He took a long drag on his cigarette. Leanne had been rattling on all morning about how worried she was that they might not be able to conceive naturally. If he was honest, he couldn't care less right now, well, he did care, that Leanne was upset, but he wouldn't dare admit to her, that he was ever so slightly relieved. He was still battling feelings, feelings he couldn't clearly describe right now, and although their marriage seemed ok on the outside, on the inside the were deep, irrevocable holes left by deceit, betrayal, and alcohol.
He took another long drag on the cigarette, and exhaled, the opaque smoke dancing in the cold winter air. It frolicked infront of him, dancing around the svelte figure that emerged from the factory. Dark hair brushing down her back, merging into the black material of her coat.
She didn't see him, she walked down the street, picking her feet up carefully on the slippery cobbles. He didn't take his eyes of her, and she headed towards the black merc parked outside her factory.
He glanced back inside, Leanne was busy signing something. He stubbed his cigarette out on the brick wall, the ash cascading down to the floor. He walked forward, heading towards her.
'Hey, Carla' he said, in his gruff smokers voice. She turned, her dark hair catching the slight breeze, and blowing gently across her face. She smiled, nervously at him. 'Peter' she said quietly. 'How was L.A then?' he asked. 'L.A, oh it was lovely - warm... unlike here' she said, a little humour in her voice. 'You look amazing, see you topped up your tan' he said, giving her a warming smile. 'Yeah well, nothing like taking your mind of.. stuff and doing a bit of sunbathing' she replied.
'Yeah' he laughed, pausing. 'So how are you?'.
She looks at him directly now, the first time during their short exchange. Their eyes meet, as though they are holding hands. They both feel the tiny rush, their hearts quickening pace. 'I'm ok, I'm fighting back' she say's, a thread of determination in her voice.
'I'm glad, I really am' he says, relieved that a shred of her fighting spirit has returned.
'And you, I know.. the tram crash, it's a year almost' she says. He paused. She remembers. Leanne hasn't mentioned it. They all know it is coming back, but she is the first to actually ask. It touches him. 'I'm bearing up.. but it's on my mind..' he says. 'Like you' he thinks, but doesn't say it.
'I'm here.. if you need to talk' she says, slightly awkwardly.
'Thank you, I'll remember that' he says, giving her an honest smile.
'I better go.. you know, stuff to do' she replies.
He puts his hand on her shoulder 'See you around' he said, before reluctantly removing his hand, and turning back.