It felt like the journey to the other side of town took a lifetime. Every stop, someone wanted to get off or some old woman needed to count her change before paying. I grew gradually more tense as the bus got closer still to my destination.
Finally, we had arrived. I pressed the bell and jumped off the bus as soon as the doors opened. I looked around, trying to get my bearings. The last time I’d been here, I’d been dropped at Rowan’s door and had been rather drunk to boot. All the houses looked the same – lifeless cookie cutters of one another. The estate was huge, one hundred or more houses lining the streets. I sighed. I’d better get moving if I stood any chance of finding Rowan.
The drizzle came down ever harder, and I huddled over, hiding myself from the worst of it. Every now and then I came to a junction, and after looking around for anything even remotely familiar, I made a guess and wandered either left or right, hoping I was heading in the right direction. In truth, I knew I was hopelessly lost, but I had to keep trying. I was so caught up in my thoughts, I didn’t notice a dog walker approaching me until a rather soggy spaniel was jumping up at me.
“Oh god, I’m sorry,” the owner gasped, dragging her dog back by its lead. “Get down, Samson!”
“That’s alright.” I smiled, giving the dog a quick pat. Just as I was about to continue on, I hesitated and looked up to face the woman in front of me. It wouldn’t hurt to ask.
“I don’t suppose you’ve seen a house around here that has a fancy grey Mercedes on the drive? It’s an AMG, if that means anything to you.”
The woman raised a brow. “You mean Dr Thompson’s?”
My knees nearly gave way with relief. “Yes,” I sighed. “Do you know the house?”
“I certainly do, considering he’s my neighbour.” The woman chuckled, turning and pointing back the way she had come. “You’re not far, just around that corner.”
“Thank you so much,” I cried.
“How do you know Dr Thompson?” she asked, and I sensed her suspicion. I couldn’t blame her, I probably looked like trouble – young, traipsing the street, twitchy with nerves and looking like a drowned rat.
“We work together,” I clarified. “At Avenhill.”
“Oh, how lovely.” The woman’s face softened. “Like I said, you’re not far. Just up there.”
“Thanks, really.” I shot her a kind smile before hurrying off in the direction she had pointed.
I sighed with relief as I spotted the familiar car parked up on the driveway across the other side of the street. Now I was finally here, it looked familiar. Memories of that night came flooding back and I swallowed. Today there was a second car beside Rowan’s – a white BMW. That had to be Christina’s car. I felt a wave of cold dread wash over me.
I couldn’t quite believe this was actually happening. Now I was here, standing at the bottom of the garden path, I was lost for words. What exactly was I going to say? Just march up there and ring the bell to introduce myself as Rowan’s lover? What if Christina answered the door?
Just as I thought I’d talked myself out of it, I remembered the look on Teegan’s face as she’d finally figured it all out. She’d been heartbroken and she was out there somewhere, alone and vulnerable. I steeled myself and hurried up the path. Before I had a chance to chicken out, I pressed the bell.
A few torturous seconds passed by before a figure approached through the frosted glass. Of course, it was just my luck today apparently.
“Hello? Can I help you?” Christina asked, looking me up and down with the same suspicion as her neighbour. She somehow looked exactly as I’d imagined her. She was slim and blonde, hair pristinely scraped back into a bun and not a speck of make-up out of place.
“Hi, is Rowan here?” I asked.
Christina frowned before turning over her shoulder. “It’s for you.”
I sank my teeth into my bottom lip as I heard footsteps approaching. Rowan came to the door and his eyes widened.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked, pushing Christina out of the way gently.
“I’m sorry, I know, I shouldn’t be, but Teegan—”
“Oh my god,thisis Max, isn’t it?” Christina said, her voice growing suddenly angry. “Jesus Christ, Rowan.”
This was such a mistake. I felt as if I was going to throw up. What was I doing here? I thought for sure I might have a coronary from the stress. Christina knew who I was? Had Rowan told her or had Teegan? I couldn’t rest until I found out either way.
“Max, this really isn’t a good time.” Rowan’s face paled.
“Fuck, I know. Is Teegan home?”
Rowan frowned. “No, she’s at a friend’s place. Max, what is going on?”
“No, she’s not.” I ran a hand through my hair. “This is such a fucking mess. I had a text from you earlier this afternoon asking to meet up at the surgery.”
