Cherries

Chapter 28

Adam

Life gets busy.

Expansion and improvement works have started at the gym and I'm arse deep in paperwork. My phone never fucking stops ringing with enquiries, questions and concerns from clients, contractors and business colleagues. I don't have the time to dedicate to anything else right now, and things just start to slide. Things that were a priority, have to take a backseat for the next few months.

I still write letters but they're not as long or as often. I don't drive out to the hillside anymore so I just stick my earbuds in at the office and try and drown out the distractions to jot down a few sentences. Every second attempt ends in the bin. I'd rather her not read anything than read a bunch of shit.

Not long after her birthday, we marked her one year at Silver Burch. The countdown finally went from years to months. I made some tentative enquires with Sandra as to visiting protocols but I didn't want to force Summer's plans before she was ready. So the months steadily went by. I occasionally rang to check on the flower deliveries but more often than not, it slipped my mind with the million other things I had going on, or our call was interrupted by someone or something at my end.

I assumed everything was ticking along okay with Summer and her plan. It hurt not to hear from her, only receiving just that one note on her birthday. Often it felt like the fight was too long, too difficult, too draining for me to keep up my resolve. I moved between sadness, missing her like crazy, to raging anger at her silence. But the overwhelming feeling that I had finally come to terms with, was that I was completely and hopelessly in love with her. Not being able to tell her hurt the most. Not being able to shout it from the rooftop and share it with my family.. it hurt. I had to tell her first. To her face. When we were free of our confinements. The physical barriers that kept us apart and mental barriers that prevented her from reaching out to me.

"Good morning Sandra."

"It's good to hear your voice Adam," she replies with her authoritative tone even though we dropped the formalities long ago.

"Flowers up to your lofty expectations this week?" I question with a cheeky dig at her impeccable professionalism she always displays.

"Of course Adam. Not that I'd expect anything less," her tone levels and our friendly banter brings a smile to my face.

"And has Summer been around today, or am I too early?" I glance at my watch, realising the time. It feels later but I have been up since before dawn, trying to get shit done.

The pause after my question is longer than expected and my grip unconsciously tightens around my phone.

Sandra sighs quietly and can hear her shuffling some papers, like she's avoiding the question or thinking carefully about her response.

"What is the weather like out your window Adam?" Her question throws me a little. What the...?

"Umm... it's cloudy, dark and there's been a little rain around. Why?"

"...Mmm... it's like that in here too. Just that bit darker when she hasn't been around for a while."

"Hasn't been around... what...what does that mean? Where is she? Is everything alright?" There's panic in my voice as I'm reminded yet again of how little I know about what's happening in her world right now.

"Talk soon Adam," and she cuts the conversation off just like that. I know her standpoint and she can't tell me much of anything but fuck, it makes me so fucking mad. There's only one other person I can reach out to and I have done a few times. She can't tell me much, but she might have something for me to go on. Holly.