Lin thanked the porter and closed the door behind him.
Sighing he took off his shoes and coat and flung himself on the bed.
He rubbed his eyes.
"Getting too old for this malarkey Miranda"
He took his phone out of his pocket and went to send a message to Claire. He stopped himself just in time.
It was a habit to always message when he arrived at his hotel. A habit that was no longer necessary since they had called it a day. It was the first time he had been away since the divorce 2 months ago. He took a deep breath and sat up putting the phone down next to him. He wondered what she would be up to, his heart started to ache. It still hurt even after 5 months apart. He thought she was his forever. They had settled into married life and had 10 perfect years together.
Well he thought they had. He was blissfully unaware of the second story she was making on the side.
Her phone had rung while she was upstairs. Lin answered it - they had always picked up each others calls. It was a hotel ringing to tell her she had left her purse when they had both stayed at the weekend. Unfortunately the gentleman with her over the weekend wasn't Lin.
She had apparently been away on a work conference. He played along thanking them for letting him know. The caller asked if they had both enjoyed the hotels services and the couples massage package they had ordered. Lin felt sick but managed to get enough information to confront her.
She denied it at first but after a blazing row and a lot of tears - mostly on Lins part - she admitted everything. Said she didn't see him enough, he was away too much and she had fallen for a married guy she met at work. The affair had been going on for nearly three years.
He was heartbroken and spent a good 2 weeks not leaving the house or answering the phone.
Eventually his friends had got fed up of speaking to his answerphone and getting one word text responses so they went round en masse to check on him.
He was a mess.
Time, his family and friends eventually helped to heal his heartache but it still hit him when he least expected it.
He undressed and went to the shower, turning it on to as hot as he could manage he got in. He washed quickly and his mind wandered to a memory he kept trying to forget.
Their wedding night.
They had just arrived at the hotel. He carried her into the room in her beautiful ivory dress and undressed her before they went into the shower together. They made love slowly. Laughing as the water fell on them both.
Lin was jolted back to the present day and realised he was sobbing. His tears mixing with the water spraying out of the shower head.
He followed his therapists advice, and putting all his practiced techniques into play he got out of the shower, dried off and called his friend Chris.
"Hey. How are you?"
Chris smiled.
"Lin! Good to hear from you. I'm good brother, how are things with you?"
He couldn't help but smile. Chris had an upbeat attitude that had been more valuable recently than he could ever know. They used to go out as a foursome, Lin and Claire, Chris and Veronica. The ladies established a friendship nearly as strong as the men.
Veronica still had mutual friends through Claire so always knew what she was up to. It was a difficult situation. She missed having Claire around but she loved Lin almost as much as Chris and to see him so devastated was heartbreaking, she didn't agree with what Claire had done and their friendship had suffered because of it.
Chris carried on talking. "Are you in the UK?"
"Yeah, landed about 3 hours ago. Just had a shower and thought I'd check in on you"
Chris knew Lin well, very well. They had been friends for many years. The slight dip in Lins voice told him everything he needed to know
"Tough moment?"
"Yeah. Sorry CJack. I feel like I only ring you when I'm having a blip!"
"Stop Lin. I've told you before I'm always on the end of the line. I couldn't give a rats ass whether you've rung me 3 or 300 times today. If you need me. I'm here. I got you."
Lin sighed.
"Thanks Man, it's just hard you know. It's the first time I've been away since.... since everything. It's just weird not having her call me to see how my flights been."
"It's ok bro. It's bound to be strange. Do you have a coping technique? What did the therapist say?"
"She said I was allowed to let myself feel sad when a feeling hit for a maximum of 10 minutes. After that I had to focus on something funny or interesting that happened in the day, or take myself out for a walk"
"Ok, so tell me something about your day?"
He started to relay stories about his disastrous flight over and his problems checking in at the hotel.
Chris laughed when he told him about Jack Lamplighter .
"You have to find a better name than that!"
"I know! It was a last minute choice one night two years ago and it's kind of stuck." He laughed then stopped.
"Thanks Chris, I really am grateful for you"
"Anytime. You know that. Hey get some rest it's gotta be what..... 2am there?"
"Yep. I will, thanks man. I love you"
"You too brother"
Chris ended the call and sighed.
Veronica turned to him "How's he doing?"
Chris shrugged "He'll be ok. Just a bit of a wobble I think"
She nodded "Does he know yet?"
He breathed out heavily.
"No. He would've mentioned it if he did. I can't tell him over the phone. It's going to hit him like a juggernaut."
She put her arms round him and kissed his cheek.
"Invite him round when he's back home. We'll tell him together"
Chris smiled gratefully at her. "I'm just going to message Lac, give him the heads up to keep an eye on him.
She nodded "Good idea."
There was a knock at the door, Lin answered to find a lady holding his tuxedo in her arms. "Your dry cleaning Sir"
He thanked her and hung it on the back of the wardrobe ready to take with him for the formal photos.
He put the TV on and sat in bed drinking a coffee. Jet lag was a beast.
Taking out his small journal that went everywhere with him recently he flipped to today's date.
"Ok. Three things that have made me smile today.... The flight being on time. That was a big tick.
Meeting Mark, gotta watch that one's sense of humour, he's quick, he will give me a run for my money!
Speaking to Chris, he could calm a rabid tiger with that voice"
He smiled, closed his book and walked over to the table to put his empty cup down.
He looked at himself in the mirror "You're going to be just fine. Everyday it gets a bit easier."
He got into bed and switched off the lights. Finally sleep took hold.
