I’ve mentioned over teh last couple of days that I’ve been looking through various jottings, and came across several characters from ‘The Stalking of Rosa Czekov’ which I continue to write not for publication. Though I published it twelve years ago, I still have their stories running in me head.
Don’t read on if you think you might want to read the book and find what happened to the main characters!! Here’s another part of a story, set some time after the dramatic events happened, when Rudi returns unexpectedly to the home he shared with his wife Estelle, after being away for several months. His best friend, Luka Czekov now lives there with her, and feels more than awkward that Rudi has returned. Rudi, however, ignoring Luka, is busy gathering various things he had left when he left home. Luka feels embarrassed and guilty, and leaves the room to make coffee:
As he made coffee he reflected that this room was becoming more than familiar to him, almost home to him. He knew Estelle didn’t want to live here any more, she had gone back to her parents’ home when the whole thing blew up, but had returned… and Luka had moved in. They talked about it being temporary, that Luke would go and find some surf, that they would travel, together… but would they? To be fair she was sorting out the house, selling things, getting rid of things, in a flurry of activity. And at some point Luka would have to do the same to his place.
He made coffee and was about to take it to Rudi, but then thought it would seem odd, so made one for himself that he didn’t want.
Estelle had disappeared back upstairs and Luka took a deep breath before going into the front room. There was a collection of things by the door, ready, he guessed, to go into Rudi’s car. Music stands folded up, speakers, cables, some document cases and files, and Rudi seemed to be checking round, presumably for any last things.
“Coffee!” Luka tried to sound normal, it just sounded stupid, the word dropped into the silence surrounding his friend. He put it down on a mat on the desk, and stood holding his own mug.
Here’s a link to the book if you want to find out not only who was stalking Rosa, but the stories of Luke, Rudi, Estelle and Tyche.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/STALKING-ROSA-CZEKOV-Lois-Elsden/dp/B08M7J3SZG
Lois Elsden 