Read Online Something Quite Beautiful by Amanda Prowse - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amanda Prowse
Ads: Link
noticed a large khaki rucksack that sat on the desk between them.
‘Do you believe in second chances, Warren?’
Warren shook his head. ‘No. No, I don’t.’
‘You don’t?’
‘No.’ He shook his head again.
‘Why not?’
‘Because I’ve never been given one and so I don’t think they exist.’
She smiled, unable to fault his simple logic. ‘What if I was to tell you that they do exist, Warren?’
‘Then I probably wouldn’t believe you.’
He held her gaze, maybe second chances existed in her world of blazers and pearls, but not in his. He had spent the best part of his life wishing: wishing for hot food to materialise in his hands, for a thick duvet to magic itself from thin air, and for a drunken bastard to fall down a hole, break his neck and never be found. He had given up wishing, his wishes never came true.
Edwina Justice stood and held the rucksack in her hands. ‘Stand up, Warren.’
He stood, slowly.
‘I want you to take this.’ She placed the pack in his hesitant hands. ‘In this rucksack are a new passport, a change of clothes, some sturdy boots, waterproofs, a tent and some money, a lot of money, enough money for you to start over. Your new name is Zac Porter. This is your second chance.’
Warren ran his palm over the nylon fabric. It took a moment for his brain to understand what was being said. What was the catch?
Edwina walked over to the large green filing cabinet and twisted the middle handle. The three deep drawers were no such thing; they were in fact a door. Using both hands, she heaved the door open.
Zac peered through it and blinked. It was the first time in eighteen months that he had seen the outside world. He was looking at a beautiful garden. Flowers of every colour fought for space along crowded paths. Trees were dotted among the expanse of grass. His eye was drawn to a square of pale shingle bearing a cluster of bright blue china pots, holding neatly trimmed green shrubs. Low, square cut hedges surrounded bushes of roses, and heavy bowers of bloom-laden branches shook in the gentle breeze. It was breathtaking.
‘You have earned your sunlight, Zac. Go far far away and make a wonderful life for yourself, become all the things that I know you are capable of. You are a wonderful boy, who tried your best. You saved Amy, you set her free, and because of you she has a second chance. Never forget that. I want you to remember the rules that I have taught you. Abide by them and use your skills. Your life is out there waiting for you, the life that you should have had. You must give yourself the life that you deserve. Dont waste it, Zac, don’t waste one minute and remember that life is precious.’
Zac smiled at the Principal. ‘Is this what happened to Bo and Holy Joe?’
‘Now, Zac, I told you a long time ago, you only had that one question!’
‘Okay, I’m sorry. But could you tell Keegan...’
‘No. I can’t.’ She held up her palm, interrupting him, ‘because Warren Binns doesn’t exist anymore and Mr Lomax has never met or even heard of Zac Porter. It’s how it has to be. You understand that, don’t you?’
Zac nodded, he got it. He smiled at her. ‘I don’t know what to say to you. I don’t know how to thank you, for everything you’ve done. Thank you, thank you for believing me.’
‘There are just two things I ask of you, Mr Porter.’
Zac looked at the smiling face of his benefactor, still unused to his new name. ‘Anything, I’ll do anything at all.’
‘The first thing is to always make time to appreciate something beautiful, no matter how small.’
Zac nodded, he would learn what that meant and he would do it.
‘And secondly, when you are settled in your new life, wherever that might be, please send me a postcard, so I can stop worrying about you.’
Zac smiled at her and nodded. Edwina Justice extended her arm in the direction of the garden. He stepped forward and hesitated, before putting his arms around her and holding her
‘Do you believe in second chances, Warren?’
Warren shook his head. ‘No. No, I don’t.’
‘You don’t?’
‘No.’ He shook his head again.
‘Why not?’
‘Because I’ve never been given one and so I don’t think they exist.’
She smiled, unable to fault his simple logic. ‘What if I was to tell you that they do exist, Warren?’
‘Then I probably wouldn’t believe you.’
He held her gaze, maybe second chances existed in her world of blazers and pearls, but not in his. He had spent the best part of his life wishing: wishing for hot food to materialise in his hands, for a thick duvet to magic itself from thin air, and for a drunken bastard to fall down a hole, break his neck and never be found. He had given up wishing, his wishes never came true.
Edwina Justice stood and held the rucksack in her hands. ‘Stand up, Warren.’
He stood, slowly.
‘I want you to take this.’ She placed the pack in his hesitant hands. ‘In this rucksack are a new passport, a change of clothes, some sturdy boots, waterproofs, a tent and some money, a lot of money, enough money for you to start over. Your new name is Zac Porter. This is your second chance.’
Warren ran his palm over the nylon fabric. It took a moment for his brain to understand what was being said. What was the catch?
Edwina walked over to the large green filing cabinet and twisted the middle handle. The three deep drawers were no such thing; they were in fact a door. Using both hands, she heaved the door open.
Zac peered through it and blinked. It was the first time in eighteen months that he had seen the outside world. He was looking at a beautiful garden. Flowers of every colour fought for space along crowded paths. Trees were dotted among the expanse of grass. His eye was drawn to a square of pale shingle bearing a cluster of bright blue china pots, holding neatly trimmed green shrubs. Low, square cut hedges surrounded bushes of roses, and heavy bowers of bloom-laden branches shook in the gentle breeze. It was breathtaking.
‘You have earned your sunlight, Zac. Go far far away and make a wonderful life for yourself, become all the things that I know you are capable of. You are a wonderful boy, who tried your best. You saved Amy, you set her free, and because of you she has a second chance. Never forget that. I want you to remember the rules that I have taught you. Abide by them and use your skills. Your life is out there waiting for you, the life that you should have had. You must give yourself the life that you deserve. Dont waste it, Zac, don’t waste one minute and remember that life is precious.’
Zac smiled at the Principal. ‘Is this what happened to Bo and Holy Joe?’
‘Now, Zac, I told you a long time ago, you only had that one question!’
‘Okay, I’m sorry. But could you tell Keegan...’
‘No. I can’t.’ She held up her palm, interrupting him, ‘because Warren Binns doesn’t exist anymore and Mr Lomax has never met or even heard of Zac Porter. It’s how it has to be. You understand that, don’t you?’
Zac nodded, he got it. He smiled at her. ‘I don’t know what to say to you. I don’t know how to thank you, for everything you’ve done. Thank you, thank you for believing me.’
‘There are just two things I ask of you, Mr Porter.’
Zac looked at the smiling face of his benefactor, still unused to his new name. ‘Anything, I’ll do anything at all.’
‘The first thing is to always make time to appreciate something beautiful, no matter how small.’
Zac nodded, he would learn what that meant and he would do it.
‘And secondly, when you are settled in your new life, wherever that might be, please send me a postcard, so I can stop worrying about you.’
Zac smiled at her and nodded. Edwina Justice extended her arm in the direction of the garden. He stepped forward and hesitated, before putting his arms around her and holding her
Similar Books
