I’ve mentioned over the 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various jottings, and came across several characters from ‘The Stalking of Rosa Czekov’ which I continue to write not for publication.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.
This is the last of those jottings but don’t read on if you think you might want to read the book and find what happened to the main characters!! This part of a story, set some time after the dramatic events happened, describes Rudi returning unexpectedly to the home he shared with his wife Estelle. He has been away for several months and his best friend, Luka Czekov now lives there with Estelle. He feels more than awkward that Rudi has returned but Rudi, however ignores him. He hurries to gather various things he’d left behind, including guitars, equipment, and paperwork.
Rudi grabbed a load of things from the pile and left the room… Luka put his own mug down to help, but then moved to stand by the window. He couldn’t take his friends’ things out of his own house, as if he was kicking him out of his own home. I’ve taken his wife, I can’t take his home, he thought stupidly, and he suddenly wanted to cry. If he left Estelle would Rudi be his friend again? Stupid, childish, ridiculous! But he hurt, he hurt as he had hurt when he lost Rosa.
Rudi continued to ferry things outside, and suddenly he had the last music stand, the last three–quarter sized bass, and he stood for a moment, looking round, but not at Luka.
Then he left. He just walked out. Without a word he walked out of the room, across the hall, and there was the sound of the front door closing behind him.
Luka sank onto the nearest chair.
He was going to cry, he was going to weep, and Estelle would come down and quiz him and he didn’t think he could bear it.
He rushed out and through to the kitchen, and then outside and stood by the apple tree which was beginning to lose its leaves.
His phone vibrated. It was a message from Rudi, and with dread he opened it. Sorry I was like that. I should have said something.
After a moment, Luka messaged back – So should I.
And that was it. Estelle came out to him, and he was so so grateful that she said nothing, and more certain than ever, that they had done the right thing.
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 