‘So why are you leaving me?’ she asked, gulping for air as she cried.
‘Because I want to do this one thing. Because I’ve always wanted to do it.’
Diana looked at the floor, noticing the red and blue fibres in the carpet.
‘I want to be with you, Diana, I do,’ he said, and she finally let herself look at him. ‘But I want – I need – to take this trip first.’ Douglas looked pale and worried as she spoke. ‘I’ll take you back now.’ He got up from the floor, and Diana noticed the carpet marks on his trousers. ‘It was a silly idea. I’m sorry.’
Diana stepped forward and said, ‘Why did you bring me here only to tell me that you’re going away tomorrow? It feels cruel.’
Douglas ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. ‘I don’t know. I wanted to be honest with you but I also wanted to be with you, spend a whole night with you, have memories of us while I am away.’
‘Stay and make memories with me now,’ she said, hearing her voice break.
They stood facing each other, each with their own agenda, and Diana knew she was beaten.
If he stayed, he would eventually resent her, and if he left now, she would feel she wasn’t enough to stay for.
‘Take me home,’ she said, and she walked out of the hotel room.
14
Amanda
Amanda opened the door to the church hall with Simon standing behind her.
There was a group of six people sitting in a circle. Ranging in age from fifty to ancient, there were four women and two men.
‘Hello,’ she said, feeling nervous as the faces stared at her as though she was about to try and sell them life insurance. ‘We’re here for the gardening club.’
There was a murmur of voices and then the awful sound of chairs scraping across the floorboards as two women stood up and almost sprinted to her side.
‘Are you sure?’ asked a woman with pink, spiky hair and what looked to be a denim jacket with badges all over the front. Oh, she was a galah, the Australian bird, through and through.
‘Yes. I’m sure. I’m Amanda Cox and this is my friend Simon. He’s working on my new garden with me. We don’t know much so we would like to learn,’ said Amanda, whispering to Simon: ‘Sorry, I don’t know your last name.’
Amanda turned back to the woman. ‘I really don’t know anything about gardening and I promised I would have it ready for people to visit in a year’s time.’
The woman patted her arm. ‘It’ll be fine. Gardens find their gardeners, you know. They kind of call you until you can’t ignore it anymore. I think it’s a DNA connection to the land thing. I mean, all our ancestors had dirt under their nails, didn’t they? Anyway, I’m Janet. Pleased to meet you both.’
Amanda liked Janet instantly. She definitely would have been friends with her mom and looking at the badges on her jacket she thought she would like to be friends with her also. Black Lives Matter, My Body My Choice, LGBTQI+, animal welfare, save the whales and some Amanda wasn’t quite sure of.
‘Come and meet everyone,’ she insisted.
Amanda looked at Simon who had reverted to his sullen state.
‘Try and be likeable,’ she hissed.
‘Simon the Likeable fromGet Smartwas a KAOS agent,’ he whispered.
‘I’ve never watched it,’ she answered as Janet started introducing them to the rest of the club.
‘This is Shelley and Frank. Shelley owns Shelley’s Deli in the village. Shelley’s from America.’
The woman gave Amanda a small wave.
‘I can hear New York in your accent. Am I right?’
Amanda nodded. ‘Yep, born and raised in Astoria.’
