Page 41 of Then She Vanished

‘How dare you. Just go,’ she screamed. ‘Get out.’ She ran around the table and began pushing him out of the kitchen and along the hall.

He reached out and grabbed a framed photo from the sideboard and held it to his heart. ‘Don’t you want the truth? We can still find out what happened, you know. You and me, together.’

Breathing heavily, she stopped trying to push him. He was much stronger than her. ‘All I ever wanted was the truth, but we both have to accept that we don’t know what happened and we never will. I didn’t abandon you, Gary, I couldn’t look at you. Each day for years, when I woke up next to you, all I could see was her and the fact that I couldn’t carry another child. You were that constant reminder, and it broke me too, and you were just never around.’

‘I know and I’m sorry. We can heal each other. Please, Ruth, give me another chance. I know I wasn’t the husband you deserved, but I will step up. Do you remember our first date when I told you that you were the one? I was eighteen, I’d just started uni and you’d sneaked into the student bar at sixteen. Student night, remember?’ He smiled.

She couldn’t help but remember that filthy bar in Birmingham, with its sticky carpets. She’d asked Gary to get her a drink and offered to give him the money to go to the bar, but he’d bought her that drink and the next three before nervouslyasking her to go out with him the next night. She remembered the dorky-looking boy with the spots and messy hair.

‘What did I say to you a week later?’

She didn’t want to say it out loud, but she’d never forget that moment and those words. He told her he knew she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She thought it would fizzle out, that she’d meet more boys at college and he’d meet more girls at uni, but they’d soon became inseparable.

A year later they were parents. Young but happy. He quit uni and she quit her course, but they were so, so happy.

A tear slipped down her cheek. If only they could go back to simpler times.

‘Please don’t marry him.’

‘Gary, this is all too much for me, you have to go.’

He turned to the door, went to open it and stopped. ‘I didn’t want to tell you this, but if I don’t I will never forgive myself. You are making a huge mistake, maybe the biggest one of your life.’

‘I’ve already made the biggest mistake of my life. I… I…’ She nearly choked on her words.

‘You have to forgive yourself.’ He paused. ‘I never blamed you once, you know, and it killed me to see how you blamed yourself all these years.’ He moved towards her and wiped the tears that were now spilling from her eyes.

‘Whatever you have to say, it’s nothing in comparison.’

‘I’ve done something and I’m not proud of it.’

She pulled away. ‘Did you slash Eric’s tyre? If you did, just say.’

‘No. I told you I didn’t. Why would I lie? If I did it, I’d happily tell you.’ He blew out a breath. ‘I followed him.’

Her eyes widened as she clenched her fists by her side. ‘How could you? You sound insane. Get the hell out and don’t come back. I knew it, all this talk about her, about the past, you’re justplaying with my feelings, trying to manipulate me. This is all a game to you.’

‘I’m not the one who’s trying to manipulate you. Open your eyes.’

She pounded his chest. ‘Get out or I’ll call the police.’

He grabbed her fists. ‘For heaven’s sake. I’m on your side here.’

‘On my side? You followed Eric like some psycho stalker.’

‘He doesn’t live in that house you go to when you stay at his.’

‘So, you stalk usboth?’

‘Shut up and listen. This isn’t about me or you, it’s about him. That house is on a holiday rental site. Look it up. How long have you known him?’ He let go of her hands.

‘I… err…’

‘Let me answer that for you, four months, five maybe, and now you’re engaged. He has another house with a nice little wifey. He has grown-up children with families. They all look really happy together when they have Sunday dinner. He’s never here on Sundays, is he?’ He pulled out a piece of paper from the pocket of his jeans and placed it on the sideboard. ‘Here’s his real address. I knew he was shifty, and there it is in black and white. I’m done. Go and see for yourself, then maybe you can start trusting me.’

‘He has a sister and he spends those Sundays with her and her family. She’s recently lost her husband. They’re close.’

‘Men do not kiss their sisters the way he kissed her when he left the house the other morning.’ He turned and left, leaving the door wide open as he crossed the road to go to his house.

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