*Added Bonus Chapter*
It was a few days later and Ali was sitting at her desk. As she tapped away on the type writer the diamond sparkling on her finger caught the light and glinted. Ali paused and lifted her hand, her eyes fixed on the beautiful ring. The greenish blue of the emeralds seemed brighter today and she sighed softly.
"Beautiful,"
Ali looked up to see her supervisor John standing beside her desk. His brown suit jacket was slightly too big and his blue tie was crooked. Ali struggled with her words as she furrowed her brow.
John cleared his throat awkwardly "The ring," he pointed to Ali's hand.
"Oh right," Ali laughed nervously and glanced back down at her ring "Yes, thank you," she fumbled.
"Dr Harrington certainly knows how to treat a lady,"
Ali raises her eyebrow. John was harmless enough but she couldn't help feel uncomfortable whenever he came over to speak with her. He always stood slightly too close and he liked to pat her shoulder whenever he laughed at something which really wasn't funny.
"He's great," Ali says tightly forcing a smile, she turns back to her desk.
A cold hand touches her shoulder and Ali flinches at his touch, pushing his hand away gently.
"Take lunch Ali," John smiles "Your husband is in the lobby,"
Ali exhales in relief and stands quickly, ducking away from John as she manoeuvres around him. She gathers her long coat and shrugs it on.
"Almost husband," Ali corrects as she waves goodbye to John and hurries from the office.
When the elevator arrives at the ground floor Ali opens the door and steps out. The lobby is fairly busy and as her red heeled shoes click along the marble floor her eyes scan the lobby for James. She walks to the centre of the lobby and turns around on the spot. She searches the faces for his familiar grey blue eyes and kind smile but she cannot see him.
"Ali!" Olivia the lobby receptionist beckons her over.
Ali hurries over to the desk and leans against it as Olivia giggles leaning up towards her.
"Your man is in the lounge," she nods to the large doorway to the left of the desk.
Olivia was twenty-one years old, like Ali. She had started in the building last week and it was clear to everyone who met her that Olivia was loud and talkative and a flirt but she was sweet and Ali had warmed to her immediately.
"Thanks Olivia," Ali taps the desk and begins to walk away.
"Such a dreamboat," Olivia gushes and Ali grins wide.
"You are terrible," Ali rolls her eyes.
"He'd love it," Olivia pouts "Tell him I'm available if he wants to trade up," she winks at Ali as she inspects her manicured nails.
Ali's mouth gapes open "Remind me why I like you again?"
Olivia blows her a kiss before sitting back at her desk "Don't want to keep him waiting miss Dawes. That way," Olivia keeps her eyes fixed on the type writer, her mouth curls into a teasing smile as she waves Ali towards the lounge.
Ali shakes her head grinning as she makes her way into the lounge. There's only one person in there and it isn't James. Ali freezes on the spot, her eyes fixed on him. He is facing away from her sitting in a comfy leather armchair, he hasn't noticed her yet. His blonde hair is tousled and styled and he's wearing a dark blue suit. He lifts his arm and brings the crystal tumbler to his lips, taking a swig of his drink.
What is he doing here?
Ali walks slowly towards him. Her heels click along the hard flooring sending a sharp echo across the room. Jack turns instinctively and their eyes meet. Jack stands immediately and awkwardly shifts on his feet unsure of whether to walk towards her on not.
He goes to speak but Ali speaks first.
"What are you doing here?" her voice echos around the big empty lounge. The bar at the far end of the room was unoccupied.
"I needed to see you," he takes a step towards her "Will you have a drink with me?" he gestures to the arm chair he was just sitting at.
"I have to get back to work-" Ali starts and Jacks face falls "So only one," she adds as she walks to the armchair across from him. She slides off her coat and smooths the wrinkles from her pink and red dress. She takes a seat, crossing her legs and Jack slides a crystal glass towards her a she sits down nervously.
"So how's work?" Jack breaks the awkward silence.
Ali nods "As fun as writing letters to dead soldiers families can be,"
Jack chuckles "Ahh right,"
Ali smiles then and takes a sip of her drink.
"I err wanted to talk to you," Jack says looking up at her from cast down eyes. His fingers nervously fiddle with the rim of his glass.
"We talked two days ago," she said. Ali watched Jack squirm uncomfortably. He knew what he had to tell her but he was procrastinating.
"We did," he says happily "But err this is...well something new has...has happened," he rubs the back of his neck and swigs his drink.
"You're nervous," Ali watches him curiously "Just tell me Jack,"
He fumbles with his words "I'm...I...I'm going to. I mean I'm getting mar- I'm having a ba-" he groans in frustration grabbing at his blonde hair.
There's a silence between them and Ali regards the struggling man before her. Even in his frustration he was beautiful. The lines on his forehead were etched deep and his brow was furrowed above his bright blue eyes. He scratched at his scruffy beard and their eyes met. His face softened, his eyes fixed upon hers.
"You're going to marry her," Ali says to him.
Her eyes are still trained on his. As the words leave her lips the feeling is surreal. Ali's heart aches as Jack nods slowly.
"Yes," his voice cracks. "How did you know?"
A single slow tear rolls down Ali's cheek "Woman's intuition," she forces a chuckle as she wipes the tear away.
"It was the right thing to do," Ali mumbles sadly.
"What do you mean?"
"I know she's pregnant Jack," Ali says as she sips at her drink.
Jack narrows his eyes and then widens them in realisation. "How can you know all of this?"
Ali stays quiet. Her eyes turn away from him as she looks at the diamond crystal pattern on her glass.
"Unless you were there..." his head shoots up and he stares at her "You were there yesterday," he says more certain now.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ali says flatly.
Jack leans forward in the arm chair. His arms resting on his knees as leans towards her "The photo of you in my room was knocked over when I got back. It was you wasn't it? Why?"
Ali shrugged. She couldn't tell him, it was too late now. They'd both agreed to marry other people and that was how it had to be. It was better for everyone involved.
Jack muttered profanities under his breath as he grew frustrated at Ali's silence. He runs his fingers through his hair and exhales deeply before speaking again. He stands and paces slowly along the dark wooden floor.
"I thought maybe you'd come to say you loved me," his words had an air of sadness to them.
Ali's eyes follow him, she takes a sip of her drink letting the cool sharp liquid calm her.
"I'm marrying James," she says in an even tone.
Jack stops pacing and turns to look at her "What?"
"You heard what I said-"
"Ali you can't be serious. Him really?"
"He's a good man," Ali defends.
Jack scoffs "A good man," he balls his hands into a first before slamming the crystal tumbler onto the floor. The glass shatters into hundreds of pieces sending fragments darting across the floor. Ali jumps and a small squeak escapes her.
"You don't love him," Jack points at her, tears well in his eyes but his face is red with anger.
Ali's face remains calm, she'd seen his temper flare before. "I love him,"
Jack turns away, he loosens the tie around his neck and his shoes crunch across the broken glass. "And you told me I had nothing to worry about when I went away," he scoffs again.
Ali stands then "That's rich coming from you Jack!" her voice is sharp and cutting.
A silence falls between them as they stare at each other. Jacks breathing is deep and ragged. He regards the woman in front of him. A woman he loved, still loved and always would. She was so beautiful, even now as she stood there vexed. Her dress was loose and cinched at the waist before flowing softly to her knee. He'd never seen it before- he probably bought it Jack thought jealously. He looked back at Ali, her face was sad now, she looked so sweet and innocent and in that moment he though about the girl he'd loved since he was a child. Jack sighs heavily and walks towards her.
"I'm sorry," He whispers when he's standing right in front of her.
Ali looks up at him from under her lashes "So am I," she says sadly. Impulsively she wraps her arms around his waist and hugs herself against him. Her head rests against his chest and she feels his strong arms envelop her.
For a long time the two of them stand together in their embrace. Ali inhales his familiar musky smell, she squeezes her eyes shut to hold back the tears threatening to spill.
"I wish I could go back to the wildflower field with you...before the war and stay there forever," Jack mumbles against her hair.
Ali lifts her head back and looks at his face. He's older to her now, a man off twenty-two who some how seemed full grown. At one time his words would have made her heart leap but now they only fill her with sadness.
"We can't," her voice cracks.
Ali steps out of Jacks grip and his face falls. Ali blinks away her tears and stands tall, clearing her throat.
"You made sure of that," her voice is cutting. As the words leave her lips and she sees his face fall, her heart aches. She wanted to cup his face in her hands and kiss his nose, tell him everything would be okay and that she still loved him, but she couldn't. So much had happened, too much to undo and this was the only way to make him understand. He had to understand.
"Ali," his voice cracks as he takes her hands in his "I'll do anything to have you back,"
"Nothing will ever be enough," she quips "You can't give me...you can't give me what he can," her words are harsh and Jack drops her hands sadly.
"You're really going to marry him,"
"I love James," Ali says firmly.
Jack shakes his head "He's nothing like me," he says forlorn.
Ali reaches for her coat from the back of the chair and shrugs it on "Exactly. He won't hurt me like you did,"
Ali starts to walk from the lounge but then she stops and turns around "I'll never forgive you for what you did to us Jack, I hope you know that," as the words left her lips, she meant them. In that moment all of the anger and sadness she'd kept locked inside her spilled out.
"I know," Jack whispers, his voice quiet and broken.
"I never want to see you again," Ali says finally. Her eyes meet his one last time and deep in her heart the final piece shatters. Ali turns away from him and leaves him standing in the lounge, his heart broken just like the shattered glass around his feet.
A/N: Here's an added chapter I wrote months ago. It comes just after Ali visits Jack at Uxbridge.
Currently writing the next chapter but was arguing with myself about where to take the story... I've now decided 🙌🏽, new chapter to come shortly!! R.