chapter 30

30   On the way home from the airport I called Nat. ‘Hey.’‘Hey. You okay?’ She knew.‘Can we meet, Nat?’ ‘Now?’‘Please,’ I pleaded.She went quiet for a bit. ‘Nat?’‘Okay. I’ll have to find an excuse. Are you home?’ ‘Will be in half an hour.’‘Okay, I’ll see you,’ she replied.An hour later the doorbell rang and I let her into the apartment.‘You’ve been drinking?’ ‘Yes.’‘Why?’‘May I?’ I asked before throwing my arms around her, holding her tight. She hugged me back. It was the mostcomforting thing that had happened to me all morning. ‘What happened, Sid?’I didn’t reply but held her tighter and she stood there, letting me hold her.‘Don’t let go of me.’ ‘Sid?’‘Please, Nat, promise you won’t let go of me.’ ‘You’re scaring me, Sid. What happened?’I didn’t say anything. I took her hand and led her to the couch. She sat down next to me and ran her hand through my hair as I lay my head in her lap. She bent over me and wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight.‘I won’t, I promise,’ she whispered and planted a kiss on my forehead.Her hair smelled of lavender and for some strange reason it brought tears to my eyes. I was in love with someone with whom I didn’t have a foreseeable future, but I had finally found love or so my heart had me believe.