Jack was sitting in the ‘King's Head’ reading the Tribune; a paper to which he is employed as a sports writer, when he got a call on his cell phone from Brian. "Hey Man, I thought you were in Toronto."
"Jack I need to talk to you about Julia! Where are you?" Brian exclaimed.
"I'm at the Kings Head having lunch. Why don't you come here, I'm free for the day.”
Brian did not respond but Jack knew that he was coming. He put away his cell and ordered another pitcher of beer and an extra glass.
Jack and Brian have been friends since grade school. They attended University together. Jack and Julia were in the same faculty, majoring in English Lit., They attended many classes together. He had taken her out a couple of times, to some plays at the theatre Centre.
Julia was working as a part-time waitress at the Kings Head when Jack and Brian dropped in for a curry and a beer after a football game. Jack introduced Brian to his classmate, from then on Jack was just a third wheel.
Julia was a tall, blond, Scandinavian goddess and Brian a big, brawny, Irish boy with black curly hair, dark brown eyes and a smile that got him any woman he wanted. Brian was in Engineering hoping to specialize in mining at the time and that seemed to appeal to Julia’s sense of adventure.
It's funny how things work out. Julia pursued a career in broadcasting. He became a writer for a local paper and Brian turned his back on Engineering shortly after graduating and opted for an even more adventurist career as a photojournalist.
Jack’s nostalgic musings vanished when he saw Brian enter the pub. Brian did not look well. He looked like a man at the tail end of a weekend bender, bleary eyed, unkempt, and unshaven. He was a mess. Whatever was on his mind must be epic for him to be here this fast.
"Christ you look like you have seen a ghost! You’re going to need something stronger then beer," Jack said; and signaled the bartender to bring two whiskeys. "What the hell is wrong Brian? Did something happen to Julia?"
"Julia's fine Jack, she has acquired her dream job as co-anchor of a National News show. she's on top of the world, it's me who is rolling around in Hell. I've been packing up all our belongings so when we take possession of the Condo in Toronto, it will all be ready to be shipped. Do you remember that Japanese puzzle box that you gave Julia as a wedding present? I found it in the bottom drawer of her dresser; she must have missed it when she packed her things. When I picked it up I could feel something sliding around inside, I know it’s wrong, but curiosity got the best of me, I tried to open it and now I wish I hadn’t.”
“As you know, you can’t just open the lid; you have to perform a sequence of moves before it opens. It took me all day and most of the night trying to open the damn thing. I was ready to give up when I got this brainstorm, and searched it out on the net and sure enough the solution to your puzzle box was listed.”
“There are ten pieces of marquetry that slide out, that have to be performed in the proper sequence before the secret is revealed. It's amazing! I solved it this morning and I curse the fact that I did.”
“When I opened the lid there was a bundle of letters tied up in red ribbon with a pretty bow. I was trapped like the monkey that gets his fist caught in a coconut shell, because he couldn't let go of his prize. I have sat there all morning staring at the letters, which I cannot untie because I could never re-tie the bow in the same way. Julia would know and that would be the end between us. I don't want that to happen but the thought of her having an affair is driving me crazy.”
“Maybe they were letters from someone, before you knew her,” Said Jack.
“ No, no, she wrote the dates on the back f the envelopes and they are all from around 1994/95. The time I was stationed in England and flying in and out of Kosovo. As far as I remember, I didn't write any letters to her. Jack you have to help me. What should I do?"
Brian was close to tears and leaned his head back and stared at the tinplate ceiling hoping that it would stop them in the same way putting your head back is supposed to stop a nosebleed.
Jack finished his whiskey and signaled for another, then stared at the table and walls of the pub trying to avoid any eye contact with his friend.
The kings Head was a typical English style pub with a picture of the Queen on the wall and Premier League football scarves, hanging from the mahogany colored beams and across dark green walls.
"Which scarf is your contribution?" Jack asked.
Brian stopped staring at the ceiling and looked around the room. "The Arsenal scarf behind you and the autographed picture of George Best on the wall, behind the bar that I picked up at a flea market when I was in London. I sent them to Julia and asked her to drop them off here for me. Why do you ask?"
"No special reason. I remembered it was around the same time that you were a War correspondent for the London Times." Jack replied. "You were away for most of the year at that time, were you not? Actually if I remember correctly you have been travelling from one conflict to another for the better part of your marriage to Julia.”
“If any thing happened, it could have been because she was lonely and vulnerable. You put yourself in harms way and knowing that you could be shot or killed might put her under enough stress to do strange things, things that she would not normally do.”
Jack paused for a moment to light up a cigarette, only to remember that it was a non-smoking bar now. He butted out the cigarette and returned it to the package.
“What you have to ask yourself is do you love Julia enough to allow her to have a life of her own. Her own secrets, just as I am sure you have secrets that you did not share with her. Remember she chose to stay with you,, no matter what you think happened. Do you love her enough to put the past back in the box as you found it and forget that you ever opened it, because if you don't you may very well find that you have opened a Pandora’s box of events that will change your life forever."
"Of course I still love her, in fact if at all possible, I love her more now then ever because she has become my succor, from the sea of pain and death that my life has been immersed in for all those years. I have seen things, Jack, that no one should have to witness. Now is the happiest time of our marriage, we are finally able to spend time together. I have accepted a position as a teacher in residence at Ryerson school of Journalism and can finally spend more time at home with her. We are both starting a new chapter of our life together and I know that she is as excited as I am." Brian looked into Jack's eyes with such intensity and resolve that it caused Jack to shiver.
"Well my advice to you is to remember that she chose to stay with you and now you must make a choice to stay with her." Jack said. 'A Pity beyond all telling is hid in the heart of Love' thought Jack, as he turned and looked out the window. When did the day become so cloudy and overcast, it was a sunny day a few hours ago.
