Free Splintered Lives by Carol Holden Page B

sometimes invites his friend from work to visit him, and Charlie has made a host of friends, who are local neighbours, and who have taken an interest in what Charlie has done to the house by the shore.
     
    In the following Spring David gets an invitation from Ann in Cork to her forthcoming wedding.
     
    He has kept in touch with Ann and John from college, but Sarah has not kept up with any of them except Ann, who has heard from her from time to time.   Since Sarah did her V.S.O. service she has been very out of reach.   Ann has not had too much communication with her, but she has said that Sarah is now back home and has a teaching position near her family.   It is not unusual for college friends to lose contact because of the pressure of their busy lives.
     
    He is looking forward to Ann’s wedding and he arranges a Friday afternoon flight to Cork.   He finds a hotel on the Internet and books in for the Friday and Saturday nights, so that he will be home in time for work on Monday.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 15
     
     
     
    David finishes work early on the Friday of his visit to Southern Ireland . He has packed a bag the night before and has it ready in his car.   He will drive to Manchester airport and leave his car there.   Charlie has now found a lot of cronies who give him a shout on their way out on their walks, and if he is not too busy with his garden, he will go on long hikes with them.   His father is far from lonely so David is happy to live his own life.
     
    He arrives in Cork after a short easy flight.   The weather is sunny and he finds that Cork a captivating city, there are entertainers on the city centre streets, musicians, street dancers and acrobats, all giving sterling performances.   The people stop to watch and give generously, of their time and money.  
     
    David loves the atmosphere of the Cork streets and smiling to himself he finds his hotel.   John, his reconciled wife and his children have been invited to the wedding and David is looking forward to meeting his old college friend again.   He has not met John’s wife, Brenda, but he knows that John is so pleased that he has found happiness with his family again.
     
    The wedding takes place at the Cork Catholic Church.   The bride and the two bridesmaids are lovely.   Ann with her thick shiny blond hair covered with a crown of white rosebuds and her white flowing dress held beautifully by her two small nieces make an enchanting picture, as they arrive at the church with Ann’s handsome father.   The bridegroom, standing at the front of the church, has the spring sun shining on his dark brown hair and his calm strong face.
     
    “What a gorgeous couple they make,” thinks Sarah to herself.   She sits at the back of the church, so that she can watch the ceremony from afar, and her heart opens with love for the friend of which she feels a great respect.   “If Taj had lived would we have been able to marry and live a life as Ann and her husband will?” she wonders.
     
    She spots John and his family a few rows in front of her.   She feels joy that he has found his life again.   Then she sees David sitting next to John’s young son.   He is saying something quietly to him, and she remembers how caring David was at college and she is pleased to see them all again.  
     
    None of her friends know about Simon.   She is not by any means ashamed of him, but her love for him and the life they share together is her own domain, and she hoards their time together jealously.   She has had no time in her life for distractions, and although she was persuaded by her mother to come today to Ann’s wedding, she is already missing her little boy.   Her father drove her to the airport on the Saturday morning and she arrived just in time to catch the wedding.   She has booked a late flight for this evening so that she may stay for the reception and be home Saturday night.   Her father will pick her up at midnight.
     
    The