Bonfire of the Valentines

The Evening's End

Oliver lay next to her soft slumbering figure. He lay curled behind her back listening to the gentle breathing and soft stirrings. His fingers gently traced the outline of her shoulder. She felt better than he had ever imagined. Her skin soft and velvety felt heavenly under his hand.

He understood how difficult that night had been for her. They had been friends for months now. He recalled the night he first saw her again at the end of the summer. It was another hospital theatres night out. He had decided to get horribly drunk and take home to his house-share whoever caught his fancy that night.

It was a glorious September night. One of those nights that stretch out endlessly. The group had decided to go skinny dipping. They knew of a spot and were moving from one cove to another when he saw her walking up the sand dune towards her cottage.

He had to do a double take to make sure that it was really her. She was lost in her own thoughts, completely oblivious to his or anyone else's presence. She actually jumped back when he called her name. Then the smile. That smile. She lit him up inside. Every time he thought of her he smiled. He was smiling now, looking down on her slumbering figure.

From September they became friends. Slowly and gradually she explained about the accident. She wept when she told him about her being in treatment. She explained that she was so scared that he wouldn't be her friend if he knew how mentally ill she had been at the time. It made him want her more.

They had agreed to be friends. Fiona admitted that she was still very messed up and not ready for any emotional entanglement. Oliver smiled as he recalled their conversation at Christmas when she confided that she hadn't been intimate with anyone since the accident.

That meant tonight was there first time in nearly eighteen months that she had been with a man. He allowed himself a congratulatory smile that it was him.

"Oliver can you go to the fridge and get a lemon?" Fiona opened her eyes.

"Cher?

"So that you can bring it in here for me to suck to get the smile off of my face."

Oliver turned her over to face him. "Non. It would be for me. I am the happiest man on this or any other island right at this moment."

Fiona kissed him lightly. "I need to go and get a drink of water would you like me to get you one?"

Oliver nodded. Fiona found her dressing gown on her bedroom floor and drew it round her.

She filled the tumblers with water. She looked out at the night and the stars. She let her last thought go of David for the night. She wished him well and more happiness. She could now that she had some of her own to share.

David lay awake. Try as he may he could not seek solace in sleep. He could not shake the thought of her. The ghost of her was here. The ghost of relationships past haunted his present.

Suzie had long drifted to sleep. She was delighted with her diamond earrings and the holiday to Bali. She told him that she would wait for him. She said that love was enough for her. The love he had was enough. He knew and she knew the love was different.

It was as though he had tasted the champagne of love and now he only got to taste wine. Has he never tasted champagne he would have been content.

He slowly and quietly left the bed. He pulled on a t shirt and boxers he found discarded on the floor and tip toed down the stairs. He grinned at Suzie's cleaning of the kitchen it was gleaming almost clinical.

He filled a glass with water and looked out to the February night sky and saw the stars twinkling at him. Were they the same stars she could see? Was she happy? He felt in his soul that she was better. He was glad and then suddenly the sadness engulfed him. If she was well why hadn't she come back to him.

He felt the arms around his waist as Suzie leant on his back.
"I will have one of those and then come back to bed lovely man. Let her go sweetheart. Let her go and happy elsewhere. Let you be happy here with me." He turned into her embrace and drew her to him.
"I don't deserve you Suzie." He said factually.
"I know. Come back to my bed and make it up to me."
And he did.