Chim - Turn To Stone

Chapter 52

Fifty - Two

She stood at the corner of the mock dance floor and watched me dance with Nadine, a smile crossing her face at some of our less than impressive moves. To be fair to us both though, we weren’t trying to impress tonight, we were simply having fun like we used to do. 

“you look a lot happier than I have seen you in a while” Nadine smiled as we danced together. 

“I really am” I replied, finding it impossible to wipe the cheesy grin from my face. 

We didn’t say any more to each other. There wasn’t really much left to say, I knew Nadine wouldn’t come straight out and ask me how things were going with Cheryl, especially not on our anniversary, but that was her way of checking where I was at. 

I felt a bit emotional as I looked around me at some of my closest friends in the room, all coming together to celebrate the love that me and Cheryl had for each other. I went to smile to Cheryl again but she wasn’t there. 

I frowned to myself and passed Nadine over to Sarah who looked like she was just getting in to party mode. I slowly made y way through the mass of people in the reception area, most of whom were congratulating me on our anniversary. 

“have you seen Cheryl” I asked to Nicola who was coming in from the garden. There were so many guests that even Sarah’s large country house couldn’t accommodate them all. She had put some seats and lighting in the garden though, and so a lot of people were taking advantage of the warm night air. 

She pointed to the garden before disappearing in to the reception area with an empty plastic cup, no doubt ready for a refill. 

-

I sat next to her on the bench, I couldn’t really see a lot because it was quite dark where she was sitting but I could tell she wasn’t smiling. 

“hey” I said, announcing my presence and putting my arm around her shoulder. 

“hey” she replied back, mimicking my tone. She  glanced at me and attempted a half hearted smile. 

“you were all happy a minute ago” I said. I leant back on the bench and pulled her backwards with me. 

“looking at you in there, dancing and laughing with Nadine…it just made me realise how close I came to loosing you, you know” she sighed, and wiped at her eye, I couldn’t see if she was crying or not but I presumed she was at least tearful. 

I went to say something to her, but she shook her head to stop me, which I was thankful for because I didn’t really know what to say to that. 

“Kimberley, I cant even begin to imagine how much I hurt you, but seeing you laugh in there…well it was like seeing an angel laughing” she said, laughing a little bit at how cheesy she sounded. 

“I’m going to spend the rest of my life making you happy you know” she said, and she said it with such conviction and passion that it was impossible not to believe her. She said it as though it wasn’t merely a hope but a statement of fact. 

“Cheryl” I sighed heavily, my tone telling her that she really didn’t have to say all this. But I think she did, if not for me then for her. She needed to say it and she needed me to hear it, so I did. 

-

“its like, I was blind you know? But now I see. I see you and how amazing you are” she said, turning to me on the bench and cupping my face with her hands. 

She looked deep in to my eyes, hers being illuminated by the light of the moon, making them even more inviting and beautiful, if that was even possible.