Promised Soul

Two

TwoBeing a private tour guide wasn't the profession Aaron Dyer had desired for himself; rather it found him when his lifelong friend, Peter, started the business. He had invited Aaron, who wasn't certain what he planned on doing with his life, to join him. The first five years went quickly, but now Aaron was beginning to find the job somewhat tedious. Though he enjoyed meeting new clients and showing them around the country he loved, it was becoming more difficult to show enthusiasm and appreciation for the same landmarks time and time again. He tried to make each tour unique, not just for the client but also for the sake of his own sanity.

Aaron hung up the phone and smiled as he replayed the conversation he'd just had with Krista. There was softness in her voice that comforted him, and he looked forward to meeting her.

When Aaron first received Krista's e-mail, he had assumed she would be no different from any of his other clients. He had even been prepared to decline her request for a tour guide. His schedule was busy enough, and on such short notice, he had thought it would be impossible to accommodate her. However, as he read her e-mail, he soon realized he had been mistaken. Though she had expressed some interest in a few of the usual tourist attractions, she was more interested in visiting smaller villages and the countryside. She wanted to explore, go on hikes, and spend time on her own. Moreover, unlike most of his clients who wanted to spend their entire vacation time in London, Krista had only wished to visit for a couple of days. Not all the tourist sites and landmarks seemed to excite her. After realizing what she had intended from her trip, Aaron knew that he could manage. He would fit her in amid his other clients during her extended stay, even if it meant he'd have to give up some of his own free time.

Aaron had responded to Krista directly, he felt thrilled by the challenge and spurred on by an almost instant renewed interest in his fortuitous occupation. There were, however, a couple of issues. The first was that he had a limited amount of time to spend with her. He would fit her in when he could, and when he couldn't, he wanted to ensure that she was staying somewhere interesting with plenty to do on her own. The second, and perhaps the most daunting task, was finding her suitable accommodations, a request she had made in a subsequent e-mail. Now he was not only tour guide, but estate agent as well.

Finally, after a week of planning Krista's itinerary, he was satisfied. It had taken up a lot of his time, and he'd spent every evening from both his office and home searching not only for destinations to take her to, but also for suitable lodgings – the latter being the most complicated. It wasn't until he'd spoken with his aunt that an idea occurred, and he'd finally found the perfect place for her to stay. He couldn't remember ever spending so much time on an itinerary, he was almost obsessed. With the planning stage finally over, Aaron could concentrate on his other patrons.

He sat at his desk and looked at his calendar to ensure that preparations were in order for his next clients. It would be a short excursion, and then he'd have a couple of days to rest. Before long, he was so absorbed in his work that when the phone rang, it startled him.

“Hello!” he said, his heart pounding a little faster than normal.

“Hello Aaron, it's Doc Broon,” said the serious and very familiar voice on the other end.

Doc Brown was the family physician and had been since Aaron was a young boy. He remembered the first time he'd met Doc Brown, and how he'd had a hard time understanding the Doc with his strong Scottish brogue.

“Is it Mum? Is she alright?” He ran a shaky hand through his this dark hair, unable to contain his worry.

“She's fine, nae changes to her condition, but I am a wee troubled. I've just come from visiting with her and her emotional state concerns me. She says she hasn't heard from ye this past week, and she's beginning to fash that she's becoming a burden.”

“What? Nah, I've just been busy with work, that's all. I'll come straight away and sort things out with Mum. I don't know why she would think that, she'll never be a burden to me.” Aaron rubbed his cheek, the stubble rough on his palm.

“I ken Aaron, but sometimes… well she hasn't much time, perhaps six months, maybe a year at the most. We need to keep her positive, despite the prognosis.”

“Yeah, sure doc. Thanks for keeping me informed. I'll come see her straight away. I'm done for today anyway, it'll be a nice drive.”

“All right, Aaron, mind as ye go and don't droon yourself in your work.”

“Yeah doc, I'll take your advice – for now anyway. Cheers.”

Aaron hung up the phone and put his head in his hands. He had been so worried about his mother since her diagnosis and never missed a visit or a call until that past week. He felt badly that his mother would even think of such a notion that she was becoming a burden to him. He silently promised himself that he wouldn't allow work to come ahead of family again. Aaron lifted his head, shut down the computer, and gathered his things before rising from his chair.

“Hey, where are you off to?”

Aaron looked up to see Peter standing in the doorway. “Going to see Mum.” Aaron pushed his chair back under the desk.

“Is she alright mate?” Peter folded his arms, leaned against the door jam, and looked intently at Aaron.

“Just a little depressed, I thought I'd go and cheer her up.”

“Can I come? You know she's always been like a mum to me too.”

Aaron remembered the many hours Peter had spent at his home when they were young boys. “Yeah, I think she'd like that, the more the merrier. Just give me a moment with her alone before you come and show your ugly face,” Aaron said, forcing a smile.

“Yours is uglier; but sure, I can do that.”