So here is the second chapter, I still have no idea where I'm going with any of this so please feel free to drop me a message if you have any ideas. I'm just writing for the fun of it right now, I have another chapter written aswell. I just need to go over that and I may post it tomorrow. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.
I silently browsed the aisles of the small store Katrina had brought me to. She just needed a few things she said but I suspect she just wanted to get me out of the house. I suppose it was kind of nice to see something different.
"So, are you ready to tell me what happened on your walk?" She asked whilst looking at me from the corner of her eye. I silently continued looking at each of the statues and ornaments in the display in front of me. My aunt was brilliant at knowing when something was amiss. It was annoying but brilliant. I sighed a deep sigh.
"Steve pulled me over into some mud"
"Yes, well I gathered that but something else happened…Didn't it?" She asked in a tone that gave off the illusion she was uninterested but we both knew that wasn't true. She wanted every juicy little detail.
"Nothing happened Katrina" I argued "I fell. Someone helped me up. I came home" I stated matter of factly. I turned and walked away trying to signal I wasn't interested in having this conversation.
"A male someone?" she pried walking after me.
"Yes. A male someone what does it matter?" I asked irritated. What did she think was going to happen? I was going to run off with this Adam guy and live happily ever after? I was becoming more annoyed by the second.
"Oh…Who? Not many people go into the woods" She picked up a candle and gave it a deep sniff. She scrunched her nose and placed it gently back on the shelf.
"He said his names Adam" I told her picking up the same candle to give it a sniff "Ew" I scoffed.
"Copeland?" Her face and eyes wide with surprise.
"Something like that" I shrugged picking up another candle "This one's nice" I said looking her dead in the eye trying to signal this conversation was over, but she wasn't interested in candles anymore. Her interest had been peaked.
"I know him…he's sweet" She smiled taking the candle from me "Shall we buy it for your room?"
"Sure" I forced a smile happy for the change of subject.
"Did you like him?" Katrina asked on the drive home. I thought this conversation was over, but she was pressing the subject.
"Please don't" I muttered looking out of the passenger side window. We passed small town boutiques, bookshops, coffee shops and restaurants each one either empty or with very few customers browsing I couldn't help but wonder if anybody actually lived here, sure there were houses around but the town was quiet. It was a world away from the city that was London. My home. I swallowed hard as my mind wondered back to the city I had called my home my whole life. The streets were always bustling with people who had somewhere to be, nobody stopped to say hello…or help a girl who had fallen in the mud. I had no friends back in London and no family left there either, but it was the only place I had ever lived, I was happy there. Slowly, Katrina turned the car on to the dirt track that would take us back to the house. I continued to look out of the car window in my own world until we came to a slow halt halfway up the dusty road.
"Hi Adam" I heard my aunt sing as she brought the drivers' side window down. I suddenly felt my stomach drop what felt like a thousand miles through the floor.
"Hey Kat" He grinned as he bent his head to the window and rested his hand on the roof, I felt his eyes burning into me as I looked straight ahead refusing to turn and acknowledge Adam's presence. My aunt slapped my leg and glared at me, talking to me without saying anything.
"Hello" I forced as I slowly turned my gaze to Adam's and plastered a smile on to my face. Katrina nodded in thanks.
"Jayme" He said, the surprise evident in his voice. I hadn't told him anything about me earlier so it must have been a surprise to see me when he looked in. "I was actually hoping to catch you" He said with a smile "I just wanted to make sure you were ok after your fall" I took a deep breath as I tried to gather myself, this was just too mortifying for words and I wasn't sure my emotional state could cope with the situation.
"Oh Adam. how nice of you to be so concerned for my niece" katrina gushed.
"Your niece?" He stated "I should have known she was related to you with those eyes" He winked at my aunt.
"Yes she's just moved out here yesterday" She told him, a pink flush rushing to her cheeks "She found her husband in bed with another woman" She whispered I'm assuming hoping I wouldn't hear what she was saying.
"Thanks for that. Did you want me to ring the local paper and make sure they got it to?" I asked, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm sorry to hear that" Adam uttered awkwardly looking at me, pity clear in his eyes.
"Thanks" I whispered willing the tears that were burning at my eyes threatening to spill over to go away. Please don't cry – I began whispering to myself in a tone so low neither of them would hear.
"Adam why don't you come over to dinner tonight?" Katrina suggested "As a way of us saying thank you for helping Jayme this morning. Besides I think making some friends might do her some good"
"Oh god please don't" I blurted out before I could even register what was being said. I quickly slapped my hand to my mouth in utter shock.
"JAYME" Katrina snapped glaring at me. Adam burst out laughing clearly finding my awkwardness and shock absolutely hysterical.
"Sorry" I apologised.
"That's ok. I'm busy tonight anyway"
"Oh no please don't let her make you feel unwelcome" Katrina pleaded. I looked at Adam apologetically as he contemplated what to say.
"Ok" He agreed, albeit reluctantly.
"Jayme can you lay the table please. He will be here any minute" Katrina asked as she ran around the kitchen cooking dinner. I slowly heaved myself off the stall I was perched on and began silently collecting plates and cutlery to take into the dining room.
"Katrina will you leave the poor girl alone" My uncle John exclaimed taking the plates and cutlery from me "She only got here yesterday, and you've already got her married off to Adam. She's not even divorced yet"
"I just want Jayme to make friends John" She sighed "If she's going to attempt to rebuild her life she's going to need to start making a few connections. Get to know people"
"Let her do things at her own pace Kat" He smiled at her kissing her cheek before turning to the dining room "Slow and steady" He whispered to me as he walked past.
"I can't do this" I spoke to myself. I began walking briskly out of the room. Silently without making a sound I clicked the front door behind me and started down the dirt track, in the distance I could see Adam walking towards me, in a blind panic I dived behind a tree and hid waiting for him to pass. A few moments passed and I decided to take a peak around the tree I was hiding behind to see if he was far enough up the pathway for me to make a dash for it in the opposite direction.
"Hi" He grinned as he leant against the tree to.
"Shit" I snapped looking down at my feet "How did you know?"
"I saw you dive in here" He replied, "Do you want me to go home?" He asked.
"No. It's fine" I said closing my eyes. Again, I forced the tears away that so wanted to come "It's fine. It's fine. It's fine" I kept muttering to myself not realising Adam could actually hear me.
"I'm sorry?" He asked, a concerned look written across his face.
"Shit. What? Nothing. I'm fine. Let's go" I babbled as I began to walk quickly back towards the house. Adam jogged to keep up with me.
"Your Aunt is not someone to say no to you know" Adam tried to make light of the situation clearly seeing how uncomfortable I was.
"Yeah. I know" I half chuckled.
- Knock Knock –
I took a deep breath as my cheeks began to burn with embarrassment that I had just been caught trying to escape. I wouldn't hear the end of this from Katrina anytime soon.
"JAYME!" Katrina exclaimed a look of pure rage written in her eyes.
"I believe this one belongs to you" Adam chuckled as we both entered the house. My uncle John began to laugh as I stomped through to the dining room.
"You've not changed one bit JayJay" My uncle chuckled as he followed.
"Shut up" I snarled pulling my chair out and taking a seat.
"Adam I am so…" Katrina began but Adam interrupted her.
"It's fine" He smiled, but he wasn't looking at my aunt, he was looking straight at me. I looked everywhere but at Adam. I couldn't possibly look at him right now.
The next couple of hours passed in a blur, the hum of John, Katrina and Adam talking between themselves a background noise to my thoughts. My thoughts of Gavin and what he had done. I missed him.
Flashback
I parked up my car and took the key from the ignition. I smiled as I picked up the cake I had bought from the bakery on my way home. A piece offering and apology for the earlier argument we had had before I left for work. Gavin didn't want me to work, he wanted to be the main bread winner and earner in the house. He just wanted to look after me. That's all. I entered the 4-bedroom new build house we owned together and called for my husband.
"Gavin?" I called closing the door behind me. Silence. I walked through the house into the kitchen searching. I heard giggling come from upstairs, our bedroom to be specific. I tried to convince myself it wasn't true and that I must have been hearing things. No, surely not. He wouldn't. Gavin loves me, he said so himself. I tried to convince myself but as I entered our bedroom my worst nightmare was confirmed. Gavin was in bed with another woman. Not just any woman though, it was my best friend Lauren.
My heart was shattered in to a thousand pieces I had no idea how to fix it or begin piecing it back together. My thoughts suddenly began drifting towards the conversation at the table.
"How old did you say you were Adam?" John asked.
"47"
"47" I choked as I suddenly fully re-entered the conversation.
"Don't be so rude Jayme" My aunt Katrina scolded me.
"Sorry…I just didn't…"
"God girl you are 27 years old please learn some manners" She continued. Adam suddenly began coughing as he took a sip of wine.
"Sorry" He coughed "Wrong hole" He smiled trying to brush it off as if it was nothing. I furrowed my eyebrows, was that a reaction to my age? Why does it matter to him? Why would he care how old I am? Why do I care how old he is? I shook my head brushing off my curiosity.
"I should go to bed" I stood up "Goodbye Adam" I nodded as I turned and exited the room without another word.