‘I asked you a question,’ Seth says to Laurence. ‘Do you have feelings for the girl I was going to marry?’
Laurence shakes his head and then looks Seth dead in the eyes. ‘I’m going to be honest with you.’ He pauses, squares his shoulders and says, ‘I’m in love with her, okay?’
The next few seconds are such a blur, I barely take them in. Seth’s right arm pulls back and he lets it fly straight into Laurence’s face. He follows up with a left fist to his stomach.
Daisy and I scream, but Francesca doesn’t make a sound. She presses her hands to her face.
Laurence doubles over, then sinks to his knees, his face dripping blood, his breaths coming in wheezing gasps.
‘Seth!’ I cry. ‘What the hell?’
Daisy and I rush over to Laurence who’s tentatively touching his face to see if anything’s damaged.
‘We need to get you to the hospital,’ I say. ‘Can you straighten up?’
‘I think so.’ Laurence’s voice is thick, like he has a heavy cold. ‘I think my nose might be broken. Maybe a couple of ribs too.’
‘I’ll get an ice pack from the freezer.’ Daisy throws me a furious glance before she heads off to the kitchen. I wish she wasn’t so angry at me.
Seth looks down as I crouch next to Laurence. ‘Just tell me,’ he snarls, his eyes glittering with rage. ‘Is this bastard the reason you broke up with me? Was that charade in the church so you two could run off into the sunset? Be honest, Alice.’
‘Of course not!’ I cry. ‘Do you think I’d put myself through something that humiliating and upsetting on purpose?’
‘People have done stranger things,’ Francesca says.
‘Thank you,’ Seth replies to her. He examines his knuckles, carefully opening his fingers and wincing at the self-inflicted pain.
‘There’s absolutely nothing going on between me and Laurence,’ I add, trying to keep my voice calm, but I can’t hide the emotional wobble. ‘Nothing. And if I’d had feelings for Laurence before the wedding, I would have told you. But I didn’t.’
Laurence tries to stem the flow of blood from his nose with the side of his hand, but it’s still gushing.
‘I don’t believe you,’ Seth replies.
‘Seth, you and I aren’t even together any more. I’m sorry I hurt you, but I’m telling you, hand on heart, that Laurence hasnothing to do with what happened between us. I only found out how Laurence feels yesterday. That’s God’s honest truth. I still can’t believe you punched him.’
‘He’s lucky that’s all I did.’
Daisy returns with an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel. ‘Hold that on your nose.’
‘I might need another tea towel for the blood,’ Laurence says thickly.
‘Here.’ She hands him a wodge of kitchen roll. ‘Lean forward a bit and pinch your nose just above your nostrils if it’s not too painful. My car’s at Martin’s – can someone else drive him to the hospital?’
‘Don’t look at me,’ Seth says. ‘Anyway, he doesn’t need the hospital. He’ll be fine.’
Francesca shakes her head. ‘I’m leaving.’
‘Don’t go, Fran,’ Laurence cries. ‘We need to talk.’
‘I’ve got nothing to say to you,’ she replies, and starts walking away.
‘Do you need a lift?’ Seth asks her.
Francesca pauses. ‘Oh ... okay, thanks. I was going to get some fresh air. Clear my head. But maybe, yes, a lift would be great. This has all been ...’ Her voice breaks. ‘A nightmare.’
‘Come on,’ he says.
‘So that’s it?’ I call after him. ‘You come here, punch Laurence and leave?’
