Page 63 of Things We Do for Love and Science
But she was so determined to guard her heart that she had smashed their happiness to pieces. Now he would never be the father of her child. He rooted around the glove compartment for a tissue when a knock on his car window made him jump.
A man with sandy hair and a serious expression in his gray eyes opened the driver door and said, “Mate, get out, we’re going for a beer.”
“Who are you?” Gabriel asked, too stunned to be angry.
“I’m Tom, Delia’s brother.”
Gabriel stared at him, his brain still fuzzy with anguish, and deliberated whether to accept the offer. What did he have to lose? He might even get some sort of explanation. “Yes, sure, let’s meet at the Black Swan. I’d better drive in; I don’t want Delia to see my car parked in front of her house.”
“Yep, see you there.” Tom slammed the car door shut.
It was a dicey journey, given the state he was in, but Gabriel made it to the town center in one piece. He entered the traditionally furnished pub and searched the dimly lit room. The Black Swan was nearly empty, and Delia’s brother was already at the bar.
Tom gave him a small wave. “Pint?” he asked.
“Yes, please.” Gabriel smiled, uncertain.
What a surreal situation. He was in the pub with a total stranger who had witnessed him in floods of tears earlier on. After Delia had broken his heart, or to be precise, after she had liberated him from his delusions.
Her position had never changed.Hehad made the move from friendship, to lust, to love, all by himself. Easy to blame her but also unfair.
Tom passed him a pint of lager and led the way to the snug. “Sorry to pounce on you, but I couldn’t pass you by. I was going to drop in to see if Delia had remembered to get the kid’s science set for my daughter, when I spotted you in the car. Knowing my sister, I had a fair idea of what had happened.”
“How did you recognize me?” Gabriel asked.
“The other day Delia sent me a picture of the two of you in some concert.”
“Oh, yes.” Gabriel swallowed hard. After the concert, he’d known for sure that he loved her.
“I’m aware of your plan to have a baby together.” Tom scratched his head.
“Well, that plan is out the window now.” Gabriel struggled to give his voice an even timbre.
“Yes, so it would seem.” Tom pressed his lips together.
What exactly did Delia’s brother have in mind with this drink? Did he pity Gabriel but regret his decision to speak to him? Gabriel chewed the inside of his cheek and waited for him to elaborate.
Tom took a sip of his beer. “Listen, this may seem a bit weird to you, but I do believe you need a few facts. Some background information if you will. You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Gabriel studied his fingers clutching the pint glass but managed a nod.
“And she refused to enter into a relationship.” Tom stated it as a fact.
Gabriel gave another nod, suppressing tears that threatened to wash away his composure. He’d been foolish to believe Delia would change her ways for him.
“She talked about you more than once.” Tom rubbed his forehead. “I never bothered to learn the names of her previous flings, but the name ‘Gabriel’ came up so often, I couldn’t help but remember.”
Gabriel held his breath. She had talked about him? Hope flared like a magnesium fire—silly, unfounded, irrational hope.
“But,” Tom continued, “Delia’s afraid, and the man she opens up to is yet to be born. Your feelings, I’d say, weren’t unfounded. It’s only that her fear of getting hurt is much stronger than her need for love and connection.”
Gabriel studied Tom’s face. “But why? She did allude to not having had the best of role models, but surely as an adult in her own life...”
Tom gave a mirthless laugh. “Long story.” He took a swig of beer, then put his pint glass down. “I’m not sure how you grew up, but in our house, there was always conflict between our parents. That’s what I remember when I think of my childhood. Tension in the air, a constant heavy, joyless atmosphere. Nothing was ever light. Nothing was ever fun. Our parents were unhappy together yet unable to let go of each other. In short, our parents’ marriage was a shit show, and Delia and I had front row seats.”
“Oh, I’m...” Gabriel cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Ah, you know, it’s a common story. Nothing out of the ordinary. In a sense, Delia’s reaction to the idea of marriage is more natural than mine. I guess I was lucky meeting Anjali when I was young, idealistic, and convinced I could do things differently, better. And we did, my wife and I. Delia, she got so caught up in her studies. Science is hard, you must be totally committed, and there was never much space for a proper relationship. She has a great mind, but her fierce ambition sometimes drives her to disregard her needs.
