Splintered Memory - By Natascha Holloway Page 0,101

him by suddenly getting up and picking up her handbag and walking out of the pub. He grabbed his bag and followed after her, and outside they were right on the riverside and the wind was blowing.

“Charlie!” He called as he caught up with her.

She stopped and turned to face him. “Matt, I can’t. I just can’t do this. I’m sorry,” she said.

He could see that there were tears in her eyes, and feeling braver than he felt he said; “answer me one question.”

Charlie nodded.

“Do you still love me?” Matt asked

Charlie looked into his eyes and nodded again. He pulled her to him and kissed her. He kissed her like it was the last chance that he’d ever have to kiss her, but as she pulled back from him he looked at her with uncertainty.

“That’s cheating,” she said before smiling at him.

“I’m never going to beat a solicitor in an argument,” he said smiling.

This time she pulled him towards her and kissed him, and for just a minute they both forgot where they were and what had happened between them. Yet when she finally pulled away again, and he looked at her with a smile on his face, he saw that she looked anxious.

“What?” He asked.

“I have to tell you something,” she said apprehensively.

“I thought there hadn’t been anyone else?” He asked as he felt his stomach twist into a knot at the thought of her with another man. It didn’t help though, that the man that he was now visualising her with was Rich.

“One,” she said guiltily; “but let’s just say that it was a terrible judgment call on my part. Damn tequila!”

She looked at him, and smiled almost nervously. He couldn’t help but smile back at her, yet he also shook his head and said; “right, that’s it. No more tequila for you, ever! It clearly makes you lose control of your senses, and do things that make me feel like shit. First Rich,” he added irritably; “and now whoever this guy was.”

“No more tequila for me,” Charlie agreed shaking her head from side to side as she spoke.

“And I swear Charlie,” he said; “we’re going to have what we had before and then some. If our friends thought we were sickeningly perfect before, then they haven’t seen anything yet.”

“Let’s just take it one step at a time shall we,” Charlie said.

“I love you,” he said. To which he felt relief run through him when Charlie smiled at him.

“I never get tired of hearing that,” she said; “and it’s been a while since I have.”

Matt laughed, and she took his hand that he offered to her. They began to walk together, but instead of returning to the pub that they’d just come from they headed towards London Bridge tube station. They’d decided to go back to the flat that Charlie shared with Claire in Clapham.

The tube though was uncomfortable, and it was so crowded that Matt was almost on top of Charlie. It was making them both self-conscious, and he knew that their conversation was just the start of them getting their relationship back on track. He knew that he had a lot of making up to do to if he was ever going to get Charlie to feel comfortable with him, and to trust him again the way that she once had.

Matt knew that it would take time and he couldn’t rush it. He certainly didn’t want to expect too much of her too soon. He knew that when they slept together again, she’d have in the back of her mind everything that he’d just told her. It was likely that they’d both be haunted by his past mistakes for a while to come, but hopefully what they had was strong enough for them to overcome all of this.

He’d made such a mess of things he thought, and he only hoped that he could make her see that he could be the man that she’d married again. If of course she was willing to let him.

Charlie

She opened the front door and called out as she normally did; “Claire, I’m home!”

There was no answer and Charlie walked into the flat, and she heard Matt close the door behind them. She went into Claire’s room and saw a note on the bed.

Charlie,

I’m staying at Adam’s for the night. I figured you guys would need some space. Tell Matt that his bag’s in your room, and remember don’t over think it!

Love ya,

Claire.

Charlie walked out of Claire’s room carrying the note.