Page 52 of An Island Promise

Caleb had watched Paloma sleeping many times, always a peaceful and joyful experience, but not any longer. Each laboured breath made him fear it was her last. The more he focused on her breathing, the more blurred her features became with tears. The honey-tone of her skin had bleached to alabaster. She looked frail and too delicate to touch. All Caleb wanted to do was scoop her up into his arms and never let go, but he was afraid of hurting her.

Seven years together wasn’t enough; five years was cruelly too short a time to be married. They’d made memories together but that wouldn’t be enough either. It would never be enough. The idea of having to face life without Paloma was incomprehensible.

Over the last few days her lucid moments had become sporadic. Caleb hadn’t left her side, and a tiredness crawled through him that he’d never experienced before. He was fearful of falling asleep in case he woke up to discover he’d lost her. Maria kept him company, although neither of them said much, but they comforted each other as best they could. Maria cared for Caleb as much as her daughter, forcing him to eat and drink, to get a shower while she sat with her daughter and wiped her brow with a cool damp cloth.

Caleb refused to leave Paloma’s side at night, choosing to drift off in the armchair next to her, while Maria and Juan slept in the next room. It was a particularly cool, clear October night, the blanket covering him not enough to keep the chill at bay. Caleb remembered focusing on the moonlight sliding through the gap in the curtains and watching the dust motes swirl together like lovers dancing before he’d drifted off.

‘Caleb?’ Paloma’s voice was little more than a whisper but enough to stir him from his tortured semi-asleep state.

‘I’m here.’ He shot up from the armchair and sat next to her on the bed. He brushed the loose strands of dark hair from the side of her clammy face.

Wide-eyed, she looked up. ‘I thought you’d gone.’

‘No,’ he said, sorrow choking him as he took her cool hand in his. ‘I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.’

Her eyelids fluttered closed and his heart sank. Had she fallen asleep again?

‘Thirsty,’ she said, forcing her eyes open.

He held the cup to her cracked lips and she sipped the water. The shadows circling her eyes were even more prominent than they’d been when he’d kissed her goodnight. He’d slept fitfully, jumping awake numerous times to lean forward and look at her, holding his breath until he’d been able to make out the shallow rise and fall of her chest.

Paloma nodded her thanks and he placed the cup on the bedside table.

She slipped her fingers between his. ‘Promise me you’ll be happy again.’

Caleb’s breath caught in his throat. ‘I’ll never be happy without you.’

A tear slid down her cheek and he wiped it away.

‘Don’t say that,’ she said softly. ‘You have the whole of your life ahead of you. I want you to be happy, to finish our house, to do all the things we talked about. To find someone to love again, the way you’ve loved me.’

Caleb shook his head, unable to bear the thought of life without her, even less so the idea of someone replacing Paloma. Their time together had been too brief. Their hopes and dreams shattered. The family he’d imagined would never exist.

‘How am I supposed to live without you?’ Caleb pressed his head gently into the crook of her neck, which was cool against his own hot skin. His tears dampened the pillow.

‘One day at a time,’ Paloma whispered. ‘I’ll be with you always, wishing you all the happiness you deserve.’

33

JULY 2023, PRESENT DAY

Belle woke to the sunrise which cast an amber glow on the horizon. It wasn’t the sort of place where you wanted to draw the curtains and shut out the view. With the trees screening the window to the side and just open sea through the one in front, there was plenty of privacy. The view stretched endlessly, breathtaking in its beauty as the sun’s rays waltzed on the surface of the sea.

It was the peace that captivated her the most, so different to waking up in London. Even on Ibiza in the apartment tucked away at the rear of Spirit, there were always the sounds of the hotel, people chatting, the beat of music and an occasional car from the road. With its large windows and modern lines, Belle imagined this house was soundproofed and with only her and Caleb at the other end of the corridor, there was utter peace. She could imagine the joy of waking up to this each morning or sipping a coffee while basking in the sunshine on the terrace, yet once again it accentuated how lonely Caleb must be. The uninterrupted quiet was already giving her too much time to think. She’d fallen asleep playing over everything they’d talked about and had woken to thoughts of Caleb and the way he madeher feel. She was drawn to him and wanted to be with him in all senses of the word.

She threw off the sheet, connected her phone to the Bluetooth speaker and chose a dance hits playlist on Spotify. The uplifting beat of Becky Hill and Chase & Status’s ‘Disconnect’ filled the room as she stepped into the ensuite to shower and brush her teeth.

The silky maxi dress felt too dressy to change into early in the morning, yet she felt underdressed in Caleb’s T-shirt. It had an unexpectedly fresh floral scent and was soft against her skin as she padded barefoot past the closed door of his room and downstairs.

Wandering through the expansive living area on her own felt strange, like the morning after spending the night with someone, except they hadn’t. Hopefully that would mean there’d be none of the awkwardness.

The view from the ground floor was just as impressive as from the guest bedroom. In the daylight, she could see the pool jutting out of the hillside, enticing in its sleek coolness. What a place to live, and yet what good was having all of this if he wasn’t happy? That was the crux of everything. Because at the heart of every failed relationship she’d had was the reality that she hadn’t been happy with them or herself.

The industrial-style kitchen was spotless with a polished concrete worktop and dark wood cupboards. She made a coffee and found oat milk in the fridge which was well stocked with food: lots of leafy greens and fruit, cheese and chorizo. His kitchen was obviously not just for show.

Taking the coffee with her, she stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in the living area and enjoyed her chilled-out start to the day as she soaked up the view. She considered how long she should stay and if it would be rude to call a taxi and leave beforeCaleb got up. Not that she was in a rush; Laurie and Gem would be sleeping in.

She slid open one of the doors and stepped barefoot onto the terrace, the stones not yet warmed by the morning sun. She had an overwhelming desire to stay. Caleb might wake up alone but she didn’t want to be gone without having said goodbye. She wasn’t replacing anyone, she was simply being a friend, exactly as Cara had suggested.

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