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Yeah, and this is not news to me, Mum. I glared at my mother; totally unbelieving she’d done something so manipulative and underhanded to me.
“And he is so good to me…” she trailed off, taking a sip of her six o’clock gin and tonic while trying to look innocent. She was damn good at it too.
“Did Neil suggest to you to get me to apply for the job? Did he ask Ian to recommend me?” Realization dawned and I felt the urge to thrash somebody. “Wait—what do you mean Neil is always so good to you, Mum?” I was absolutely fuming with the knowledge I’d been duped by my own family to bring me back to England, and to Neil. But something didn’t ring true with my theory. Neil did not act like he was expecting me. In fact, he looked completely and utterly shocked at seeing me again. Nobody had told him I’d been hired, I would bet my bank account.
It all made sudden sense. My family was conspiring to get us back together.
Not. Going. To. Happen.
“Well, Neil’s always been a lovely boy, Elaina darling. You know that about him. Such a help, especially after your father died.” She took another healthy slug of her G&T and sniffed. “He—he checks in on me quite regularly, my dear, I just never said anything to you about him because he specifically asked us not to bother you with it.”
“Is that so, Mum? Are you taking me for a walk later? Down a plank? Set out over the shark infested ocean?”
I was in shock at what they had done.
“Oh, don’t be so melodramatic, Elaina.”
“MUM.” My mother really needed to take her own advice about the melodrama but she ignored me and kept right on singing Neil’s praises.
“He took care of the service on my car and helped me when that horrible storm knocked down the elm tree in the front. Why, I just don’t know how we’d manage around here if it wasn’t for Neil. You know I think of him as a son and I always have.” She sipped again and then peeked up at me with the raise of her elegant brow over the rim of her glass.
Unbelievable. I crossed my arms beneath my breasts and stared at my mother as if she’d grown a second head. Completely at a loss of how to respond, I gave up in disgust and headed to the bath for a very long soak in the tub.
I made sure to shout extra loud down the hall so she could hear me before I slammed the bathroom door. “Missed your calling, Mum! You should’ve been an actress on the stage!”
While the tub was filling, I rang my brother on my mobile.
“How’s my baby sister?” He sounded quite cheery on the other end and I could hear background noise that sounded like he was probably in the pub.
“Fuck you, Ian.”
“Yeah, well this is not the first time today I’ve heard that exact sentiment—”
“Why am I not surprised?” I yelled, right before I hung up on him.
During my bath I had some time to think without other distractions getting in my way. The shock of seeing Neil again was powerful, and the hurt was still there.
Definitely still there.
Seeing him daily was going to be very hard on me. Oh god, how on earth would I do it? Could I do it? I didn’t want to give up my job but thought I might have to.
I really didn’t know anything about Neil’s life since our break up, other than that he’d respected my wishes and never tried to come after me. He’d read my letter and done as I’d asked. How could he have left Cora after she was having his baby? I knew he wouldn’t have been able to do it, and I was right. I’d seen her coming out of the clinic right before I was off for Italy and she was already showing, a nice little baby bump on her neat tidy figure. That was Neil’s baby growing inside her. His child, that he would never abandon.
I didn’t know he’d landed a fabulous job in London after the army. I’d always imagined he’d made a career in the military all these years, because he’d already achieved rank of Captain last I’d known.
To be fair though, I’d told my mother and brother, that if they tried to interfere or pass along messages from or about Neil, I’d never forgive them for it. I’d announced my plans to take be an au pair and said I wouldn’t be sharing the details of our breakup, so not to ask. They had honored my wishes apparently. I’d known back then, that I’d never be able to hear all about his life after me, and survive. Letting him go early in our relationship had been the better choice for my survival. Moving on to a life without him had been terrifying and agonizing for me, but it was better than killing us both slowly.
I knew things about myself and about my feelings for Neil. Hell, I had the evidence of him, and what he’d meant to me tattooed on my back.
I knew I’d be unable to share him with Cora, or even his child, the instant she gave us her big reveal. No possible way I’d ever manage it. I am not perfect, but I’m honest about things I know to be fact. It would have killed me to stay, and I would have become bitter and vindictive, and destroyed Neil’s love for me anyway.
It was clear from his reactions that they’d been together and made a baby. He never denied it to me so I knew it was true. I forgave Neil that part of it. We weren’t together when he slept with Cora, and he’d just come home from a long lonely tour. I understood. But, I also understood that Neil would never abandon a child that was his. I knew his character, and with the way he’d been abandoned by his father as a boy, he’d never do the same to his own.
I stood to get out of the tub and reached for a towel. As I did I saw my cherry blossoms reflected in the mirror. On my back, right shoulder, where they would always stay. Why had I gotten it done?
Selfishness.
It was my little part of us to keep forever. Cherry blossoms in sky blue. My memory. Mine alone, that nobody could ever take away from me.
