Twelve Days The Beginning - By Jade Reyner Page 0,28

her for a loop and the depth of her remaining love for him was definitely in doubt. But nevertheless he was her husband and she felt that she owed him a sense of duty.

“I know it doesn’t make sense to you, Cole – shit, it hardly makes sense to me after today, but I need to do this. I need to see my marriage through, whatever road that may take. I’m sure there’ll be a day when I can’t take any more but whilst my Dale is still in there somewhere, I need to try to reach him. Please try and understand.” She knew that it didn’t make any sense to anyone, given what Dale had put her through over the last few years, but if there was even a small chance that the Dale she had married could be reached then she wanted to at least try. For a little while longer. Giving up on her marriage was a big decision to make and she wasn’t ready to do that just yet.

Cole nodded, “You’re right, I don’t understand. He is a bastard..., the scum of the earth. I can’t understand why you stay with him when he continually abuses you. It’s not as if it’s only been once – but even if it had been, that’s one time too fucking many! When that bastard drinks, he doesn’t give a shit about you or your feelings and I worry that one day he won’t stop. I can’t lose you Elise – I won’t lose you. You have to do something about this now; for everyone.” Cole’s speech was impassioned as it always was and Elise wished once again that the road was clear for the two of them. There was always something between them, simmering beneath the surface and sometimes it totally sucked that they both valued their friendship too much to take it any further.

Cole wasn’t finished, his voice taking on an almost determined edge as the alcohol began to take effect.

“If you were mine, you’d be wrapped in cotton wool and I’d be getting roses delivered to you every bloody day...”

Before he could get any further with that particular thought Elise burst out laughing, the alcohol also starting to have the desired effect on her.

“Cotton wool and roses! No wonder you’re still single!”

Cole didn’t laugh. Instead he regarded her seriously, pulling her just slightly closer to his side. His eyes were intense as he looked down at her.

“You know why I’m still single, Elise. Shit!” Abruptly he pulled away from her and his comment hung in the air for a few moments. Elise could tell that he was angry but she wasn’t sure if it was with her or himself.

Slowly the meaning behind what he had said began to filter through her alcohol-numbed brain and she looked across at him in shock. He had never been this open with her before and, for the first time, she truly realised that he was sacrificing any chance of his own happiness for her. Their relationship was never going to be that way; they both knew that - at least she had thought that they did. It couldn’t happen – she loved Cole too much to damage him with her baggage.

“Cole...” she started but he held up a hand to stop her.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. Just put it down to the alcohol. And a few blows to the head.” He coughed a little, almost in embarrassment, and then connected his eyes with hers - the intensity still there.

“Just remember one thing, Elise. If this crazy relationship of ours ever changes, at least my idea of romance would NOT involve leaving you black and blue and barely able to walk.” His sharp comment hit home and automatically she went in to defence mode; defending Dale and not really stopping to think.

“Cole, come on..that’s not fair, it’s not always like that. We have our good times.” She made her voice deliberately chirpy. She knew that she wasn’t fooling anyone, but maybe if she told herself enough times that everything was going to be OK, perhaps she would eventually start to believe it. Cole remained silent – she knew that he didn’t believe her. He would never believe her.

“Let’s change the subject.” She said, keen to get things back to normal between them. “Fancy a soppy movie?” She jumped up to go and check out the selection.

“How could I resist? What’ve you got?” Cole sounded relieved. His unintentional disclosure of a few