Free Never Ever Leave Me by Elly Grant Page A

him to be served the papers then it’s up to Gordon to sort himself out.  He’s never tried to get in touch with you so the whole thing will probably just amble along until it completes.  I don’t suppose he’ll contest the divorce,” Seher said.
    “I’m not so sure,” Katy replied.  “He always has to win, he’s very competitive and he hates to lose at anything.  He always has to be in control.  I think the only reason he hasn’t been in touch is because he doesn’t know where I am.  To tell you the truth, I could have gone anywhere.  I bought a ticket on the first train out of town and I didn’t have a clue, when I arrived at the station, where I was going or what I was going to do.  A kind man on the train helped me.  He even gave me his card so I could get in touch with him because he was trying to find me somewhere to live.  He was the one who took me to the hotel in his taxi.  My head was in a mess and I was distraught.  I arrived in a strange town at night, knowing nobody.”
    “Why didn’t you contact him?  Was he a bit of a sleaze?  Did he frighten you?”
    “No, quite the reverse, he was a perfect gentleman.  I wanted to get in touch with him, but when I was rushed into hospital in the early hours of the morning, his card was lost.  The hotel packed up my belongings and delivered them to me, but the card wasn’t amongst them.  They probably threw it out when they cleaned the room without realising it was important to me.”
    “Could n’t you try to trace him, maybe through Facebook or something like that?  What was his name?”
    “John, he told me his name was John Houston and he was a lecturer, some kind of science, I think.”
    “A lecturer should be easy enough to find.  Which university?”
    “I’m not sure,” Katy replied.  “But it’s too late now anyway.  I don’t suppose he’d be interested in hearing from a complete stranger.  What could I say?  The flat he was going to help me with will be gone now and I’m perfectly happy where I am.”
    “A handsome, kind stranger helps you in your time of need.  He has a good job and you like him, of course you should try to find him.  I take it he’s single, you did establish that didn’t you?”
    “He’s a widower.  He told me his wife died about a year ago and he missed her enormously.  They were childhood sweethearts.”
    “Yeah, yeah,” Seher replied dismissively, “But she’s gone now and after a year he’ll be ready to move on.”
    “You’re impossible, you do know that.  The poor man was heartbroken.”
    “I’m sorry, Katy, but life goes on and you’re about to file for divorce.  You don’t want to let a good catch slip through the net.  Trust me, there’s not too many of them around.”
    “I hear what you’re saying, but I have no intention of phoning a virtual stranger to thank him for being kind to me, not after all this time.  I’ve missed the chance, it’s over.  If I tried to get in touch now he’d think I was some kind of crazy stalker.”
    “It might be better than turning into some sad old spinster like Granny Alison,” Seher added determined to have the last word.
    …
     
    As arranged John briefly returned to Patrick’s and they completed their work.  Both men were delighted with the result and excitedly spoke of working together in the future.  They enjoyed each other’s company and knew that their friendship would last far beyond their working relationship.  The anniversary of Carol’s death came and went while John was in Manchester and he was pleased to have the distraction of his work.  He didn’t mention the date to anyone so the day passed by like any other, but of course it wasn’t.  The weight of his loss was as heavy as it had ever been, but he was learning, little by little, to live with it.
    When he returned to his home once again, the house felt cavernous.  The emptiness of each room hung over him like a dark cloak and the space he once thought