Rollie sat in front with Mira for the ride back to his loft. The tiredness was just beginning to catch up to him now. Mira looked over at him.
"Angie okay?"
Rollie looked out the window, "She's exhausted," he said adding, "I think it's been a bit much for her, you know? It doesn't help with the news about Loubar, I think it's brought some stuff up for her. And, there's other things as well."
"Are you sure you should be leaving her alone right now?"
Rollie continued to look out the window at the passing traffic, "You asked me once Mira if I loved Angie enough to give her space if she needed it..."
"I remember."
"I do," Rollie looked at Mira, "love her, I mean."
Mira smiled, "I know."
Rollie smiled too and shook his head. How could she know when he only just realized? "She asked for space, so I'm giving it to her."
"Things are complicated though," Mira pointed out, referring to Paul.
"Yeah, they are. Angie knows I'm here for her, though. And she knows how I feel."
Mira put her hand on his, "Rollie. Just understand something okay? No man can ever really understand what rape does to a woman. What you are doing now is great. Angie wants space and you're giving it to her. Letting her know that you are there for her when she needs you is all that you can do. It's what Angie really needs to know."
"Yeah," he said tiredly, though he wished that he could do more. They arrived at 256 Brewery Lane. Rollie reached for the car door handle, "thanks...for everything, Mira."
"Take care, Rollie."
Rollie went to unlock his door when he heard something behind him.
"Don't you look like death warmed over!"
Rollie spun around ready to strike. Instead he broke out into a broad smile. Standing in front of him was his Aborigine father, Mangela!
"Mangela! You old coot," Rollie hugged him tightly, "What are doing here?"
"G'day Rollie. I had a sense my Sonny Boy needed me," he smiled, "if I was wrong I can go...."
"Bah! Don't you dare, you old codger! Get in here!"
Rollie fixed some tea and took it into the lounge. Mangela was busy looking around at Rollie's interesting residence.
"So?" Rollie asked.
Mangela smiled and took the tea.
"Are you going to fill me in on why exactly you're here? Or am I going to have to play twenty questions with you?"
Mangela waved at the air with his hand, "No need. I told you. I sensed you needed me so I came. It's as simple or as complicated as you need it to be."
"Well, if it's physical danger you sensed. Its past," Rollie thought he saw a look of doubt on Mangela's face, "or is it?"
Mangela looked into Rollie's eyes. "I cannot say whether it is physical or something else. I can see that there has been much pain for you. Pain that I believe is emotional. But there is also something else... something in your heart that is giving wings to your songline."
Rollie shook his head. Bloody hell! Am I that transparent?
Mangela laughed, "Ah Rollie my boy, I can see right through you!"
‘Great!" Rollie moaned. Apparently he reads minds as well.
"You look tired, Rollie. You should get your rest."
"Are you going to stay?"
"Of course. I'm just going to go up on your roof, if you don't mind."
"No problem. I'm just going to tweak the security features so you don't get hauled into jail for breaking and entering, or loitering."
The security features were fixed so Mangela could enter without setting off any alarms. Rollie went upstairs to shower and then jumped into bed. He thought sleep would come quickly but as his head hit the pillow his thoughts turned to Angie. He wondered how she was doing and if she was all right. He thought of calling her to see how she was doing but stopped himself. She needs space, he told himself. She'll call you if she needs you. Unless she calls Paul, he thought. What if he's with her right now? Well, it would serve you right you big, stupid, oaf. You are not very bright are you? Tyler man, not very bright at all.
Rollie rose before eight o'clock the next morning. He went downstairs to find Mangela already up and was drinking tea and smoking his pipe in the kitchen. Rollie fixed them breakfast and poured himself a second cup of coffee when Mangela motioned for him to sit down. He knew it was time for their talk.
Mangela looked at Rollie through the smoke billowing from his pipe. He gently touched Rollie's hand on the table.
"We don't know why the Creator puts us through all our pains," he began, "Some people get lost in the pain. They don't learn from it. They don't look for the good that can come from it. It carries them down and separates their hearts from their heads. They no longer think or act as human beings."
Rollie swallowed. He understood what Mangela was saying. But what he didn't understand was the pain he and Angie had to endure, especially Angie, at the hands of Loubar.
Mangela took another puff from his pipe. "Tell me. Tell me what happened."
Rollie looked at his other father with tears in his eyes, but also anger. He swallowed, and his chest tightened. He told him then of Loubar, of their first and subsequent meetings. He told him of the assassination plot against the Chinese trade minister. Rollie told him of his own kidnapping and being set up for the murder. Lastly, he told him of Angie's rape and the continuing threat that Loubar posed. By the time Rollie had finished the dark and ugly tale both men had tears in their eyes.
"This man, I fear as you do, will come after you again. He is full of hatred not just of others, but probably of himself too. He is a lost soul, that one. But you, Rollie," Mangela took his hand, "You have found love out of all this. That is the healing that I see taking place. Loubar and his kind will never win when their hearts are limited to greed and hatred."
"How?" Rollie asked, "How did you know?"
Mangela smiled again, "I can see it when you speak her name. I saw it before, when you were blind. Sometimes in life we can take different paths and you could have been with someone else. But it is never as great as it could have been, with someone who is your soul mate. Does she return your love?"
"Yes. I think so," Rollie spoke slowly, "She said she's loved me since we first met," he smiled briefly, "But... she's been involved with this guy. He's asked her to marry him."
"And what are you going to do about that?"
Rollie smiled, "I told her I would fight for her."
"That's my boy."
By one o'clock in the afternoon Angie still hadn't shown up at the loft or called. Rollie was chomping at the bit. He fought the urge to go over to her apartment to check on her. He ordered Bluey to dial Angie's number several times but hung up almost immediately. She knows, he told himself. She knows you're here.
Instead, Rollie and Mangela went out for a few hours. Mangela wanted to get some herbs and teas. When they got back Rollie went to work on some final FX touches for the film Flash Fire. It was almost five o'clock when he heard the door open slowly. Rollie looked up from his workstation to see Angie slowly entering the loft. She looked unsure of herself and was about to turn back around down the stairs when Rollie got up from his workstation.
"Hey," he said softly as he came over slowly.
"Hey."
Rollie took Angie's hand in his, "You okay?" his eyes looked deeply into hers.
"I'm okay," she replied quietly, "Could you just... hold me?"
"C'mere," Rollie put his arms around her, holding her tight and swaying slightly.
After a few moments, Angie looked up at Rollie. He looked down at her and smiled, "Did you get some rest?"
She nodded and returned her head to his chest, "I slept till almost three."
"That's my girl," Rollie smiled, "Are you hungry? Do you want some coffee or tea? Water? Fruit? I could scramble some eggs. I think I have some cookies somewhere."
Angie shook her head, "Nah, I'm fine. I just didn't want to be at home alone anymore. And... I wanted to see you."
"Ooh, I like the sound of that," he smiled again, pulling her towards the couch. "Ange? Are you really okay? I mean if you want to talk about it, you know, I'm here for whatever you need."
"I know," Angie pulled away and walked towards the window, "And thank you. But what I really want right now is for you to hold me."
And apparently not to sit, Rollie thought. He went over to her at the window, stopping only to put some music on the stereo, grateful that Angie's Pearl Jam CD wasn't in the player. He liked Pearl Jam, but they weren't the mood he was hoping to set. Instead, he was happy when his Etta James CD started playing. He then placed his arms around Angie's waist with her back into him, and her head on his shoulders, and her hands on his. They swayed to the music as ‘At Last' played in the background.
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
At last
The skies above are blue
Well my heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
I found a dream
That I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill
To press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Well
You smile
You smile
Oh and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine at last....
"I love you Angie," he whispered into her ear.
Angie smiled, "I love you too, Rollie."
They held each other like that for some time, through two or three songs on the stereo. Angie turned in his arms to face him.
"I have to tell him Rollie," she said finally looking up into his face, "I have to tell Paul. I can't really be with you until I do."
Rollie pulled her to him, "Oh Angie! I can wait. I mean you waited for me all this time. I can wait," he looked at her with a sly smile on his face, "well...a reasonable amount of time, for you."
Angie's eyes narrowed, "Oh really? And what is a reasonable amount of time, buster?"
"Well, I mean, as long as he's told soon. Like today or tomorrow if possible...."
Angie pinched him, "You're such a brat!"
Rollie laughed, "I'm just not as good at waiting as you are, sweetie."
"Yeah. No kidding."
"C'mere," Rollie pulled her close again and kissed her.
Rollie and Angie were still holding each other, kissing, and swaying by the window when Mangela entered the loft. Neither one of them noticed him, at least, until he cleared his throat for the third time. Angie jumped and Rollie looked over at him, smiling.
"Oh yeah, Ange, I forgot to mention that we have company."
"I can see that," she blushed and pulled away. "Hey Mangela."
Rollie pulled her back.
"Angie," Mangela smiled, and Angie felt he looked right through to her soul, "it's good to see you again. Rollie...." he looked at Rollie with a twinkle in his eyes, "has filled me in."
This time it was Rollie's turn to blush. Angie looked up at him wondering exactly what he had told him. She caught his blush and forgave him any indiscretion.
"He has, huh? Well I'm sure you two have more to catch up on so maybe I should go...." Angie offered as she pulled away from Rollie and moved to pick up her backpack, "that'll save you the trouble of sending me out to get something so you can do your male bonding thing or whatever it is you two do."
"Don't you dare! You just got here," Rollie warned her.
"Why don't you stay for dinner Angela?" Mangela asked, "Rollie and I talked some last night. And we will talk some more before I return home."
"Um, sure. Okay. But I'm not really all that hungry. This is a turnaround, Rollie getting sent out while...wait a minute--"
"Good," Mangela clapped his hands together, "Rollie, why don't you go get some dinner for your beautiful lady here, while I keep her company?"
Rollie shook his head. He knew what the old codger was up to. He leaned in to Angie, placing his hand on her arm, "You okay with that?"
Angie shrugged her shoulders, "I guess."
Rollie went over to the table and grabbed his keys. Angie went into the kitchen. Rollie touched Mangela's shoulder. "Take it easy with her, Mangela. Don't push her. If she doesn't want to talk, just let it be okay?"
Mangela patted Rollie's shoulder. "She is safe."
"How long do you need?"
"Take your time."