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‘More’s the pity.’
‘OK, Lewis Hamilton, get going. Warm-up lap pace, please.’
I jerk and bunny hop, crunching the gears with a groan. He’s going to need a new gearbox at this rate. When we get to the pub, I turn into the driveway around the back that borders the park. ‘Ooh look, there’s Pete,’ I say, waving to him and inadvertently stalling the car.
‘Close enough to the lines,’ Finn says and gets out of the car. Probably safest. ‘Hey, Pete!’ he calls out.
‘Is he gardening?’ I step over the flower border to investigate.
‘Hey, Elodie, Finn,’ he says, wiping his hands on the back of his jeans before shaking our hands.
‘What’s all this then?’ I point to a rubbish bag and gardening tools.
He wears a proud smile that’s enough to break my heart. ‘I spoke to the local constabulary about helping out in the community for a bit. Pay my dues, sort of thing. They suggested I could do a bit of work in the park. Pick up rubbish, neaten the beds, sweep up the leaves that seem to fall nonstop, odds and ends … I’ve been working alongside the gardener Leon, whose been showing me the ropes.’ He gives an embarrassed laugh. ‘It might lead to a job, who knows? But the experience will help with whatever the next stage is.’
I give him a hug. ‘Pete, that’s great news! You’re on the way to living those dreams.’
His face goes scarlet, but he says, ‘Yeah, I hope so. I had some making up to do. Honestly, I know I’ve been let away with a lot. People turned a blind eye to what I was doing. The only way to show that I’ve changed is to prove it. So that’s my plan. And I’ve been speaking with the therapist Finn hooked me up with, which has been really helpful.’
I glance at Finn who just shrugs. He’s like a vault at times.
‘The therapist suggested I get out of my comfort zone and own up to my mistakes. It was hard putting myself out there. I was scared the local constables would take one look at me and laugh, you know? But they didn’t laugh, they said I was a good man for trying to turn my life around and that they believed I could do it. In the streets people keep saying hello, ’cause they’ve recognised me out of the paper or heard my story at the library. I’ve joined an online support group too. And that’s helped a lot knowing I’m not the only one who felt the same compulsions but is making a go of it. It can be done.’
‘I’m dead proud of you,’ I say, grinning at him.
‘It’s thanks to you, Elodie, for starting this whole experiment. Without you, things would never have changed.’
‘I’m not sure about that but thank you. And I look forward to catching up with you at Sofia’s after she’s had her turn as a human book.’
‘Me too. Can’t wait.’
We say our goodbyes and head into the pub for a cosy weekend lunch. I love these lazy Sundays with Finn, where there’s no rush, nothing to do except be with each other and enjoy a nice meal before returning home and curling up in bed together. Tomorrow, it’s Sofia’s turn as a human book and I can’t wait to see what the sessions manage to do for her. But right now, I focus purely on the man in front of me, willing our food to arrive quickly so we can go home and snuggle. Light rain falls, as my love for Finn blooms.
Later that evening I get a text from Teddy. I go to Finn’s bathroom to read it privately.
Dad back in hospital. Cardiologist said they’re monitoring because of one abnormal ECG. Whatever it was the following ECGs were normal. Dad said it’s a lot of bother over nothing but I wanted you to know.
I knew his whole health kick was too good to be true.
I text back:Should I come home?
Teddy replies:No, he told me not to tell you.
Worry sits heavy in my belly. The only thing I can do is get this library saved and then go home and see what’s really going on.
Chapter 22
SOFIA
‘I’m going to be honest, I did want to kill him at times. There’s plenty of land to bury the body and no one would have been any the wiser. But that’s not in my nature! Kill him with kindness more like. I loved my husband, probably too much. Easy to look back with hindsight and see how he tricked me. Love-bombed me, they call it these days. Made me feel like I was the only woman in the world, and at my age, it was quite a heady thing. When I found out he’d emptied one of my accounts, I guess I knew, but I didn’t want to face it. I figured there must have been an explanation that would make sense.
‘And there was. An addiction to gambling!ThatI could work with. I felt that he’d fallen down the rabbit hole of gambling and that it wasn’t his fault. Addictions are never easy, are they? I told him the best way through this for our marriage was if I cut the money off – but I supported him emotionally and encouraged him to find a job. If he wanted to gamble away his salary, then that would be his choice.
‘But he had to prove to me he could stand on his own two feet. I wouldn’t be his cash cow. Little did I know he’d steal from the council! That made matters a hundred times worse.When they found out, he up and left, just like that. Took the money and ran. I found out later, there was no gambling addiction, just the thrill of fleecing people and hightailing it. I believe in karma though and I know one day he’ll be caught – but I had to eventually let it go. Otherwise I’d be the one turning bitter.
‘It was the fallout in town afterwards that hurt so much. I understood very well how they’d fallen for his charm – didn’t I do the exact same thing? But they kept me at arm’s length. Stopped me from being included. Spread so many malicious rumours about me that I wanted to sell up and leave. I’ve never felt so alone. And all because I loved a man who betrayed me.
‘Do I forgive them now? I’m getting there. That’s due to this experiment and finding my people with the other human books. And with Finn and Elodie. Elodie is someone mighty special. Without her, I’d have only lasted another summer before selling up. I’d given myself one more year and if things hadn’t improved I was going to leave. Head to France and buy a lovely little chateau there.
