Page 69 of For One Moment With You
This time, it isn’t Alex’s voice. Blinking my eyes open, I see Adam standing there.
‘Are you up for a visitor?’ His voice is gentle.
‘I think so.’ As he sits down, I try to ease myself up in the bed, which has the result of setting off all these bleeping sounds.
‘Are you OK?’
‘Fine,’ I say as breezily as I can, given I’ve been unconscious for… ‘Do you know how long I’ve been here?’ I ask him.
‘Five days,’ he says.
I exhale slowly. No wonder I feel exhausted. In five days, I’ve relived most of my entire life. ‘I didn’t know.’
‘I guess you wouldn’t have.’ There’s an odd expression on his face as he seems to study me.
‘You found me, didn’t you?’ I ask.
He nods. ‘Long story. I’ll fill you in sometime, but…’
‘Can you tell me now? If you’re not in a hurry, that is?’ I need to know, to start filling in the blanks. But more than anything I want to know what’s brought him here.
‘Well…’ His eyes are warm as he gazes at me. ‘I’m not sure where to start, really.’
‘How about with the last time we saw each other?’
‘That was years ago.’ He frowns slightly.
‘You were with your wife,’ I say helpfully. But where is she now? And actually, we saw each other again, shortly after.
‘That’s right. Your boys were teenagers. They’re great, by the way. You must be very proud of them.’
‘Soproud,’ I say softly.
‘About a year later, Louise and I separated.’ He fidgeted with his hands.
I’m flabbergasted. They’d seemed so easy together. ‘Why?’
‘We came to the conclusion we’d grown apart.’ He looks rueful. ‘It was all very amicable, and we’re still friends. We had a really nice life together. Both of us were happy. But I think getting older focuses the mind.’ Looking thoughtful, he smiles. ‘I suppose both of us knew we were missing something.’ He hesitates. ‘Remember we saw each other again – after you’d been to see a divorce lawyer?’
I nodded.
‘I came back to look for you. It was the same when you saw me with Louise. I persuaded her to let me show her the town where I used to live. But I was looking for you that time, too.’
I find myself holding my breath. ‘You should have told me.’
‘It wasn’t the time, was it?’ There’s warmth in his eyes as he looks at me.
‘What about now?’ I have to ask. ‘Is there someone else?’
A smile plays on his lips. ‘There’s so much to talk about,’ he says softly. ‘I know you’re here on your own – the boys told me. But…’ He holds my gaze. ‘You and Gareth were together for such a long time. What happened between you?’
I frowned. ‘You know we really are getting divorced?’
‘Your boys told me. I asked if Gareth was here – that was the only reason.’
‘Oh.’ I’m silent for a moment. ‘It’s been quite shit, actually.’ I sigh. ‘When he told me he’d met someone else, my whole life seemed to fall apart. She’s pregnant, by the way.’
For a moment, he doesn’t say anything. ‘It can’t have been easy.’
