Broke my heart - Ward Meachum
It hadn’t been a conscious decision to arrive at the dominating building. Once she’d arrived back here; she had found herself lost in the nostalgia of it all. The buildings hadn’t changed; not one bit. A few of them no longer housed the same tenants but the memories in the brick work still remained.
Rand still held the same looming dread that it had when she was younger. She remembered the eerily busy hallways that she once ran wild in with Danny, Ward and Joy. Her heart froze at the pictures flooding her mind, the three of them laughing as they hide random objects belonging to Danny’s father.
“I promise it’s not as scary as it looks” The voice caught her off-guard. Her hand lifting to her chest as she jumped. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to – Speedy?” It had been years since someone had called her that. That nickname had died when she had left; after Danny had died, after she’d found out about Ward’s abus- she knocked the memory from her mind.
“I- you must have me confused. I have to go” She hurried through her sentence as she clung to the strap of her bag. She barely registered the features of her new companion, not until he had sprinted after her retreating form. His eyes hadn’t changed; the knowing innocence flickered around as though there was nothing but good in the world. He looked so different and yet, she instantly knew who he reminded her of. Danny. Danny was dead = had been dead, if she was to believe the news articles.
“No, no. It’s me. Danny. You used to spit paper at me with Ward, and play chess on a Friday with me. Joy made you a statue for your birthday but you dropped it so I glued it back together whilst you and Ward comforted her. They said you’d moved away, after my ‘death’” Danny smiled as he emphasised his words. He flicked his fingers up in quotation marks. “Come on, I’m just going to meet them. They’ll be ecstatic that you’re here”
Without hesitation, Danny grabbed her hand. He pulled her into the building racing to the elevator. He kept raving and reminiscing the entire time. Her eyes fell to the bottom of the elevator door, where it met the ground. She let the words fall into the background as she pictured the day she left New York.
She waited longer than necessary, she missed two trains waiting before she boarded the final one. She clutched the second ticket tightly in her fingers as she watched the buildings blur. She’d sent several messages, she rung his home phone. She’d even email, but he hadn’t answered. He was too late.
“Megan is Ward in? Oh could get Joy to join us?” Danny questioned; the woman sat diligently behind the desk nodded before pointing towards the furthest corner. The door had been left open and for a second she could see the left arm of its inhabitant. She froze. The offices had changed little since she was younger. She wondered if behind the back panel of the third elevator she would find the initials. She allowed the smile to grace her features as she tightened her hold on her bag strap.
“I don’t think this is a good idea Danny” She whispered; she wondered if he had heard her or if in his hurry to the office, he had elected to ignore her protest. The nerves had begun to spiral in her stomach, her eyes darting between her hands and the man. She inhaled deeply, settling on the ring wrapped around her left ring finger.
“Nonsense, Ward used to be infatuated with you, Joy told me so. Never stopped talking about you when we were kids. I think he was going to ask you to a dance at one point. He’ll be over the moon you’re here” Rand bounced with each word. His own smile shifting into a grin. He entered the room first; his sudden appearance startling the inhabitant as he muttered his goodbyes.
“I have to go, a madman just entered my office” He grumbled. He hadn’t changed. She found his disgruntled words amusing, as she followed behind Danny. She kept her head down, unable to look at him. He probably didn’t remember her. “Speedy? Danny what-“
“So what’s the big emergency?” Joy’s voice cooed from the opposite door. She did a double take as she glanced at her brother. The shocked expression dancing across his features as he stood immediately. “Ward, you actually need to breath” Joy warned him.
“Hey Joy, long time no see” She laughed lightly, attempting to ease the tension building. The younger Meachum turn swiftly, her eyes widening and a smile forming. She was surprised but, unlike Ward, had recovered almost immediately. Her arms flying around the newest intruder at Rand.
“Oh my God, when did you get back?” Joy questioned.
“This morning, I thought I’d go for a walk before I had to check in at my hotel. I ended up here and met, the very much alive Danny” She responded. “It’s good to see you well, Joy. And you to Ward”
Joy stepped back, dropping her arms. She turned to look at her still shocked brother. She could see the unspoken words attempting to form in his mind. This was a conversation, neither Danny nor her needed to be witness to. Joy all but grabbed Danny by the arm, dragging him from the office.
“Hey” She waved. Ward blinked. “You never used to be so gobsmacked. Mr I have a one liner for everything” She added.
“What are you doing back?” He queried, his eyes roaming her body. They settled on her left hand, the facts were aligning in his head. Ward cleared his throat, fingers idly playing with the papers on his desk. “Congratulations, I think this is where I say it. Nice guy?” He questioned.
“He’s kind. Not my first choice but it wouldn’t have worked out with them anyway” She muttered. Ward nodded. “I’m sorry I should leave. It was good seeing you Ward.”
“That’s it. It’s been years and that’s it. Hi, Ward, stuck for words. Oh by the way I’m getting married, bye” Ward growled. He was angry. He had no right to be, but he was. He felt the sharp sting of jealousy hidden amongst his fury.
“How dare you? You never followed me Ward, I waited at the train station for three hours for you, after everything we went through. You just let me go, you left me alone. Why? What could’ve been more important? Did I mean nothing? Did those late nights when you would turn up at my parents home, bloody, bruised and crying after Harold had got angry, did they mean nothing. I patched you up, I comforted you for hours, I covered for you. We were going to run away. It was your idea and you left me to feel like an idiot. Don’t stand there and get angry with me because I’m getting married.” She shouted. “I love you Ward and you broke my heart” she fumed.