Getaway

Chapter 16

Fletcher shook his head and leant back slightly to look at me in wonder.

“It can’t be that bad Nell,” he mused, “and what’s brought this on tonight?”

I thought for a few moments before replying, I wasn’t entirely sure of the reason myself but the more I thought about it the more it became apparent.

“It has been building up for a while,” I admitted, “but I guess this holiday, everything has been so different both in good and bad ways. I guess tonight just pushed me over the edge, it was the first time I felt like we were a complete family in a long time, there’s always been something missing.”

Fletcher offered me a small smile and I tried to steady my breaths, inhaling and exhaling as I counted to a hundred. I pulled back slowly once my breathing returned to normal and my brain felt a bit calmer.

“Sorry about that,” I said.

I tried to give Fletcher a smile of my own but I had a feeling that the tears still fresh on my cheeks kind of ruined the illusion.

“It’s fine,” Fletcher told me, “sorry that I could really do anything to help.”

“You did fine,” I promised, “I don’t think there was anything you could have done.”

“Still,” he murmured, “look Nell; if you ever want to talk to someone about it, about anything, then just say the word and I’ll listen. I’m not saying you have to tell me, but you can. If you want to.”

“Thanks.”

“You don’t have to though.”

My face managed to break into a very small smile at that, Fletcher seemed to be constantly worried about saying the wrong thing.

“I know that Fletcher.”

The two of us returned to our seats and the silence between us resumed. I scooted my chair closer to his and rested my head on his shoulder. We continued to not say a word.

“You’re great Fletcher, you know that don’t you,” I said.

“I do,” he replied jokingly, “I get told that often enough.”

I laughed and pushed him slightly with my own shoulder. He turned to give me an exasperated look but I saw the smile on his face none the less.

“You know it would be the first time I’d told anyone,” I said, “it feels weird to even be saying this. It’s been some sort of taboo subject for so long.”

“Does your Dad know?”

“My dad’s the one trying to keep it a secret.”

The silence was back and I could feel the words that I wanted to say sticking to the side of my throat as if they were covered with some sort of adhesive.

“I guess I kind of owe it to you to tell you, I’ve been teasing you long enough,” I said.

“You really don’t have to,” Fletcher replied, “I mean, if you don’t want to then I’m not going to push the issue.”

The words flowed out of Fletcher’s mouth easily but I didn’t miss the glimmer in his eyes when I said I would tell him. The way he tried to stop a small smile of hope from crossing his features. Fletcher wanted to know what on earth drove me this crazy and I couldn’t say I blamed him. I’d want to know too if I was in his situation.

“My mum left us seven and a half months ago,” I said.

Fletcher thought over my words carefully before replying. His expression was almost disappointed; it obviously wasn’t the high drama he was expecting. Not that he knew the half of it.