“It’s never too late if you love him. Don’t let pride get in the way. You can apologise and hope he’ll forgive you. I guess you have to ask yourself if you are willing to take a risk. Only you can answer that.”
Chloe tried calling his mobile phone as she drove into the city. It diverted to voicemail again. There was no way she was leaving a voicemail. What she had to say to Todd was best said face to face.
The traffic had increased since her drive this morning. Weaving in and out of cars was a habit she had not adopted. Until today. A few motorists honked their horns at her as she squeezed between lanes, but she had only one thing on her mind, and she shrugged them off like flies at a picnic.
If only she could get to the apartment and talk to Todd. Explain how foolish she had been, and that she didn’t believe in her heart of hearts that he could be responsible. Maybe, just maybe, he would listen to her. They could discuss it like two rational individuals. They might even see the funny side eventually. No, that was too much to hope for.
She tried his phone again several times, to no avail. When she pulled into the underground parking garage at Docklands and spotted his car, a sliver of hope wedged in between the anxiety and fear in her stomach.
She unlocked the apartment door, took a deep breath and called out to him. “Todd. Todd?” No one answered. Of course the car was in the garage. He would have taken a cab to the airport.
She strode through the apartment and noticed his room looked a little less organised than usual. “He’s packed in a hurry. Couldn’t wait to get out of Melbourne and away from me, obviously.” She plonked down on the edge of the bed, her elbows on her knees, her head bent, defeated. If she didn’t talk to him today, the hurt and anger could grow bigger by the hour.
A notepad poked out from under the bed. In his haste to rip off the page it must have fallen on the floor. When she held it up to the light, she could make out the Qantas flight number and a time, pressed into the paper. Of course. He would have had to change his flight. She checked her watch. She might make it if she hurried.
Chloe rushed through the terminal doors and up the elevator, stopping briefly to check the arrivals board. The flight for Sydney flashed. Boarding. Her stomach churned. She tried his mobile phone again. It went to voicemail and she hung up.
She skirted past a man pushing a trolley, and narrowly missed knocking over a toddler and a pregnant woman before making her way towards the security scans.
She threw her handbag and walking stick on the conveyor belt, and hurtled through the barrier. The alarm shrieked.
“Go back, madam.” A burly man in uniform stepped forwards.
“I have metal pins in my leg.”
“Go back, madam, and try again.” He folded his arms over his wide chest, brooking no argument.
The alarm sounded again. By this time, the people behind her were sighing and fidgeting. Another female security guard approached with a wand to run it up and down her leg. As expected the wand, located the screws and metal plate in her thigh. He shot her a look, which clearly portrayed “don’t say I told you so, or I will hold you up for another ten minutes”.
She managed a polite smile. He allowed her to pass. She grabbed her handbag and walking stick from the conveyor belt and headed off down the corridor to Gate 20.
“Why did it have to be Gate 20?” Chloe sighed, pushing her brisk walk to a half trot, using her walking stick to propel herself along, and hopping on and off the people movers when she could.
A deserted lounge and closed doors at Gate 20 stopped her in her tracks.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Chloe pulled up on Beach Road, opposite the burnt-out shell of her house. The blackened chimney and charred remains appeared desolate, and as broken as her heart. Nothing could compensate for the loss of her home and all her worldly possessions. But Todd had tried. In the past few weeks, he had put all of his energy and attention into making things right, into creating a home and a future for her … and what had she done… thrown it in his face. She ran her fingertips over the gold tennis bracelet he had given her on their first date. His first gesture of love. A band of gold, symbolising his commitment.
The moment the words had erupted from her lips she had regretted them. There could be no turning back though, and the hurt look on his face would be etched into her memory for a long time to come. Her accusations, the venom in her voice, the few seconds the world stood still before he disappeared and the air ignited around her, played like a DVD movie on repeat. What on earth had possessed her?
The day had turned bitterly cold, but Chloe seemed oblivious as she got out of the car and veered towards the ocean. Her feet sank into the damp sand as she trudged to the water’s edge. Dense storm clouds gathered above her. The ominous roll of thunder in the distance signalled a warning of things to come. After a few seconds, the jagged silver flash of lightning split the darkening sky. A storm’s coming.
At times of stress, she sought out the water, which had always calmed her. The ocean, the waves, no matter how choppy, connected her to the earth, connected her to her past, were supposed to connect her to her future. A future she could see disintegrating before her eyes.
I’ve been such a fool.
Silent tears began the slow journey down her cheeks. The heavens opened. Rain drops, as big as pebbles, bounced off her shoulders and fell all around her. Her white shirt and blue jeans became drenched, her hair plastered to her head. The water dripped from her sodden ponytail, down the back of her neck. Goosebumps appeared on her arms, and she shivered violently as the wind raced over the white-capped waves and buffeted against her.
Raising her face to the heavens, she allowed the rain to wash away the tears, before the anguished sobs tore from her throat and she sank to her knees on the wet sand, her head bowed. I had a future in my hands and I threw it away. The only man who has ever loved me unconditionally. And I turned on him. Accused him of orchestrating something he was incapable of doing. For what? For a piece of land. He can have it. Do what he wants with it.
What she wouldn’t give to turn back the clock.
A large German shepherd appeared through the storm, racing along the beach, and sat down beside her, panting. His large pink tongue lolled out from the exertion. Huge brown eyes, bright and hopeful, searched her face. His coat was saturated, and the long hair clung to his body, highlighting a powerful chest and long black muzzle. She should be afraid of an unknown dog, especially one with huge teeth and paws the size of saucers. But this one appeared to be the neighbour’s dog she had encountered from time to time on the beach. He sat patiently, his head cocked to one side, as if waiting for her command, or a ball to chase. She reached out tentatively to stroke his head and he leant into her touch. He edged closer and placed both front paws on her knees and dropped down, anchoring her to the sand.
“What are you doing out here alone …” Chloe leaned forwards and turned the tag on his collar to identify him. “… Bronson.” His ears pricked up at his name. “Someone will be worried about you.”
As if to answer, Bronson turned his huge regal head and licked her cheek, and she pulled back, smiling. “You’re very friendly.” She laid her forehead against his wet one. The smell of salt, seaweed and wet dog permeated her nostrils. The rain continued to fall, harder than ever, but neither Chloe nor Bronson seemed at all perturbed.
In the distance, a male figure made his way over the sand. Through the rain, Chloe could just make out a large golfing umbrella bent down into the wind, and a pair of long masculine legs beneath. “Hey boy, I think your master is coming to get you.”
A high-pitched whistle pierced the air. Bronson jumped up and took off in the opposite direction, away from the approaching figure, down the beach. Chloe glanced over her shoulder, watching her companion leave with a touch of sadness. I always wanted a dog. Heck, I didn’t even have a goldfish growing up. The raindrops stopped falling, and she realised the man with the umbrella was standing above her.
“
I see you found a new friend. Did I frighten him away?”
“Todd?” She blinked and for a moment imagined she had conjured him up. The words stuck in her throat. “I thought you’d gone to Sydney.”
“Twenty missed calls. Twenty, Chloe. But no messages. How could I leave with that hanging over my head?” Todd reached out his hand to help her to her feet. “It must have been important.”
“It is important.” She rose to her feet to stand before him. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry. That was it? You couldn’t leave that message on voicemail?”
“No, there’s more. I should never have believed you had anythng to do with burning down my house. It was wrong of me to even think that of you for a second. But once the words were out I couldn’t take them back. I am so sorry, please believe that.”
”I’d like to believe you.”
“Then please accept my apology. I am truly sorry I said those hurtful things to you. I know you didn’t have anything to do with it. This whole situation has made me crazy.”
Todd’s expression was unreadable.
“I want to believe you.” He paused to let the words sink in.
“Then please do. I’ve had time to think. To realise how much time I’ve wasted, being oblivious to what was right in front of me. I plead temporary insanity.”
“I’ll acknowledge your temporary insanity plea. Apology accepted.”
“And there’s one more thing.” Chloe took a deep breath. Her teeth caught her bottom lip, anxious all of a sudden.
“What’s that?”
“I wanted to tell you something else … in person.”
“If you’re going to tell me you want to go back to Paris because we had another argument …” Todd took a step back.
“I love you.”
Chloe looked into his eyes, and she witnessed the moment they softened, the moment the words took hold of his heart, the moment his brain processed this new and powerful information. His smile lit up the darkening sky, and he pulled her to him with his free hand. His lips sought hers in a kiss that engulfed her, drew her breath away, and cushioned her heart. Strong arms held her, wrapped themselves around her tenderly, protectively. She no longer had to deal with life alone.
I am home.
Todd reluctantly pulled away from her mouth and searched her face, took in every freckle, absorbed every inch of her tear-stained cheeks. At last. He had waited for the day she could finally admit she loved him. He pushed a wet strand of hair away from her lips, his gaze lingering on them as a hungry man might view his last meal, and finally dragged his eyes up to take a good long look into her sparkling sea-green ones. “About time, young lady.”
He handed her the umbrella and dropped to one knee on the wet sand. He pulled a soft black velvet drawstring bag from his pocket and extracted a square cut diamond ring. He held it between his thumb and forefinger, offering it to her.
“Chloe Armstrong, I love you. I have waited for you my whole life. I can’t imagine another person I would want to share my life, or my heart with. To mark this momentous occasion of you finally declaring your love, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
“How long have you been carrying that around in your pocket? Very sure of yourself, aren’t you?” Chloe’s eyes filled with happy tears.
“I have had this ring for a while. I told you failure is not in my vocabulary. I took it out of the box because a small square box is extremely hard to conceal. Plus it was ruining the line of my suit.”
Chloe’s tips twitched up in a smile. So typical, Todd.
“I have been waiting on three little words from you. Who knew three little words would take such a long, long time. But there is still one more word I need … just one more word.”
“Yes.”
“That’s the word.” Todd held her trembling hand and slipped the ring on her finger. He stood up and tugged his future bride to him. The umbrella dropped from her grasp and lay forgotten on the sand. Raindrops continued to fall as they moved towards each other, smiling, and then laughing, before the seriousness of the situation overcame them, and they stopped. Chloe reached out and tenderly cupped his cheek.
Todd marvelled at how far they had come. An old song lyric came to mind, one they had sung together on this very beach, and he smiled as their lips met.
THE END
About the Author
Savannah Blaize has a very vivid imagination. She visualises the characters in her stories and the scenes being played out before her, as if in a movie. She hopes you can step into that movie with her, experience what she does, and walk away with a story and characters that stay with you for some time to come.
Savannah lives in Melbourne, Australia, where the coffee is great, the city laneways boast many eclectic stores and cafes, and the beach is a short drive away. There are Restaurants catering to every taste and every nationality, and she has sampled a wide variety over the years. Art is high on her agenda and the concerts and excellent Live Theatre being played throughout the city, means life is never boring.
Catch up on all things Savannah at www.savannahblaize.com
From Paris to Forever Page 20