Enigma

  Chapter Seventeen

  Day Five

  Friday, 2 November 2012

  He heard a noise in the distance. It was insistent. Buzzing in his ear. Irritating. Wanting his attention.

  Suddenly, he was awake.

  He sat up sharply on both elbows, the duvet slipped down exposing his bare chest. He eyed the rivers of sweat snaking their way down his body.

  ‘Damn!’

  His arm reached to one side and he pressed the alarm button on top of his clock. It stopped its incessant noise. He dropped on to his back. ‘Damn,’ he said again. He glanced down, and growled, ‘For Pete’s sake you could go camping in that!’

  He jumped out of bed and paced the room. He threw on his dressing gown, last year’s Christmas present from Emma and Stuart, and walked into the lounge to the kitchen flicking on the lights as he went along. He snapped the “on” switch on the kettle and stood for a moment mentally composing himself before walking back through into the lounge to check on Julie.

  ‘Hello, pregnant lady. How are you this morning?’ he said, as he knelt down by her basket.

  Julie thumped her stump of a tail in return. She moved her paw until it made contact with Love’s hand. He held it deep in thought.

  What the hell was happening to him? He felt like he was on unsure ground. He liked to be in complete control at all times and right now he wasn’t in control.

  Something was happening to him.

  He felt vulnerable and exposed and he didn’t like that feeling. He didn’t like it one bit.