Everything happens for a reason
‘Are youse sure youse aren’t running, pal?
’ asked Robbie, who was standing in the living room with Eve, who was decked out in her best running gear.
Robbie was ready to cheer her on, while Max was on the sofa in his pyjamas, sipping on a cup of tea.
It was just past eight o’clock on the morning of the race when he should have been getting ready to run his first ever half marathon.
‘It’s like I said, Robbie, I don’t want to ruin the day for Bethan. If I turn up, it will only cause her pain and I don’t want that.’
‘For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing,’ said Eve, before Robbie gave her a look. ‘I’m sorry, but I do.’
‘It’s fine, you go and have a good time. Say hi to everyone, and wish them all good luck.’
‘Youse all right, pal?’ asked Robbie.
‘I am, mate. Now go, I’ll see you later.’
‘OK,’ said Robbie.
‘Good luck, Eve. I hope it goes well.’
‘Thanks, I’m sure it’ll be grand,’ said Eve, and then they left, leaving Max alone on the sofa, with a whole morning to himself.
Max had hoped Bethan would eventually text him or return his call, but she hadn’t.
He knew that he had really hurt her, but he hoped that with time she would speak to him again.
He had texted with Charlie after the event at Anita’s party, and Charlie had forgiven him, said it was all fine, no problem, which was typical of Charlie.
Max had really missed Common People and his twice weekly 5k run around Clapham Common, but more than that, he had missed the people who had become his friends.
He missed Joe, who was so warm, friendly, and had the best stories.
He missed talking with Hope and Anita, and he even missed Charlie, who could be annoying, but he could see that underneath all the bluster, he was just trying to be a better human being.
He missed Bethan the most, but he had ruined their friendship when he had told everyone about Jake without her consent.
He had been the one thing she couldn’t handle having in her life.
He had been unreliable. She needed someone stable, someone able to help her get through the terrible loss of her fiancé, and when it had come down to it, he had let her down.
It was no wonder she wasn’t talking to him.
After Robbie and Eve left, Max got up to make himself some breakfast. He could do a little more travel planning, and maybe later that afternoon, he could do something with Robbie and Eve.
He had just got the bread out of the bread bin, when he heard a knock at the front door.
Robbie had probably forgotten his keys again, it wouldn’t be the first time.
Max walked across, opened the door, but standing outside was Bethan.
‘Bethan,’ said an incredulous Max. ‘What are you doing here?’
She was dressed in her running gear, ready for the Clapham Half. She looked so beautiful, so wonderfully perfect, it made Max hate himself just a little bit more for what he had done.
‘Eve said you aren’t running the race because of me.’
‘I didn’t want to ruin your day.’
‘You should run it.’
‘What?’
‘You should run it, Max, and this doesn’t mean that I forgive you for what you did, or that I’m ready to be friends again, but you should finish the journey you started. Run the race.’
‘But I’m not ready, I—’
‘Five minutes. I’ll be outside,’ said Bethan, before she turned around and walked away, leaving Max completely and utterly stunned.
Max wasn’t prepared to race at all. He didn’t have a race outfit ready to go, didn’t have water, and hadn’t eaten breakfast, but if he was going to run the Clapham Half, he needed to get moving.
He dashed into his bedroom, rifled quickly through his drawers, throwing things on the floor until he found his best pair of running shorts, a running top and the socks he had purchased for the race.
Luckily his running shoes were already out, and so he quickly got dressed, grabbed a banana from the kitchen, and then ran out of the flat, meeting Bethan outside.
‘Are you sure about this?’ asked Max.
‘Let’s just go and meet everyone else,’ said Bethan, who began walking away, as Max peeled his banana, and started taking quick bites as they marched towards Clapham Common.
Max’s head was a heady haze of emotion, trepidation at what was ahead of him, and his sudden close proximity to Bethan again.
Since the incident, he hadn’t been running and so felt vastly unprepared for the race.
He was also not ready to be around Bethan again so suddenly.
He had so much he wanted to say to her, but it wasn’t the right time.
They were trying to get to the start of the race to join the others, it was busy, noisy, and Max was full of adrenalin and anxiety.
It definitely wasn’t the time for a long, in-depth conversation about everything that had happened.
Once they reached the start of the race, they immediately met up with the rest of Common People. Max couldn’t help but feel a little bit awkward and uneasy around everyone, until Charlie, of all people, broke the silence.
‘Chunder boy! Glad you could make it to watch me crush the Clapham Half!’
For a second it was silent, and then Eve jumped in. ‘Typical. How about we all just do our best, yeah?’
‘That’s for losers,’ replied Charlie. ‘I’m here to crush it!’
‘It’s good to see you, mate,’ said Joe, who had come along for support with Dawn.
‘You too,’ replied Max.
‘Are you ready for this?’ asked Hope.
‘Not in the slightest, but I’m here, so let’s see how it goes,’ said Charlie, before Robbie walked up next to him.
‘Glad youse made it, pal.’
‘Thanks, although I am genuinely worried. I’m really not ready.’
‘Och, you’ll be fine,’ replied Robbie, before Max looked across at Bethan, who was doing some light stretching.
He wondered what had changed her mind, and whether this meant that she was prepared to sit down and have a chat with him afterwards.
He couldn’t stop looking at her, until she looked across at him, and he quickly looked away, before it was ready to race.
Max lined up with everyone else, and he was next to Anita. ‘Good luck, Anita.’
‘You too, Max. Glad you came.’
‘Me too, and before you leave today, could we have a chat about you know what?’
‘Yes, definitely,’ she replied with a smile, before it was time to begin the Clapham Half.
An announcer counted them down from ten to one and then an air-horn went off, and it was time to run.
Actually, it took about five minutes before Max could actually start running and pass the start line because of the vast ocean of people ahead of him.
Charlie was the first one off, and he sped off, disappearing within seconds amongst the throng of people, in his sleek, all black outfit.
Bethan and Eve ran together, along with Hope, which left Anita and Max bringing up the rear.
Anita told him to go ahead because she was going to take her “sweet time”, and so Max soon found himself running alone.
As he hadn’t been prepared to run that morning, it was quite strange to find himself in the middle of it all.
It was actually inspiring to be out there with all those other people, running through Clapham Common, all putting one foot in front of the other, trying their best to be healthy, to get rid of demons, lose weight, or just enjoy a day out in London.
Everyone there had different reasons for running, but Max felt the energy, the excitement, and as he set off, he felt good.
His legs felt strong, and despite not running for a few weeks, the training before had definitely given him the ability to at least attempt a half marathon.
The first few miles sailed by without much drama, and by mile five, Max still felt quite sharp.
He had taken on liquids along the way, and by mile eight, he still hadn’t stopped.
He would definitely feel it in the morning, but he had been carried along by the other runners, and by the crowds that had gathered along the route and cheered them on.
Running alone, or even with the run club, was nothing like that.
Although as he hit mile ten, the longest he had ever run by far, it suddenly hit him.
He was exhausted. His legs felt like lead weights, his breathing became heavier, and he was struggling.
At mile eleven, with just over two miles left, he finally stopped running, and fell into a painful walk, his knees screaming, his muscles tight, but at that moment, he was joined by Anita, who came jogging slowly up behind him.
‘Come on, Max, you got this!’ said Anita.
‘I’m knackered.’
‘Let's bring it home together! Just two miles to go. You can do this, Max! Let’s go!’
Max took one look at Anita, late sixties, a widow, and he knew she was right.
If she could do this, then so could he. He started running again, and having Anita next to him, supporting him, he knew he could do it.
The last few metres felt like the hardest, and longest of his life.
He had no energy, his muscles were full of lactic acid, and yet he carried on with Anita at his side.
As they saw the finish line ahead of them, they also saw all the other members of Common People cheering them on.
Hope, Bethan, Charlie, Eve, Joe, and then Robbie and Dawn too, all clapping and waiting for them to finally cross the finish line.
Max didn’t care what time he had got like Charlie, but just finishing felt like a real triumph.
He would be on a plane soon on his way to Thailand, but he knew that without these people, without the run club and Robbie, he definitely wouldn’t be doing that.
They had saved him. Running had saved him.
After they had crossed the finishing line, hand-in-hand, and were clear of all the people that were hanging around or giving out refreshments, Max collapsed onto the ground.
He had never been so tired in all his life, and couldn’t comprehend how people could run an actual full marathon that was twice as long!
He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the warm sun on his face, and when he opened them again, he saw Bethan’s face above him.
‘Well done, Max, you did it!’
‘I actually thought I might die out there.’
‘But you didn’t.’
‘No, I didn't, and it was all thanks to you,’ said Max, sitting up. ‘Thank you.’
Bethan left a pause, and then she said, her voice suddenly more serious. ‘I listened to all your voicemails, and read all your texts, you know.’
‘I’m so sorry for what I did, Bethan, it was unforgivable.’
‘And yet, I forgive you,’ said Bethan, and whether it was the emotion of the day, being so tired, or something else, but Max felt tears in his eyes, and one and then two slid down his cheeks before he wiped them away.
‘You don’t have to. I was an absolute dickhead.’
‘You were, but after I had some time, spoke with everyone at run club and explained about Jake, I came to realise that hating you wasn’t helping me move forwards.
You made a mistake, Max. Admittedly, a bloody big one, but there were mitigating circumstances, and I’m just glad you’re getting the help you need now. ’
‘Me too.’
‘So, Thailand?’
‘Yeah, I leave on Friday. I’m nervous.’
‘You’ll have a great time.’
Bethan sat down next to Max on the grass. He couldn’t believe his luck and that she was prepared to forgive him. ‘And I’m talking with a therapist.’
‘That’s good.’
‘And I sold my parents’ house.’
‘Wow, you’ve had a busy few weeks!’
‘I have. What about you? Are you OK?’
‘Yeah, I am,’ replied Bethan, looking at Max. ‘It’s like people always say. Everything happens for a reason.’
‘Do you believe that?’
‘Yes, no, maybe. I don’t know, but recently it has felt like it might be true.
I think what it really means is that we all end up where we are supposed to be.
It doesn’t mean that every tiny thing in life has meaning and is connected to everything else, but that eventually we all end up where we’re supposed to be in life, and I think there’s some comfort in that. ’
‘And where do you want to end up?’
‘You know, I’m still trying to figure that out.’
‘Me too,’ said Max with a smile, before they were suddenly joined by everyone else.
Charlie had crushed the two-hour mark with a time of one hour and fifty-two minutes.
Eve and Bethan both had personal bests, Hope didn’t quite run a PB, but was happy that everyone finished and the run club was doing its job.
Joe said that he couldn’t wait until next year until he could join them on the start line.
As Max stood up to leave, Hope stopped him.
‘As everyone here has forgiven you, Max, I’d like to ask you to come back to Common People, after your travels, of course. What do you say?’
Max looked at everyone, and there was only one answer. ‘I’d bloody love to!’