Twenty-one
After Tom’s declaration last night, and her own, Hope knew she had to speak to Rob. She had intended to meet him in any event but now it seemed more urgent. She took Lady E with her mainly so that she didn’t have to tell her parents that she was meeting Rob.
‘You look different,’ he said, as she let Lady E off her lead.
‘Do I?’
She blushed because she felt different since she had slept with Tom. She felt stronger and more beautiful and more confident in some way.
‘Yes. So … have you given it some thought? Have you come to a decision?’
She nodded. ‘I have, Rob.’
‘And it is good news for me?’
She shook her head. ‘Sadly not. Although in a way it is. I’m doing you a favour. I’m setting you free from whatever it is you think binds us together.’
‘Love binds us together.’
‘No it doesn’t.’
‘You’ve changed, Hope. And I’m not sure it’s for the better.’
‘Well I do. You can’t come back after eight years apart and expect things to be just like they were when we were at university together. You made the choice to go travelling, not me. You were the one who wanted to go off and see the world in all its glory. And I don’t blame you for that. Betancourt Bay wasn’t enough for you then, how can you be sure it’s enough for you now? It’s always been enough for me.’
‘I don’t know, Hope. But my plan was always to come back to you. I told you that at the time. And as I said the other day, I just needed to get the wanderlust out of my system. I have. Holidays a few times a year will be enough for me now. I want to have a family, Hope. While I’m young enough to really enjoy them.’
‘Life can’t be all about what you want, Rob. I wanted things too. And I want things now. It’s not the fact you went that broke my heart. It was because you just upped and left one day and I never heard from you again. Until the other night. I don”t want to be the one you come home to, Rob. I want to be the one you can”t bear to leave. I want to be the prize. Not the consolation.’
‘You are the prize. I’ve come back for you, Hope. You. Nothing else.’
‘And you just expected me to be waiting for you.’
He shrugged. ‘I wasn’t sure. But my family kept me updated, so I knew you hadn’t met anyone special. And I hoped you wouldn’t. Until I could be sure that I could come back and stay. Doesn’t the fact that you are still single tell you that you and I are meant to be together?’
‘No. It tells me that I hadn’t met the one for me. Until just recently.’
‘The … the one for you. That’s me, Hope. I’m the one for you, and you’re the one for me.’
Hope shook her head slowly. ‘No Rob. You’re not. I thought you could be, once. But now I know I was wrong. I’m sorry Rob, but that’s my final decision.’
He looked dejected and she felt sorry for him although there was no reason why she should.
She stepped towards him and squeezed his hand; he pulled her into his arms and hugged her.
She was going to push him away but he seemed to need this final hug and perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing.
Now they could at least part as friends.