Chapter Sixty-Five
‘Tristan, wait!’
Tristan stood under the rotors of the helicopter and Emme ran to him.
‘I’m so sorry!’ she said, as she reached his solid, sturdy body, and jumped into his embrace.
He picked her up and kissed her as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Lexy Harrington had decided this morning would be the perfect opportunity to go to see It’s A Wonderful Life at the Kristalldorf Picturehouse, with Bill and without the kids.
‘You can watch them and fix some pancakes, can’t you Emme?
’ she had said, icily, as she left, clutching her husband’s hand.
Bill looked like he didn’t want to do much more than read the paper, but he had been told.
Emme’s farewell brunch with Tristan had been scuppered. There would be no public dining experience for them, no first outing as a couple. No goodbye sex on the penthouse floor of Vitreum.
She had texted him frantically, asking if he could delay his chopper, but he had limited time to get to Zurich airport in time for his first-class seat to Cape Town. Even Tristan couldn’t bend the timetables of aviation for sex.
‘You made it!’ he said, squeezing her tight. ‘I’m going to miss you so much.’
‘Do you know when you’ll be back?’ Emme asked, as he put her down and held her face.
‘Sir, wir müssen wirklich los!’ said the helicopter pilot, flicking switches and making his final checks.
Tristan, holding a large black Prada holdall, looked remorsefully at Emme.
‘Next weekend, I hope. I’ll let you know.’
‘OK, go carefully,’ she said, feeling overcome with the reality that she was going to miss him so much.
‘I’ll give Yolanda your best,’ Tristan smiled. ‘She wants to meet you!’
‘Really?’ Emme said, beaming. ‘Well I’d love to meet her.’
She felt a million dollars as she kissed him goodbye.
‘I’ll be in touch from Cape Town,’ he said with one final, passionate kiss, before he walked away with a wave. He put on his aviator shades, turned back, and beamed.