Broken Memories

Chapter Five

Clair looks at me puzzled. She's about to say something when the receptionist calls over to us.

"Excuse me, your taxi is here."

We stand and nod to the receptionist and call out thank you in unison.

As we get into the cab I look wistfully up at the front of the hotel. Was I expecting Jason to be peering out of the window?

"To the station?" the driver asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"yes, yes that's right" I reply, settling back into the seat.

Clair, sighs and looks over at me.

"What?" I ask moodily. My head was starting to ache and I wanted to be left in peace.

"This..." and she waves a crumpled piece of paper in my face, "It's from Jason. Why did you throw it in the bin?" Clair looks at me, her eyebrows raised in question.

"I, I don't know..." I trail off. Why? Because it was too soon? Too scary? Too much to hope for?

"Anyway, there's Andy to consider" I try to put Clair off by mentioning my recently ex-fiancé.

"Eh?" What's there to consider? You split up because he didn't want to get married. So you are allowed to see someone else!" Clair said in exasperation.

"Umm" I muttered. I didn't want this conversation now. It was too soon to think about anyone else and especially not Jason! It would just be another complication in my life. I need peace, not more heartache! My headache was thumping now.

"Clair, I know you mean well but I've got a terrible headache right now. Can we talk about this later?" I plead with her. Hopefully David will phone or text her soon and she'll forget.

"Ok" Clair says reluctantly. "Here, at least keep the note, you may change your mind"

She pushes the note into my hand. I look at the crumpled note. Years ago I would have been elated that Jason wanted me to get in touch, but now, it was too long ago and it's not wise to revisit the past. Jason was my past. I'd learned to live without him. I didn't need him now.

I shove the note in my coat pocket and look out of the window. As we turn into the station forecourt, a hoarding on the wall has an advert for Take That's new album. I sigh inwardly.

"Go away" I silently say. But I can't stop the excited feeling I get when I catch sight of Jason's smiling face. I smile back despite myself as I get out of the cab.

Clair catches my smile, as she pays the driver, and sees the reason for it.

"So, still not interested then?" She teases me.

I shrug my shoulders at her in reply. We get our cases and go into the station to catch our train.

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"Buzzzzzzzzz!" the mobile on Jason's bedside table vibrated loudly. Jason slowly woke up as the sound repeated.

"Buzzzzzzzzz!" Jason turned over and reached for his phone. Without looking at the screen he pressed the call button and sleepily said "hello" stifling a yawn.

"Hi, Jay, what time you coming down to mine?" Howard asked cheerily. He'd been up till 5am but was remarkably wide awake now after only a few hours sleep and was waiting for his plane home.

"Err, I thought we'd agreed lunchtime?" Jason mumbled, trying to get his sleep-fogged brain to work.

"Yeah, we did, just checking. Bit bored waiting for my flight. Was you asleep? Howard asked innocently.

"Yeah, I was - not now though" Jason grumbled.

"Oh, sorry mate. It's the time different" Howard laughed.

"You're in Germany, it's not that far!" Jason reasoned but couldn't help smiling at Howard's cheeky reply.

"Well there is a bit" Howard answered a bit defensively. He sensed Jason wasn't in the best of moods. He decided to end the call.

"Well, I'll let you get back to your beauty sleep. I know you need it these days" Howard moved the phone away from his ear as he waited for the reply.

"Fuck off Dougie" Jason replied loudly but laughing as he did so.

"Charming! Same to you" Howard laughed down the phone.

"See ya later, mate" Howard continued.

"Yeah, bye mate, safe flight" Jason replied and pressed the off button.

Jason yawned again, sat up and stretched his arms over his head in an attempt to wake up. It glanced at the time on his mobile. "9am"

"Damn" Jason thought to himself he'd slept through the alarm. He'd set it for 8:30am, but because he'd been up half the night, he'd not heard it.

"I hope Beccy got my note" Jason thought to himself as he got up to go and have a shower.

Once showered and dressed in dark blue jeans and a light-blue checked shirt, he put on his comfy moccasins and went downstairs to speak to the receptionist.

There was a bit of a wait as there were a few new arrivals but at last he reached the front of the queue.

"Hi, um, did Miss Spencer get my note? " Jason asked.

Miranda the receptionist did a double-take when she looked up from the computer screen. Smiling broadly she replied. "Good morning, I'll just check for you" She returned to the computer and checked the additional details menu.

Wow! Jason fucking Orange She inwardly screamed, I thought Mr Mason was joking!

Back in work-mode Miranda looked up and smiled again at Jason and said,
"Yes, the note was given to Miss Spencer by my colleague as she was checking out. Is there anything else I can help you with?" Please! Any thing at all! Miranda silently prayed to herself.

"Thank you. No, that's all. You've been very helpful Miranda" Jason smiled broadly at her as he turned to go. Miranda smiled back weakly as she felt her knees turning to jelly.

As Jason was heading to the breakfast room, Miranda's colleague was returning from her break. She recognised Jason as her sister was an avid fan.

"Good morning Mr Orange, I hope you are enjoying your stay"
"Yes, thank you..." Jason checked the young woman's name tag, "...Janey" He replied.

As Jason went to continue into the breakfast room, Janey called after him,
"Your friend, Miss Spencer?" Janey began, "I gave her your note - and, I don't know if it's important", Janey hesitated, "but I think she put it in the waste paper basket after reading it" Janey explained, hoping she might get a bit of gossip to share with her sister.

Jason's face dropped, "Oh... Thank you for telling me, but it wasn't anything important. No need to worry."

"Ok, just thought you should know" Janey replied, disappointed not to find out any more.

Jason smiled but not so broadly this time and nodded goodbye to the receptionist.