Chapter 25
‘I’ve got to go,’ Beth told Sarah in a daze, staring at the now silent phone in her hand. There would be a train back to Bristol in about 45 minutes, she needed to collect her thoughts and some belongings and make sure she was ready to jump onboard.
Matthew had already phoned for a plumber, but Beth needed to get back to the flat as quickly as possible to let him get in and staunch the flow of water, which according to their neighbour was akin to a small river.
‘Me too. I need to speak to Darren,’ Sarah was saying, her face grim.
‘I mean I have to leave Welby.’
‘Oh, Beth darling. Don’t give up. There has got to be something we can do to stop that woman. I’m going to speak to Darren and see what he thinks. When he realises what is going on he will be on our side. I’m sure of it.’
‘I don't think he’ll be able to do anything,’ interrupted Jemima, flinching a little at the look Sarah gave her.
Sarah’s normally gentle face looked so fierce that Beth had a fleeting moment of sympathy for her husband who was about to get a very angry phone call.
The timing really couldn’t be any worse. To leave now just when she needed to come up with a plan of action was the worst possible outcome. Perhaps it was fate and she wasn’t destined to save Lizzie’s hut after all. It certainly felt that way.
She would be back in time for the council inspection and the moment they would pass their judgement. But perhaps she would save herself the heartbreak and not come back at all. They could send her a letter. Or the solicitor, Timothy, could call her with the news.
‘I’m sorry,’ offered Jemima in a small voice and Beth stopped her introspection for a moment to spare her a glance. ‘I mean, Dominic is doing this for the right reasons and we do have to protect ourselves from undesirables and…’ her voice faded, and she started again. ‘It does seem a bit harsh, losing your cabana because it's pink. I personally don't mind pink. But Dominic won't stand for it…’
‘Stop talking Jemima!’ snapped an angry Sarah.
‘Just trying to help,’ sulked Jemima making for the door. ‘You know, like friends do!’ and she flounced off, muttering to herself as she went next door and began the daily task of fluffing up her cream cushions.
‘I have to go home,’ Beth said, her thoughts chaotic.
‘Home?’ Sarah looked puzzled. ‘Back to Welcome ?’
‘No. Back to my flat. That was Matthew on the phone, we’ve had a burst pipe.’
‘Oh, Beth! How awful for you.’
‘I have to catch the next train,’ said Beth.
‘Of course, of course.’
Arms slipped around her and gave her a tight hug.
‘But the hut….’
‘Leave the hut to me. Go home and sort out your flat.’
‘Dom and the Beach Hut Club…
‘Leave them to me as well.’
‘I can’t…’
‘Yes, you can. Go. And try not to worry, I’ll take care of the hut for you.’
One last look around and Beth grabbed her bag.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Never surer. Go,’ and Sarah shooed her towards the door, only to crash into the figure that was about to enter.
‘Thought I’d come and see how it was looking,’ said Jake cheerfully, ‘now that it’s almost finished.’
Brushing away her tears, Beth tried to look in control, even as she felt the panic mounting. She was going to lose the hut. After all he had done to help her, she was still going to lose it.
‘Sorry Jake, I have to go.’
Her eyes dropped away from his and she wriggled past him in the direction of the door.
‘Everything okay?’ he asked warily.
‘No, not really. But I need to go home, back to Bristol. Sorry, Matthew just called me and I need to get back.’
Storm clouds chased across his face.
‘After everything he’s done, you’re still prepared to drop everything to go and see him?’ he asked angrily.
‘What? No, not like that. I just have to go, sorry Jake, I really must dash.’
‘Beth, wait!’ He reached out a hand to grab her wrist as she tried to leave. ‘Don’t go back to him. You deserve more.’
‘I’m not going back to him. I just….’
‘Believe in yourself, Beth, you’re worth so much more.’
‘It’s not like that, not like that at all but I’ve got to go. I’ll explain it all later,’ and ignoring the disapproval in his eyes, Beth fled, running across the sand to reach Welcome as quickly as possible and grab the things she needed for a return home.
*
Arriving at the flat some hours later, hot, perspiring and thoroughly dejected, Beth was surprised to find the front door already open and Matthew’s voice drifting down the hallway.
Dropping her bag onto the small table by the door, she looked around in despair. Various items were strewn along the hall floor, picked up by the water and discarded gently when the torrent had stopped. A soggy magazine lay next to Beth’s feet and she bent down to pick it up, only to drop it back on the floor.
‘Beth! I got home much quicker than I thought I would. The plumber has managed to turn off the water but there’s a lot of damage.’
‘What happened?’ she asked sadly, peering into the living room and seeing the small pile of throws she kept by the side of the settee spread limply across a soggy carpet.
‘A pipe has blown somewhere. It can be repaired fairly easily but it’s caused a lot of damage.’
In the bedroom, the carpet squelched as Beth walked across to peer under the bed. The cardboard boxes she used to store her winter clothes and keepsakes were turned to mulch and she dreaded to see the state of their contents.
On top of the disappointment of the hut, it was almost too much for her to bear and she slumped onto the edge of the bed, tired and overcome.
‘Oh Beth, I am sorry.’
His arm slipped around her shoulders and Beth was too dispirited to insist he remove it.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked softly.
‘Not really.’
She should tell him to leave her alone, to take his comforting arm away. But Beth was at the lowest point she could go and at the moment, any comfort was welcome. Even if it was being offered by Matthew.
‘It’s awful, just awful. Where will you go?’
She stared at him perplexed.
‘I’ll probably stay with Laura, for a while at least.’ He looked a little green around the gills at the prospect.
Beth registered that Matthew and Laura were still together. She had presumed his trip to Welby meant their liaison had been short-lived but it would appear that he’d kept his options open. When Beth declined his kind offer for forgiveness and reconciliation, he still had Laura to fall back on, despite the cream settee and the ban on chocolate biscuits.
‘Where will you stay?’ he asked, taking her hand in his and rubbing her wrist gently with his thumb.
‘Stay?’
She felt like an echo, incapable of independent thought.
‘I’ve already been in touch with our landlord and he’s contacted the insurance company. But it all takes so long.’
What takes so long, wondered Beth, her tired mind trying to comprehend what Matthew was saying.
‘Yes. It could be weeks, maybe even months. So where will you stay?’
They seemed to have gone full circle.
‘Why would I need to stay somewhere?’ she asked in confusion. If Matthew was going to stay with Laura, that left Beth free to stay in the flat. Didn't it?
‘Beth.’ He was still holding her hand, which was disconcerting. She had spent the last few days pushing Matthew out of both her head and her heart. She didn’t need to muddy the waters by letting him back in to either.
‘You must realise what this means?’
Was he referring to Laura or the flood? She shook her head, deciding she didn’t know the answer to either question.
‘You can’t stay here,’ he said gently, the gentle stroking of his thumb distracting her from what he was saying.
‘I can’t?’
‘Of course not. The landlord will have to strip the floor and walls, dry the place out, make the repairs. You’ll have to move out while all that goes on.’
Ah. Of course she couldn’t stay in the flat.
‘I…er…I …I don’t know,’ she admitted, after a while. Her thoughts drifted back to number 4. It would appear she had lost two homes in one day and a fat tear trickled down her cheek and plopped onto the back of Matthew’s hand.
‘Don't cry, Beth darling,’ he said anxiously. ‘You’ll find somewhere.’
She moved away from the comfort his touch was giving her. This was not the time to crumble.
‘I’ll ask Sally. I’m sure she’ll let me stay on her settee for a couple of weeks.’
Matthew nodded sympathetically, moving along the bed so he was pressed close to Beth again.
‘Although,’ said Beth, making a sudden decision. ‘I don’t want to come back to this flat.’
It would be a struggle to keep it going without Matthew and she had already said goodbye to it in her heart.
‘Really? I thought you loved this place.’
Beth smiled sadly. ‘I loved you, Matthew. And you loved this flat.’
For the first time since she had found Laura on his knee, she saw real regret in his eyes and he dropped his head, his cheeks pink with shame.
‘I treated you so badly,’ he admitted sadly. ‘I behaved like a jerk.’
‘You did.’
‘I’m sorry Beth. I am truly sorry.’
Standing up, she took a deep breath.
‘It’s okay. It’s done now. But I don’t want or need to stay here. Maybe this was the push I needed to get my own life back on track. Without you.’
Matthew stood up to face her. ‘It doesn’t have to be,’ he said, his voice suddenly nervous.
‘What doesn’t have to be?’
At least some of her clothes were already in Welby. And there was a suitcase on top of the wardrobe. She could pack the rest of the clothes and move out straight away. Strangely, the thought made her feel a great deal easier about life. It was a decision that had needed making.
‘The thing is Beth, sometimes you have to lose something to realise how much it meant to you.’
Or didn’t mean to you, thought Beth. Now that she had decided to give up the flat, she couldn’t imagine why she had been worried at the thought of leaving. It was just a flat. She’d been happy there, but she could be happy somewhere else.
‘It’s just a flat,’ she said, looking around. ‘It’s time to move on.’
‘I don’t mean the flat, Beth.’
‘Can you get the suitcase down for me, please? And would you…’
‘Beth! Please listen to me.’
His hands were on her arms, holding her tightly so she had to stand still and face him.
‘Matthew! What….’
‘I made a mistake.’
‘Oh, not this again. I’ve told you, Matthew, it’s over.’
‘I made a mistake leaving you. A huge mistake. I got carried away with the thought of… never mind. I got carried away and I didn’t appreciate what I had until I lost it. And now I realise.’
Beth pulled herself free.
‘What are you talking about,’ she asked crossly. ‘We’ve been through all this.’
‘I should never have left you.’
‘Stop.’
But he didn’t.
‘I want you to forgive me. I want you to say that you’ll let me have another chance at loving you.’
‘No! Stop now, Matthew before…just stop.’
‘I know exactly what I’m doing. I’ll leave Laura. Today, now. I'll phone her and tell her it was all a mistake. I want to be with you, and only you. Because I’ve realised just how much I love you. Marry me, Beth. Please marry me.’