Splintered Memory - By Natascha Holloway Page 0,106
me first. I told myself that until I got papers I didn’t have to worry,” he said; “and it was that thought that kept me clean at Rich’s wedding.”
He looked at her, and she saw the shame in his face.
“I was so desperate to keep you in the dark about my memory,” Charlie said despairingly; “so certain that you were happy with Emily, that I nearly drove you to drugs again?”
“No,” Matt said firmly. “I nearly drove me to drugs again. It’s my addiction, and they’re my actions, and I take the responsibility for what I do.”
She smiled again, and then asked him; “did rehab teach you that Mr Grayson?”
Matt returned her smiled and said; “yes actually Mrs Grayson, it did.”
Charlie felt her stomach do a little flip when he called her Mrs Grayson, but settle just as quickly when she saw that his eyes still looked sad.
“When I got the divorce papers I knew we were over. It was confirming everything that I’d feared. You’d met someone and you were moving on. It seemed to explain why you were so easy going at the wedding; with me, with my parents, and with Emily. I knew I had to sign them, but I wanted to make you wait. I didn’t want to let you go. I didn’t want you to marry someone else,” he said.
“So why did you sign them? You said it was after you knew the truth?” Charlie asked.
“When Claire told me about your memory. The guilt I felt was so intense that I thought I was going to go crazy. You and Harry had come to find me to tell me this amazing news, but it was too late. I’d moved on,” he said. “There was another woman in your place, in our home, and in our bed.”
Charlie flinched at his words, and he said quickly; “I’m sorry. I just meant that if the situation had been reversed I’d have been crushed. I felt worthless and completely undeserving of you.”
“That’s why you signed?” She asked, and Matt nodded.
Charlie sat thinking for a minute, and she was starting to feel angry. She didn’t know why, but she could feel it bubbling up inside of her. “Why did you come to London?” She asked him, and it was Matt’s turn to look shocked and hurt. She could also see that he was at a loss for words.
“Well why? Did you just suddenly decide that you were deserving of me after all?” She asked, and she could hear the anger in her own tone.
“No,” Matt said defensively. “Charlie,” he said making her look at him. “I just realised that I had to try and get you back. My life isn’t the same without you. I’m not the same without you. I love you.”
“I love you,” she said feeling her anger subside, and she felt a tear run down her cheek.
“Marry me?” Matt asked wiping her tear away for her.
“What?” She asked sounding confused and then adding; “we’re not divorced.”
Matt smiled at her and said; “I know, but I don’t care. Marry me?”
She laughed and said; “we’re already married.”
“Charlie, marry me?” Matt asked for the third time, and he kissed her.
“Matt,” Charlie said putting her hands on either side of his face; “listen to me. We’re already married. I’m already your wife, and I have been for a long time.”
“Then let’s get remarried,” Matt said. “I want everyone to know that you’re my wife.”
“Who doesn’t know?” She asked laughing again.
“Charlie,” he said; “my knees are starting to hurt, and you’re not giving me an answer.”
“You’re really proposing?” She asked, and she looked at him seriously for a minute.
Matt nodded, but before he could say anything else she got up and ran over to her handbag. She opened it and took out her purse. She smiled to herself, and then walked back over to the bed and sat down in front of him again. She saw Matt looking at her confusedly, and she smiled at him before opening her purse and pulling out her engagement ring that she’d been keeping in there since having taken it off. She handed the ring to Matt, and she saw him look at it and smile.
He looked up at her, and still smiling he said; “Mrs Grayson, will you marry me?”
Part Four
Matt
It had been a long day and he felt dead on his feet. What he ideally wanted to do right now was to go home, cuddle up with Charlie, and go to sleep. The problem