Page 16 of Live Like There's No Tomorrow
Ben’s breath whistled out of him. Thank God! He’d feared she was about to tell him something else entirely.
The first thing I wanted to do was to call you and tell you. I’m finally free. I’m no longer a married woman. I wanted to ask you what you want to do now. Where do we go from here? But that didn’t seem fair. I have grown up a little bit ;0) So I decided not to put you on the spot. I decided I should email you first. Give you chance to digest my news, and to think about what it means to you.
I’d like to call you tomorrow – that means Sunday – but I’d like to know if that’s okay with you? Please will you let me know?
I love you Ben
Forever and always
Charlie
Oxo
Ben reread the entire thing three times and then sat back in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face. This was it. She was free. She wanted to know where they went from here. Today he’d get to hear her voice again, and they’d be able to start planning their future. He took a deep breath and typed a reply.
Hey yourself.
Of course that’s okay with me! I can’t wait to talk to you. I’ve been waiting and hoping for this day to come. And thank you. Thanks for giving me chance to wrap my head around your news first.
He sat and stared at the screen for a long time, wondering what else he should write. There was so much he wanted to say, so much to tell her, so many questions to ask, but where should he start? And where would it end? He decided he’d be better to wait until they could talk on the phone.
I’ve got a crazy morning lined up, but if you call me after noon I’ll be free and able to sit down and really talk to you. I can’t wait.
I love you, Charlie
Forever and always
Ben
Xx
His finger hovered over the keyboard. Was that enough? Should he just tell her to call anytime she wanted? He shook his head. He wanted to call her right now, but he still had things to do, and when they did finally get to talk, he wanted to be able to give her his undivided attention. He hit send with a smile. “And so it begins,” he muttered.
Chapter Five
Charlotte wanted to hide when she heard the doorbell ring. She knew it was her parents. She’d just spotted their car pulling up in the little car park outside. She didn’t want to talk to them. She rarely did, but today of all days she really didn’t want to talk to them. Her relationship with them had been strained, to say the least, since she and Ben had figured out what they’d done. When she’d come home from Vegas, she’d confronted them. Her mum had admitted straight away that yes, she’d sent a letter to Ben saying Charlotte never wanted to see him again, and that no, she’d never posted the letter that Charlotte had written, pouring her heart out to Ben and asking if they could still have a future. Both had acted as though she was making a big deal over nothing. They just didn’t care. She took a deep, calming breath. She needed to believe that they just didn’t understand what they’d done. How important Ben was to her. They didn’t understand the damage they’d done—the way they’d changed the course of her life!
The knock came again, louder this time.
“Charlie! Open up. We know you’re home.”
She went to let them in, trying to think up some excuse as to why she had to go out very soon, and they couldn’t stay.
“I can’t believe you’ve really done it,” said her dad as he came in and took a seat on the sofa.
“I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it,” called her mum on her way to the kitchen. “Do you want tea or coffee?”
“I’ll have tea,” answered her dad.
Charlotte stared at him. Why did they think this was okay? They came waltzing in here spouting their opinions. They must have talked to Alastair. Her mum was going through her cupboards; they had no regard for her whatsoever.
“Charlie?” called her mum.
“What?”
“What do you think, silly? Tea or coffee?”
“Nothing. I’m fine, thank you. And you’ll have to be quick about it. I’m going out soon.”
