Page 10 of Sunflower

“They look so happy, don’t they?” I asked, not really expecting a response. Anyone in the room could see how full of love they both were for each other.

“That’ll be us one day,” Callum said quietly.

I brought the bottle of water to my lips and took a gulp as I glanced at him, only to find he was already looking at me. There was something in his eyes I couldn’t decipher, but I nodded. “Yeah, I guess it will be.”

I returned my attention to our parents, watching them sway to the slow music. “Not sure who with, though. It certainly won’t be with Amelia.” I sighed and lowered my gaze to the floor as the happiness I’d been feeling left me.

Sympathy filled Callum’s face as he placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I’m sorry, Joey.”

“It is what it is.” I shrugged to make it look like it didn’t bother me, even though it did. “Things have been going downhill for a while, but what she said during the wedding was the last straw.” I let out an exhausted huff. “At least she never cheated on me, right?”

He winced and looked away. “Right.”

My eyes closed in resignation as what little fight that still lingered fled in a rush. “God damn it.”

Although I expected to be filled with anger at the near certainty that Amelia had cheated on me, the only feeling that consumed me was sadness. But not for the loss of the relationship; that ship had already sailed. No, sadness filled me at the wasted years I’d spent tied to Amelia. That was time I’d never get back.

Callum grasped the back of my neck and leaned in towards me to rest his forehead against mine. “You’re strong, Joey. Stronger than you know. Don’t let what’s happened turn you off the idea of love. You never know what might be just around the corner waiting for you.”

I relaxed into him, allowing his strength to hold me up for now. It felt good letting him close like this. It was such a change from what I remembered. My curiosity about that time piqued, and I turned my head slightly in towards him, our foreheads still touching. His eyes were closed, a look of complete peace on his face. “Can I ask you something?”

He inhaled sharply as his grip on my neck tensed. I had a feeling he knew what I was going to ask, which meant he could answer before I asked my question, but he played the game, anyway. “You can ask me anything you want,mo lus na gréine.”

I frowned at his words, not knowing what they meant, but a tiny spark of recognition ran through me, like I’d heard those words somewhere before. I’d heard Erin speak Irish over the years, and I’d learned very quickly that I couldn’t write down what I heard her say in order to translate it later. There was absolutely no way I’d be able to translate this without either his or Erin’s help. “Well, now I have two questions.”

Callum chuckled and pulled back slightly from me so he could look me in the eye directly. The sparkle from the overhead fairy lights reflected in his eyes, making him look mischievous. “I’ll give you the answer to one of them now. The other will have to wait for another time.” He winked at me, smirking. “Choose wisely, Joey.”

Against all odds, I laughed. I hadn’t thought it possible, but his cheekiness broke through the pain my heart was feeling at Amelia’s betrayal. Once I settled, I made sure I kept my eyes trained on him when I asked, “Why did you hate me back then?”

The playful smile on Callum’s face dropped as confusion took its place. He brought his palms to my face and stroked his thumbs against my cheeks, making sure he held eye contact with me. “I never hated you, Joey Miller. I could never hate you.”

The honesty that shone through his words crushed me. All those years I thought he’d hated me, wasted. I choked back onthe sob that was threatening to lodge itself in my throat. All the emotions from the last twenty-four hours of dealing with Amelia melded with the sadness I’d felt over the last few years whenever I thought of Callum, until all that remained was the thinnest scrap of elastic holding myself together that would snap if I let myself sob.

“Oh,mo lus na gréine. I’m sorry.” Callum pulled me in for a tight hug, his cheek nuzzling against my ear. “So very sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Then why?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the music. I knew he could hear me, though. One way or another.

I felt him shake his head as he took another deep breath in. “I can’t answer that tonight, Joey. Soon. But not tonight.” He pulled back from me, his hands cupping my face once more. “We’ll talk again. I swear to you. But right now, you have bigger questions to answer.”

I frowned at him. Was this what it was always going to be like talking to Callum? “Like what?”

He cast his eyes to the clock hanging over the bar before returning his attention to me, rage filling his face. “Like where Amelia is right now.”

“What?” My brow furrowed further as I looked around the function hall. I’d left her at the table to grab a drink but had become distracted talking to Callum. I searched everywhere, but she was nowhere to be found. “Callum…?”

He leaned his forehead against mine once more to whisper to me, “Remember, Joey. You’re stronger than you think.” I felt the whisper of his lips in the middle of my forehead before he released me, his thumbs caressing my neck as he did so. He looked at me one last time before he turned and walked away from me, heading for the dancefloor and disappearing into the crowd.

I twisted the bottle in my hands as I wondered where Amelia could be. It had become rather hot and stuffy in the function room, so maybe she’d gone outside for some fresh air. Tapping the plastic bottle against my thigh, I made my way around the dancefloor towards the entrance to the hotel.

The cool breeze welcomed me with open arms as soon as I stepped outside. The sun was still shining brightly but was hanging lower in the sky now that it was getting later in the afternoon. All the white fluffy clouds scattered across the sky made me think how pretty the sunset would be in a few hours’ time. I made a mental note to come back out here just before the sun was due to set so I could take some photos.

Shaking myself free of what I wanted to do later, I focused on what I was supposed to be doing now. Looking around the grounds that surrounded the hotel, I noted a few people here and there, but they were mostly dressed extremely casually. They were hotel guests, not wedding guests. I made a circuit around the hotel anyway, just to be sure, but Amelia was nowhere to be found.

Making my mind up to call her, I swallowed the last of the water in my bottle and tossed it into the nearest recycling bin as I made my way back inside to grab my phone from our hotel room where I’d left it for the duration of the wedding ceremony and reception. It’d been one of Dad and Erin’s requests for us to attend without phones so the ceremony wouldn’t be interrupted with any phones ringing. I think it also had something to do with the photographer they’d hired who had told us all a few horror stories of guests who’d ruined wedding photos and weddings themselves by being obnoxious jerks with their phones. Obviously, Amelia hadn’t been happy with the request, but I hadn’t minded. A few hours off of social media would be a refreshing change.

It did mean trying to get hold of someone was difficult, though.

I rode the elevator up with a few hotel guests, including two men who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Much to my amusement, they ended up getting off on the same floor as me. Chuckling to myself, I followed them down the corridor at a respectful distance as I watched them grope each other without an ounce of shame. With the noises they were making as hands and fingers delved in places that were bordering on pornographic and a potential public indecency charge if someone called it in, they clearly didn’t care who was around or who was watching them. Or they were exhibitionists. Which I didn’t mind, honestly, as I knew I’d never see them again. Good for them for knowing what they enjoyed. I wish I had that level of sexual confidence.

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