No Going Back by ALEX GUTTERIDGE Read Free Book Online Page A

couldn’t get my head around the molecule thing, but it seemed cruel to dash his hopes of fathering a child genius at this early stage in the renewal of our relationship.
    â€œWhat I don’t understand,” I said, beginning to relax and hugging my knees underneath the duvet, “is why you are here. Why now, after all this time?”
    â€œYou sounded upset,” he replied. “And between you and me…” he looked around conspiratorially, dropped his voice to a whisper, “… I’d be pretty distraught too, having to move in with the old battleaxe. What your mother is thinking of, I really don’t know.”
    He puffed out his chest and carefully raised both hands, palms facing outwards.
    â€œSo I came to see if I could help.”
    He probably wanted some sort of thanks butI was too shell-shocked to remember my manners. “You were listening to me, when I talked to you?” I gasped.
    â€œOf course, all the time. I know everything about you.”
    That was a bit disconcerting.
    â€œEverything?”
    His grin broadened. “Pretty much.”
    A little flare of anger kindled in my chest. “Then why didn’t you let me know before that you were there?”
    His face fell. The glowing light around his edge shivered, as if he was upset. “I wanted to.” His voice was so low I had to lean forwards to hear him. “I wanted to come back and say sorry for making such a mess of things.”
    He sank onto the dressing table stool, bent forwards and covered his face with his hands for a moment, the ends of his long, pale fingers resting in his hair. Hair that was just like mine.
    â€œBut I wasn’t sure whether you would want to see me. I didn’t want to make things worse.”
    â€œHow could you have made things anyworse?” I snapped back, unable to help myself. “If you were really listening to me then you’d know how much I longed for some sign. I wanted that more than anything. I’ve been looking for you, listening for you everywhere, almost every single day since you… left.”
    He bit his lip and put one hand to his chest.
    â€œI was listening, Laura. I promise. But sometimes we think we want something and then, when we get it, it’s not what we wanted at all.”
    He was talking in complete riddles. I blinked. Sudden tears clung to my eyelashes. My vision went all blurry.
    â€œNo, you’re wrong,” I said. “You were wrong to think that. If I could have seen you or heard you, if I could have known that you were still there watching over me, I’d have felt…”
    What would I have felt? Protected? More complete? Happier? Probably all of those things. How could he have denied me that? How could he not have known what a difference it would make?
    â€œI’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t want to complicate things. You seemed to be doing okay. I just wantedwhat was best for you.”
    I wiped tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand.
    â€œBut I wanted to be better than okay,” I muttered. “Whatever I did, however much I tried, there’s always been this piece of me that’s missing.”
    â€œAnd that’s my fault,” he said. “I know that.”
    He looked as if he was about to cry too.
    â€œThe accident wasn’t your fault,” I sniffed.
    â€œI don’t blame you for that. I just wish you’d come back sooner.”
    â€œWell I’m here now, my princess.”
    I wanted him to hug me but he stayed sitting on the stool. “And now we can make up for all of that lost time. We can get to know each other properly, can’t we?”
    My eyes widened. “You mean you’re staying?”
    â€œOh yes, most definitely,” he said, a grin flashing across his face. “Now that I’m here, I’m not leaving you.”

Q UESTIONS
    A long the corridor a door creaked. I heard the pad of slippers on the carpet