Page 103 of The Day After Christmas
‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’
‘I don’t know. I honestly don’t. I meant to, so many times.’
Bex stood up suddenly, fists clenched. ‘It doesn’t matter what youmeant to do,Adam. Surely even someone like you can see that? It only matters what youdid. You shagged that Tabitha and that other girl and you treated them so badly that they turned up on our wedding day and ruined everything. Can you even begin to conceive of even a tiny inkling of how I feel right now?’
Adam was stammering now, looking up at his once beautiful bride, who currently looked more like a walking corpse.
‘Yes, take a good look,’ said Bex, walking slowly towards him. ‘This is what you’ve done to me. This is what you did.’ Tears began to roll down her cheeks. ‘I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I don’t want to go anywhere or see anyone. I’m a wreck.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ whispered Adam.
‘And do you know the worst part of all?’ said Bex, almost shouting now. ‘The worst part is I’ve hurt my friendship with these two,’ she pointed to Sophie and Felicity, ‘really badly. Most likely beyond repair. I’ve hurt Felicity, I’ve refused to listen to her, and of course, she was bloody right all along, wasn’t she? And I’ve treated Sophie like absolute shite. I’d be surprised if they ever speak to me after tonight, so I may as well say it. They are the two people I love most in the world and you have destroyed it all. What do you say to that?’
Bex sat back down but her shoulders were heaving and she was breathing hard.
Adam shifted his feet and looked around the room. Felicity and Sophie were starting to get uncomfortable perching side by side on the windowsill but they didn’t dare move.
And then he stood up. ‘I was going to make some excuse,’ he said. ‘But when you put it like that, I have none.’
Bex’s eyes grew wide.
‘I am despicable, you’re right,’ said Adam, his jaw flexing. ‘I’ve treated you terribly badly I know but I came here to win you back, to try and make amends. I can see now that that’snot going to happen. My only option is to leave you with my apologies and an assurance that it is you and only you that I love, no matter what you say.’
With that, he backed out of the room. Felicity, Sophie and Bex looked at each other, mouths open. This was very un-Adam-like behaviour. After a beat the three women followed him out into the hall where he was hastily pulling on a pair of very expensive-looking pointed brogues. Felicity had always hated those shoes.
‘I won’t be back,’ he said, straightening up at last and looking Bex dead in the eye.
‘That’s probably for the best,’ said Sophie, stepping between them.
‘Good riddance,’ said Felicity, her voice catching in her throat. Adam glanced at her and she was delighted to find even the sight of those eyes finding hers did nothing for her anymore. She was free at last.
Adam looked back at Bex. ‘I’ll go then, shall I?’
‘Off you go then,’ said Felicity.
But still he waited, eyebrows raised. Bex and Adam stared at each other for the longest time. It was almost as if he was waiting for her to follow him. Calling her bluff. Fully expecting her to capitulate and beg him to come home.Don’t you dare,thought Felicity.
‘And don’t come back,’ said Bex, finally. Adam’s face dropped to the floor and simultaneously, Felicity’s heart leapt in her chest. Had she finally broken the chains? One day, Bex would be free too, thought Felicity, and what a day that would be.
As Adam slammed the door behind him the three friends looked at each for a long moment and then for some reason burst out laughing, Bex the loudest of all.
‘Well, that was easy,’ said Felicity with a grin, and they laughed some more. It felt good, somehow. Even Bex lookedrelieved although they had to help her back to her chair, she was so wobbly on her feet. It was a big day, after all.
CHAPTER 49
When James came back on the Friday, something was different. Off, you might even say. Felicity felt it as soon as he came in the door. He looked tired, his handsome face a little drawn, so perhaps that was all it was but a sinking feeling appeared in her stomach and two days later, it still hadn’t left. He didn’t even react when she told him what had gone down with Bex during the week. Not even when she gently mentioned Adam had been in the house. This was peculiar.
‘Is everything all right?’ she attempted, as they sat in their favourite pub that Sunday. It was their favourite partly because it didn’t just allow but positively welcomed dogs so there were always some ears to scritch, but also because their Sunday roast came with a pie on the side, “pie and slice” they called it, because everything is better with pastry. Even the vegetarian version for Felicity was absolute heaven.
‘Why wouldn’t it be?’ said James.
‘I don’t know. You just seem a little bit off,’ she said, waving her fork around as if it would help her put her thoughts in order.
‘I’m just tired,’ was his reply, which wasn’t any comfort.
‘You always say that when you’re mad with me.’
‘No, I don’t. And surely I can also say it when I’m just tired?’
