‘She did?’ Elodie’s frown deepened. ‘I knew she might be off-kilter because … but that doesn’t seem very … I mean, I don’t know why she would …’
There was a whole load more to this story than her sister knew, obviously. ‘I’m guessing her memories came back,’ he said flatly, thinking it wouldn’t be a bad idea if they both filled each other in on what they knew.
‘Yes,’ Elodie replied, shoving her confusion to one side and picking up his thread. ‘A couple of hours ago.’
‘And her memories of the time she was away with me are …?’
‘Gone. Yes.’
Ben took a moment to absorb this, dully aware of something akin to a landslide happening inside. He’d known this was a possibility, of course. But now he realised he’d been too blinded by hope to really believe it would happen. It just seemed too cruel when he’d only just found her again.
‘I was hoping to get to you first, warn you she might not recognise you, but I didn’t realise she’d be so rattled by seeing you that she would …’ She drifted off,looking confused again, but then her expression became more determined. ‘I suppose that makes what I’m going to say a bit easier.’
She sighed heavily, then carried on. ‘Listen, my family are really grateful for everything you did for my sister, but I want to know if you’re willing to do me a favour … Well, not for me really – for Lili.’
‘Of course.’ He’d do just about anything for her.
‘I’m sure you’re a really nice guy, and this will probably seem really unfair, but I’m asking because it’s what she needs.’ Her eyes became shiny, and her voice roughened. ‘My sister was in so much mental turmoil last week that her brain just seemed to … I don’t know … switch a part of itself off. And you are intimately connected to that experience. I’m worried that if she sees you, it might take her back to that dark place, that it might even trigger the same thing happening again. Do you understand?’
He nodded. He didn’t like it, but he did.
‘She doesn’t remember being the person you spent the last week with. She has no idea who “Alice” is – or who you are – and I’m asking you to let it stay that way. I’m asking you to go back to wherever you’ve come from and not contact her again.’
Ben opened his mouth but Elodie got in first.
‘She’s been through so much over the last few years, even without this recent disappearing act. She needs some peace and stability in her life at the moment – and you can give that to her by doing this.Please, Ben?’
It was the desperation in her voice that got him. She was right – he could do this for Lili. Even though he didn’t want to.Even though it felt like giving up. But what else could he do? He wanted to make her happy but look at how she’d reacted when she’d seen him. Without the memories of the previous week, he would only ever be the loser who’d ghosted her all those years ago.
The bride looked at him, eyes full of hope. ‘Do you think this is something you can do? For Lili?’
Ben stared back at her, so much like her sister. He could tell she loved Lili fiercely, and this was what Lili needed right now, wasn’t it, to be with people who could love and protect her? It was what he’d promised he’d do for her. Whether he liked it or not, his job here was done.
He nodded, ignoring the crushing sensation in his chest. ‘Yes. That’s something I can do.’
The day had already been the strangest day of Lili’s life and thenhe’dturned up. What was he doing here at Lo and Isaac’s wedding? Didn’t she have enough to deal with already?
And the way he’d rocked up, all smiles and sexy long legs, saying ‘Hi’ – as if they were old friends, as if he hadn’t disappeared into the mist, never to be seen again. When he’d got her name wrong, she’d lost it.
She didn’t know what she was more upset about, the fact she’d thrown her drink over him, creating yetanothermoment of drama, or that a tiny pathetic part of herself had leapt up and sung for joy when she’d seen him.
She strode out of the main function room and down the corridor that led to both the toilets and fire exit. The look on his face when she’d chucked her champagne all over him had been priceless.She’d laugh if she wasn’t so stupidly close to tears.
She ducked into the safety of the ladies’ once more – they were going to have to name one of these cubicles after her soon – but finding both the stalls occupied, she walked right back out again and followed the corridor to the fire exit. When she stepped outside, she found her cousin Kerry having a sneaky fag.
Kerry lifted an eyebrow and held out the pack. Lili shook her head, but joined her cousin in staring silently into the darkness. A short while later, Lo crashed through the fire exit looking more than a little ruffled. ‘There you are! I was getting worried. I couldn’t see you anywhere.’
Lili sighed. ‘Just needed some fresh air.’
Lo scowled at Kerry, who shrugged, stubbed her cigarette out on the ground, then made herself scarce. When she was gone, Lo collapsed back against the wall. ‘What a day …’
‘Sorry,’ Lili muttered, staring down at her dress.
‘Don’t you do that,’ Lo said. ‘None of this is your fault. Got it?’
‘Okay.’
Lo smiled. ‘You could sound more convincing, but that’ll do for now.’
