* * *
Rick knew that Fleur was slipping away from him, and he’d made up his mind to do nothing to stop it. After a weekend away from the island, Monday was a busy day, and when he got home from work he was taken up with hearing about Ellie’s day and then watching the film he’d promised her. Fleur didn’t call but, then, he hadn’t called her either.
The following day, his phone rang at lunchtime. Fleur had contacted the director of the New York theater and they’d set up a video conference. They’d talked at length and she was hopeful that it might lead to something. She was going to New York the next day to meet the board of governors and key personnel at the theater and was thinking of staying on for a few weeks to explore other opportunities. Rick congratulated her and she thanked him.
Fleur was leaving, he’d always known that. He couldn’t deny her this opportunity any more than he could deny himself the opportunity to give Ellie a home here on the island. But there was one more thing that he had to do. He had to say goodbye properly.
He finished work and went to see Ellie at the daycare center, telling her that he had to go and do something but he’d be back for her in an hour. He left her playing with one of the daycare assistants, and drove to Josh and Maura’s house. Maura answered the door, and told him that Fleur had taken a walk down to the harbor. She’d only been gone for five minutes, and if he hurried he’d catch her.
A cold wind was blowing in from the sea, and Rick was glad of his warm coat. Ahead, he could see a figure, and he ran to catch Fleur up, stumbling as he went, on the uneven path.
“Rick...” She heard him behind her, and turned. Maple Island was known for its sunsets, and this evening’s had been particularly spectacular. But now there were just a few streaks of red in the sky and dusk was closing in.
“Fleur. I came to say...” Looking into her face, all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and tell her that he wouldn’t let her go. But he couldn’t do it to her. “I came to say goodbye.”
“I’m not leaving until tomorrow...”
The temptation to tell her that they could spend those hours together almost overwhelmed Rick. But they would only be one long goodbye. They both deserved better than that.
He took a deep breath. “Last weekend we did something important together. And we danced...” And made love. But it would break his heart to say it.
“Last weekend was great, Rick.”
“It was. So I’d like it if we could both remember that as the last time we spent together.” If Fleur took it into her head to disagree, he wouldn’t be able to resist her. He’d only just managed to get the words out, and it had taken every last bit of his resolve.
She thought for a minute, staring at the ground between them. When she tipped her face up toward his, Rick saw tears there. He silently begged her not to cry, because he couldn’t bear to walk away and leave her crying.
“You’re right. We couldn’t have hoped to end with anything better. It’s a good way to leave things between us.” She gestured at the path ahead of them. “I’m going up to the harbor...”
“I have to go back the other way. My car’s there...”
There was another silence. Her gaze searched his face, as if looking for some way to hold back the inevitable. But there was nothing more to say now, except goodbye.
“I want to thank you, Rick. You made me believe in myself again. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“It’s been my pleasure, Fleur. You’ve helped me to make a home here on the island.”
“I want you and Ellie to be happy here.”
Happiness was one thing that he was determined that Ellie should have, but he couldn’t promise it for himself without Fleur in his life. Rick felt himself choke with emotion, and turned away from her, walking back along the path. If she called after him, he wasn’t sure that his legs would continue to carry him. But she didn’t.
* * *
He’d promised himself he wouldn’t watch her go, but Phoenix Flame had mentioned that Fleur was leaving on the evening ferry to catch the red-eye to New York. He and Ellie made the journey up the circular staircase to the room at the top of the lighthouse, and while Ellie used her telescope to look at the lights of Boston, Rick watched the harbor. He could make out Josh’s car, and a tiny figure in a red coat got out and boarded the ferry. Rick reached out, laying his hand on the window in front of him, bidding Fleur a silent goodbye.
* * *
Just getting through each day was all he could think about at first. But the island community seemed to be making a concerted effort to get through to him. Everyone knew that he and Fleur had been close, and when he visited Main Street on Saturday morning with Ellie, it took them twice as long to walk its length, because so many people stopped to talk. Fiona Brady firmly placed an extra helping in front of him when they went for lunch at the bakery, clearly believing that grilled cheese sandwiches had the power to mend a broken heart.
Even Salty contributed his two cents’ worth to the general air of concern. Rick signed his discharge papers, and found Salty in his room, his canvas sea-bag packed and ready to go.
“We’ll be seeing you for your outpatient physiotherapy sessions.” Rick imagined that Salty might also stay for lunch when he came, since he’d taken a liking to the clinic’s food.
“Dare say you will. If I’m not busy.” Salty seemed keen to make the point that he was doing the clinic a favor by turning up.
“Of course. I’d be pleased if you could make as many of the sessions as you can.” Rick handed over the papers, along with some leaflets, and Salty took them with a sniff.
“As sawboneses go, yer not too bad. Might earn your keep on board ship.”