The Weekend - Completed

Chapter 41

I hardly remember the flight, it seemed like the plane was no sooner in the air and then the seatbelt sign was again illuminated overhead signifying my impending descent and return to 'Good Old Blighty'.

For the entire flight I'd been preoccupied, my mind had analysed and over analysed the events of the day, my brain was now starting to hurt. I shook my head trying to clear the haze and again run through my confusing day.

We'd arrived at the airport in plenty of time, I'd been eternally grateful that Adam had been available and had offered to drive me. My Gran had wanted to take me herself but since I'd told her I was going home she was fully focused on plan 'life moves on', and I was finding her upbeat motivation more than a little exhausting.

Before going to the airport we had stopped off for lunch at a little Italian restaurant only five minutes away from the terminal. We'd been there many times before, like today it was usually on our way back to the airport. It was like our venue for the last supper and it was always delicious. We had purposely not eaten breakfast, much to my Gran's annoyance, but I wanted to save my appetite.

Adam had suggested lunch the night before and I knew instantly what I'd order. I'm a simple sort I'd told him, I wanted spaghetti bolognaise with garlic bread, and for dessert I was going to have strawberries and homemade ice-cream, I'd practically slobbered the words.

My Gran had hugged me fiercely before finally releasing me from her vice like grasp. Kissing me several times on my head and face as we walked to the car.

"Drive carefully Adam" she'd teased him, "She's very precious cargo and I don't want her damaged in transit." He'd blushed slightly, mumbled his reassurances and hastily made his retreat to the car.

"She was playing with you." I comforted noticing he had turned ashen. Not pulling his eyes away from the road his mouth twitched as a half hearted smile played on his face for a moment.

Since that first day on the beach all those years ago Adam and I had always been friends, and regardless of the months between when we didn't see each other as soon as we met up every summer it was like we'd never been apart. Yeah Katie was my best friend, and I'd never tell her this, but Adam...Adam was...he was like my soul mate, my platonic soul mate. He was always just so glad to see me, it was never difficult with Adam, conversation had always been easy and even the silences between us had always been comfortable.

Looking at him as he focused on the road I could see his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel, his knuckles white from the pressure. Casting my eyes towards his face, his jaw too was rigid with tension and the muscles in his neck straining.

"Adam, what's wrong?" I watched him closely for his reaction, he shook his head infinitesimally and swallowed hard.

"Please Adam, tell me" I could hear the concern in my voice and as I spoke I reached over and put my hand on his knee, lightly squeezing it supportively.

He still didn't reply and kept his eyes on the road, the only evidence of him even hearing what I'd said was the hint of a sad smile on his face. For the first time since I'd known him I didn't know what to do, suddenly my hand felt awkward on his knee and I slowly lifted it off, in a silly way I was hoping he wouldn't notice it had ever been there. As I pulled away, my hand was suddenly engulfed in his and pushed back to his knee, he held it there squeezing it back. My eyes shot to his face but his impassive expression hadn't changed as his focus remained solely on the road.

Oh shit, what's wrong, panic building within me. Never and I do mean NEVER have we not been able to tell each other anything. Christ only a couple of weeks ago I'd been balling my eyes out on the beach telling him my tale of woe.