these two people was intense.
You know the feeling when you are in someone’s company and no one talks and you feel like you have had the best conversation ever? Or when you look up at the sky st night and see fireworks lighting up the sky and you get that warm glow.
That’s how Courtney felt when she saw Raymond but was also anxious about their past.
Courtney had been here before with Raymond. She loved him with all of her but was scarred by the memories.
Raymond prior to moving into the cottage, which his grandparents once lived, was addicted to gambling. He had admitted to Courtney months earlier that he would waste hours spinning the wheel hoping for the next win. Instead he lost it all. He had lost Courtney and her close bond, his job and his own self respect. He felt a failure.
She remembered that pain well, she tried everything to reach him, but in the end had to walk away or leave to London where her job lead her to, to cocktail evenings with her work colleagues and the talk of lost loves.
She didn't want to leave him, but he was on destruction mode and was cruel with his words, he told her never to come back.
But she had to..
.
Nevertheless, Courtney felt like she could give Raymond one last chance. After all, everyone makes mistakes, don't they?
'I was just going for a coffee, want one?' she asked coyley. Perhaps he really has changed now... Could they possibly rekindle their relationship.
Just at that moment a white van whooshed past, soaking them head to toe in rainwater. They looked at each other with disbelief, then burst out laughing.
They run together arm in arm across the road to the laundrette, where they hurriedly took..
around to see if anyone is watching.
‘Ding’ goes the door as they enter.
where they hurriedly took refuge from the cold. They stood near the dryers catching their breath; silent with racing hearts. The first words to come across Courtney's lips were, "OH my Lord!" , I've got to get back to my truck. She darted out the door with Raymond at her heels like a loyal hound (lol).
Her truck was gone! She gasped and quickly pivoted to stare into Raymond's wide open green eyes. "How can I help? What's going on?" he quickly asked.
Maurice the butcher.. Is all she could say..
She started crying..
and didn't stop for an hour. They both sat in Raymond's trustworth volkwagon van seemingly in no hurry to retreive her truck. There was no need for words as they felt one another's story of emotion that lay between them. It was now too late to get to the empoundment lot so they slowly made their way up the mountainous roadway towards the family homstead.
As the van trundled ahead on the uneven surface they sat in silence, staring ahead through the sleeting rain. A thought had occurred to Courtney which worried her slightly. She glanced down at the centre console. There was a scrumpled up betting slip. Oh no! She thought, and she closed her eyes tightly.
It was time for her meds. which were in the kitchen cupboard above the stove. She was afraid to react so she held the volcanic firey flow that was now erupting in her solar plexus and brain. "Courtney, you can do this. You have to." she told herself over and over, like a mantra to stop what could have been a fatal hemorage to the reationship that she longed to rekindle.
His eyes travelled down to where he saw she looked, he noticed the crumpled paper, he set off to drive her home, while driving he reached down, half looking at the road, half looking and reaching for the crumpled paper, he grasped the paper and said Courtney its not what you think..
It's a old bet.. But his voice was unheard as the tree was..
... swaying back and forth from the mirror in the car, you know, the air freshener type that filled the car with a pine aroma. It reminded her...
..
...of palm trees from her holiday in Florida. Many moons ago. Where did all the years go? They say that time flies when you're having fun. But fun seemed like an alien word to her right now.
"Raymond.. I think that we need to get you some help. With the gambling I mean".
"But Courtney, I've just found out my sister has cancer, and I haven't been sleeping right. Also I may lose my job again".
Raymond pulled the van over to the roadside, applied the handbrake forcefully and started to shake his head. "Sorry" he said in a stuttering voice.
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