‘Oh babe, it’s so good to see you. Missed you so much!’
‘Get your hands off me, Lee.’ Amy shoved him away. She couldn’t believe it was him. The cheek of the man, turning up like this! Her initial shock faded as fury erupted.
‘Oh come on babe. That’s no welcome.’
Amy smelled beer. Lee was drunk. ‘Maybe you should have thought about what a welcome you’d receive after dumping me at the altar.’ She looked about for Patrick but he’d melted into the night. It was almost as if their passionate encounter had been a figment of her imagination. She strode towards the lights of the pub, not wanting to be alone with Lee. She wasn’t sure she could trust herself not to strangle him.
‘Hold up there Amy. Wait for your old man.’
Amy juddered to a halt and gave a short, hard laugh. Turning on her heel she said, ‘My what?’
‘Your old man.’ He took her frozen fingers and rubbed them. ‘You’re cold babes. Let Lee warm you up.’ He swayed slightly and a little puff of breath misted into the chilly air.
‘Oh Lee, I think you lost all right to that title when you texted me to say you couldn’t marry me. Remember? I was the one in the big white dress in church. The one with the flowers in her hand and a set of furious parents. And you couldn’t even tell me in person. You sent me a text to jilt me!’ Snatching her fingers away she tucked her hands under her armpits. ‘Have you any idea what you did? The mess that was left to sort out?’ She shook her head. It was almost funny. How could she have even entertained the idea of marrying this man?
‘Ah look, I know I did a bad but, babe, I didn’t have any money, no prospects. I went off to make a future for us both. Do it properly.’
‘You what? Oh now I’ve heard it all. You jilted me without explanation to go off and make your fortune. You are one sad bastard. You’re completely deluded!’
‘Don’t use those big words. I’m back now look,’ he wheedled. ‘We can start again, can’t we, my lovely?’ He scrubbed a hand over his buzz cut, a drunken and mystified expression on his thin face.
Amy stared at him, hysterical giggles bubbling through the disbelief that he was here. With a clang that was almost audible, she realized what had happened. Her jaw dropped. ‘You’ve been booted out of the navy haven’t you?’ she said with clarity. ‘And you really thought you could come crawling back to me? Back to Berecombe?’ She shook her head slowly, almost feeling sorry for him. He didn’t have a clue. ‘You sad loser.’
‘Don’t be cross with me.’ Lee’s voice took on a pleading, weasely tone. ‘It’s just a bit of a misunderstanding is all. Me and the navy. Bit of a mistake over leave. I’ll sort it.’
‘I bet you will. But you won’t sort me.’ Amy laughed. ‘I’m going back into the pub to find my friends. You, Lee Styles, can do whatever the fuck you like.’
‘Amy,’ Lee frowned. ‘That’s not ladylike that isn’t. You’ve changed.’
‘You bet I have, Lee. I’ve changed more than could be thought possible.’ As Amy said it, she realized how true it was. She never would have had the guts to square up to Lee like this before. A great, soaring swoop of confidence filled her. ‘But, even if I hadn’t, I still wouldn’t have you back. Have a nice life Lee Styles and stay out of mine.’ She met Emma at the door to the Old Harbour.
‘I was just coming to find you. You okay Amy?’ Emma glanced at Lee who had slunk down onto a bench. ‘You having some trouble?’
‘No trouble at all, Emma. Just laying to rest a piece of my past and, oh boy, didn’t it feel good!’