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  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘Well for a man who clearly knows his jewellery, I would’ve thought you’d have had that valued.’

  Colin shook his head. ‘It never even crossed my mind.’

  ‘My wife’s got one just like that and hers is worth an absolute fortune, probably even more than what’s in that little box.’

  Colin felt the sudden urge to vomit, realising that the answer to his prayers might just have been in his hands all along.

  ‘Ironic, eh? You know, sometimes all we can do is dust ourselves down, stand up and smile… No pun intended.’ Said the man as he stood up.

  ‘Well I’ve finished my evaluation now, Colin.’

  ‘You gonna arrest me then?’

  ‘Oh I’m not a policeman.’

  ‘Oh I’m sorry, father.’

  The man chuckled. ‘I’m not a priest either, but I am here to set you free. The question is: are you ready?’

  Colin stood up. He noticed the velvet cube had gone but couldn’t remember the man picking it up. He shrugged and followed. Together they slowly walked to the timeless oak doors. The summer warmth flooded in as the thick doors opened, which surprisingly, Colin did not feel. Instead he froze momentarily at the sight of the paramedics putting his lifeless body into an ambulance. At that point he remembered the car speeding towards him.

  ‘Some things we can’t change, but the jewellery’s back where it belongs.’ Said the man.

  Colin breathed a deep sigh of relief and as he did so, his almost forty-year-old body began to shrink, leaving a six-year-old version in its place. All hint of the man’s suit had vanished, replaced by what looked like Colin’s costume, only it looked brand new, complete with handkerchiefs rich in colour and gleaming red polished clogs.

  As the haze around the man’s face slowly evaporated, Colin was greeted by an immaculately painted, but altogether familiar smile. Soon after two white doves appeared to fly out of his father’s hands before Magic-Smile bowed hand in hand, in response to their standing ovation and then faded away.

  Other Titles by Graham Taylor:

  Autumn Grace

  Balancing The Books

  Bringing Home The Bacon

  Climbing The Walls

  Room 492

  Smile

  Stealing Thunder

  Ten Things I Discovered This Weekend

  The Longest Wait

  The Vino Kid

  When The Plane Came Down

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