Page 104 of The Life We Almost Had

‘Not quite as romantic as I hoped, but yes. My seagull. My mate for life. My everything.’

‘If there’s ever anything you need. Anything. Just call. More than anything, I want you to be happy. I hope Adam recovers, Anna. I really do.’ Adam only has a 3 per cent chance of recovery but Oliver is rooting for him. He’s a scientist, but he still believes in miracles.

Oliver opens his arms and Anna steps into them. This is goodbye.

Chapter Sixty-Two

Anna

‘We’re going home tomorrow,’ I tell Adam.

I’m trying to stay positive. Oliver’s right. I’ve a support network waiting for me at home: Nan, Mum, Nell, Josh. Together, we’ll all keep the faith that one day Adam might recover.

Two years.

Twelve years.

Twenty years.

Without the help of Oliver, I worry how long I’ll be able to keep alive the vibrant Adam who lives clearly in my mind. But I vow I will. I can’t ever let him become a memory, vague and fading.

‘So…’ Usually I fill the silence with chatter, recollections of times past or plans for the future but now I cannot think of a single thing to say. I feel lost. As though I’ve forgotten who I am and why I’m here. As though I have failed my husband, failed us both. The thought of our little family slipping away, of never holding Harry in my arms, is heartbreaking.

Outside it is gloomy. For the first time since we arrived on the island, the sun isn’t beaming down. Clouds slip across the sky like ghosts.

Intermittently I doze.

Each time I wake, I remember we are leaving soon and I feel desolate once more. A ripple of a memory stirs, just outside my grasp. There’s something important, something that will change everything. I try and force it to the forefront of my mind but my recollection is slow and muddied.

I lay my head on Adam’s chest and whisper,I need you.

Chapter Sixty-Three

Adam

Anna’s head is on my chest. It’s impossible to gauge whether she has her eyes open or closed. I need to move. Speak. Dosomething.

Trying to raise my finger is like trying to lift a two-tonne weight. Mentally draining and physically impossible. My eyelids are equally heavy and my frustration builds; even babies can blink.

Anna.

I am incredulous that she can’t hear me calling her name. That she can’t see the shape of it leave my lips.

Chapter Sixty-Four

Anna

‘Anna.’ Adam’s voice is warm and soft.

‘You’re awake?’ A sunburst of happiness. I touch his face. His lips. Feel his mouth crinkle into a smile.

‘Yeah. Sorry. Have I been asleep long?’

‘Too long.’

‘What have I missed?’

Everything.

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