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Somewhere in London

2013

KINGSLEY EDGE WAS playing God tonight He hoped the real God, if He did exist, wouldn’t mind

He’d told his driver to let him out a few blocks before his destination Waric had sent a soft white fog twisting and flicking its tail doinding streets, and Kingsley wanted to enjoy it He wore a long coat and carried a leather weekender bag over his shoulder It was late, and although the city was still awake, it kept its voice down The only sounds around hiainst the wet and shining pavement and the distant murmur of city traffic

When he arrived at the door he knocked without hesitation

After a pause, it opened

They stared at each other a full five seconds before one of thesley took it upon himself to break the silence

“I’sley asked

He expected the shock and he expected the silence, but he didn’t expect what happened next

He didn’t expect Grace Easton to step onto the porch in her soft gray robe and bare feet and wrap him in her arms

“If I’d known this is how the Welsh say ‘hello,’ I would have visited sooner,” Kingsley said Grace pulled back frolea

“You’re alelcoht and musical She took his arm and ushered him into the house “Always”

Alwaysa lovely word He never used to believe in words like always, like forever, like everything Now at forty-eight he’d lived long enough he could see both ends of his life Always Thereto it after all

“Zachary’s asleep,” Grace said in a whisper as she took his coat, hung it up, and guided hi, so he goes to bed at a reasonable hour I prefer the unreasonable hours myself”

“You’re the night owl?”

“It works for us,” she said with a set work done after Zachary and Fionn fall asleep Would you like tea? I can put the kettle on Or soer?”

“I brought er,” he said