For the love of Lucy

Written for Pancreatic Cancer UK to fundraise and raise awareness of this terrible disease after losing my dad in November 2020.

Lucy

Sand between my toes, I look at Paul and wondered what I did to deserve him.  You may read this and think I’m lucky, I’m not.  I might be with an impressively handsome man, but at what cost? We have fantastic holidays, and we work well when together.  However, are we a team? He works away regularly; we hardly see each other.   Money means working long hours and though he says he loves me, I’m not sure how committed he really is.

There are times I dream of another life, there’s going to be few men who would buy me diamonds like spending pocket money.  However, is love, attention and Cubic Zirconia really that bad.

Standing here in Hawaii the beach is beautiful, I should be happy.  Its so rare that we have a weekend together before he is called back to work.  Many women would love to date an FBI hero’, but I’ve had enough. If he told me that he was quitting to work on a supermarket checkout I would selfishly be pleased.

Christopher

For years he had listened to Lucy, all her frustrations with Pete and issues with life.  He had known her since school, and she had never noticed him as more then a friend. He knew all about her as a best friend should.  She had always been worth more then the checkout girl that she had become.  With no confidence in her own ability, she refused to use the degree that she had achieved years ago.  When offered a management job she had turned it down.

Convincing a friend to choose poverty over financial freedom was not something he could do.  He had always believed that if it was meant to be, it would be. After knowing her thirty years he knew things were unlikely to change. Christopher had never met anyone like Lucy, no one who he loved as much.   Married to Kayley he knew that he had done the wrong thing and the adoring eyes of daughter Elsie made him think he had done the right thing.  Lucy would never love him.

Lucy

Good times always come to an end. Getting of the plane at Gatwick I just wanted to get home.  Conflicted over Pete, I thought of the necklace in my suitcase.  With talk of a ring and marriage I need to make a decision.  As much as I love the money, I need love and company.

As I see the familiar features of my best friend walking towards me. I do wonder why we have never got together.  Kayley seems a nice girl, but we have never really got on.   He has never shown any interest in me, stuck in the friend zone we will always be just friends.

Putting his arms out to meet me, I trip into his arms and the tears start to pour.  Feeling my life tumbling around me this wasn’t good.  Feeling his hands on my face I look up.  Trying to read him, I am confused.

“Lucy what’s wrong?”

“Its Pete, he asked me to marry him?”

Christopher hesitated,

“Isn’t that good?”

I cried harder, “I don’t know.”

“Right Luce, Coffee now.”

Steering me into the coffee shop, the confusion was flooding through me.   It was ten minutes later that I now sat in complete shock.

Finally

“I’m going to put this out there.  You are my best friend, but I need to tell you.  Lucy I’m sorry but I love you.”

“But you married Kayley.”

“Well, you don’t love me. You are with Pete.”

The tears started rolling again.

“Chris, I’ve loved you years, but you married Kayley”

 

Things were even more of a mess now and I longed to be back on the Hawaiian beach.  Chris had always been there for me. He even fought off my school bully, it had always been him and me.  What was I supposed to do?  I didn’t want to hurt Kayley and Pete, but I deserve happiness too.

Sat in the Gatwick café, I had finally heard the words that I’ve always wanted to hear.  Why though after he has got married and my proposal from my FBI Agent.   Do I take the easy option, ignore Kayley, daughter Elsie and Pete?  Do I grab him and ignore the consequences?  Looking at Chris, I don’t know what to do or say,

“Come on, let’s get home.”

Picking up my coat and bags, Chris reached for my suitcase.  Following me through the airport in awkward silence we had finally had the conversation that should have happened years ago.  Now we just have to work out what to do next and if we follow our hearts then at least three people are going to be hurt.

Here is my fundraising page if you would like to donate.  Any size donation is appreciated.

Written for A story a day for Pancreatic Cancer UK