Driver

Part 24

But later, after a heated interlude, doubt began to creep in to Idyn’s mind. “Are you sure about this job and moving here?” he said into the relaxed aftermath.

Taki tuned her head to frown at him. After a tense pause she said “if you’re sure, I am.”

“If I hadn’t asked would you have told me about the job?”

She shrugged. “I wanted to tell you straight away but we hadn’t talked about anything. You hadn’t even asked about where I was going next. I didn’t want to pressure you or make you do something you weren’t ready for.”

He nodded “I didn’t want to pressure you, that’s why I didn’t ask” he admitted.

She smiled “seems we were both worried about the same thing.”

“But this will mean changing your whole life” he asked, his doubts were still not assuaged. “Are you ready for that?”

“I’m ready to change the hell I’ve been living in for the last two years. The only peace I have felt since the accident has been with you. I’m never going to get over what happened, I know that but with you I think I can live with it.”

Idyn didn’t know what to say. The thought that she was pinning everything on him scared the hell out of him. “Taki…” he began.

Driver

Part 23

Idyn sat down in the living room to collect his thoughts. He loved her and wanted to ask her to stay but her job meant she had to travel. He had no right to ask her to change her life for him. He didn’t even know how deep her feelings went.

Taki walked into the room. She sat down beside him. “Idyn, what’s going on?”

He looked up and met her gaze and once again the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “I don’t want you to go” he said. Damn.

But to his surprise she smiled “then I have good news.”

Driver

Part 22

The next day Idyn went out to the car ahead of Taki and was standing next to it waiting for her when she emerged. He smiled at her as she walked towards him. She returned it.

“Morning Taki” he said feigning a merely professional relationship. He opened the door.

“Morning Idyn” she said and slipped in through the open door.

Idyn shut the door and walked around the car. In the driver’s seat he turned and grinned at her “not so bad yeah?”

“It feels weird” she said.

His grin widened and he repeated her words to him on the first day they met he said “I know but you’ll get used to it.”

Taki laughed and Idyn got them on the road.

For the next week Idyn opened the door for her and Taki seemed to mind it less and less. Without undue conceit he was aware that the change in her attitude might have had something to do with the fact that it was him doing it but still it was an improvement. Towards the end of her sixth week in town Idyn asked her about what he saw as the next step. “Do you see yourself driving again?”

Driver

Part 21

But thinking about how he might be able help Idyn sat down next to her and said “perhaps forgiving yourself is too big to do all at once” he said “maybe you need to tackle it in small steps, one at a time?”

“Like what?” Taki said.

“I’m thinking something small to start with, like trying not to hate being driven so much. Try not to associate it with the accident. Think of it as a just a part of daily life.”

She gave him a wry smile “you mean let you open the door for me?”

He returned her smile “if it means you that you detest what it stands for less, then yes.”

“I can try I guess” she said.

He smiled “I’m sure it will get easier the more you do it.”

“You have really hated not being able to perform that part of your duties haven’t you?” she said with a smile.

“I don’t know why, but yes.”

“Okay” she said taking a deep breath. “Let’s give it a go. From now on you are to open the door for me every time.”

“Are you sure?”

“No” she said “but we’re going to try it. I’m tired of the hold this has on me. If this is the way forward then let’s do it.”

But Idyn was worried now. He was no expert. He had no idea if this was the right move. His smile faded. “I don’t know if it is the way forward though” he admitted. 

Driver

Part 20

Idyn didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t a councillor. What right did he have to tell her how to feel? He was making it worse for her. Distraught he sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hands through his hair. He had a horrible feeling he had just ruined everything.

It seemed like hours before Taki emerged from the bathroom. When she did her eyes were red signifying that she had been crying. Not knowing what else to do, Idyn had got dressed in that interval. He was sitting on the bed and he stood up as she entered.

“Are you going somewhere?” she said.

“I thought you might need some space?” he said. He did not want to leave her alone like this but if that was what she wanted.

“This is your house” she said.

“It doesn’t matter. Is that what you want?”

Driver

Part 19

For the next month Idyn drove Taki to and from his house and her work and anywhere else she needed to go. He wanted to spend as much time as he could with her knowing that their time together was finite.

It was one evening early in the second month as they lay in his bed that he asked her a question that inadvertently brought up the subject of her accident again. He was watching his fingers playing with her hair and as ever his mind was on her impending departure. Even though they hadn’t talked about it, it was all he could think about. For his own sanity he needed to find a solution to them being separated for months at a time. He asked “hey have you always worked as a consultant?”

“No, not always” she said.

“So how long has it been?”

“Two years” she said.

He lifted his gaze and met hers “ever since the accident?” he guessed.

“Yes” she said, her eyes slipping away from his.

“Why?” he said.

She shrugged “the constant change helped occupy my mind. It was easier to lose myself in a different city every couple of weeks than sit at home and relive it.”

Thoughtful for a minute he said “you need to forgive yourself Taki. It was an accident. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Taki frowned “are you saying I shouldn’t feel guilty?”

Driver

Part 18

On Sunday afternoon he was back at the airport waiting for Taki. He couldn’t wait to see her and hold her in his arms. It seemed Taki had been having similar thoughts as almost before he saw her she was wrapped around him.  “I missed you” he whispered into her hair.

“Me too” she said, her arms tightening around his neck.

“Then let’s get out of here” he said moving her back and smiling down at her.

“Yes please” she said.

After collecting her luggage they walked out to his car. This time however he was off duty and was driving his own car rather than one of his business fleet. When they reached it Idyn said “I don’t want to hear one word about me not opening the door for you” he said “I’ll let it slide when I’m working, but right now it’s me and you’re someone I care about and I want to open the door for you okay?” 

Driver

Part 17

 

“So you’ll be back next Monday?” Idyn said.

“Next Sunday” Taki said.

“And you’ll be staying where?”

“Back here I think” she said. “But it doesn’t matter much. All these serviced apartments are much the same.”

“I’ll bet. I could pick you up at the airport.”

“I would love that” she said wrapping herself around him.

“If you’re coming back, do you really have to go home?” he said with a hopeful note in his voice.

Driver

Part 16

Taki clung to Idyn for a few seconds and then released herself. “I haven’t told anyone before, about what happened” she said. “In some way it helps a little that you know. At least with you I don’t have to hide it.”

He gave her a sympathetic smile “good.”

For the rest of the week, each night Idyn would go up to Taki’s rented apartment with her and spend many enjoyable hours in her bed. But the limited time frame was weighing down on him and on Friday night, once their immediate appetite for each other had been satisfied Idyn said “you go home on Sunday yeah?”

“That’s the plan” she said. “My consultancy contract expired today.”

“Right” he said. He was sorry now that they had wasted so much time. He didn’t want her to go but it seemed too early in their relationship to be asking her to change her life for him. “You travel a lot” he said. It wasn’t a question, more him thinking out loud.

“All the time” she said “that’s the nature of my business.”

“Right” he said again, not knowing what else to say. She had given no indication that she wanted anything long term with him. She may not want anything beyond the time they had. That thought made his chest hurt. She had become that important to him. He looked away.

Driver

Part 15

Idyn didn’t need any further encouragement. Picking her up he carried her into the bedroom and undressed her before losing himself in the most intoxicating exchange he had ever experienced.

Later, lying relaxed and sated in Taki’s bed, Idyn said “from the first day I have wanted this.”

She smiled “even when I was yelling at you?”

“Even then” he said. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

“Same here” she said “each day I would sit behind you and torture myself by thinking of a new way to corrupt you so you would skip work and come back here with me.”

He grinned “why didn’t you say anything?”
 She shrugged “I didn’t think you would want to, not after the way I behaved. And all the time you could have done it and not even had to explain to anyone” she said in an ironic tone.

“I should have told you who I was in the beginning” he said loving the idea that she had wanted him for as long as he had wanted her. “To be honest, after that first morning I was terrified of making you angry again.”

She laughed. “I like it better this way anyway. I like that you wanted to drive me verses having to.”

“Can I ask you a question?” he said.

“Sure.”

“What happened last night?”

Driver

Part 14

However to Idyn's surprise he managed to get through the many hours, but only just. His focus was terrible as his mind kept drifting off to Taki and he found he spent a lot of time just staring out the window, getting very little work done.

On the dot of five, and anxious to see her, he once again pulled up outside her office building. It was only a few minutes before she walked out and got into the back seat. “Hi” she said with a smile.

“Hi” Idyn said turning around to look at her. “Good day?”

“Not bad” she said and crossing her legs. The smile still on her lips, she added “so can I ask you again now?”

Idyn’s heart was pounding and he could not return her smile. “Do you want to?” he said and he was having trouble breathing as he watched her and waited.

She didn’t speak for a minute and then sliding forward to sit on the edge of the seat she looked him in the eye before leaning over and kissing him. It was a heated, intense kiss and when she lifted her head a few seconds later she said “that answer your question?”

Idyn licked his lips and they turned up into a smile “yeah” he said.

Taki grinned and moved back in the seat “what are we waiting for then?” she said.

“Beats me” he said and as Idyn turned around to start the engine he was grinning too.

Fifteen minutes later they stood facing each other in the entry of her apartment. Idyn was desperate to touch her but he hadn’t yet. He didn’t want to rush things.

 Taki said “thank you for last night.”

He smiled “no worries, you were an easy drunk.”

Taki gave a slow shake of her head “no I meant I’m glad you made us wait. I’m sorry I gave you a hard time about it.”

“Oh right” Idyn said surprised and close to blushing. His eyes locked on her mouth. “I have to tell you that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.” He took a half a step closer to her.

“Really?” she said as her hands came up and settled on his chest before working their way around his sides.

Idyn was sure his heart was going to burst out of his chest. “Yes” he said “everything in me wanted to carry you up here and take you to bed.”

She smiled “what would you have done?” she said.

Idyn opened his mouth to tell her but he got no words out. Her mouth came down on his and against his lips she said “show me.”

Driver

Part 13

It seemed Taki was happy to talk now for which Idyn was very grateful. The conversation while he drove allowed him to regain some composure.

“How come I don’t have a hangover?” she asked.

“Because you rehydrated and ate before you slept” he said smiling at her in the mirror.

“How did you know to do that?”

“Experience” he said with his smile widening into a grin.

“I was dreading waking up this morning” she said but it seemed like she was talking more to herself than him.

“You’re not a big drinker?” he asked.

Driver

Part 12

The next morning Idyn was waiting outside her apartment block as usual when Taki appeared.

“Morning” he said turning his head to look at her as she got in the car. He was wary of her mood but he hoped that after she had had time to consider it she would understand why he had said no.

But Taki wouldn’t make eye contact with him.

Idyn sighed and turned back around and got them on the road.

“How do you feel?” he said.

She didn’t respond.

Looking in the rear view mirror Idyn saw that her eyes were trained out the window.

“Taki I’m sorry if I upset you last night. That wasn’t my intention.”

Still no response.

“Taki…” he said.

She continued to ignore him.

Driver

Part 11

“How do you feel about trying some food?” he said after a pause.

“I don’t know” she said.

“Give it a go” he said “just something light. You’ll feel better with food in your stomach”

“Okay” she said “I’ll try.”

He smiled and got up to order some toast and jam.

When the food came Taki managed to eat some of it and after a second cup of tea Idyn thought she was okay to go home. When he suggested it, she did not argue. He bought another bottle of water for her to take with her and they walked back to the car. She could walk unaided now but Idyn stayed close.

“Don’t yell at me” he said when they reached his car “but I’m going to open the door for you.”

Driver

Part 10

However when Taki spoke again it was on a different topic. Her eyes focused on her hands on the table she said “as it seems to be a night of confessions I might as well answer your question now.”

Idyn frowned not understanding what she was referring to.

She looked up and said “why I don’t like being driven.”

“You don’t have to tell me” he said again sensing again that this disclosure would be painful for her.

“It’s fine” she said her gaze dropping away “well it’s not but maybe it’ll help. Who knows?”

She stopped speaking for a minute and Idyn didn’t prompt her. 

Driver

Part 9

Idyn took Taki to an all night that café taxi drivers used and helped her inside. Some of his drivers who had late jobs would stop off there too. He had done so himself when he had still been on the road so he knew the cafe staff were used to people coming in in all states late at night. As expected they didn’t look twice when Idyn helped Taki into a booth. He then approached the counter and ordered a bottle of water, a cup of black tea for her and a cappuccino for himself.

Walking back to the table with the bottle of water he sat it in front of Taki and said “try sipping that. Just don’t rush it.”

Taki tried to open the bottle but couldn’t manage it. Without a word, Idyn took it off her and gave it back minus the lid. “Thanks” she muttered.

“No problem” he said.

For a while he just let her rehydrate. She sipped the water and when the tea came she drank a little of that too.

“I need to use the bathroom” she said.

“Just through there” he said pointing past her. “You need help?”

Taki shook her head. “I’ll be fine thanks.”

Idyn watched her struggle to her feet. She was a little unsteady but she made it into the bathroom. If she didn’t appear again in five minutes he would go looking for her.

Driver

Part 8

For what seemed like hours Idyn held Taki while she vomited. In between retching she cried and apologised. “I’m sorry” she sobbed.

“Forget about it” he said over and over again but it had little effect as she just kept apologising. When it seemed that she had finally stopped being sick Idyn picked her up and carried her back to the car. Opening the back door he sat her down on the seat with her legs hanging out and her feet on the gutter. He crouched down in front of her “did he hurt you” he said again.

She shook her head “no. He wanted my purse. I wouldn’t give it to him.”

“Not a smart decision” he said.

That caused her to cry again.

“Sorry” he said.

Driver

Part 7

An hour later when Taki still hadn’t appeared Idyn was becoming irritated. Yes he was at her disposal but this was just rude. Finally at a quarter to twelve she texted to say she was coming out.

However ten minutes later Idyn was still waiting and he had had enough. Client or no client, her behaviour was intolerable. Either she was going to leave with him now or she would have to call him back. She had kept him waiting for two hours. Getting out of the car he walked towards the front entrance. To get to the door he had to walk across the top of a lane running down beside the hotel and as he did he saw something that made his blood run cold. When he had dropped her off Taki was wearing a white woollen coat. Now as he looked down the lane he saw a dark figure struggling with someone wearing white. Fearful that it was Taki, he called out. “Hey.”

Driver

Part 6

For the next two weeks Idyn drove Taki twice a day, back and forwards from the apartment to the office. Sometimes there were lunches and he would see her in the middle of the day. Sometimes there were dinners and he would drive her at night. Often they would talk and over that time he found out that she was thirty six and single. This news pleased him but the fact that she lived interstate didn’t. He also found out that she was a consultant, contracted at Pacific Steel for a month, working on a specific project. This was how she made her living she said, moving from one short term project to another, from one city to another. It seemed a lonely disjointed life to Idyn and while he wondered why she chose it, he did not ask.

In his turn, when she asked about him he told her. He told her that he too was single and had been a driver for five years. This was true but he didn’t say that for the last three years he had sent his employees out to do the driving while he stayed in the office overseeing the business. 

On one trip home on an evening late in the third week Idyn felt they were at a point where he could ask a question that he had been curious about since that first morning. “Can I ask you something Taki?” he said

“Okay” she said meeting his eyes in the mirror.

“Why don’t you like to be driven?”

She looked away and let her breath out on a sigh “that’s a very long story, too long for this trip” she said. Her tone was flat he noticed and tinged with sadness.

Idyn kept glancing at her but she was looking out the window now and her haunted expression stopped him from asking any further questions. Whatever the story was, he knew it wasn’t good. 

It was only two nights later that something happened that led to him finding out what her secret was. Earlier that evening he had dropped Taki at a hotel where she was having dinner with some work colleagues. She had told him to come back and pick her up at ten but at ten fifteen she texted him to say she would be later but she did not say how long. Already at the venue Idyn had no choice but wait.

Driver

Part 5

At one o’clock Taki slid into his back seat once more.

“Where to?” Idyn said.

“A restaurant in Collins Street, Georges. Do you know it?”

Idyn started the car “yes I know it.”

Taki nodded and sat back to look out the side window. Glancing at her in the mirror Idyn thought she looked worried. She seemed disinclined to talk too so they drove in silence.

“Here we are” he said fifteen minutes later. Taki didn’t even seem aware that they had stopped. Startled, she looked around now and gathering her bag and brief case she said “can you pick me up at three?”

“I’ll be here” he said.

“Thank you Idyn” she said meeting his eyes in the mirror for a second before she got out and disappeared into the building.

Two hours later Idyn was back outside the restaurant. But it was half past three before Taki appeared.

“I’m sorry Idyn. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting” she said as she slid into the back seat.

He thought she still looked worried so he didn’t complain about the wait. “That’s okay” he said. “Back to work?”

“No I’ve had enough today” she said and she sounded tired. “Please take me home.”

Out of nowhere Idyn was hit with the wish that he could take her home, home with him. There he would wrap his arms around her and tell her everything would be okay. He would make sure that whatever was worrying her didn’t bother her anymore. But that wasn’t going to happen and he just nodded and got them on their way.

Driver

Part 4

So the next morning Idyn was waiting in the same spot when his client appeared and let herself into the back seat. He had had to fight the urge to get out of the car. It was so ingrained in him that he had to consciously stop himself.

“Morning” he said hoping that her display of temper the previous day wasn’t an indication that she wasn’t a morning person. He would not like to be treated to a similar display at the beginning of each day even if she did regret it later.

But this wasn’t the case it seemed. Taki, showing no signs of irritation, gave him a smile, and said “good morning Idyn.”

He returned her smile and started the car. This morning she was wearing black pants and jacket and a red and white striped shirt.

“I have a lunch meeting today” she said as he pulled out onto the road “so could you pick me up at the office at one?”

“No problem” Idyn said. His firm was contracted to drive her whenever she requested it, twenty four hours a day, so he would have done it anyway, but he liked the fact that she had phrased it as a question rather than just giving him an order.

“Thank you” she said and for a while they didn’t talk.

“Have you been doing this long?” she asked, breaking the silence a few minutes later.

“A while” he said glancing at her in the mirror.

“Do you enjoy it?”

“Most days” he said.

“When you aren’t being yelled at I’m guessing” she said with a wry smile.

He smiled at her in the mirror. “You did apologise. I’ve had clients who don’t bother” he said.

“I don’t yell at people as a rule” she said “at least I try not to.”

He smiled at her again and a few minutes later he pulled up outside the office of Pacific Steel. “I’ll be back at one” he said.

“Thank you Idyn” she said and she got out of the car.

Idyn pulled away from the building heading to his office to do some of his proper work. On the way he contemplated his client. He was beginning to spend a lot of time thinking about her.