Dennis had spent the last few months trying to find Sharon. He had been to Florida, where he had seen Vickie and Michelle but they told him Sharon had left several weeks ago and they didn’t know where she was now. He was desolate at the thought that he had lost her forever. Returning to England, he couldn’t face going back to Walford, instead he decided to stay in the hotel he and Sharon had stayed in sometimes.
“Single room please.”
“Certainly sir, how long for?”
“I don’t know yet, it may be some time”
“That’s fine sir, may I have your name and address please”
“Dennis Rickman, 43 Albert Square, Walford, E.20”
The receptionist went to write the information in the hotel register.
“That’s a coincidence; we already have a guest staying here from Walford”
Dennis’ heart leapt at this and asked the name of the other guest.
“It might be someone I know”
“I’m afraid I can’t give out that kind of information sir”
“Then just tell me, is it a woman with long blonde hair?”
“Yes, that sounds like the same one”
“Is her name Watts, Sharon Watts?”
“As you obviously know her I don’t think I’d be doing wrong in saying yes, it is Miss Watts”
“Can you give me her room number please, I’ve been looking for her for some time”
“Room 201. Shall I call her and let her know you are here?”
“No, please don’t, I would like to give her a surprise”
“It’s up the stairs…..”
Dennis by now was bounding up the stairs three steps at a time.
“It’s okay, I know where the room is, I’ve been here before”
He ran along the corridor to room 201, his heart pounding so hard he felt it might burst. He tapped on the door and waited for her to open it. When he saw her she was dressed only in a bathrobe, her hair untidy and her face completely free of makeup, but to him she looked beautiful beyond words.
On seeing Dennis, Sharon threw her arms around his neck and shouted his name.
“DENNIS, Oh Dennis darling, I thought I’d never see you again”
He was about to respond when he looked over her shoulder, farther into the room and saw a man coming out of the bathroom adjusting his tie.
“I have just about got time to get back to the office”
Hearing this Dennis looked at Sharon and snarled
“I’m sorry I didn’t know you had company”
He turned to leave but Sharon grabbed his arm.
“Dennis, it’s not what you think. Please darling don’t go. Dennis, I love you”
“Four months I’ve been searching for you Sharon. FOUR MONTHS! Now what do I find, you with another man, that’s what. Well, thanks a lot. I needn’t have bothered”
“Dennis please, give me a chance to explain. He’s my solicitor Dennis, honestly. I…I’m changing my will”
She guided him back into the room.
“Dennis? Ah, you must be Mr. Rickman”
The man held out his hand, Dennis shook it almost subconsciously.
“Well Mr. Rickman, all I can say is you are a very lucky man. Almost every other word that Miss Watts has uttered has been ‘Dennis’. It’s been Dennis this and Dennis that all afternoon.”
He turned to Sharon,
“As I was saying Miss Watts, I just about have time to go back to the office and get this sorted. I’ll send you a copy of
the new will in the morning”
Sharon looked at Dennis,
“No. Don’t send it here please; I don’t know if I’ll still be here. I’ll have to let you know”
“Okay then, I’ll wait to hear from you before I send it. Goodbye Miss Watts and goodbye to you too Mr. Rickman”
Dennis and Sharon were too intent on gazing into each other’s eyes to even notice that he had left.
“Is it true baby, have you been talking about me?”
“Not just talking about you Dennis. I told you I was changing my will, I’ve left everything I own to you”
“Baby, I’m sorry for all those things I just said. I saw him in your room and I nearly went berserk. After all this time looking for you, I thought I’d lost you anyway. Forgive me?”
“Of course darling. Oh, Dennis I love you so much. I’ve been looking for you too. I came back in February but you weren’t here. I asked where you were but I couldn’t find out. That’s when I decided to come here; I thought it might be the one place you’d come looking for me”
“I would have but I’ve been searching all over America for you. I only got back this morning. Sharon, there’s so much I have to tell you, about Zoe and the baby and……….. about Den”
Sharon led him to a chair before going to the cabinet and pouring him a drink.
“I got this in especially for you” She handed him a vodka. “I was so sure you would turn up”
She smiled at him as she continued,
“You see baby, I already know about Zoe and Dad. I also know that she wasn’t really having your baby at all, that Dad had told her to lie to you. I found that out the night I came back and from Dad’s own lips too, so I knew it was true”
“And this was in February? I was going all over Florida trying to find you then. Vicki and Michelle just said you’d left but they didn’t know where you’d gone. Sharon, I was going mad, thinking we could be together after all but having no idea where to find you”
Tears started to fall down his cheek.
“Why didn’t you call me? I would have been here like a shot if I’d known where you were”
“Darling I tried but your ‘phone wouldn’t take transatlantic calls. You really must get yourself a better one!”
They both smiled at this, then Dennis stood up and took her in his arms.
“Baby, I’ve missed you so much and I want you more than I can say…. please”
With that Sharon led him into the bedroom where they made love for the first time since before Christmas. All the feelings they had for each other came to the surface in one mad, passionate evening, of total love.
Later, as they were sitting drinking tea, they discussed what they should do next.
“Now you are back, I can leave the hotel, I wouldn’t dare leave before. I was afraid the day I left would be the day you turned up and we’d miss each other but now it’s safe to go back to Walford if you want to.”
“In a few days time maybe, let’s just stay here for a while first though. What do you think?”
“Yes please darling. I couldn’t think of anything better”
“I’d better go down and cancel the room I’ve just booked though. There’s no need for us to pay for two is there?”
After he had explained to the receptionist that he would be staying in room 201 with Miss Watts, they went out for a meal. Dennis hadn’t eaten since he got off the plane and he was starving. They stayed in the hotel for three more days, then decided if they were going to tell Den they were back together, they might as well get it over and done with. They arrived back in Walford around eight o/clock in the evening and went straight over to the Vic. As they walked in together they found everyone in the middle of a farewell party. A banner on the wall read Goodbye and good luck Zoe.
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