Page 271 of The Sun Sister

‘Tommy! What are you doing here?’

‘Well, you did offer me a job as your bodyguard, and I guess I thought I’d better give you a free trial to see if I measure up.’

‘But—’

‘Hey, I know you got a busy day, so let’s talk as we run, okay?’

‘Okay.’

So off we went, Tommy comfortably keeping pace beside me. He told me how Miles had contacted him and they’d met up for a coffee a couple of days ago. How Miles had explained to him that the Quran was actually a beautiful book full of wisdom and grace, but that like any religious or political organisation, there would always be extremists who took words out of context and twisted them to suit their own purpose. And that if things were to progress with Mariam, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to join them.

‘I mean, I’m still working on all that,’ he said, ‘trying to get my head around it and stuff, but I bought a copy of the book, and Miles is right, it is beautiful. Mind you, it’s so long and I ain’t the greatest of readers, so my death might come before I get to finish it,’ he chuckled. And it was good to hear him laugh.

Then he told me how he’d called Mariam and they’d met up (after a lot of persuasion from him apparently).

‘And I just told her that I knew why she’d ended the relationship and that if it came to the point where any marriage was needed’ – he then blushed as he told me she would have to remain chaste until it took place – ‘then I’d think about converting. So for now, we’re just gonna take things slow, you know? See how it all pans out. And if you’re still serious about the offer of being your security guy, Mariam and me are gonna be around each other a lot. That’ll provide a good test, I think.’

‘True, and you two had better get on, because I’m not keen on having any “domestics” in my team,’ I said, secretly thrilled.

‘I swear, Electra, any issues that me and Mariam have to deal with will be done in private and not on your time.’

‘And how does Mariam feel about this?’

‘I think she’s happy. I mean, we’ve got a way to go with this thing first, but you know what? Both of us agreed that, like you said, we might be dead tomorrow and it was pointless looking into the future and being miserable in the present. In the fullness of time, she’s gonna introduce me to her family – wow!’ he breathed. ‘That night I’m gonna wish I was back on the juice so I can take a gulp of something before I meet them, you know?’

‘Oh, I sure do, Tommy,’ I said as my own stomach churned at the thought of tonight. ‘Anyway, I’m thrilled for you. How about I put you on a three-month contract to start off with? I’ll get your details across to my financial manager and we’ll get you all set up on the payroll.’

‘That sounds fantastic. Seriously, Electra, I just can’t thank you – or Miles – enough. You guys have saved my life. I was on the brink a few days ago, and now, well, I feel like I might have a future after all,’ Tommy said as we jogged out of the park and stood waiting to cross the road back to my apartment building.

‘I’m just thrilled I’m going to have a running buddy every day from now on. I really need that time.’

‘No problem. I’ll see you later.’

‘What?’ I asked him as he stopped outside the apartment building. ‘Come up with me, Tommy. For starters, you need a shower, and for seconds, I need to officially introduce the newest member of my team to my friend Lizzie.’

‘You sure, Electra?’

‘Of course. And you never know, there might be someone lurking in the elevator, and I’ll need you there to protect me,’ I grinned, as he proudly stepped through the door by my side.

‘What a sweet guy,’ Lizzie said after I’d introduced Tommy to her and he’d gone to use the guest shower.

‘I know, he’s great, and I’m so happy for him and Mariam. But I need to do something about his wardrobe; I mean, if he’s coming with us tonight as my security, he needs a suit or something, doesn’t he?’

‘I suppose he does, yes.’

‘So, Lizzie, I wonder if you’d mind taking him shopping for me. He’s been wearing that same hoodie since he first turned up outside here months ago. Tell him it’s for work purposes and go and sort him out at Sak’s or somewhere, will you? He needs a full wardrobe makeover, and a decent haircut.’

‘Okay, boss, happy to help,’ she saluted me, and I knew she was. Spending a morning on Fifth Avenue kitting out Tommy was Lizzie’s idea of heaven. And besides, I just wanted –needed– some time by myself.

After I’d taken a shower, then gone through the gruelling decision of what I would wear tonight – I wanted to look professional, but also like myself, so in the end, I went for the flared orange trousers and silk blouse I’d worn for dinner with Miles – I went to sit quietly on the terrace.

So much had happened since that terrible night when Tommy had walked me up and down here and helped save my life – and my future – that it was difficult to comprehend. It almost felt as though I’d been on pause for years, drink and drugs simply blurring one day into the next. I’d hardly been human at all, I thought, just a facsimile of one. And even though the pain of getting well again had at some point felt unendurable, somehow, with the help of people who loved me – yes,lovedme – I’d done it. And now here I was, sitting on the other side, always aware that life could throw me a curve ball that could send me crashing backwards, but confident enough now to know that I would be able to gather all the strength I had to fight it.

‘I’m proud of you, Electra,’ I said suddenly to myself. ‘Yeah, I am.’

Then I stood, walked to the edge of the terrace and looked up to the heavens.

‘And I hope, Momma and Pa, wherever you are, that you’re both proud of me too.’