I pulled into the Sterlings' drive a short while later. Katrina answered the door with a smile on her face and greeted me with a kiss on the cheek.
"It's so good to see you, Carly, it's been too long," Katrina said as she closed the door behind me.
"It's good to see you too, Katrina," I said with a small smile.
"Lizzie is in the lounge. I'll go and make us some coffee," she said as she made her way toward the kitchen.
"Great, thanks," I said and made my way to the lounge.
"Carly, is that really you?" Lizzie's face lit up as soon as she saw me.
"It's really me, Lizzie," I said as I took a seat next to her.
"Look at you, all grown up. You look sad though, honey, what's eating you?" That was Lizzie all over, perceptive and forthright.
"I'm good, Lizzie, I'm just a bit hung-over," I answered and tried not to look her in the eye-it was like the woman was a human lie-detector.
"Oh dear, were you out late last night?"
"I was. I went out with Jodie." I saw no point in mentioning Grey because then the conversation would take a direction I didn't want it to.
"Oh, you two are still friends after all these years? That's nice," Lizzie said, smiling at me.
"Yeah, we are. She's my best friend." I smiled back.
"You were always so close."
Katrina brought the coffee in, and though the conversation veered towards Grey a couple of times, I managed to get it back on track-talking about anything and everything that came to mind except for my current internal struggle. I didn't want to hear about Grey and Maggie and how ‘loved up' they were and thankfully, neither one of them mentioned Maggie once.
After spending some time catching them up on my journalism career, Jodie, and my waitressing and other day to day things, I bid the ladies goodbye. I kissed them both on the cheek and Katrina saw me to the door. Just when I thought I had got out unscathed, Katrina opened her mouth and the next words that came out were "You and Grey should do some catching up now he's home for a while."
"I'm sure we will, Katrina. It was great to see you, I won't leave it so long next time."
"Make sure you don't, it was lovely seeing you, honey," she said and waved me off as I got in the car.
I drove away, and though I was glad to have seen them both, I was glad to be out of the line of questioning.
My phone beeped with a text a few minutes later and as I parked the car on my drive, I picked it up and read:
Carls, I know you're ignoring me but just so you know, I'm NOT giving up on you. G xx
I put my phone in my purse and went to the front door. There I saw a bouquet of red roses from Alfonso's Florist, the most expensive florist in town. The card read:
Ti Amo Con Tutto Il Mio Cuore
Which is the Italian for I love you with all my heart. There was no signature on the card but I'd know the handwriting anywhere. Greyston. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, he was sending me flowers. Did he think I was willing to play ‘the other woman' or to break up his relationship? If he did, he was damn wrong.
I went into the house, put the roses in a vase, and shoved the card into a drawer in the kitchen. He'd always signed birthday, anniversary, Christmas and Valentine's cards the same way. I decided to put some music on and do the household chores before I could stop and stew over the flowers and the way Grey made me feel.
I turned up my iPod in the dock and blasted Depeche Mode as I put on my rubber gloves and set about cleaning.
The doorbell would've interrupted me, if only I'd heard it. Instead, when I went to take out the trash, I nearly tripped over Grey as he sat on my porch.
"What the hell?" I muttered angrily as he stood and looked at me.
"Sorry, you weren't answering the door. You probably didn't even hear the doorbell over the music. I can't believe you still listen to them," he said with a small smile.
"I don't stop listening to a band just because you left, Grey," I said angrily as I stepped around him to take out the trash bag I was holding.
"I didn't mean it like that, I just know you're very eclectic in your music tastes and this is ten years down the line-people don't like the same music forever, tastes change," he said as I side-stepped him.
"Yeah, well, I love them. I've seen them several times," I said as I put the bag in the trash can and made my way back to the house.
"I've been to some of their gigs over the years too," he said, as if this was a safe topic of conversation.
"What do you want, Grey? I'm busy, in case you hadn't noticed," I pointed out as I stood in the porch, stopping him from walking any further into the house.
"You didn't reply to my texts. Nor did you text or call me after you got the flowers. I know you know they were from me, the message was meant to make it obvious."
"Well, I was busy and didn't get a chance to answer you."
"Too busy to send a text? You couldn't spare thirty seconds to type a reply?" he asked, the hurt obvious in his voice.
"It wouldn't have been thirty seconds though, Grey, you know that as well as I do. It wouldn't have been as simple as one reply and I didn't have time for a full blown conversation-just like I don't now. So if you don't mind, I need to get on with things," I said and made a move to shut the door.
Grey put his foot in the way and stopped me from closing the door.
"I'll be waiting, Carls. When you're ready to have a conversation about things, I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm looking for a house."
That last comment shocked me.
"Fine, but until then, Grey, stay away," I said as he removed his foot and let me close the door.
Chapter Four
Life over the next couple of weeks was busy. Things were hectic with both jobs, I had deadlines to meet and tables to bus. I also went to Sinners another couple of times, though I didn't drink any more cocktails. Jodie called me a party-pooper but I stuck to a couple of gin and tonics in case I needed a clear head for dealing with Grey. It turned out that I needn't have worried though, as he didn't turn up once. I didn't get any more text messages or flowers at my door. I was both sad and glad. The former because much as I hated to admit it, Grey coming home had put a smile on my face and a song in my heart. The latter because it meant I didn't have to fend him off or ignore any more messages.
One morning, I had a deadline for a piece for the paper and I was waiting for some information to come via courier. When the doorbell rang, it was a courier with a box and thinking it was what I had been waiting for, I signed for it and thanked the messenger.
I went into the lounge and opened the box. What I saw was a complete surprise. One year when Grey and I had been together, I had gone into a shop and bought him a teddy for Valentine's Day. I know it's normally girls that get teddy bears, but this one was bearing a message I wanted Grey to read and believe-it said:
You aren't just my Valentine, you're my always!
As I looked into the box on the table before me, I saw this teddy, and before I knew it I was on the floor and pulling him out to hold him tight. It smelled like Grey-perfect summers, a little oil and grease, and a splash of his favorite aftershave, Issey Miyake. Inside the box below him there was a letter. My hands trembled as I opened it and began to read.
My Dearest Carly,
I have been a fool for so long. When I went away, it wasn't because I didn't love you enough-it was because I was young and naïve, so much so, I believed that I should put my career before girls. I know you weren't just any girl, but before my father died, he told me that there was nothing more important than getting myself on the career ladder and finding my place in life. He was right about finding a career. As for finding my place in life-that meant nothing without you beside me. There were so many emails that remained unsent, so many letters I tried and failed to send-far too many times I called your number, only to chicken out at the last moment and hang up.
But I want you to know I never forgot you for one moment. I wished with all my heart that you could be there to share it with me. I wish I'd fought harder to convince you to come with me. I got on the plane that day and I broke down in floods of tears. Carls, I am nothing without you-I know I'm late to say it, but more than anything, I want you to be by my side for now and for always. I've done as you asked, I've stayed away, I haven't called or texted but I needed you to know how I feel deep down in my soul.
You, Carly Summers, are my soul-mate. The yin to my yang. From the moment I met you I knew you had to be mine and I wish I'd never lost sight of the fact you are the very best part of me. Every day we spent apart, I thought of you. Other women came and went, no-one else could compare to you. I wish I could go back in time and fight harder to get you to come with me. Look at the careers we've ended up in, Carls-I'm a freelance photographer and you're a freelance journalist-we could both do those jobs anywhere in the world. We could stop wasting precious moments and get on with the rest of our lives, together.