by Nadine Killiard.
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Inspector Margaret Thatcher of the RCMP looked up at the knock on her
office door. 'Yes' she said, then bit back a smile as her husband and
his 'sidekick' walked into her office.
'Sir I wondered, that is we wondered, if you wished anything for lunch. Detective Vecchio and I were just....'
Ray interrupted Benny at this point...he always took a decade to ask anyone anything. 'What the Mountie's trying to say is we're going for lunch...you wanna come?' It always amazed Ray how Fraser and Thatcher could be such completely different people when they put on that red serge. Maybe it did something to their brains.
'Constable Fraser, Detective Vecchio, thank you for your offer but I'm afraid that I have matters that require my attention. Constable please ensure that you are back here by 14:00 hours. I'll be leaving here to go to a meeting then.'
'Yes sir!'
'Dismissed', she turned her attention back to the papers she had been reading before they'd interrupted her. She smiled when they left the room, then shook her head and muttered 'Men!' Although she did need to attend to her paperwork she knew the 'boys' needed time to talk. Things had been slightly strained between them since the wedding. She hoped that they would be able to sort things out. Meg knew how important their friendship was.
Ray and Benny climbed into the Riv, which as usual Ray had parked illegally right in front of the Consulate. 'Ray would you please stop doing that.' said Benny for the thousandth time. 'What now?', although Ray knew fine well what he was referring to. Just like he knew how much feigning innocence annoyed his friend. 'This!', said Fraser as he held up the official police business sign that Ray thought excused every parking offence. 'Hey! I'm officially police and I'm on business, so what's your problem'.
Ray pulled away from the curb knowing that this discussion would end the way it always did. He smiled. 'Well really Ray, this is no laughing matter....'
They'd decided to get take out from the local deli and sit in the park. Diefenbaker tended to get upset if they left him in the car for too long, and Ray tended to get upset at Diefenbaker. Wolf hair and scratches on the paint work were not ways to win Ray's affections. They'd also be able to talk without interruptions.
Ray was nervous about starting the conversation, so Fraser let him off the hook.
'How are your family, Ray?'
'They're all OK. Frannie was saying that you need to come over for dinner.'
'I haven't seen her since the wedding. She didn't look too happy then.'
'What did you expect? Meg's never been her favourite person.'
Benny nodded. 'I know. How is she feeling now?'
'She's OK. I haven't seen too much of her myself. She's trying to start up another of her crackpot business schemes. She thinks she's got the business flair of Donald Trump and the style of Ivana.'
'I'm sure it'll be a great success.'
'Yeah, just like all the others.'
'I'll call her about dinner. It seems like she's calmed down. The last time we spoke she wasn't exactly, um, rational.'
'That sounds like my sister!'
'Well Ray, you have to admit that the wedding announcement was a slight shock to her.'
Ray nodded and forced a smile. The subject had been broached. 'How are things at the Consulate? The Dragon Lady giving you a hard time?'
'It's been hard separating work and personal lives but I think we're managing fine'
Ray looked at Fraser. 'I couldn't help noticing the way you treated each other at the Consulate. It was all I could do to keep from laughing. You're both so proper,!' He was glad he didn't have that problem. He tended to treat everyone the same regardless of the situation, and wasn't exactly famed for his respect to superiors.
Benton smiled at Ray: 'Even so, I never thought married life could make someone so contented.' Ray laughed, 'She must be mellowing in her old age!'
Things had become slightly strained between the two friends since the wedding, Only now were they settling back into their familiar roles. The fact that the bride had been Meg hadn't exactly helped matters. There was so much history between the three of them, and not all of it was good or pleasant. Both lapsed into silence again. However, unlike on previous occasions it was not an uncomfortable one.
The silence was broken by a whine from the wolf. He'd finished his ham bagel faster than his human companions and looked hopefully at their half eaten food. Ben and Ray laughed. Despite the recent changes in their lives some things remained constant.
'I'm glad things are working out between you and Meg' Ray said, 'and that you got everything sorted out'.
'So am I. I'm also glad that this hasn't affected our friendship'.
'Hey! Nothing could ever do that...except maybe your damn wolf.'
Fraser looked sternly at Diefenbaker. 'Dief! Stop that, you know that you're on a diet. I should never have taken you out of the Yukon.' Dief whined at Fraser, flicked his ears disapprovingly and deliberately turned his back.
Ray laughed, 'Wolves! They're as temperamental as women.' At that comment Dief turned back, glared at Ray disdainfully and turned away again. Ray and Benny looked at each other again. Fraser raised his eyebrows and Ray smiled. It was amazing how Dief could lip read with his back to them.
Ray finished his lunch and turned to Fraser. It was time to clear the air between them.
'Benny, are you happy with the way things turned out?'
'Yes Ray. I really am. I'm very happy with the way everything is.'
'I'm sorry that I....'
Benton interrupted him. 'There's nothing to apologise for. We all made mistakes in how we acted. Part of it was my failure to share my true feelings about Meg with you. After Victoria I was confused.'
Ray nodded. 'Any regrets?'
'None at all.'
Fraser stood up and walked across to a candy wrapper that was fluttering slightly in the mild summer breeze. He picked it up and placed it in the trash can that was beside the bench. This small gesture reassured Ray that despite the upheaval in his life some things remained constant.
'I bet in Canada that you get citations for collecting garbage.'
Benny smiled at the sniping 'Well actually Ray, we do.'
Ray ignored that.
'I'd better get back to the Consulate. Inspector Thatcher will be expecting me.'
Fraser was back in official mode. Their conversation was closed but enough had been said to satisfy them both.
Ben knocked on Meg's door for the second time that day. 'Could I have a word, Sir? It's regarding a personal matter'. Meg nodded and Benton sat down opposite her.
'Did you and Ray talk?'
'Yes we did, and everything is fine now.'
'I'm glad we were able to sort things out. I'd hate our marriage to result in the loss of a friend.'
Ben smiled 'I think you can be sure you haven't lost one'.
Meg walked round the desk and placed her hand on his hand. 'I'm glad that we haven't'.
She took her hand away. 'Constable, I'll be absent for the rest of the day with this meeting'. It was back to business.
'Yes Sir'.
Meg entered their apartment to a smile. Her afternoon meeting had meant that they hadn't been able to come home together.
'What's for dinner? It smells delicious'
He looked up from the tagliatelle sauce he was stirring.
'Pasta of course. What else do expect a fine Italian boy to make!'
Ray smiled as his Meg came over and put her arms around him.
The End