A Beautiful Forever(39)
Chapter 31
Paige
“So, your father and I noticed that you’ve been looking at flats in the paper. Are you thinking of moving out?” my mother asks as we sit in the waiting room at the hospital as we wait to see a counsellor.
At first, I started seeing one on my own before it was suggested that my mother accompany me occasionally so we can talk through how her choices have affected my life.
“Mother, don’t call him that please. He doesn’t get the title ‘father’ when I had to track him down in my twenties. Call him Daniel.”
“I’m sorry Paige; I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that we were wondering if we could help you, especially considering your circumstances now.”
“I don’t know if I want your help, besides, I have to get a job first,” I state, knowing that I’ll need to call Andrea for a reference. She’s going to pitch a fit at me for not telling her I was still in the UK.
“Well, the help’s there if you want it... I have something to tell you Paige, I um, have money that I put aside for you – in case I ever found you again. After the divorce, I sold my partnership in the firm and created a trust fund for you. It’s not a huge amount, but it’s enough to live off, if you invest it wisely.”
Reaching into her handbag she pulls out an envelope that contains the paperwork for a fund in my name.
“I don’t know what to say…” I tell her, quietly scanning the documents.
“You don’t have to say anything, it’s the least I could do to make up for things – not that I think it does, I just – I just wanted to make sure you had something.”
“Thank you,” I whisper noting the start date of the fund. She’s been holding it for me for almost nine and a half years.
Elliot
“There’s some mail for you on your bed,” my mother informs me as I walk through the front door of her house after work and find her in the kitchen slicing up a bread stick to go with what smells like a beef casserole for dinner.
“Thanks mum,” I say dropping a kiss on the top of her head and pinching the crust the moment she butters it and drops it in the napkin lined basket. “Is Steve home yet?” I ask as I walk towards the staircase leading to my room.
“He is, he’s out in the garage checking the engine of the car, he said it’s making a funny noise. He’ll be in for dinner though,” she says as she pulls the curtain to the side in the kitchen calling out the window. “Five minutes Steve!”
“I’ll be down in a few,” I tell her bounding up the stairs three at a time until I reach the landing and enter my room. On the bed, I find a small pile of mail with yellow redirection stickers on the envelopes indicating that they were all forwarded from my flat to here.
Flicking through the pile, I find a mobile phone bill, my bank statement, some junk that I don’t care about and finally, an envelope with the UK Border Agency logo printed on it.
My breath catches in my throat as I stare at it, knowing that this is my answer.
“Please be yes,” I whisper to it, praying that I’ve been approved.
When I pull out the documents familiar to me after the last time I was granted a visa, I can’t contain myself “YES!” I yell out racing back downstairs to share my news.
“What was all that about?” Steve asks from the back sliding door.
“I got approved!” I rush over and hug my mother, picking her up and spinning her around as she laughs at my behaviour.
“That’s fantastic Elliot,” my mum says smiling up at me as I set her down.
Offering me his hand in congratulations, Steve shakes mine as he beams at me. “I’m gonna miss seeing you mate,” he says.
“Me too mate; I'm going to miss both of you,” I tell him honestly.
“Don’t go all soppy you two, that’s my job,” my mother cuts in. “Let’s have dinner, I’ll open a bottle of wine to celebrate.”
“Is the computer on?” I ask as they move towards the kitchen.
“Yes it is, sweetheart – let me guess; you can’t wait to book your flight?”
Grinning at her, I wink and disappear into the study to buy my ticket. Suddenly, the whole world is so much more wonderful to me. I'm going back, in only two weeks - I’m going back!
Chapter 32
Paige
“Are you ready?” my mother says as soon as I open the front door of my newly rented flat. It’s not that far away from where my mother and Daniel live, and it isn’t anything exciting, but it’s my own space – a place for me to start rebuilding my life.
It’s one bedroom, one living area, a small kitchen and bathroom, and it suits my budget. I can afford it on my own with my hairdresser’s salary without having to touch the money from the trust fund my mother gave me. I'd prefer not to touch it, unless I absolutely need to – perhaps I’ll save it for my retirement or something.
My mother and Daniel have helped me buy furniture for it as they’re doing their best to be a part of my life. We’ve come to an understanding now, and we’ve been continuing to work with a counsellor to put our respective pasts behind us and have the best opportunity for a family that we can. It’s still weird though, I don’t know that I’ll ever come to view them as my ‘parents’ in the sense that they are the first people I want to share my world with – I just can’t see us being a family like that.
“Come on Paige, we’ll be late for your appointment,” my mother chides me gently, still waiting in the doorway.
“Alright, I’m coming – you don’t need to be at every appointment you know,” I point out, reaching for a lightweight cardigan as I sling my handbag over my shoulder and step out the door, locking it behind me.
“I need to make sure you’re ok,” she reminds me, walking ahead of me down the stairs until we reach her car.
I hop into the passenger seat, and she drives us to the doctor for my appointment. It's nothing serious this time; he just needs to check on me to make sure I’m looking after myself and eating properly after being so unwell lately.
We sit in the waiting area and chat briefly about an article in a magazine before we’re called into the doctor’s office. My mother sits supportively beside me as the doctor asks me a barrage of questions, checks my health and sends me on my way, happy with my progress.
“I told you it would all be fine,” my mother says as we leave.
“Did you?” I laugh before I take a nervous breath as butterflies flutter in my stomach, “Well, I worry,” I say.
Elliot
Today feels like the happiest day of my freaking life – I’m finally on the plane back to the UK, and this time, I have five years under my belt.
It gives me plenty of time to find Paige and try to convince her that her past doesn’t mean we can’t be together. I don’t care what it takes, I want to be with her. I need to be with her – she doesn’t get to push me away this time.
Paige
As I do every night before I go to sleep, I replay the last couple of voice messages from Elliot that tell me he misses me and still loves me, then I look through the photos of our time together. I have printed a couple – ok, all of them; off and have them framed around my house – my mother thinks I should just call him back and tell him what’s going on with me, but now, more than ever he needs to choose his own path. I can’t let my changed circumstances be the deciding factor in what’s best for him. He’s the kind of guy, who will stick it out with me until the bitter end, and I don’t want that for him, I want him to be happy.
I need to be strong. I can’t let my love for Elliot be the only thing I focus on or my life will fall apart. I’ve spent the last three months trying too hard to put it back together, and I’m finally at a point where I don’t feel like my past is chasing me around, I feel like I can move forward with my life, and I hope that Elliot manages to as well.
As I drift off to sleep, my dreams are filled with him. Nights are my favourite time of the day now, because I can indulge in him while I sleep.
Elliot
Waking with a start, it takes me a moment to realise where I am. I was just having the most vivid dream where I was searching for Paige but every time I found her, she’d turn around, and it would be someone else. I slide my fingers through my hair. I haven’t had it cut since Paige did it nearly six months ago. I can’t believe it’s been so long, it feels like it only happened yesterday.
I only have a couple of hours left on this flight before I’m there. Jolene has agreed to pick me up from the airport, so I don’t have to catch a cab this time. They don’t have a spare bed, but everyone is fine with me taking the couch for a couple of days until I sort something else out.