�Sgt Ackland, there�s a young man in reception wanting to see you.�
�Marilyn, can�t you get some one else to deal with it, I am very busy at the moment?�
�Sarge he insisted on seeing you, he said that it was important.�
�Ok, I�ll come straight down, what did he say his name was?�
�Gabriel something. I�m sorry I didn�t quite catch his surname, he seemed kind of nervous.�
�Ok thanks.� June put the phone down. Could it be her son, she thought to herself? After all Gabriel is not the most common of names? With that thought she felt her stomach churn, and her head began to spin. Surely not? David had made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her, after his desire to find her had led to his adoptive parent�s fatal car crash. Besides, he was meant to be in America, wasn�t he? June couldn�t bare the suspense any longer, she leapt off her seat, and quickly made her way towards the reception area; practically knocking down Gary in the process.
June reached the entrance to the reception area, and then stopped to compose herself. She peered through the glass window, and spotted a dark haired man sitting down, staring at the floor. She knew it was him instantly, and her heart started to race. She took a deep breath, and pressed the buzzer that opened the door, her hand shaking as she did so. As the door opened, Gabriel�s head shot up towards it. His dark brown eyes met June�s. For a second, neither of them knew what to say. Then June casually asked, �Mr Kent? What can I do for you?�
�Erm, I think you know what this is about. Please can I have a private chat with you?�
�Yes, of course,� June replied, her eyes shifted away from him, as fear shot through her veins. �Marilyn, is the front interview room free?�
�Yes Sarge� Marilyn replied, her face unable to hide her intrigue.
�I�ll get straight to the point. That day when you came to see the house, why did you come? I mean it wasn�t to buy a house was it?� Gabriel asked, the fear in his voice evident.
�No, I er�.�
�You�re my Mother, aren�t you?� Gabriel interrupted, unable to hold it in any longer.
�Yes!� June replied, unable to look at him.
�So why didn�t you tell me?�
�I didn�t want to upset you, I just needed to know that you were ok.�
�Do you know how many years I have wondered about you? Wanted to know what you�re like, and whether or not you ever thought about me?�
�Gabriel please believe me that not a single day has past since you were born, that I have not thought about you. When I gave you away, I lost a part of me, something that I have never been able to replace. Look we need to talk about this properly, I think I owe you that much. How long are you in the country for?�
�Just till tomorrow I�m afraid. I am running a training course at our London office. To be honest I jumped at the chance when it came up. My wife wasn�t too pleased at first, but she understands that this was something that I have to do. Ever since David confirmed my suspicion that it was you that day, I have been so desperate to meet you.�
�Did he tell you how I met him?�
�No to be honest he was a bit cagey about it, but then he�s always been like that.�
�Look I�m meant to be working, what are you doing tonight?� Gabriel didn�t answer. �That�s if you want to of course. I mean you probably want nothing more to do with me, I wouldn�t blame you.�
�Of course I do! I want to get to know you, to know where I come from. Look I am staying up the West End, at The Grosvenor House Hotel. We could meet there for dinner if you would like? What time do you finish here?�
�Oh that would be wonderful, I finish at six. Is eight o�clock ok for you?�
�Yes, that would be great. I�ll see you later, bye.� Gabriel walked towards the door to leave.
�Gabriel thanks for coming. You have no idea how much this means to me.� They both exchanged a smile before he left.
June was sat at her desk working in the sergeant�s office, trying to keep her mind off her dinner with Gabriel that night. There was a knock on her door, and Jim entered.
�Hi Jim! What can I do for you?�
�Well I was just wondering if you fancied going out for a meal tonight. You�ve been so down lately, I thought that I could perhaps cheer you up a bit.�
�Oh Jim that�s a lovely thought, but I�m afraid I�m busy tonight. I am having dinner with someone.� The smile on Jim�s face fell.
�Oh, I see. Oh well, I hope that it goes well. I was just kind of hoping that perhaps, maybe you and me still had a chance. I know that I screwed things up badly, and that I don�t deserve you, but��
�Oh Jim, it�s not a date! To be honest I have thought about the possibility of you and me getting back together, but I have been through a lot lately. Just give me time, yeah?�
�I�ll wait as long as you wish.� Jim smiled. �So are you going anywhere nice?�
�I�m meeting my son, we�re having dinner up The West End.�
�So you�ve made up with Gabriel then, I am pleased!�
�Well yes and no. Look Jim, if I tell you something, do you promise not to tell a sole?�
�Of course.�
�Well the �Gabriel� you know, is not who he says he is.�
�What do you mean?� Jim looked puzzled.
�Well it�s a bit complicated. He was pretending to be my son, but he is really his adoptive brother, David.�
�You what! How long have you known? Why have you never said anything, or grassed him up to the Super?� Jim questioned.
� Because he was the only link I had to my son, I had to find him. I need to have all those questions I have in my head answered.�
�And now that you have found your son, surely you are going to get him out of your life for good?�
�Yes perhaps, although I dread to think what he would do if I did. He thinks that I ruined his life, because his parents adopted Robert, er I mean Gabriel. I don�t think that he�s right in the head.�
�I think that�s an understatement. Look June, I don�t mean to press you, but if you don�t sort him out, then I will!�
�Jim tonight is my first proper meeting with my Son. I promise that once that is out of the way, I�ll get it sorted.�
�OK. So how are you feeling about tonight?�
�I�m as nervous as hell! I don�t know how I�ll manage to eat any thing! I just have so many questions I have to ask. I want to know all about him, and his family. Do you know that he has three kids?�
�Really! That would make you a Granny then! And to think, I asked a Grandmother out on a date!�
�Oi! Less of your cheek Constable! Haven�t you got any work to be getting on with?�
�I was just going! Good luck for tonight, I hope that everything works out for you!�
�Thanks Jim, your support means a lot to me.�
�No problem, do you fancy having lunch together tomorrow? You can tell me how it went.�
�Yes that would be nice.�
�So do you enjoy being a police officer?� Gabriel asked.
�Yes I do. Well not always, it has its ups and downs. Some days it�s awful, when you get abuse from the public, or when you have to deal with a distressed victim. But it�s rewarding when you help put away a nasty criminal, so that they cannot inflict suffering on any one else.�
�Did you join up because of what happened to you?� June�s face fell. �Oh sorry, I didn�t mean to bring it up.�
�How did you know? Did David tell you?�
�Yes he did, in fact he enjoyed telling me. He has always resented me.�
�Oh Gabriel, that is the one thing I never wanted you to know. I�d much rather you think that I was some kind of tart, then knowing that.�
�Well it wasn�t a nice thing to find out, but to be honest my first thoughts were for you. You had been through all that when you were still only a child, yet you still came to find me. It made me realise how special you are, I just knew that I had to find you. David wouldn�t tell me where you were, but he mentioned that he worked with you, so I followed him.�
�Gabriel do you know that he is pretending to be you?�
�Well I did wonder how he got into the Police Force, with such a poor record in the Navy. Why haven�t you turned him in?�
�Because I needed to know how you and your family were getting on in America.� Gabriel smiled. Just then a waitress approached their table. �Are you ready to order yet?�
�Oh can you give us a minute, we haven�t quite decided yet,� Gabriel replied. The waitress nodded, and left. �I�d forgotten about dinner, we were so deep in conversation. I guess we have so much to catch up on.�
�I�d like that Gabriel. Still this is a restaurant, I guess we had better order something.�
June and Gabriel were outside the hotel, waiting for Junes cab. �I wish you didn�t have to go back to America tomorrow.�
�So do I, but its Abigail�s birthday next Tuesday. I don�t think that she would forgive me if I missed that.�
�Of course.�
�But I promise you that I will come back to visit soon, and next time I will bring the kids. Sarah is desperate to see her mum again anyway�
�I would like that. Will you ring me to let me know that you got back safely?�
�Of course I will. Will you promise me that you will think about giving Jim another chance? He sounds like a lovely man, and you so deserve a bit of happiness.�
�I will. Oh look my taxi�s here. Thanks for a lovely evening, I just wish that it never had to end.�
�So do I. Look, I promise that there will be plenty more evenings like this. You take care of yourself Mum.� As Gabriel said that to her, her eyes filled up with tears. She had waited so long for someone to call her that. He leaned over to hug her, and they held each other for a few seconds. June then reluctantly pulled herself away, and opened the taxi door. �Goodbye Gabriel, I hope to see you soon.� Gabriel closed the door, and waved her off, as the taxi pulled off into the night.
Three weeks later, Jim and June decided to have dinner at an Italian Restaurant on Canley High Street. They had grown close again, and had had several meals out together as friends. June was nervous as she entered the Restaurant; she had decided that she was ready to start seeing Jim again properly. And although she knew that it was what he wanted, she couldn�t help but feel anxious as she spotted him sitting at a table in the corner of the room. She walked over to where he was. �I�m so sorry that I�m late.�
�That�s alright. Can I just say that you look absolutely gorgeous tonight? That blue dress has always suited you, it shows off your marvellous figure.� June blushed.
�And you know that I could never resist you when you�re wearing a suit!�
�You�ll have to keep yourself restrained for now. Perhaps I should have brought my handcuffs!� They both laughed, as June sat down opposite Jim. �So what do you fancy?� Jim asked as he passed a menu to June. �You!� June replied, and then looked away, surprised by her outburst. She had planned on sounding out the possibility of them getting back together, but now she had started, she realised that she had to continue. �I mean we have seen a lot of each other these past few weeks, and I don�t know if it�s just me but I have felt us getting closer again. Jim I have never stopped loving you, I need you, please tell me that you fell the same?� June held her breath, and for a moment there was an awkward silence. But just as June was about to lose hope, Jim replied. �Oh June I have been so stupid! I though that I was doing you a favour by setting you free, but I can see now that I was wrong. Both of us have so been miserable since we split. When you were crying in your office that day over your son, all I wanted to do was sweep you into my arms, and hold you until the pain subsided. I love you more than life itself, but as I had let you down so badly, I knew that any chance we had must come from you.� Jim then grabbed June�s hand, and looked lovingly into her eyes. He continued, �June if you�ll have me, then I promise that I will never let you down again. Please tell be that you�ll have me, warts and all?� A huge grin spread across June�s face.
�Yes of course I will, and this time I promise to be a lot more honest with you about my feelings. If this is going to work, then we need to be honest, and open with each other.�
�Agreed! Now let�s order, I�m starving!�
�I�m glad to see nothing has changed there then!�
That night June invited Jim back to hers for coffee. Although he had been back here a couple of times since he moved out, he felt slightly strange sitting on her sofa. Like a nervous teenager, not quite knowing what to say or do. June entered the room, carrying a tray containing two coffees and a plate of plain biscuits. �Sorry, if I had known that you were coming I would have stocked up on some chocolate ones.�
�I�m actually on a diet; well I�m trying anyway! It�s your fault, you keep dragging me to all these fancy restaurants!�
�Yes but you didn�t need to have two helpings of ice-cream!�
�I know! Come here, I think that we need to work off some of those calories we�ve consumed tonight!� They both laughed, and Jim grabbed hold of June, kissing her gently on the lips. She responded, and as they refamiliarised themselves with each other, the kiss grew in intensity. Jim then reached out and placed his hand under June�s dress, pulling at her silky bra. This made June jump, and she pulled away in panic. �Oh Jim I�m so sorry, but I can�t do this now, I�m not ready.�
Jim backed off, and replied, �it�s ok, I�m sorry I shouldn�t have pushed things.�
�No I�m sorry, I just well, look Jim there is something I need to tell you. I had a relationship with David, before I knew who he was. That�s why I freaked out when you told me that he was my son. It seems that this was all part of his sick plan to get his revenge. When I confronted him he confirmed that he was my son. It made me feel like I had been raped again. I�m afraid that it brought back some very painful memories, and I don�t think that I could, you know, at the moment.� Jim�s eyes filled with rage.
�I�m going to kill him, why on earth are you still lying for him?�
�Because I am scared of what he might do, to both of us. He is unstable, and he keeps telling me that he loves me!�
�Then that is all the more reason to get him out of your life for good. Look if you want I will come and see the Super with you tomorrow. No one else needs to know what happened. Otherwise I might do something that I�ll regret.�
�Ok you�re right; I need to move on with my life. Although he is still Gabriel�s brother, so he will always be there in the background.�
�Does Gabriel know about this?�
�Only about David pretending to be him. I couldn�t tell him the rest. But he already knows what a nasty piece of work his brother is.�
�Don�t worry about the other stuff; I�ll wait until you are ready. Now come on drink up, your coffee�s going cold.�
�June, how did it go with the Super? You did tell him about David didn�t you?� Jim asked.
�Yes I did, I promised you didn�t I?�
�So what happened? Has he fired David yet?�
�Well it took me all morning to pluck up the courage, but thankfully Adam was really nice about it. I think he realised how difficult this is for me. He called David into his office, and gave him a right lecture on the importance of honesty and trust in the police force. I was surprised that he didn�t put up more of a fight to be honest; he just looked sad, like a beaten man. I expected him to rant and rave, but instead he simply walked out of the station, without saying a word to anyone.�
�Well let�s hope that this is the last we see of him.�
�I hope so, but he doesn�t seem the type to just simply walk away.�
�Well if he does show up again, then we will face him together. Don�t worry about it love. Anyway I had better be getting back to CSU, I was only supposed to be collecting some files from custody.� Jim rose from his chair, in order to leave her office.
�Jim before you go, I have something to ask you. After you left last night, Gabriel called. He has invited me to go over to the States for his birthday next month. Would you come with me?�
�Oh June I would love to, but wouldn�t I be getting in the way? I know how much this means to you.�
�Yes it does, and I cannot wait to meet my Grandchildren properly for the first time. But to be honest having you there, the man I love, would make this trip perfect.�
�Well I will have to check with Ramani of course, but it shouldn�t be a problem as most people�s holidays are booked for the summer. Oh I can�t wait; I wonder whether Gabriel will approve of me? Somehow this seems even scarier than meeting the parents!� June laughed.
�I�m sure he will love you.�
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