Page 148 of Falling for You

He smiles. ‘Until I met Bat Girl.’

He’s so close to me now that I can feel his breath on my face. I could easily kiss him. But for the moment, we’re just looking into each other’s eyes. The music is blaring aroundus, but I can barely hear it. It’s like we’re the only two people in the room.

‘I think I …’

I pause, waiting for him to finish his sentence, when he stops. He leans back, as if he’s being pulled out of a trance, and reaches for his phone from his pocket. I watch him, my heart dropping as I feel the moment slip through my fingers. Suddenly, his face changes as he looks at the name flashing on the screen.

‘I’m so sorry,’ he says, ‘I’ve got to go.’

‘But …’ I start to reply but he’s already on his feet. He holds his phone to his ear and paces through the crowd towards the door.

I watch him go, my heart chasing after him, until he dips into the night with a phone pressed to his ear.

He’s gone.

I didn’t even get his name.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Nate

It’s impressive how quickly you can get a flight out of London if you’re prepared to ignore any figure and blindly hand over your credit card. Miraculously, my passport was in my pocket as my form of ID for the party, not that I needed to use it to get in. We weren’t even on the guest list.

I left the party as soon as I saw Dad’s name flash up on the screen. I hailed a cab and asked to be taken to the nearest airport. Apparently, there was one right in the city.

I tried looking for Stevie as I left, but it was hopeless. It was so busy in the ballroom that all the phone signal had been sucked into the void – Dad’s call must have snatched the final collective bar of signal. Although now I’m waiting at the airport for my flight, that’s all I’m left with. Time.

I texted Stevie whilst I was in the taxi. I sent him the flight information once I’d booked in and offered to cover his ticket, but I just got a one-line response.

Let me know you land okay.

He didn’t even ask how Mom is. Stevie and I are a unit. We’re brothers, two sides of the same coin. But sometimes, he can be a real dick.

I lean back against the cold plastic chair, trying to ignore the dubious glances of passers-by as they clock me in my suit. I look like I’ve just run out of my own wedding.

Stevie will be right where I left him, just quite a bit drunker, on the dance floor with a stranger. He didn’t give any of this a second thought. As always, it’s me who has to pick up the pieces. Doesn’t he thinkI’drather still be at the party, chatting to a beautiful girl in the first normal, nice conversation I’ve had in months? Maybe even more than months?

I curse to myself under my breath as the conversation passes in front of my eyes. I’ve spoken to girls in bars before, loads of times. But this was different. She was different.

I run my fingers through my hair.

I didn’t even get her name. I barely said goodbye, I just leapt up and ran away like I was about to transform into a werewolf after spotting a full moon. I mean, God, what must she think?

Feeling a rush of adrenaline, I pull out my phone again and send Stevie a voice note.

‘Stevie, one more thing. Can you find the girl who is dressed as a bat and tell her I’m sorry? Will you see if she wants my number? We were chatting before I had to leave.’

As soon as it swoops onto my screen I feel a frisson of embarrassment. How pathetic, sending a desperate voice note about someone when you don’t even know their name.

I jump as my phone buzzes. For a split second I expect tosee her. Maybe Stevie has miraculously found her and I can apologise and explain.

It’s not Stevie. It’s Dad.

I’ll pick you up at the airport. Mom okay, just confused. Have a good flight.

I sigh as I finish reading the message and slip my phone into my pocket.

I’m not an expert on life or death, but I think that dementia is possibly the cruellest way to lose someone you love. It happens so slowly. You feel like you’re watching them gradually fade away, day by day. Then some days, they remember everything about you and it’s like nothing has happened at all and it was all a horrible dream. It fuels you with hope that the nightmare is finally over, and you have your person back. Sometimes it lasts a few days, a week even, usually just long enough to trick you that everything is going to be okay.