I'VE SEEN HER! (COMPLETE)

Chapter 21

By the end of the week we were back into a routine. Sleeping safe and sound with friends. The villa felt so much better than a cramped hotel room and we were more organised with going out to dinner with friends than usual. We would spend more time chilling out at the Villa on the patio than at the bar. The only problem was... we were getting no privacy to do what was ‘new for us’ but we couldn’t tell the others. They were settled into coupledom and had sex once a week if lucky. Not that it mattered any way as mother nature was due a visit. I could have carried on my pill and skipped a month but I didn’t want to risk a migraine so held up the packet to James and said ‘this is the last one’. He was brushing his teeth and sort of nodded. He seemed relieved which I thought was strange but decided I was being paranoid and brushed it aside.

When he came out he asked if it was a weeks break as he couldn’t remember. I nodded and he seemed proud of himself for remembering, but all that flashed in my mind was him with another woman who had used the pill because they were in love and having sex. Jealousy gripped my heart and I felt ashamed of my reaction, it was so childish. I had ex’s too and they meant nothing to me anymore. I wondered if he still saw his ex and planned to ask him. There was something about his ex that was niggling me. Would I have to see her when we went back, did they share the same friends, would she be out if we went to a wedding together etc.

Usually after a day of drinking and eating with friends we would check what was happening with our stolen luggage and any update on Emily, so we were exhausted. I fell asleep on the sun lounger whilst James was off chilling with the guys. He had been doing this most days, playing golf, tennis, fishing etc.

I knew there was a chance he had gone fishing to sneakily check up on some of my research but we couldn’t mention it here. He didn’t say anything when he got back so I knew there was nothing to tell.

I still hadn’t worked the ‘ex’ into the conversation. I had mentioned it to my sister on our last call and she had told me not to, as it would be picking at old wounds. Leave it be. I didn’t listen and put my foot in it big time.

“Can I ask you a something?” I asked as I poured wine into glasses and James popped open some beers to take out to the lads.

“Mmm,” he replied.

“Do you still see your ex?” there it was done, I had asked.

He looked stunned. “What?”

“I was just wondering if you still see her or speak to her,” I shrugged as though it didn’t mean anything but I was hanging on his every word.

“Yeah,” he replied and picked up the drinks.

“What... yes?” I said putting a hand on his arm to stop him. I was stunned.

“Yeah,” he said and walked forward.

“How often?” I called out.

He sighed and shook his head annoyed, as he walked out with the drinks. I watched his entire body go from chilled to stressed. He avoided me all night and when I finally got him to myself at bedtime he was either monosyllabic or mute.

“Can we talk?” I asked as we undressed.

“No,” he replied.

“Why not?”

He didn’t answer.

“Is this because I asked about your ex?”

He sighed annoyed.

“I was only asking if she was still in your life and you said yes, so I asked how and you’ve ignored me ever since. Why?”

He walked into the bathroom closing the door. I tutted and got ready for bed. He’s behaving like a child!