My beautiful black Harley sits in the middle of the barn. The paint work gleaming and the chrome wheels shining like beacons. I swear the sunlight coming into the barn looks like a spotlight on the bike.
“Do you like it son? I needed something to do, and it was sitting there gathering dust. I thought I'd get it nice for you, so you had something to ride if you came back.”
The way he says if, it's as though they didn't think I would be back. Which is a shame, because sometimes I would love nothing more than to come back for good. I've got so used to L.A. and the American way of life that I don't know if I could fit back in here again.
“Dad it's beautiful, thank you. Is it drivable?”
“Of course it is. I took mum out for a spin last week on it. She was like a giddy wee lassie. We had a great time. Went right down the coast to Troon and spent the day on the beach. We finished it off eating fish and chips from a bag and paddling in the water.”
I smile at him, that sure does sound like a great day out. My mind throws up a picture of me and Zara doing that. Walking along the waterfront, holding hands, paddling in the water. Kissing at sunset. I shake my head. I can't think of her like that, and I can't force her to think of me in that way. If the best I can do is convince her to pick up where we left off, then so be it. I'll make it clear that I don’t want it to be anything more than what we had. It might lead to more. Or it won’t. Either way, she’s now consuming my every thought and I need to try and get closure with her somehow. If it takes my heart breaking again, then it's a risk I’m willing to take.
“You don't mind if I take it and use it while I'm here, do you?”
“It's your bike son, you do what you like with it. We’ll give you a set of keys to the house. We’ll be leaving for France in a day or two. That campervan was one of the best purchases we ever made.”
“Then I know exactly where I'm going on it first.”