Chapter Twenty-One
October 2016
Lydia offered Melanie a cup of coffee or tea from the Nespresso machine in the hotel room, but she declined.
‘May I?’ Melanie indicated the sofa and requested she sit down.
‘Of course.’
‘I suppose you’re wondering why I’m here.’ Melanie clutched her bag protectively on her lap and fiddled with the handles. ‘I’ve been out of the country for a while.’
‘I know, you told me you were going away. Remember, at the hospital?’
Melanie looked up and smiled. ‘That’s right.’ She cleared her throat. ‘I haven’t been back to the UK since I left shortly after that day.’
‘And how’s the arm?’
‘It’s long since healed, thank you.’
‘How did you know I was here?’
‘I contacted Theo’s mum – my old boss had Theo’s personal details and checked with her whether it would be okay.’ Melanie looked around nervously and her eyes fell on the water jug. ‘Actually, could I trouble you for a glass of water?’
‘Sure.’ Lydia obliged and got one for herself at the same time. She passed one glass to Melanie.
Melanie asked after Theo but Lydia still wanted to know why she was here. ‘I don’t mean to be rude. But it seems a little odd, you coming here, to see me.’
‘I’m sorry if this is all a bit of a surprise.’ Melanie didn’t make eye contact. ‘I went to see Theo a few days ago.’
‘You did?’
‘Being in the accident together, and with me walking away virtually unscathed, I always kept everything crossed that he’d pull through. But he’s as he was before I left.’
Lydia sipped her water. ‘There’s not much change, no, but there are small differences.’ For some reason she felt defensive.
Melanie looked close to tears and Lydia told her, ‘You don’t need to feel guilty. It was an accident and I don’t blame you, you know.’ She hoped her words would help because this woman looked distraught.
Melanie’s face fell and she pulled a piece of paper out of her bag.
‘I don’t understand, is this mine?’ Lydia was looking at a piece of paper she recognised, and when Melanie didn’t say anything, she studied the details more carefully and realised she was indeed looking at a duplicate of the emailed hotel confirmation for the very booking she was trying to enjoy now. Her thirty-first birthday surprise.
She looked at Melanie again. ‘I don’t understand, I really don’t.’ But as Melanie kept schtum, she began to. ‘Theo sent you a copy of this?’
Melanie nodded. ‘I’m sorry, Lydia. If you’d rather I left then it’s up to you, but if I may, I’d like to tell you everything. It’s about time.’
Lydia went over to the minibar. She didn’t care how much it cost. She needed a sugar rush, something, any kind of hit to knock her back from the sideways swipe she’d just had. ‘Just tell me. I think I need to know.’ She pulled open the can of Coke and stood facing the window, the view of London sprawled out beneath her, as Melanie explained everything.
‘Theo and I were working together a lot last year and as you know, he was devastated he didn’t get the first promotion. It went to Darren Pike, a bloke not many people liked but one who’d wheedled his way into the company and for some reason moved up the hierarchy with a practised ease.’
Lydia looked at Melanie now and her look told her to get on with it.
‘Anyway, we were spending a lot of time together and Theo was certain the next promotion would be his. I helped him with various projects and we spent hours at the office, often until midnight.’
Lydia knew. He’d come home late enough on many occasions. It was so pedestrian, an office affair. But she wanted the details now. After all, Theo couldn’t tell her, could he? She took a swig of Coke and let the sugar coat her teeth, the fizz give her the energy to keep on listening.
‘After the disappointment of the promotion going to someone else,’ Melanie went on, ‘Theo seemed to be really down. He was quiet. I’d ask him if everything was okay and he’d say of course it was, but on a night out he told me everything.’
Lydia closed her eyes against the view but then turned to Melanie. ‘He told you we were having problems?’
