a strange child, right? Not only did I have the body of a refugee and ears like satellite dishes, I also had this… past to deal with. For a long time wewe were my only friend. wewe were the first real friend I had, in fact. I was afraid that if I told wewe what I knew and who I suspected wewe to be, you’d call me a nutter and walk.”
    Arthur considers this. “I’d like to say you’re wrong, but you’re probably not. wewe rarely are.”
    “I know.”
    “And that is really annoying, wewe know that, mate?”
    “Yes,” he grins widely.
    “And wewe still have ears like satellite dishes.”
    “Freya likes them,” he remarks, taking a drink of his water.
    “Well, she’d have to, wouldn’t she?”
    “Call Gwen,” Merlin says, shoving Arthur in the shoulder.
    “Yeah, probably should do,” Arthur says, getting up. The ball rolls in his direction and he absentmindedly kicks it back, headed straight for Paul, who nods his thanks at him.

    “You’re home?” Arthur asks.
    “Daddy kicked me out for the day. He was getting tired of me,” she pouts.
    “I’m sure that’s not exactly it. He does need his rest, and he probably didn’t want to sleep while wewe were there.”
    “You’re right. I told him to go ahead, but he wouldn’t.”
    “Of course he wouldn’t. He loves wewe too much. He doesn’t want to waste any of his time with wewe kwa sleeping in your presence.”
    “And how do wewe know this?” she asks.
    “Because I’m the same way. The only reason I get any sleep when we’re both nyumbani is because wewe are also sleeping.”
    “You are both completely ridiculous,” she laughs, but she thinks, That is unbelievably sweet.
    “So. This whole business of past me being partially responsible for past Tom’s death.”
    “I couldn’t believe that. I can’t believe I missed that part of the story, actually.”
    “Yeah, I thought you’d read everything.”
    “Not yet.” She pauses. “But it sounds like King Arthur was kind of a prat for a while when he was still Prince Arthur.”
    “He just had some growing up to do,” Arthur says, defending himself.
    “Yes, and he needed Guinevere to straighten him out.”
    “Well, now, I wouldn’t say that…”
    “I would. Everything I’ve read, and I’ve been kusoma a lot again today, points to Arthur behaving like a spoiled prince until he started listening to Guinevere and Merlin. Just repeating what I’ve read, love.”
    “Fine, fine, past wewe and past Merlin are responsible for past me not growing up to be a jerk. But that doesn’t change the fact that I did something really cool last night.”
    “Cool?”
    “Merlin’s words. He alisema that my karmic readjustment was ‘so cool.’”
    Gwen laughs at this.
    “How’s your dad?”
    “He’ll be going nyumbani probably Monday au Tuesday. Your dad dropped by, too.”
    “He did?”
    “Yes. He’s going to loan him Leah for a couple weeks once he’s home. To help out around the house, cook for him – healthy meals – that kind of thing.”
    “I hope he cleared that with Leah first,” Arthur ponders.
    “He did. I asked him.”
    “You did?”
    “Well of course I did. Why does that surprise you?”
    “Oh, just because he would always bristle whenever I’d swali him like that in the past. But for you, oh no, he probably smiled indulgently down at wewe and alisema something like, ‘Of course I did, dear,’ didn’t he?”
    “Wow, it’s like wewe were there,” she teases him.
    “Anyway, I’m glad your father is recovering well.”
    “I am, too. And Arthur?”
    “Hmm?”
    “Thank wewe again for helping to save my father.”
    “Just doing my job, wewe know.”
    “Well, it means zaidi to me than I can say.”
    “Anything for you, my love.”
    He’d do the same for a complete stranger, too, she thinks, but she takes him at his word. “I upendo you,” she says.
    “I upendo you, too.”
    “Get back to work. au whatever it is you’re—“
    Her words are cut off kwa the alarm.
    “Love you,” Arthur hurriedly says again before the line goes dead.

    Some fool burning yard waste 2 close 2 his house. Not even legal where he lives, so he’s in big trouble. Everyone ok, even me.

Part 58: link