Here's chapter three, sorry for the very long wait, but I hope you enjoy it.

Falling Hurts

Chapter 3

"That's why I had to leave so quickly. Olivia she needed me because her Mum had just died and I needed to be there at short notice."

"I don't know what to say, why didn't you tell me? You owe me that much."

"It's not the kind of thing you can bring up in every day conversation, especially as it's a time of my life that I don't look back on with any relish."

"Whys that Luc? I'm guessing you couldn't handle your responsibilities so you left without a trace." Eddi knows she sounds harsh, but Luc needs to hear the truth.

"Don't be so judgemental Eddi." There's a slight hint of irritation creeping into his voice."You have no idea how hard the last three months have been." Eddi pulls a face, she is in no mood for a sob story.

"What am I supposed to feel sorry for you now?"

"I never said that, did I? The last few months have put things into perspective for me."

"How nice for you Luc". Eddi wants to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. She wants him to understand what he's done to her, and what he's doing to her now. But she can't articulate how she's feeling because she's so livid, so raw.

"We were married for eight years, it seemed like a good idea at the time, we'd known each other for four years before marriage. But I soon realised we weren't compatable together, I needed space to work I was a young doctor desperate to prove myself to my boss, she used to say that I was never attentive enough and soon we'd start arguing about stupid things that didn't even matter. Sandra was convinced I didn't love her enough. I thought when Sandra became pregnant with Olivia things would change, and for awhile they did but it didn't last. I wasn't ready for fatherhood, I wasn't what you call a natural at it."

"Sounds like a bunch of excuses to me, you're very good at excuses it must be the lifetime of practice you've had." Eddi was avoiding making eye contact with Luc during the conversation but even she couldn't disguise the cynicism that was in her tone of voice. "I'm only surprised you were around long enough to become a father let alone get married."

"I'm not proud of myself, I don't claim to be father of the year, my own father left my family when I was four. No warning nothing just got up walked out and left." Luc looked wistfully out of the window, suddenly he saw himself as a four-year-old in 1974 asking his mother when was Daddy coming home? It was a question that was never answered.

"Like father like son then." Eddi stated coldly, I suppose it's your Dad's fault that you can't stick around for any length of time, it obviously runs in the genes."

I know my own faults and I'm not going to pass the blame to anyone."

"That's big of you."

Luc sighed wearily he had fully expected Eddi to behave like this, she was very good at pretending she didn't give a damn when really nothing could have been further from the truth.

"I'm not the easiest person to live with, and we were a strange mix in many ways, Sandra was all about friends and family and being sociable. That just wasn't me." Eddi smiled thinly at this comment.

"I am a loner, my best form of company is myself, as selfish as it may sound."

"That's you all over, you're self obsessed insensitive and cold." Eddi was trying to stay calm and collected but her fury was seeping out of every syllable.

"I am not cold, distant maybe, but not cold." Luc paused, as if he didn't know what to say next.

"What happened to Sandra?" Eddi turned to face him again.

"She had breast cancer, I was there when she died." Luc looked visibly upset. "It was the last thing I could do." He ran his hand over the back of his head and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Luc." A pang of guilt hit Eddi, not so much for him, but for his little girl, who had lost her Mum.

"Where is Olivia now?" Eddi was now sitting down for the first time since Luc had arrived.

"She is staying with Sandra's parents in Manchester for the time being. My nomadic living style is hardly suitable for a child."

Do you have much contact with her?" Eddi realises that Luc is opening up properly and she appreciates it.

"No, perhaps once or twice a year that's it. Sandra and I never really spoke after the divorce. It ended up getting very bitter between us – she accused me of not trying hard enough in the marriage, of always putting work first. The in – laws never took to me. They just saw their daughter getting stressed upset and angry, in the end we couldn't speak to each other without it descending into world war III."

"I wish you had been honest with me from the start, rather then making me think you didn't care about us, it ripped me apart." Eddi had tears in her eyes which she didn't bother wiping away.

"I'm not good with words, I would describe myself as emotionally dyslexic at times." Eddi can't help smiling.

"Yeah I'd say that is a pretty good description of you, I will need time to get my head around this."

"I thought so, and I understand totally."

"The think is Luc, I don't want anymore secrets, which is why I have to tell you..." Eddi takes a deep breath. "I've been seeing someone else." She almost blurted it out to get it over with quickly.

"You certainly don't waste time." He doesn't sound angry or even surprised. His expression is blank.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Forget it, Eddi, I've got to go." He gets up and walks towards the door.

"Luc wait, please you don't understand."

"I'll see you at work tomorrow." He leaves before Eddi has the chance to say anything else. She slams the door leaning against it. She thought she was getting somewhere only to be back to square one.

I made a slight alteration to chapter 2. Anyway I have an idea where I'm going to take this.

I'd really appreciate any feedback, so please review. Thank you.