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“Okay,” his dad said with a sigh. “I’ll make you an offer. You can come and work for me. I’ll let Amy do her own thing and I won’t interfere, but there’s something you have to do for me.”
“What?”
“You have to swear to me that things between you and Amy are over. There can be no feelings between the two of you from now on. You need to move on and find someone who is more suitable.”
“I don’t understand what you’re asking me to do.”
“If I give you this job, then you can never speak or talk to Amy again, unless it’s at a family occasion. You are to be perfect strangers to each other. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
“So, you’re willing to give Amy her life back, but only if I stay out of it?”
“Exactly.” His dad gave him a stiff nod. “I’m glad you’re catching up.”
John sat back in his chair. The offer that his father had just made was circling in his head. What was he going to do? Could he really accept the deal? Could he really walk out of Amy’s life for a second time without any explanation? “Do I really have to cut Amy out of my life?” he asked, because he hoped that perhaps his father might find the heart that supposedly beat in his chest.
“It’s the only way that this will work.”
“Why?” John asked. “Why is it the only way that it’ll work? What do Amy’s and my relationship have to do with work?”
“I’m not going to have you ruin my reputation,” his dad told him firmly. “I will not have you two sneaking around. It’s disgusting and it’s wrong. If you really care about Amy, if you really love her in the way that you profess to, then you’ll take this offer. You’ll let her move on, so she can be happy.”
“Fine,” John said quietly. “If that’s the only way, then I’ll do it.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite hear you,” his dad leered across the desk. “You’re going to need to say that a little bit louder.”
“Fine,” John sighed. “I’ll cut her out of my life, as long as you keep to your word.”
“My word is good, son; you don’t need to worry about that.”
“So, what happens now?” John asked.
“You can start next week,” his dad told him with a thoughtful expression. “I’d suggest that you find somewhere else to stay until then, so you and Amy don’t cross paths.”
“So, what, I can’t even have this last weekend with her?”
“I think that would be for the best.” His father nodded. “I know you care about her, John; my intention has never been and never will be to hurt you. I hope you can understand that it brings me no pleasure to keep the pair of you apart. I’m only doing what’s right. I’m protecting this family and, one day, hopefully you will both understand that.”
John stood up. “I guess I better go and pack a bag then.” He could feel his shoulders sinking into his body. He wasn’t happy. He’d managed to get what he wanted, but it had been at the steepest possible price.
“You’ve done the right thing here,” his dad called after him. “There aren’t many men out there who would sacrifice so much for a girl.”
********
Chapter 19
Amy
Amy was in the kitchen when a dull thumping noise started, coming from the stairs. She pulled herself to her feet and walked out into the hall, so she could see what was making the noise. It was John. He was making his way down the stairs with a heavy-looking bag. The bag kept bouncing off of the stairs behind him as he struggled down with it.
“Where are you going?” Amy asked when he’d reached the bottom of the stairs. “You never said that you were going away.”
“It’s kind of a last-minute thing.” John shrugged.
“I don’t get it.” Amy frowned at him. “I thought you were sticking around for a while?”
“Things change, plans change.”
“I guess,” Amy said reluctantly. “When are you going to get back?”
“I don’t know.” John avoided her eyes. “I’m pretty sure that I’m going to be gone for a while, though.”
“Are you going to write this time?” Amy tried to smile, but there was a heavy feeling lining the pit of her stomach that was making the action harder than it should have been. “You’re not just going to leave me again, are you?” she asked weakly.
It was clear from John’s expression that was exactly what he’d planned to do. “Amy.” He shuffled his feet. “I know that we were close a long time ago, but that was just that, a long time ago,” he told her without looking up from the ground. “I get that life is being hard on you at the moment, but that’s not my fault. I can’t just stick around for you.”
“I’m not asking you to do that,” Amy told him quickly. She could feel her cheeks flushing red from the things that he’d just said. “I’m not asking you to stay; I’m just asking that you stay in touch.”
“Amy, it’s time that you moved on.”
“Moved on from what?” She frowned at him.
“It doesn’t matter.” He lifted the bag back to his shoulders. “I need to go.”
“You can’t just go.” She tried to get in front of him, but he was already at the door. “You can’t do this. Not again,” she tried desperately, but it was clear that he’d made up his mind. “Please,” she called after him, when he’d walked onto the porch. “Please, don’t do this to me again.”
He didn’t stop walking. He didn’t say goodbye. He just got into the black car that was parked in the driveway and left. Amy stood at the door until the car was out of sight. Her eyes were burning, but she wasn’t sure whether that was because of her tears or because she hadn’t blinked since John had walked to the car.
She walked back through the house and to the kitchen, where she’d been before she’d heard John making his way down the stairs. A strange, cold, numbing feeling started to spread over her body. She was confused. She was confused about why John had just left. She’d thought that they were getting along. She’d thought they were getting close again, but obviously she’d been wrong.
“Amy, I need to talk to you,” her stepfather said as he walked into the room.
“Can it wait?” Amy sighed. She’d had enough to deal with for one day. She’d just watched the guy that she loved leave her for a second time. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with her stepfather on top of that.
“No, not really,” he said seriously. “It’s actually a matter of importance.”
“Oh?” Amy looked over at him. “Well, what is it, then?”
“You’ll be happy to know that I’ve filled the position in my company. You will no longer be needed.”
“I won’t be needed?” Amy asked in disbelief. What was going on? Had she woken up to some kind of alternate reality?
“No,” her stepfather confirmed. “You’re welcome to go and apply for any job that you see fit. I will not punish you for your choice.”
> “Who have you got to replace me?” Amy asked curiously. Over the last week, she’d learned that her stepfather had sent his own son away so that he could ensure that Amy would be good enough to join his company. Who had he managed to find that was comparable?
“Does that matter?”
“I guess not.” Amy shrugged. “Do you know that John’s gone?”
“I’m his father, of course I know.” He frowned at her.
Amy didn’t say anything. She could feel the cogs in her mind quietly turning. She was working something out, even though she wasn’t sure what. Her instincts were telling her that something wasn’t right. How could it be? Her father had done a complete turnaround and John was gone. The cogs had stopped turning. That was it. That was what she was trying to work out. John leaving and her stepfather’s turnaround were connected, she was sure of it.
“Did you force John to leave again?” She turned so that her eyes met with her stepfather’s.
“So what, if I did?” He shrugged. “You’ve been given a free pass. You can take whatever job you want. Why are you still complaining?”
“You sent him away.” Amy shook her head in disbelief. “Why? Why did you do that to him? Why have you made him leave his family again?” She was angry. She was angrier than she had ever been in her life. She could feel it burning through her veins, as her heart pushed the violent feeling out into her body.
“You think this is because of me?” her stepfather asked in surprise. “You think that he left because I forced him to?”
“Yes,” Amy said quietly. “Yes, I think you forced him to. He wouldn’t have gone otherwise. He wouldn’t have left me again. I know him.”
Her stepfather laughed. “Well, you’re wrong,” he told her cheerfully. “John left through his own choice.”
