Jesse was already eating when Ana entered the kitchen the next morning. He
greeted her politely, as if they were just mere acquaintances. "And we
should be," Ana thought to herself. After all, they had only just known
each other for less than a week.
Mae greeted her with a smile, and offered her some pancakes, which Ana accepted gratefully. She thought as she ate, wondering how she would tell the family that she had decided to leave. She didn't want to break it to them suddenly, as if she really wanted to get away from this place. She didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. She didn't want Jesse to think that she was leaving because of him. And above all, she didn't want to leave.
She ate slowly, saying nothing the whole time. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, "I think I will be leaving soon."
Mae looked up from her pancakes in surprise. "Why, child? Are you not happy here?"
"No, no it's not that," Ana replied. "No, I'm very happy here. In fact, I've thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I'm very grateful for all that you've done for me, even though I've more or less intruded by just turning up without warning. I just thought. well. maybe I'd go to the North Island and look around. Make full use of my holidays."
Tuck nodded. "That's a good idea, Ana. There are beautiful things to be seen in the North Island as well. After all, it's not often you get such a long holiday, so perhaps it would be good for you to see as much as you can while you're free."
"Exactly," Ana agreed, relieved that Tuck had helped with her excuse. Mae smiled, having to agree that her explanation made sense. Then she was asking about when Ana would leave, and her plans and if she would need any help with anything.
"No, it's all right. I've been thinking about making it up as I went along. That would be quite like an adventure," Ana said, and once again Mae agreed.
"Erm. I could send you to the airport," Miles volunteered, taking his plate to the sink. This eased all Mae's worries, and she insisted even though Ana tried to protest. Finally, Ana just had to accept Miles' offer. She slumped in her chair, her plans almost destroyed. She had not planned to go to the North Island at all, but had thought to return to France. She listened half- heartedly, nodding and agreeing at the right places, as Mae chattered on about what she could do at North Island, and that she would have a great time.
Through this whole episode, Jesse said nothing.
***
Ana returned to her room to pack after breakfast, and to call and try to get tickets to France. She thought she would just get Miles to drop her outside the airport, and she would walk in by herself. Then she would return to France, and spend her holidays as she initially planned: alone.
Tears fell against her will as she packed. She felt so safe, so secure, so loved, here with the Tucks. And now she would have to return to France and everything would be just like before. She had not found love after all, and she would never write her book. Everything was back to square one: she was alone.
***
For once, Jesse did not turn on the radio when he was driving to work. He would never admit it, but he was actually trembling. Ana's announcement had come as a total shock to him. He knew that things would never be the same between them, and things would be awkward for both, but the thought that Ana would leave had never crossed his mind.
And now he was confused, so confused. Logically, Ana's decision to leave should be good news. She would no longer be around to mess around with his brain, and there would be no more accident kisses. He would be left alone, still in love with Winnie. So Ana's decision should have been great news to him. But if that was the case, why did he want to cry? Why had he felt like bursting during breakfast? Why had he wanted to fall to his knees to beg Ana to stay, to kiss her again?
He slammed his hand against the steering wheel in frustration. Why did he have to be confused? It should be crystal clear to him, that he loved Winnie more than anything. Ana shouldn't be distracting him or upsetting him at all. She should be nothing to him, nothing at all. Just a friend, that's all. Nothing more.
But try as he might, he could not get rid of the urge to turn back home and try to get Ana to stay by him forever. This feeling haunted him for the rest of the day.
Mae greeted her with a smile, and offered her some pancakes, which Ana accepted gratefully. She thought as she ate, wondering how she would tell the family that she had decided to leave. She didn't want to break it to them suddenly, as if she really wanted to get away from this place. She didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. She didn't want Jesse to think that she was leaving because of him. And above all, she didn't want to leave.
She ate slowly, saying nothing the whole time. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, "I think I will be leaving soon."
Mae looked up from her pancakes in surprise. "Why, child? Are you not happy here?"
"No, no it's not that," Ana replied. "No, I'm very happy here. In fact, I've thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I'm very grateful for all that you've done for me, even though I've more or less intruded by just turning up without warning. I just thought. well. maybe I'd go to the North Island and look around. Make full use of my holidays."
Tuck nodded. "That's a good idea, Ana. There are beautiful things to be seen in the North Island as well. After all, it's not often you get such a long holiday, so perhaps it would be good for you to see as much as you can while you're free."
"Exactly," Ana agreed, relieved that Tuck had helped with her excuse. Mae smiled, having to agree that her explanation made sense. Then she was asking about when Ana would leave, and her plans and if she would need any help with anything.
"No, it's all right. I've been thinking about making it up as I went along. That would be quite like an adventure," Ana said, and once again Mae agreed.
"Erm. I could send you to the airport," Miles volunteered, taking his plate to the sink. This eased all Mae's worries, and she insisted even though Ana tried to protest. Finally, Ana just had to accept Miles' offer. She slumped in her chair, her plans almost destroyed. She had not planned to go to the North Island at all, but had thought to return to France. She listened half- heartedly, nodding and agreeing at the right places, as Mae chattered on about what she could do at North Island, and that she would have a great time.
Through this whole episode, Jesse said nothing.
***
Ana returned to her room to pack after breakfast, and to call and try to get tickets to France. She thought she would just get Miles to drop her outside the airport, and she would walk in by herself. Then she would return to France, and spend her holidays as she initially planned: alone.
Tears fell against her will as she packed. She felt so safe, so secure, so loved, here with the Tucks. And now she would have to return to France and everything would be just like before. She had not found love after all, and she would never write her book. Everything was back to square one: she was alone.
***
For once, Jesse did not turn on the radio when he was driving to work. He would never admit it, but he was actually trembling. Ana's announcement had come as a total shock to him. He knew that things would never be the same between them, and things would be awkward for both, but the thought that Ana would leave had never crossed his mind.
And now he was confused, so confused. Logically, Ana's decision to leave should be good news. She would no longer be around to mess around with his brain, and there would be no more accident kisses. He would be left alone, still in love with Winnie. So Ana's decision should have been great news to him. But if that was the case, why did he want to cry? Why had he felt like bursting during breakfast? Why had he wanted to fall to his knees to beg Ana to stay, to kiss her again?
He slammed his hand against the steering wheel in frustration. Why did he have to be confused? It should be crystal clear to him, that he loved Winnie more than anything. Ana shouldn't be distracting him or upsetting him at all. She should be nothing to him, nothing at all. Just a friend, that's all. Nothing more.
But try as he might, he could not get rid of the urge to turn back home and try to get Ana to stay by him forever. This feeling haunted him for the rest of the day.