Ahead of his Time by Adrian Cousins (children's books read aloud .txt) 📕

“Oh, Nothing, Don. I was mumbling out loud.”

“Did you want a Jaffa cake? I have some in the tin.”

“Oh, no. ignore me.” Christ, Don must think I’ve concussion along with my sex-mad tenant next door. And as for Jaffa cakes, well, I know most of the planet love them, but for me, they were one rung up from Wagon Wheels and not much better than Nice biscuits.

“Right, okay, this is becoming complicated. And bloody odd what the boy said about Paul Colney being his father.” Don pondered that thought and rubbed his chin. “We’ve said all along they do look very similar. Ha, silly idea, he must have really banged his head in that fight.”

“I’m sure he’s okay. Right Don. So, we have to worry about Paul going to Coreys Mill Motors and possibly coming back to see Martin. I think I’d better get down to see Mr Thacker first thing in the morning and give him the heads up of what is coming over the horizon. Then we can take it from there.”

“Yes, son. I think you’re right. But make sure Paul doesn’t see you there. Otherwise, he is going to start to join the dots, so to speak.”

“I better get going … it’s been one hell-of-a-day. You going to be okay?”

“Me, son? Sure, you know me. Not much gets under my skin. Just be careful in the morning and let me know how you get on.”

I laid my hand on his shoulder as I got up from my chair and smiled. I was so lucky to have Don. He really was my father figure.

“Son, it will all work out right in the end. And as they say, if it doesn’t, then it’s not the end.”

35

29th January 1977

New Dawn

Jenny slept soundly beside me as I awoke early. I guess the thoughts whirring around my mind had forced their way to some spot in my brain and banged on the wake-up- door. I gently eased my way out of bed and laid the covers back so as not to disturb her. Her bright red hair was a mass of tangles sticking out in every direction. A wisp lay across her eyelids as she slept – she’s beautiful, I thought. “I love you, Jenny Apsley,” I whispered, as I grabbed my dressing gown from the hook on the back of the door and sneaked out of the bedroom. I poked my head in on Christopher and Beth, who, like Jenny, were sound asleep. Dawn had just started to break, but the closed curtains kept the house cloaked in darkness.

I stood in the back garden with a cup of coffee and cigarette in hand, thinking about the last two-week’s events and what was to come. Up until two weeks ago, my life had become very simplistic, easy to manage and happy. Okay, the lying was an issue. But as I was the only time-traveller, that was a necessary evil which I had to accept. Now it had become complicated again, with different strands of events that each precious person in my life knew to be the truth, but only I knew the whole story.

Sure, it had to be a step forward that Jenny now knew where I’d come from, so I had her and George in that camp. My next move would be to tell her about Jess. I couldn’t work out why I hadn’t come clean about her earlier. Perhaps fear of her reaction, but that was unfair on Jenny as she’d proved her love for me. I felt sure Don was right, and the news of Jess’s existence wouldn't change the way Jenny felt.

Don not knowing the truth about Martin and me was a problem. With Martin encamped next door, it would only be a matter of time until something happened. I’d then have to explain, and would the four of us be enough for Don to believe?

The biggest issue now was someone else’s knowledge of David’s death. Only I and Don knew that information. Jenny had an inkling, Martin knew some details, and George had no idea. But yesterday had landed my worst fear since last September as someone else had seen what happened and that someone had told Paul Colney. Unless I could conjure up some amazing plan, this could only end badly.

To add to this entangled mess – what was I going to do about Jess? Okay, not technically my responsibility. But I’d made that decision to help her, and I had to stick by it. As far as Don was concerned Jess was my daughter – not other Jason’s daughter – and quite rightly, he’d expect me to help her.

“You bloody well should. You have a responsibility,” I muttered. Yes, I will get Jess out of the Broxworth and far away from Paul Colney.

Of course, what about the rapist? From the old newspaper reports and what happened to Jess, there was a rapist on the loose. Is that Paul Colney? Well, yes, he’s certainly evil enough. If he’s Martin’s father, which he probably was, then he committed rape in 1987. So, is he raping women now and on at least a ten-year campaign of terror and rape? Is this even possible? Surely, he would’ve been caught at some point in those years?

Martin. What was I going to do about him? He was a loose cannon, and as much as I could manage my existence, I couldn’t handle him as well. The other problem was he had no back story, so issues about his presence in this world would bubble up to the surface sooner rather than later. When that happened, it could erupt like a volcano, throwing not only my life in the air but also Jenny’s, Christopher’s, and Beth’s. Had he taken the place of his father? Was his father now missing in America, and Martin should be there doing his job at BP? What a mess – again.

Today, I had to get