Page 11 of The Promise
“No.”
“Good, I’m going for awee.”
“Thanks for your help,” I say sarcastically, but she’sgone.
I move the light around, looking at the writing on the boxes when I see something that makes mestop.
Addisonis written on the side of a box. I’m pretty sure I don’t have anything here. Propping my phone up, I lift the top off to seeinside.
My mouth drops open as I pull back some tissue paper to reveal carefully folded ivoryfabric.
“Holy shit,” I gasp, my hand covering mymouth.
I continue unfolding the tissue and pull out exactly what I’m expecting to see. It’s perfect, and tears fill my eyes as I look at my dream wedding dress. The light is awful but it doesn’t detract from the fact that the dress is gorgeous and exactly what I’ve been dreaming of for as long as I canremember.
When I told Aunt Addy Edward had proposed, she informed me she was ready to start making it straight away, but I got swept away with the outlandish wedding plans his mother wanted, and when she poo-pooed the idea, I was devastated. I told Aunt Addy to stop, but clearly shedidn't.
I take in all the lace detail before carefully folding it back how I found it and putting the lid on. I’m just wiping the tears from my cheeks when Mum shouts up, asking if I’ve found ityet.
I keep rummaging until I come across what we want before passing it down to her. I give my head a shake and square my shoulders before emerging from theloft.
One look at my face and Aunt Addy knows what I’ve found. She gives me a small smile before mouthing, “One day.” Mum is too busy fussing with what I brought down to notice, and it’s not until I tell them I’m ordering myself a taxi that she looks up atme.
“Addison, what’swrong?”
“Nothing, just dust,” I lie. She looks at me for a few minutes questioningly but doesn’t ask anymore.
“Take my car. It’s not like I’m going to be drivingit.”
“No, Mum might need it to get you stuff. I’ll be fine. I’ve got so much to do, I’m sure I won’t be going outmuch.”
“Don’t be a stranger,” Aunt Addy sayssadly.
“Don’t be silly. You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” I say, giving her a hug. “When you’re up to it, Mum can bring you over to see theplace.”
I say my goodbyes and leave as soon as the taxi pulls up outside. I bite my lip the entire journey to my new home, trying to keep my threatening tears inside. The sight of that wedding dress brought reality crashing down on me. My divorce is almost finalised. I trusted the first man I met when I moved here, only to have my heart smashed to a million pieces and to find out I’m pregnant. I moved here for a simpler life, but somehow, in only a few short weeks, it seems to have become even morecomplicated.
I let myself into the building and almost go flying over something just inside the door. “Be careful, Addison. What the fuck?” I mutter, bending down to pick the parcelup.
I take the box upstairs and place it on the small dining table between the kitchen and living area. Once I picked it up, its contents were obvious due to the wordflowersprinted down the side. I’m also thinking that I know exactly who they’refrom.
Opening up the box, I find the most stunning arrangement of colourful flowers. I pluck the card from the middle of them and turn itover.
To newstarts.
Blakex
I stare down at his words, wondering what exactly it’s meant to mean, when a buzzer rings. I go over to the box on the wall where the noise came from and look at the little screen. Blake’s stood at the back door, looking up atme.
A rush of nerves runs through my body as I look into his eyes. I have no idea what he’s about to tell me and a huge part of me doesn’t want to know. In some ways, it’s easier to deal with the fact he was cheating on me than to try to understand what else might have been goingon.
I stare at his little picture on the screen for so long he buzzes again. He can’t know I’m in here. If I don’t answer, would be give up and go away or would he use his key to let himselfin?
When the buzzer goes a third time, I find my arm moving and my finger pressing down on the button. There’s a different buzzing sound before I watch Blake push the door and walkin.
I stand stock-still and wait to hear his footsteps up the stairs and his knock on thedoor.
“Addison, open up,” hebegs.
