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‘No looking back now, Jan. Come with me.’
Janet nodded and the couple walked to their car together. When Mimi looked up at Rafe he was watching them go.
‘It’s such a shame.’ Suddenly the sadness of it all struck her. ‘They’re losing almost everything...’
‘You think so?’ He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze from the couple, walking so close, as if they were in their own little bubble. ‘Seems to me that they’re taking everything that really matters with them.’
* * *
Rafe led the small procession of cars back to Charlie’s house, parking outside, while Mimi backed her car into the sideway, ready to unload it. Charlie had obviously been looking out for them and the garage doors swung open, light flooding out.
‘I thought we could stack everything in the garage and sort it all out tomorrow.’
‘Thank you, Charlie.’ Janet had a hug for him.
‘My pleasure. Dinner’s nearly ready. Jan, come and help me, eh?’ He caught hold of Janet’s hand.
‘I’ll be there in a minute. I want to bring my sewing box into the house...’
Rafe gave her his car keys and she skittered off through the rain to the SUV.
‘Mimi, Rafe, you’re joining us.’ Charlie spun his wheelchair round as if the matter was already settled, making for the door that led from the back of the garage into the house.
‘I should really get going.’ Matthew had followed Janet and they were alone suddenly in the open doorway of the garage.
‘Do you have to? You could have a meal with us and stay with me.’ When Mimi looked up at him, Rafe realised that he didn’t have to do anything. But even though a meal in the hospital canteen and a disturbed night’s sleep in one of the doctors’ on-call rooms didn’t appeal to him very much, it was infinitely preferable to the mess he might get himself into if he stayed.
‘It’s not a good idea, Mimi.’ It really wasn’t. Last night he’d gone to sleep not realising that he was in the same bed they’d made love in, but tonight it was doubtful whether he could ignore that.
‘I hurt you, didn’t I?’
‘It wasn’t your fault, Mimi.’
She tossed her head, her fair hair slipping from the collar of her jacket and streaming over her shoulders. He wanted to touch it so badly, to clear the damp strands from her face. He wanted to touch her.
‘But still...’
Then he realised. He’d hidden his pain from her but she needed it, just the same as he needed hers. Just as he had wanted some small expression of regret that it was all over, so did she.
‘Mimi...’ He took a step closer, and they were almost touching. ‘Leaving you tore my heart out. And yes, it hurt a lot and for a long time. But, looking back now, it was for the best.’
‘You think so?’ There was an edge to her voice, a hint of anger. The final refuge of the broken-hearted.
‘Don’t you?’
Her cheeks flushed. ‘I’ve no idea, Rafe. Not a clue.’
She turned away from him before he had a chance to answer. Walking to her car, she hauled out the heaviest box, staggering a little under its weight, until Matthew rushed to help her.
‘I’m hurting now...’ Rafe walked to his car, murmuring the words under his breath, even now not able to say them out loud.
He unloaded the car, working steadily so that he didn’t have any chance to stop and think, let alone stop and talk. When he was done, he exchanged handshakes and hugs with Janet and Matthew and bade goodbye to Charlie, waving away all of his protests that he’d cooked far too much for four and that only five would do.
Then Mimi. She was hanging back, fidgeting in one corner of the garage.
‘What time shall I pick you up tomorrow?’
‘Eight would be fine. If you get any sleep.’ She seemed determined to leave him in no doubt that he was being petty and that thought was unexpectedly warming.
