Page 55 of Between Two Shores

“I don’t know. Are all his things still in the apartment?”

Beth flung herself off the bed and yanked the wardrobe door open. “Oh, my goodness! This is not happening. No.”

“Beth?”

She ran her hand over her face. Her heart pounded in her eardrums. Nick didn’t have many possessions or clothes, but nothing remained. The top shelf where he’d crammed his duffel bag was empty too. “The worst possible scenario.”

“The worst scenario would be marrying him. You’ve found out before it’s too late.”

She ran a hand through her knotty hair. “But . . . I love Nick.”

“Do you? In two months, you deeply love him?”

“I thought I did.” She swallowed. “But I don’t really know him . . . do I?” She reached out to the wall to steady herself and slid to the floor.

“Oh, Beth. I’m so sorry this has happened.” A little child’s voice spoke in the background. Johannah. Cassie whispered. “Mummy is on the phone, sweetie. Here, have a cookie.” The sound of plastic crumpling came next and a cute “tank you” from the toddler.

“Sorry.” Cassie returned. “Do you know anyone there?”

“The lady at the corner store,” she said weakly. “Maybe she’ll be there tomorrow morning on shift. She invited me to a craft group.”

“How long do you have the apartment for?”

“A month or two. But I don’t have the key. I think.” She jumped off the floor and searched the house while Cassie kept asking questions.

“I can’t find it. Nick left the door open this morning. It’s his friend’s apartment. I don’t even know who that is.”

“This is terrible.” Cassie sounded annoyed. Rightly so.

“I can’t stay here. I won’t be able to lock the door. What if I came back and a robber was in here, or my things got stolen?”

“Beth.”

“Yes?”

“You need to come back to Australia.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Beth

Beth had her shower and came out feeling a touch better. She practised her mindfulness techniques which distracted her thoughts for ten minutes. At least, she wasn’t close to nervous break-down anymore.

She grabbed an apple and her phone and sat at the dining table. As she flicked through airline ticket prices with her left index finger, the engagement ring sparkled from the fluorescent light above. The ring. She needed to return it, but how?

The crunch of the apple between her back teeth was the only sound in the apartment. No T.V. or radio, and the thick walls drowned out any sound from the neighbors.

Alone in America. Knowing not a soul. No car. Not even a key to the front door. She didn’t belong here.

An email notification popped up on her screen. A piece of apple jammed in her throat when she gasped. Lachlan? She coughed into her fist, then clicked the message.

Hello Beth,

I’m sorry I haven’t kept in touch lately. I’ve recently finished my deployment and returned to San Diego. Not much is happening here, just working for my brother. But, I’ve been talking to Chris Evanson, and he offered me a position at Bayside Manna. It sounds like a great opportunity to see more of your amazing country and spend time with my Australian friends. That includes you, of course. That is, if we’re still friends? Did you get my Facebook friend request?

How have you been? What’s happening in the small town of Fremantle? I would love to hear from you.

Bye for now,

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