‘Why?’
‘Because she’s not there. Her head isn’t on my pillow…her body isn’t beside me. I can’t hear her laughter or see her smile or…’ he laughed wryly ‘…watch her dancing in her belly-dancing class.’
‘I don’t know what to say. She made a choice. I can’t judge her. Not after what I did.’ She picked up a watering can and began to water her flowerpots.
‘It was the wrong choice.’
‘Not for her. Have you gone after her? Tried to persuade her to come back?’
He shook his head and waved away an annoying fly. ‘I don’t have her address.’
‘I do.’ Elizabeth smiled.
He looked up. ‘You do?’ Hope began to build.
‘It’s in the house. She sent it to me yesterday and made me promise not to give it to you.’
He frowned. ‘But you will, right? Otherwise you wouldn’t have told me about it, and if you held it back now that would be outright mental cruelty.’
‘I’ll give it to you—but only because I can see how much she means to you and I saw what you were like together. You were good. You were right. Wait here.’
She disappeared into her house and came out after a minute or so, clutching a piece of paper. She passed it to him.
‘I never gave it to you. You sneaked a look whilst I was making some tea, all right?’
He opened the paper, read the address, and then beamed a smile at her before leaning forward and kissing her cheek. ‘You’re a star.’
He could go and find her!
She laughed. ‘I’m a romantic. Go get her. Tell her. Make her believe.’
He nodded and raced back to his car, gunning the engine.
*
The drive to Portsmouth seemed to take forever. It should have been no more than an hour’s drive, but he got stuck behind a tractor on his way out of Atlee Wold, and then in a traffic jam on the A3. There’d been an accident. He’d been torn between staying in his car and remaining patient, or gnawing at his wrists to take his mind off his frustration! Once he got past the accident—an empty horse box had overturned—it was a straight drive down to the Solent.
He passed through the Hindhead Tunnel and drove through the hills of Petersfield. When he saw the first sign for the coastal town of Portsmouth his stomach began to churn with nerves.
He had no idea what he was going to say to her. What could he say that he hadn’t told her already? But she had to see—especially after his drive down to seek her out—just how much she meant to him.
His heart was racing with excitement at the idea of seeing her again. There’d been a palpable ache in his chest for weeks, and now that he knew he might see her again that weight had lifted and he felt he could breathe again.
Olly knew he had to persuade her somehow. And it felt so good to know that he was going to see her again! Her smile…her face…the wonderful colours in her hair… Hear her laughter… He’d missed her so much!
As he drove ever closer to Portsmouth, where Lula’s story had begun, he began to feel his nerves drumming in his tight stomach. He looked across the water and saw all the boats resting at anchor. He thought how peaceful it all looked. Then, before he knew it, he was driving into the city, passing the big white sails, listening to his satnav as it guided him through the housing areas of Southsea. In the distance he could see, rising above everything else, a pure white tower that stretched up into the blue sky. The Spinnaker Tower. He’d heard of it. There was something similar in Dubai.
He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of life she’d made for herself here. He could see its attraction. Its charm. The Isle of Wight was across the water…there was its length of beach. There was even a funfair, like the kind he’d visited as a child.
He drove on, looking for Dickens Way, and suddenly there it was. He hit the brakes and made a right-hand turn into the street, looking for her house. It was a long street, narrow, and packed with terraced houses that all looked quite similar. The road was jam-packed with cars, bumper to bumper on either side.
Gritting his teeth, and muttering curses at there being nowhere to park, he had to drive further away to find a side road, squeeze into a space and then hurry back. He was sweating and anxious and fidgety. His mind was racing. What would she say when she saw him? Would she be pleased? He was assuming she would be. But what if she wasn’t? What if she thought this was an embarrassing errand? What if he’d misread her feelings for him?
No. She told me she loved me!
He wiped his brow, straightening his crooked tie and tucking in his shirt.
He let out a deep breath, squared his shoulders and walked up the path. He was a bag of nerves. His legs were like wobbly blancmange, no strength to them at all, and his stomach was churning and tumbling as if he was on a fairground ride. He wished he’d brought some water. Or something stronger. Like beer. Or a straight shot of vodka.
Something.
He was just seconds away from meeting her…seeing her…
Olly rapped his knuckles on the red door. Then, just for good measure, he rang the doorbell, too, hearing a deep gong noise inside. He waited and he waited. Then he waited some more.
What was going on? Where was she?
Perhaps she was at work? He decided to have a look through the downstairs window, but couldn’t see anything through the net curtains.
He blocked the sun with his hands to peer in, but it didn’t help at all.
What was he to do?
The surgery. The doctors’ surgery. They’d know, surely?
But he didn’t know where that was. He quickly stepped over a low brick wall and rapped on the door of the house next to Lula’s. He heard some shouting inside, and a child crying.
A woman answered the door. ‘Yes?’
‘Hi—could you tell me where the local doctors’ surgery is, please?’
‘Oh, I thought you were going to try and sell me something. Right—it’s a couple of streets over, in St Thomas’ Avenue.’ She leaned out to point. ‘Down this road, take a left, go about a hundred yards and then it’s on your right.’
‘St Thomas’ Avenue? Thank you.’
The woman nodded and closed the door.
He didn’t bother going back for his car. He figured it would be easier to walk. Besides, he had no idea if he’d be able to get a parking space anywhere near!
His churning stomach was now mixing nervous energy with frustration. This wasn’t the way he’d planned it! He’d expected to find her at the house. With the house empty, he was beginning to feel a little irritated.
It wasn’t going as he’d wanted. He’d expected to be kissing her by now! To have surprised her and swept her off her feet, told her once again how much he loved her and asked would she come back?
The surgery was in the centre of Portsmouth, and because of the lovely hot weather he enjoyed the short walk to it, even if his mouth was as dry as the bottom of a birdcage.
The building was split into two practices, and she could have been at either one. The receptionist at the first one couldn’t tell him anything, and he had to get in a queue at the next. Olly waited impatiently, tapping his feet and trying to peer round the people in front of him, sighing heavily when they took ages with their turns. When he got to the receptionist he rested against the chest-high counter and stated his request.
‘I’m looking for Dr Lula Chance. I believe she may be here as a locum?’
The receptionist nodded and smiled. ‘Yes, she started here—but she’s left already, I’m afraid.’
‘Left?’ How could she have left? ‘Where has she gone?’
‘I’m afraid I don’t know. It was very sudden.’
‘Sudden? She wasn’t taken ill?’
The receptionist shook her head. ‘I can’t give out any private details, I’m afraid.’
‘I’m a doctor.’
‘I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say.’
She smiled sympathetically and Olly knew realistically that her hands were
tied. Unfortunately that didn’t help him.
So she’d been a no-show at the house, she’d left her job already, and no one could tell him why. Where would she have gone?
‘Do you have a forwarding address?’
‘I’m sorry. I can’t give you that information.’
He was not a violent man, but this wasn’t going the way he’d hoped. ‘Of course not. Thank you.’
He was about to step away when the receptionist perked up and said, ‘But I can tell you she’s doing a sponsored abseil today.’
Olly looked up. ‘A what?’
‘A sponsored abseil. She’s raising money for childhood leukaemia.’
He gripped the reception desk. ‘Where?’
The receptionist smiled. ‘The Spinnaker Tower. She must be crazy, if you ask me—it’s over five hundred feet high!’
The tower. He’d seen it driving in to the city. She was up there? Of course she was! He couldn’t help but smile to himself. Of course she was up there! She’d be challenging herself, or something, wouldn’t she? Doing one of her crazy stunts.
Well, that was one tower he was quite happy to rescue a maiden from!
If she’d let him…
Olly thanked the receptionist and raced back for his car. All he had to do now was find the way to get there.
*
At Gunwharf Quays he went running through the crowds, pushing past, apologising for knocking into people as he passed.
The Spinnaker Tower loomed above him—a pure white needle stretching upwards into the azure-blue sky. At the top were some viewing platforms, and just below them he could see a group of dark figures—like blackfly on a rose.
The abseilers!
On the ground there was another group of people, wearing helmets and abseiling gear, grinning madly or having their photos taken.
Olly rushed over.
‘Lula? Lula?’ He looked at each of them, hoping that she was already down, that she’d done it already, that he wouldn’t have to watch her do this.
But how amazing it would be for her! He knew she didn’t like heights. She’d said so when he’d mentioned the parachute jump. The one he’d not actually done because… Well, heights weren’t his thing, either!
He looked up at the tower, fearing where he might have to go to get Lula back.
The group’s leader laid a hand on his shoulder. ‘Can I help you?’
‘I’m looking for Dr Lula Chance?’
The leader nodded, then pointed. ‘She’s up there. Last one to come down. But she’s nervous and won’t budge.’
Olly looked up. Higher and higher, to the top of the tower. ‘Can I get up there?’
‘In the lift—but you can’t abseil. Not unless you sign up and pay for it.’
Sign up? Abseil? From up there?
Gulping away the nausea that suddenly filled him, he rushed into the base of the tower and grabbed a handful of notes from his wallet to pay for his ascendance to the top. The lift filled with sightseers—people who wanted to go to the viewing platforms and gaze out across the naval city—and they all seemed to take an age to file in before the lift doors closed.
Not him, though.
Portsmouth was probably gorgeous, but the one thing he wanted to see was Lula. Nothing else.
Eventually the door closed, and he felt his stomach drop as the lift moved upwards. Impatiently he stood with the tourists, waiting for them to climb to the top of the tower, hoping that she wouldn’t start her descent before he could get to her. Hoping that her nerves would make her wait until he got there.
Ping.
The door opened and he rushed out, heading over to the roped-off area where he’d seen the people assembled earlier. There was a young guy there, with a ring piercing his nose, wearing abseiling gear and a helmet.
‘Lula Chance? Where is she? I need to talk to her!’ He grabbed the man’s arm to make him look at him.
The young lad pointed through a door. ‘She’s in there, mate. About to descend. But you can’t go through.’
‘I need to speak to her. It’s urgent!’
‘I can’t let you go through. Abseilers only, I’m afraid. The outer doors are open, and without safety equipment—’
‘Then kit me up! Look.’ He pulled his wallet from his back pocket. ‘I’ll pay the registration fee.’
‘I dunno, mate…’
‘Do you want to raise money for leukaemia or not? I’ll sign one of those waivers—whatever—but I need to go through!’
The nose-ring lad seemed to think about it for a moment, then nodded and pulled a piece of paper from the desk behind him. ‘Here you go.’
‘Thanks!’ Olly scribbled his signature on the form and then jumped over the rope and pushed past him, yanking open the door.
‘Lula!’
He found himself in a corridor, with narrow stairs leading down to an open door through which a strong gust of warm wind was blowing. Outside there was a narrow platform, with a couple of people on it. One on the platform and the other climbing over. He saw wisps of purple hair…
‘Lula! Wait!’
There was real fear in her eyes, and she was gripping onto the arms of the guide for dear life, but she heard him call out and looked up.
‘Olly?’
Her eyes met his and it was like a thousand lightning bolts smacking him in the guts. There she was. Looking as wonderful and as gorgeous as he’d ever seen her! And she was standing on a really narrow ledge with a massive drop behind her…
The guide took one look at him and held up a hand. ‘Stay back! You can’t come out here!’
He held up his hands. ‘I’m abseiling, too.’
‘Not without kit, you’re not!’
Olly looked about him and saw an organised puddle of belts and metal clips arranged on the floor. He’d seen people do this, so he stepped into one of the harnesses and pulled it up over his trousers, tightening it about his waist.
‘Better?’
‘Look…she’s about to descend a hundred metres, mate. I think she needs to concentrate on what she’s doing, don’t you?’
‘I need to speak to her.’
‘You’ll have to do it at the bottom.’ He grabbed his walkie-talkie and spoke into it.
Olly gazed at Lula. ‘Lula…I love you. I need you.’
She smiled, her eyes brimming with tears. Then she nodded. ‘I love you, too.’
‘We can be together!’ he shouted, hoping she could hear in his voice how much he meant it.
She stared at him. ‘Olly, I’m scared.’
‘You? You’re the bravest woman I know.’
‘I don’t feel brave right now.’
‘You can do anything you put your mind to. I need to be with you, Lula. I’m not going away.’
She locked eyes with him, then nodded. ‘Watch me. Will you do that? I’ll be able to do this if you’re watching me.’
He nodded. ‘I’ll watch every step.’
Unbelievably, he saw her let go and his heart froze. She was going to go! She was going to do it! He couldn’t help but see the map of the city spread out beneath her, and all he could think about was the drop.
The guy who was guiding the ropes from above beckoned him over. ‘Let me check you’re fastened correctly.’ He patted him down and tested the ropes and harness were all set up correctly. ‘You signed the form?’
Olly nodded and gulped. Was he really going to do this? There was nothing making him do it. He could turn around. Go down in the lift. He’d still give the money to the charity—it wouldn’t matter if he backed out. What was a few hundred metres between strangers?
The guide beckoned him forward. ‘She’s frozen.’
His heart stopped beating. She was stuck on the way down? How? It should be impossible to get stuck doing something like this. The only reason she wouldn’t be moving would be if…
If she was scared stiff.
Lula had to be scared. Terrified. Frozen to the side of the tower. He knew he had to he
lp her.
‘Let me go down, too. I’ll talk her through it.’
The guy shook his head. ‘All right, mate. But you’ll follow my exact instructions, yes?’
‘Absolutely.’
He ran through the instructions and Olly fastened on his helmet and clipped himself onto the rope. The guide made sure he was securely tethered, and then allowed him to step over the safety barrier.
‘Wish me luck?’
The guy shook his head. ‘You won’t need it.’ He tapped him on the helmet and let go.
Olly plummeted. Or at least he felt he did. Gravity had never felt so strong. Or so reliable. He could feel the pull of the ground and made the mistake of looking down. The ground seemed to rise up to meet him and he lost all the breath in his lungs, but a quick gulp of air, a squeeze of his eyes and a muttered prayer made his limbs move.
Lula was about twenty feet below him, a bright splash of colour against the pure white of the tower. Holding the rope in his right hand, he allowed himself to rappel steadily down the side of the building until he came level with his beloved Lula.
‘Hi.’ He tried to sound casual—as if this was something he did every day.
Her large brown eyes looked out at him from beneath her fringe of many colours. ‘Hi.’
‘You need some help?’
‘Are you offering?’ She gave a nervous laugh and attempted to look down.
‘Don’t look down! Don’t look down…just…look at me. I’m here.’
He reached out and rubbed her arm and she closed her eyes with gratitude.
‘I think I tried to do too much. I always knew heights would be the death of me.’
He looked nervously around them. ‘Well, let’s hope not. Will you listen to me? Let me help you?’
She rested her forehead against the rope. ‘You want to help me? After what I did?’
‘Do we need to talk about this up here? Can this not wait until we reach terra firma?’
‘I hurt you.’
Ah, so we are talking about it up here.
‘Yes, but that’s okay, because since you’ve been gone it’s clarified everything for me.’
She glanced his way. ‘You see my point of view?’
‘No. Not at all. You think your only value to me is that of procreation? What about love? What about being connected? About being soul mates?’
His Perfect Bride? Page 16