Wattys 2024 Shortlist || When former lovers and current enemies, Adelaide and Fletcher are held hostage in a bank robbery, they realise they need to put their past hatred for each other behind them to help them move forward from past hurts, and find...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶
For so many years, and so many nights, I would imagine what it felt like when Harrison came home. I'd have various images of pancakes for breakfast and him making himself at home, or us going out and gorging on English breakfasts and coffee. There'd be so many possibilities, but all of them would involve a form of euphoria because he'd be home. My best friend, finally home after so long.
It's weird because we both agreed years ago that the moment he'd come home, we would give the whole romance thing another go, but after everything that's happened and all the time that's passed, I don't think we'd even work now. He's different, and I'm different.
But now is not the time with how this has happened.
He's sitting at my dining table with a plate of pancakes he made himself with bacon and maple syrup, while I harbour a cup of tea that's quickly going cold.
"So, we're – or you – are meeting mister ex-boyfriend at eleven, right?" Harry says.
"Yeah, he wants to give me a copy of his book. I said I'd read it. Does this sound completely nuts as well? I think even after everything that's happened, I want to talk to him about it?" I ask.
He nods while finishing his mouthful. "Doesn't sound nuts, Ade. You both went through something not many people could even imagine. Plus, with the shared history and whatever... it doesn't sound nuts at all."
I sigh and sit back in the seat. "Do you judge me for it all?"
Harrison chuckles and shakes his head, and he eats the last part of his breakfast. "Judge you for what? Making some mistakes and paying the price? Who hasn't, Sunshine? I don't care who you shagged when, and what happened. All that matters right now is making sure you're okay. If that involves meeting up with the cheating ex who wrote a book about you, then let's do that. What I do judge you for, though, is not reading the thing already. Things could've turned out much better if you had."
My eyes roll. "I will always want to punch you in the face for judging me for that."
He grins and points to the glass of fresh orange juice. "Even I've read it, and to be fair to the guy, he's a decent writer. You know this. But I'll always judge you for not looking after yourself. If you're not eating or drinking tea, at least drink that. Vitamin C, sugars, fruit. Come on."
I sigh and sip it. It's sweet and actually really nice, but for a few moments, it gets caught in my mouth, refusing to go down my throat. I don't understand why, either, but it's like there's a lump there, a bit like the image of the dead guy staring up at me as I tried to pump oxygen through his body.
Like how that guy died just so Sam could have answers from me, or how everyone got held up and hurt in every way, all because he wanted something from me, and didn't talk to me first.
