Page 80 of Only You

“Would you like to stay the night?” Andrew asked Eva, as they sat back down, “In the spare room,” he added quickly.

“Thank you,” she said. “That would probably be easier than trying to get a taxi.”

They sat in silence for a few moments, both concentrating on their wine. “What are you going to do about Ana?” Eva probed. Andrew’s heart lurched. This was not a conversation he wanted to be having or should have with his ex-wife. Was she fishing? What were her motives? All he knew was he did not want to talk about it. Just the thought of her name sent a heaviness through his body, leaving his body tingling with fatigue.

“Eva, no disrespect, but this is not really a conversation I want to be having with you,” Andrew added.

Eva shrugged. “I just thought I might help.”

Andrew stared at his ex-wife. She had just entered their lives after seven years. How was she going to help? It is not like she was best friends with Ana. He’d have more chance asking Millie and George for their help. If anything, her sister intimidated Ana.

An awkward silence descended.

“Are you staying in the UK?”

“I want to. I’m applying for jobs in local hospitals. I’m hoping something will come up.” There was a pause. “I’ve done a lot of healing over the past few years. I am emotionally in a place of strength now.”

“I’m pleased,” Andrew heard himself say, realising he meant it.

“It’s strange sitting here with you after all these years. You are a good man, Andrew Dennison, and an amazing father. Watching you with Olivia and seeing the bond you have with her is more than I could have ever dreamed.”

Andrew wanted to know, “Do you think we would have made it, if it hadn’t been for your father?”

Eva looked at him, her head tilted. “What do you think?”

Andrew stared at the ceiling. “If I’m honest. No,” Taking a deep breath, he continued, “I have thought a lot about what you said and the cracks in our marriage were already showing when you found out you were pregnant. I think that is the reason your father had so much emotional sway over you... We were too different.” Andrew looked at Eva. “I’m sorry. If our relationship had been stronger, maybe you would have confided in me about your father’s abuse instead of suffering in silence. We may still have been together for Olivia’s sake, but I don’t think it would have been a happy marriage.”

It surprised Andrew when Eva laughed. “Thousands of dollars’ worth of counselling. Maybe what I really needed to do was sit down and have a frank conversation with you. You are a special man, Andrew, but we were completely different people. You wanted to settle down, and I thought I wanted that too, but what I really wanted was to escape.” Eva sighed sadly. “You were the perfect escape plan. My father thought you were perfect. Head of our class, his colleagues spoke highly of you. Your future was bright.” Eva shook her head. “There was no perfect fix. I recognise how broken I was.”

A chill flooded Andrew’s body. “How is that different from Ana? When I met her, she was destitute, her landlord had attacked her, she was waiting tables, trying to make ends meet to continue her course. I gave her a lifeline. Maybe she thought about us and came to the same conclusion you did.”

“The difference between Ana and me? She had already made the break.” Eva sat up taller and smiled. “She got out on her own. She didn’t need a knight in shining armour to sweep her off her feet. Ana had already rescued herself. Even if you hadn’t come along, she would never have gone back. She abandoned a life she loved to escape him and his reach.”

Eva’s face glowed with pride. “I have kept tabs on my little sister for the past couple of years.” Andrew raised an eyebrow, and Eva laughed. “It helped to have friends in the same hospital.” It surprised Andrew at the pride in Eva’s voice, “They expected her to do great things, and then suddenly, I got a call to say she was gone.” Her face went serious. “It took me a while to track her down. Imagine my surprise when I found her living with my ex-husband.”

Andrew had to smile. “I can only imagine.”

“Andrew Dennison, if I could choose anyone for my little sister. It would be you.” Andrew stared at Eva; she differed from the woman he had known seven years ago. “I may be the problem.”

“Why do you say that?”

“What does or has Ana said about me?” Eva asked.

“That you were perfect. You did nothing wrong.” Andrew stopped, her words shining a new light.

“Exactly. She does not know what my childhood was like. By the time Ana was old enough, I was toeing the line. What she saw was a mask, my coping mechanism.”

“But you’ve come back. She knows your life is not perfect.”

Eva frowned. “Does she? I haven’t told her. The night Olivia disappeared, I asked her for a second chance. She has probably put two and two together... she thinks I want you and Olivia back.” Eva stared down at her clenched fists. “Regardless of how much she loves and wants you, she won’t fight the perfect person. She is self-preserving. She’s had to do that all her life. In her mind, she can’t compete. She’s probably left us together tonight, hoping to give Olivia and you the family she knows you want.”

Could Eva be right? Ana had changed from the moment Eva had reappeared. Until then, he could have sworn they were on the same page with their attraction and feelings. The night they made love, he had felt completely connected. The following morning, everything had been wonderful... until the doorbell rang.

Andrew ran a hand over his face. “What do I do? I don’t think simply telling her will work. She will not believe me. She can barely even look at me.”

A sharp pain shot through his chest.

“Do you love her?”

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