Hunger in my Heart

Chapter 16

Kimberley was still sitting in the dark on her deck sipping on another glass of wine over an hour later, trying to process what had just happened. It was a beautiful night, she thought absently as she tilted her head back and took in the expanse of stars and the moon rising on the horizon. Sighing deeply she decided she really didn't want to spend any more time thinking about this, she was just going round and round in her head in confused circles. Things she had believed to be true for years were suddenly exposed in a completely different light.

Rising from her chair she grabbed her phone and the mostly empty bottle of wine and made her way into her bedroom, leaving the door open to let in the cool night air before going to get ready for bed. Returning to her room from a quick shower she had changed into a flimsy pair of boxer shorts with a faded University of Leeds crest on them and an old tank top. She had just climbed onto the bed and lay back when her phone vibrated across the night table. She knew who it was, even without looking, Cheryl would have been waiting for her to check in, quickly accepting the call she brought the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Kimberley, I was starting to get worried, are you okay babe?" Cheryl asked her anxiously.

"I'm sorry Chez, I should have called earlier. I was just thinking and the time got away from me." Kimberley said with a sigh as she lay back on the cool sheets.

"How did it go?" Cheryl inquired hesitantly.

Kimberley sighed loudly before saying with more than a bit of confusion in her voice, "It went well, all things considered."

Cheryl felt her heart sink a little, but really it was what she expected all along, Kimberley had forgiven him. Suddenly realizing she must be interrupting, she said quickly, "Oh so you guys worked it out, that's good Kimba. I'll let you go, I'm sure you two have lots to talk about." Or something, she thought with a cringe.

"No, we didn't work it out, Cheryl. We broke up; Justin left a couple of hours ago."

"Oh, you broke up with him? Are you okay? Do you want me to come over?" Cheryl asked in a rush.

Kimberley laughed a little, "Actually, I'm pretty sure he broke up with me."

"What!" Cheryl gasped. "Why would he do that? I thought Adam said he was sorry and wanted you to forgive him?" Cheryl was surprised, she really thought Justin would do anything, beg, plead, cry...whatever it took to get Kimberley to forgive him, there was something going on here she didn't understand.

Kimberley didn't really feel like giving a long explanation, and really what was she supposed to say anyway? "It's okay Chez, really it was time. I'm okay with it, honestly..."

There was a pause on the line and then Cheryl let out a string of curses, muffled and squelched like she had dropped her phone. Kimberley held her phone out from her ear when there was loud interference.

"Cheryl," she asked anxiously, "what was that? Cheryl?"

"Sorry, some fucker cut us off and the headset came out of me ear," Cheryl apologized.

"Where are you?"

"In me car," Cheryl responded meekly.

"Cheryl, why are you out driving around at 12:20?" Kimberley asked, although she had her suspicions.

"And I mean where exactly are you in your car?"

"Erhm...Station Road," Cheryl said quietly, identifying the street round the corner from Kimberley's block of flats, and then rushed to explain. "I thought you may need us, so I just drove up this way and then you didn't call so I got worried, so I've just been hanging out up here."