Sometimes Moments

by Len Webster

  “Hey,” Callum said as his hands touched hers, pulling hers away from her face.

  The way her heart throbbed at his contact surprised her.

  He held her hands for a moment, staring at them. Peyton watched as he got lost in the moment.

  “Callum,” she breathed out, gaining his attention.

  He slowly looked up until their eyes met. “Want to walk around the grounds? Maybe we can come up with a location for a second dance floor together,” he suggested.

  He squeezed her hand once before she pulled back. The way her heart had leapt from that one squeeze was too much.

  Peyton stood up and nodded. “Let’s go.”

  Stepping out of the hotel and onto the path that led to the cliff, Peyton felt like she was a teenager all over again. The days she used to spend holding his hand as they’d roamed the hotel’s grounds. He’d let go at one stage and kiss her or she’d run down to the cliff and he’d chase her. But now, years later, they stood some distance apart as they searched for the perfect location of a second dance floor.

  Her heart missed when he used to reach for her hand as they walked together. But she knew it wouldn’t happen between them. Yet she couldn’t help but want it to happen, to confirm whether or not she still felt the same.

  The vibrating of her phone had Peyton stopping. Callum stopped, too, turning to see why she had. When she pulled out her phone from her pants pocket, she saw that she had a new message.

  Graham: Sprinklers have faulted again. I’m gonna have to go into the city and pick up some new ones or find a whole new system. I’ll see you in a couple days. Be good!

  Peyton: You be careful driving.

  Graham: Yes, wife.

  Peyton: IF I have no other options.

  Graham: Someday you will.

  Peyton: Is this sudden need to fulfil our promise because of you-know-who?

  Graham: Yes. I’m about to leave your place. Be careful around him, Peyton. If he hurts you and I’m in the city, I will never forgive him. And Jay wouldn’t either.

  Peyton: He’s not going to hurt me. I’m not going to fall in love with him.

  Graham: Peyton, I think we’re well past fall. We both know you’re still in love with him.

  Still in love with him.

  Peyton stared at Graham’s message. Her chest constricted at the thought. Still being love with Callum Reid would bring problems. And she didn’t need them. No, she’d gotten over Callum a long time ago.

  “You okay?” Callum asked, his voice was as sweet as she remembered.

  Dammit!

  “Fine,” she said, returning her phone to her pocket. “Now, do you have any ideas for a spot?”

  Callum looked at her and gave her a small smile. “I have an idea,” he said, turning around and leading her down a path.

  She followed him as they walked away from the hotel and to a path that led to the forest. Peyton hesitated as she realised just where he was leading her.

  Just as she was about to tell him no, Callum reached over and took her hand.

  “Trust me,” he said.

  Peyton looked at him and her eyebrows furrowed. “Like I trusted you not to break my heart, Callum Reid?”

  He let out a sigh but never let go of her hand. “I had my reasons, Peyton. You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me,” she said firmly.

  “In time. Now, come on,” he said, pulling her into the forest.

  Each step they took, her breathing heaved. She hadn’t been this far into the forest in years. Peyton noticed a round rock that was almost perfectly smooth. She knew what that rock meant; it was a marker. They’d only have to walk a few more metres, take a turn at the broken tree, pass the small embankment, and they’d find their spot.

  Peyton stopped next to the round rock, yanking her hand from Callum. The loss of his hand left her confused with old emotions. His touch was one she used to crave, but she couldn’t anymore.

  “What’s the matter, Peyton?” he asked, a worried look consuming his face.

  “I can’t go there with you. I’m sorry, but I can’t. I can’t let strangers see our spot. I’d rather give up the wedding than let them all see,” she confessed only loud enough for them to hear.

  Callum’s face went blank as he stared at the round rock. He took a step forward and held her hand again. Peyton’s heart raced, and the aching heat filled her entire chest. When she looked in his eyes, she thought that they meant more than he had led her to believe for a moment. That he loved her more. But she knew otherwise. At the end of the day, he had been her first love. And Graham was her unconditional love. She had said that she loved Graham more, but maybe she loved him more than she had loved Callum only when they had been best friends.

  “It’s not for them, Peyton. It’s for me.” There was an unquestionable layer of regret in his voice, and it rendered her breathless.

  “Why for you?”

  He squeezed her hand. “Because you’re the mistake I got right and all I’ll have are those moments. I won’t make you go down there. Just give me a few minutes, okay?”

  The vulnerable glint in his grey eyes had Peyton’s breathing falter. Her head told her that what she was about to say was stupid, to just let go of the past. But her heart wanted more.

  “I’m a mistake to you?” she uttered.

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation.

  “Then going down there will mean nothing.” Peyton took her hand back and left him as she walked towards the end of the ridge. She ignored the burning that consumed her chest.

  She heard his footsteps follow her as they went deeper into the forest. The fallen leaves crunched under her shoes as she held her head high and ignored the fact that Callum Reid had labelled her a mistake.

  The moment that she arrived at the small spot of clear forest, Peyton tightly balled her hands. She forced herself to forget what had happened in this spot over four years ago. Her eyes roamed around the trees that made a circle clearing. It had gone unchanged. She could just see their initials carved into the tree in front of her from some distance away. Instinct had her wanting to walk over and feel the carving under her fingertips, but her pride won. Peyton crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Callum walk to the exact spot where they had made love for the first time.

  He stood there, staring at the autumn leaves on the ground, seemingly lost in the past. Though she tried not to, she remembered them sneaking away from her house until they were far enough to run past the lake. He had pulled out a blanket from the basket and placed it on the ground before he’d lit the lanterns. Then they’d watched the stars until she’d asked for more than just a goodnight kiss.

  “It was right here, wasn’t it?” Callum asked, pulling her out of her memories.

  Peyton gave him a shrug.

  “You told me that you loved me in this exact spot,” he said, meeting her stare.

  Peyton tensed. It was definitely not what she wanted to talk about. “And it’s the exact spot where you didn’t tell me that you loved me. Such a sentimental spot, isn’t it?” She looked away, afraid to cry. So she stared at the tree next to her, her eyes following the natural pattern of the bark.

  “Peyton…”

  She met his darkening, grey eyes.

  “I never said it because the first time I told you those three words, I wanted them to be true and I wanted you to believe me.”

  Another blow.

  This time, tears started to form and Peyton let out a hard laugh. “I’m glad we’ve cleared the air, then. God, did I waste those years. Guess mistakes are a two-way street then.”

  Callum flinched and surprise crept on his face. He took two steps until he was face to face with her. “I’m a mistake to you?”

  “The biggest one I’ve ever made,” she said, ensuring that her voice sounded strong.

  “Then I guess we both did something right in our lives,” Callum said as he walked past her.

  She listened to his footsteps as he made his way f
arther from their spot.

  Peyton quickly turned around, her tears skimming her face. “Why am I a mistake to you?” she cried.

  Stupid question, Peyton. You should have left it.

  Callum stopped for a moment before he turned around. Pain filled his face, and his eyes were shiny with unshed tears. The sight was a first for her.

  “Why am I a mistake to you?” he roared, startling her.

  “I asked you first!” she cried.

  He rushed back to her, his body close to Peyton’s. The absolute grief in his eyes made her regret her decision to ask.

  “My mistake was walking away, leaving this town. But it was a mistake I got right. You stayed here, Peyton. You didn’t… You… You were saved from me!”

  Peyton silently gasped. Anger and resentment boiled through her. She took a step forward and inhaled a deep breath before drawing her palm back and slapping his cheek. Instantaneously, she felt the sting in her hand.

  “Saved from you?” she asked unbelievably.

  Callum placed a hand on his cheek and rubbed her assault. He wasn’t angry. He seemed relieved as his features softened.

  “Yes.”

  “That is the biggest pile of bullshit I have ever heard. Saved from you? How in God’s name does that even make sense? I loved you, Callum. In that exact spot, I gave you everything. What did you keep from me? Why did you walk away?” she cried.

  Four years of bottled emotions had exploded and tarnished the one place in the world that meant everything to her.

  “You wouldn’t understand. But what I did saved you. I stand by that. I will never regret what I did to us. You were happy here,” he said with as much emotion as he did when he had once asked her to be his.

  “Happy?” She shook her head. “My parents died and I buried them! Staying in this town, I’ve been far from happy. Everything here is a constant reminder of my parents and of you! You did a great job saving me, then, Callum.”

  She didn’t wait for him to reply. Instead, she turned around and walked up the steep slope. When she reached flat ground, she quickened her steps. She hoped they could just get back to the hotel in peace. And if she were lucky enough, he’d go home.

  “Peyton. Peyton, wait!” The desperation could be heard in his shouts.

  She stopped and looked up at the sky through the gaps in the branches. Taking a deep breath in, Peyton spun around.

  “No! No more waiting. I’ve waited four years and I’m done. I’m over you. You should have never returned. You should have begged your friend for a new venue, because I can’t do this. I don’t want you here. When Oscar’s wedding is over, just leave, Callum. Just leave! Do what you’re so good at and walk away. I didn’t need this in my life. I called you, for God’s sakes. I shouldn’t have. But I needed you then. I don’t want or need you in my life—not when you proved that you didn’t want or need me.”

  Silence. The best form of goodbye.

  Aunt Brenda: A lovely young woman taught me how to message you. I hope you’re doing well, Peyton. You call me if you need anything and we’ll come straight away. Don’t forget everyone comes back from leave on Monday. I love you and don’t forget your breakfast.

  Peyton laughed at the text message her aunt had left her. Aunt Brenda wasn’t one for anything tech-savvy. As long as it called, she was good. Her uncle was one who could do it all with technology. After giving her aunty a quick reply, Peyton placed her phone back on her desk and picked up the piece of paper with her design on it. Once the first dance of the Reynolds’ wedding was done, the guests would move from the hill to the lake, where the dance floor would expand out on the water almost like a jetty.

  It wasn’t much of an idea, but she needed to get a plan on paper to show Callum and then Marissa. It had been just over a day since she’d last seen him. Now, she sat in the hotel’s office, still pissed off that the universe had brought him back to Daylesford.

  A crack of thunder had Peyton almost jumping out of her skin. Pushing the leather chair back, she got up and walked to the window. She looked at the grey sky and sighed. She hoped it was only thunder, but in this part of the state, she knew a storm was to be expected.

  One winter, the sky had been clear, and then, a few hours later, snow had fallen. Most of the town had stood on top of Wombat hill and looked at the town blanketed with white. It had been beautiful and it was a moment that made her appreciate the town she called home.

  Another loud crash of thunder and lightning confirmed her suspicion. Upon walking back to the desk, Peyton placed all her work and her laptop into her bag. Then she grabbed her keys and started to lock up the hotel. As she took a step outside, she prayed that the storm wasn’t like the one in ’06. Windows had been broken and a tree had fallen on top of one of the outer guest cabins. If Peyton was left with the same kind of aftermath, she knew she couldn’t afford to rebuild another cabin—not if she wanted to expand and redesign the hotel to her liking.

  After taking a few steps down the path, she turned around and looked at the old Victorian hotel. She noticed that the worn hotel sign needed repainting; the flaking paint wasn’t particularly flattering to the eye.

  “You better be standing when I get back. We’ve been through a lot more than a storm. You’re all I have left, so don’t go falling over,” Peyton warned the building, knowing she was being ridiculous. But in truth, she felt a connection to the hotel. She had grown up in it and around it.

  The hotel was the keeper of her memories.

  A strong gust of wind hit her, almost making her stumble back. As she turned to walk the path back home, the local pub caught her attention through the trees. Not wanting to go home anytime soon, Peyton made her way up the hill and to town.

  “Peyton!” the pub cheered as she took a step inside.

  She was used to it. It was how the town treated people. And if they didn’t know your name, they’d scream “Stranger!” and welcome you to Daylesford.

  She smiled and nodded as she walked past all the patrons and towards the counter. Placing her bag on top of the oak, Peyton took a seat on a barstool. She looked over at Mr Preston, who came over to her.

  “Coke, Miss Peyton?” he asked as he reached for a glass.

  “That’d be nice. You don’t normally work the counter, Mr Preston,” Peyton said, rubbing her hands together. The temperature had dropped on her walk to town.

  “Jay’s gone down to the Wilcox farm to help them get ready for the storm. Have you checked on your house? Do you need me to go down there to help you tie down anything?” he asked as he placed her beverage in front of her.

  Wilcox farm… Daisy Wilcox.

  “No, I’m fine. I’ll just move what I can into the shed.” She took a sip of Coke as she looked up at Jay’s father. “Jay isn’t mad at me for walking out of the pub with Callum, is he?”

  Mr Preston gave her a tight smile. “No, darling. He realised that you were doing it to prevent the coppers from being called in. He isn’t mad.”

  Peyton placed her glass down. “Is that why he went to the Wilcox farm? Because he’s not mad at me? Not after Daisy Wilcox called me a sook after my parents died and claimed I was after the town’s attention. She slapped me in this pub and Jay banned her.”

  “She was intoxicated, Peyton,” Mr Preston tried to reason.

  Peyton pulled out her phone from her pocket and brought up Jay’s contact to send him a message.

  Peyton: Traitor!

  “Explains why she goes out of her way to make me trip or have something thrown at me every time she’s in town. Your son deserves better than Daisy Wilcox and you know it.” Peyton got off the barstool, put her phone in her pocket, and picked up her bag.

  Mr Preston sighed. “It would take Callum and Graham hurting you before he got the girl.”

  Her eyes quickly met his. “Why would you even put your son third on that ridiculous list?”

  “Because we all know he’s third on your list, Peyton. My son is a good kid, but he’d never measure u
p to Callum or Graham. The town saw how you looked at Callum as a teenager. You were completely in love with that boy. And Graham you’ve already promised to marry. Jay knows all of this, yet he’s still at your beck and call.”

  There was no anger in his tone or hint of humour on Mr Preston’s face.

  Peyton stood there, astonished. She had no comeback. The pub had gone quiet around them, and she cursed her need to mention Daisy Wilcox. Instead of saying another word, Peyton turned around and walked towards the exit. When she opened the door, cold air and rain hit her.

  “Peyton, let me get you an umbrella. Or you could stay here until it passes,” Mr Preston said behind her.

  It was typical small-town-folk behaviour. Insult a person then offer them shelter from the rain. The buzz of her phone against her thigh had her pulling it out. She had a new message.

  Jay: I could say the same thing about you, traitor.

  Pulling her wavy, light-brown hair through the elastic band, Peyton tied it up into a high ponytail. She walked to the kitchen window to see the trees branches in the backyard start to sway violently. In the middle of the garden, the rotary clothesline spun and the pegs flew out of the small plastic basket, landing on the wet grass. The rain fell heavily, and she let out a sigh as she fed her arms through her rain jacket.

  As Peyton zipped it, the sound of her phone echoed through the kitchen. Looking around, she spotted it on the small buffet that leaned against the wall. She walked over and answered it the moment she saw a picture of a blonde with bright red lipstick on the screen.

  “I’m guessing your hibernation is over. Exams done and dusted?” Peyton asked as she walked towards the door that led to the backyard.

  “Finally. Ugh, I just need to graduate already. I really shouldn’t have failed a few of those units back in first year. I could have been done by now like you, Peyton,” Madilynne Woodside, her best friend, said.