He laid his weary body back down on the sand. The sky was achingly beautiful with its canvas of stars.
‘I’m sorry, Olivia.’ He began to sob. ‘I’m so,sosorry.’
IV
An end is only a beginning in disguise.
Craig D. Lounsbrough
Olivia
‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We will shortly be starting our descent into London Heathrow. If you could please remain in your seats, with your seat belts fastened, tray tables stowed away, and your seat in the upright position.’
Olivia switched off the screen she’d been pretending to stare at for the past four hours. No matter how hard she’d tried, how many films she’d attempted to watch, how many times she’d willed herself to sleep, all Olivia could focus on was the argument with Jacob. Their angry words played over and over on a loop inside her brain.
You and your notion of what everyone else should be doing with their lives, when you’re barely living your own.
Her hands balled into fists.
I bet she tried to live more than you ever will with how much time you have left.
Her stomach twisted itself into tighter knots.
‘Stupid idiot,’ she spat under her breath, leaning her forehead on the plastic window. She felt the stare of the mannext to her; the stranger who, for nearly nine hours, had had to endure Olivia’s incessant and restless shuffling, mumbling and, most embarrassingly, crying.
She pressed her head harder against the window, enjoying the pain that shot through her skull.
Stupid, selfish, totally irresponsible idiot.
Doesn’t have a clue about real life.
Doesn’t have a clue about being a decent human being.
Harder and harder she pressed, the sensations on the outside not strong enough to mute the hurt on the inside.
He didn’t even say goodbye.
The childlike voice emerged from deep within the angry depths. A tear escaped down Olivia’s cheek as her heart sank lower in her chest.
He’ll message. Just give it time.
Instinctively, she grabbed her phone and clutched it to her. There had been nothing when she’d woken up that morning, her body beaten from the battle. Nothing when she’d arrived at the airport, tired and overemotional. Nothing when she’d boarded the plane to Delhi. Nothing when she’d landed and transferred to her flight for London.
No email.
Nothing.
Not a single word from Jacob before she left him for ever.
What were you expecting?
She swallowed a sob that was forming in her throat. Something, she admitted to herself. She was at least expectingsomething.
The plane smacked down hard as it made contact with the tarmac. Olivia was thrown upwards from her seat, her forehead banging against the window.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, we have now arrived at London Heathrow, where the local time is 5.35 p.m. The use of electronic devices is now permitted, but the seat belt sign is still on, so please remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete stop. Thank you.’
A series of beeps and vibrations echoed around the plane, people turning on their phones and switching back to reality.
