Page 5 of One More Time

‘Come on then.’ She forced cheerfulness she was far from feeling. ‘Why don’t you come back inside and dance with your beautiful granddaughters?’

He cleared his throat. ‘Of course. Just give me a few minutes.’

‘Okay.’ She leant in and kissed his cheek. ‘Be kind to yourself, won’t you? You’re a good man, Charlie Wilson. Just broken, that’s all.’

‘You’re too good to me, Grace.’ He shifted from foot to foot, and then looked her in the eyes with deep intent. ‘God certainly sent me an angel, the day you skated into my life, and for that, I’ll be eternally grateful.’

‘I don’t regret having loved you, Charlie, not ever.’ Holding his powerful gaze, she offered him a small smile. ‘I’ll see you inside, okay?’

He nodded and she walked away, each step feeling heavier than the last.

Ten minutes later, Charlie was on the dance floor, waltzing both girls around. Grace took absolute delight in watching them out of the corner of her eye, as she caught up with her oldest and dearest friends, Jenny and Marty Lovell.

‘This next song is a request for the birthday girl,’ the singer said in his smooth drawl, catching Grace’s attention, and also half of the room’s.

As the band began to play Joe Cocker’s ‘You Are So Beautiful’, Grace’s pulse quickened as she watched Charlie make his way toward her. When he reached the table, her friends fell silent and all eyes fell upon him.

‘Hi Charlie,’ Jenny said with her customary cheeky smile.

‘Hi Jenny, Marty. Nice to see you two.’ He smiled that same charming smile that had won Grace over all those years ago. ‘May I have this dance, please, Grace?’ he asked, his gaze locking onto hers.

Almost declining his offer, but thinking better of it – she didn’t want to embarrass him in front of everyone – she smiled and said. ‘Of course you can.’ Then she stood before she changed her mind. ‘Excuse me, ladies.’

Reaching the dance floor, Charlie took her hand and she swayed into him as they found their little space amid the crowd. Sticking with tradition, Charlie led, and Grace was happy to follow. Dancing near them, Hope flashed her mother a meaningful glance over Kelvin’s shoulder. Grace gave her daughter a don’t-start look back, along with a playful smile. Although, not having been this close to Charlie for many years, she silently admitted how well they still fitted together and how nice it felt to be back within his arms again, if only for this dance. With his hand resting in the small of her back, they all but floated around the dance floor, lit by the large disco ball above. The glittering fragments evoked so many memories.

Her gaze met with his chest, and she released a contented sigh as she looked up and into his eyes. ‘This song brings back some sweet recollections, Charlie.’

‘It sure does,’ he said. ‘Those were the days, weren’t they?’

‘Some of them, yes.’ She caught a whiff of his aftershave, and couldn’t help but smile. ‘You’re wearing my favourite.’

‘I am.’ He flicked his gaze down at her, looking at her as if from the depths of his soul.

Lost in that moment, Grace found herself at a loss for words. Before she knew it, the song had changed, and Willie Nelson’s hit song ‘Always On My Mind’ began. How uncanny, or had Charlie requested this song too? What was he playing at, making her feel so much?

She stepped back a little, in a bid to catch her breath. Charlie seized her eyes with his again, his gaze begging her not to walk away … and just like that, the earth tilted beneath her feet and she was tumbling into their past. It was as if a lost piece of her had suddenly returned and clicked back into place. The sensation was both sweet and heartbreakingly bitter.

Maybe, if she weren’t about to bid her life farewell thanks to the cancer riddling her, she’d allow her heart to connect with his again, but she couldn’t. Wouldn’t.

And she couldn’t let him know the news. Not tonight, and certainly not before she’d told Hope.

Tomorrow.

There was always tomorrow.

She blinked a few times, trying to right the world around her, but despite her efforts, everything began to spin like a kaleidoscope.

‘Are you okay, Grace?’ Charlie’s voice sounded as if it were under water.

She nodded, blinking fast.

‘Here, let me walk you back to the table,’ Charlie said gently as he took her arm in his. ‘You look like you need to have a rest.’

* * *

A few hours later, after bidding all of the guests goodnight, Charlie was driving Grace home, as Hope had left a little earlier to tuck her two incredibly tired girls into bed.

Halfway to Waterside Estate, the sky opened and heavy raindrops pelted the windshield. Slowing, Charlie flicked the wipers on, and they bounced in rhythm to the Frank Sinatra song playing from the radio. Grace hummed beside him, her gaze transfixed out the window.