“Anna?” He looks at her before his eyes turn towards the wall and he starts to speak.
“Aye, she was my first love, first real love. We meet in year 6. Both gangly teens trying to figure out the opposite sex. Friends at first. We studied together, rode bikes together. I showed her how to milk a coo. She gave me my first kiss.
We started truly dating in upper school. There was no one else. For four years she was my world. I asked her to marry me at graduation. We planned a wedding, right her in the Great Room.” He takes a deep breath and turns back towards her. “I had my wedding kilt, had wrote vows. My mam and sister had this room looking like something out of a dream.
It was the night before. Our rehearsal dinner. She didn’t show. Ian and I went to see why. I will always be thankful to Ian for that. He went in first so he found her. She was in her room, dressed for dinner. She was on the floor. A sudden heart failure, that is what the autopsy showed. A weak valve. No way to ken as she was only 21.
We buried her in her wedding dress.”
“Jamie I am so.. God. Sorry doesn’t cover it. I can't imagine how..”
“She was my world. We had a bairns names picked out. She.. I canna risk that type of pain again.”
“Oh Jamie.” She doesn't know what to say and just holds him. He holds her back. They stay that way as the shadows lengthen, not talking just giving and receiving comfort.
“I can be and am your mate, flatmate, and you are my interior designer. But, it canna be more.”
“It already is,” she thinks as she finds his eyes again. “Will you grieve her forever then? Never risk joy in fear of pain?”
“Claire you canna understand.”
“Can't I? I have never known a love like that but known the opposite. I think I would rather have what you had for four years then what I had for five. I would think having known real love, you wouldn’t want to live without it.” She sighs,” I will be your mate Jamie and your interior designer. Your flatmate until I can save to get my own place. I want you but I am not the type to force. Now, show me the rest of this mansion so I can start designing.” She walks towards the stairs. He slowly follows.
