Page 3 of It Started with a Kiss
‘Aww Grandma, I bet you miss him, huh?’
‘Oh hen, I do. When you’ve spent your life with someone, built a home, made a family and then they’re gone… It’s like… It’s like part of you is missing.’ Her eyes became glassy.
‘I hope that I find someone to have that kind of love with some day.’
Grandma cupped my face in her wrinkled and brown spotted hands. ‘You will, hen, and I just know it’ll be soon. I can feel it in my water.’
At that point I burst out laughing. ‘Eeeuw! Grandma!’
She shrugged. ‘It’s just a turn of phrase.’
3
Fin
After plenty of encouragement from our parents, I proposed to Elise on her twenty-third birthday, almost four years ago now. We were in Paris, and as we sat there before the Eiffel Tower, eating pain au chocolat and drinking coffee from paper cups, I presented her with a cushion cut, diamond solitaire ring. Talk about cliché. But it seemed to make her happy, and so it all felt worth it. We agreed on averylong engagement, which eased my stress of being betrothed somewhat under duress. Although, our long engagement hadn’t gone down too well with the parents. They were getting antsy about us setting the date. There had been several tense conversations between my parents and me where I was accused of stalling, and I was informed that Elise’s parents were beginning to think I didn’twantto marry their precious daughter. But like the dutiful son I was, I kept my feelings bottled up and my mouth shut. After all, me marrying the right girl would make Dad happy, wouldn’t it? Hetty tried her best to encourage me to tell the truth. She insisted that marrying someone I didn’t love was crazy, and that I deserved to be truly happy. Bless her.
I think the real cracks began to appear in our relationship when Elise was sent to London to assist our office in a temporary partnership with another firm connected to an international fraud case. She was gone for a month, and honestly, I enjoyed the time alone. I know that makes me sound like awful, but I feltfreefor a while. I could only presume Elise felt the same way.
Having the apartment to myself was great. I walked around in my undies. I sang along to my favourite music at the top of my voice, pretending to be on stage like I used to when I was a kid and Hetty was looking after me. I left the milk out on the counter top, didn’t shave on weekends, and slept in until lunch time on Sundays. All the luxuries that living with an anal, music-hating, clean freak didn’t afford me.
I began to wonder if perhaps Iwasbetter off alone.
* * *
It was the night before Elise was due home, and I was walking around the apartment, trying to ensure everything was tidy toherstandards. I had done nothing but think about our situation, and I had come to the conclusion that Hetty was right. This marriage would be a step too far to please a man whose love I had not yet earned by any other means. Why would marrying my friend make a positive difference? After all, she wasjustmy friend. We weren’t in love. Our time apart had clarified that fact for me and I guessed it would be the same for her.
I was placing the last of my dirty plates into the dishwasher to ensure the place was spotless, when my phone rang with ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He's My Brother’. It was supposed to be ironic, as the weight gain of contentment already made itself known to Callum, and hearing his ringtone—knowing he was oblivious to my reasons for selecting it—usually brought a wry smile to my face. But this time when I picked up the call, I had a feeling in my gut that I couldn’t explain.
‘Fin?’ There was a distinct edge of worry to his voice that made my hairs stand up. He had uttered one word, but the fact that it wasn’t preceded by some rude name or a loud belch instantly told me something was amiss.
‘Hi, Cal. What’s up? Why so serious?’ For a split second, I held my breath, waiting for the joke.
‘Hi, kid. It’s... it’s Dad. He’s had a heart attack.’
Oh, God. He’s calling me kid. That’s really not good.‘Is he... did he...?’ I swallowed hard as my own heart began a futile attempt at an escape through my ribcage.
‘He’s notdead, no. But, it’s pretty serious. I think you should get to the hospital as soon as you can.’
He gave me all the details I needed and I typed them, one-handed, into the memo pad on my phone.
When I arrived, Dad’s room was silent, aside from bleeping machinery, and we all sat round his bed, watching him sleep in his drug-induced slumber. According to the consultant, the heart attack had—thankfully—been mild, but of course, it didn’t stop us from worrying.
My mother looked pale, and I realised I hadn’t ever seen her looking her real age. Not until that occasion. She was usually fully made up, regardless of the time of day. Never a hair out of place.
Without even acknowledging me, my mother left the room to get coffee—I guessed it was at least her sixth cup judging by the empty cardboard receptacles beside her seat. Callum had left a while before to take his heavily pregnant wife home, and so when my father eventually awoke, I was alone with him. Campbell Hunter. My father, the force to be reckoned with. The man I had always tried in vain to please.
Should I tell him I won’t be marrying Elise whilst he’s in hospital? At least they’ll be able to look after him if my news brings on another attack.Ugh... such macabre thoughts...
‘Finlay? Finlay, is that you?’
My father’s croaky voice dragged me from my thoughts, and I moved my chair closer. ‘Yes, Dad. I’m here.’
He wearily glanced round his surroundings. ‘Good… good. Where’s your mother? And your brother?’
‘Mum has just gone for coffee. It’s quite late and I guess she wanted to stay awake. Callum’s taken Tori home. She was exhausted. But we’ve all been here. Even Hetty and her husband Fred.’
He sighed. ‘She’s leaving, you know? Hetty, I mean. She’s moving up to Arisaig to be closer to her sister. Thinks we don’t need her any more. Pah!’
