A Love Like This

by Maria Duffy

  ‘Jesus bloody Christ,’ she exclaimed, as he held onto her arms to steady her. ‘Why on earth would they put a step there?’

  Will barely heard what she said as everything and everyone around him melted away. There was just the two of them. He was aware of his heart beating up into his throat and he felt overwhelmed with a feeling he didn’t recognise. It was as though he’d just come face to face with destiny. He didn’t know her and yet he felt he’d known her all his life. I’m going to marry this girl, he said in his own head, before he realised she was speaking.

  ‘I think it’s safe enough to let me go now.’

  ‘Oh … I, em, yes. I’m sorry.’ He released her arm that he’d been holding on to and, for once in his life, he was completely lost for words.

  ‘Well, thanks for saving me,’ she said, smoothing down her dress. ‘It could have been way more embarrassing if you hadn’t caught me.’

  ‘No problem. You’re Irish?’

  ‘Yep.’ She held out her hand to shake his. ‘I’m Donna. Nice to meet you.’

  Chapter 18

  His name was William. Donna glanced at him as he browsed the menu and noted how his dark curls spilled haphazardly over his forehead. He was gorgeous. But it wasn’t just that – he had an aura about him. He looked familiar and yet she was pretty sure she’d never met him before. He smelt like home and happiness and she was inexplicably drawn to him.

  ‘I’ll have a coffee and a slice of walnut cake,’ he said to the waitress who was hovering impatiently. ‘Donna?’

  ‘Just tea for me, please.’ She couldn’t eat a thing. Her stomach was in knots and she was still trying to figure out what had just happened.

  William stood up. ‘I’m just heading to the loo. Don’t run away while I’m gone, will you?’

  ‘You’d better hurry up so.’ A waft of aftershave hit her as he left the table and she felt dizzy. After she’d literally fallen into William’s arms back at the tourist office, there’d been an awkward moment. And then everything had just clicked into place. As though they were old friends, he’d asked her if she fancied grabbing a coffee and she’d agreed. Just like that. It was unlike her to be so reckless but it had just felt right.

  ‘So have you been here long?’ William looked at her as he sat back down and her heart did a flip.

  ‘Just since yesterday,’ she said, trying not to stare into his deep brown eyes. ‘I was over on the north island for a while first. You?’

  ‘I’ve been here on the south island for the last couple of weeks but only got to Christchurch this morning. It seems like a lovely place.’

  ‘It’s beautiful. I was just going to look for some maps of the city when … well, you know …’

  ‘When you fell into my arms?’ He grinned at her cheekily and she couldn’t help laughing.

  ‘Well, yes. I suppose you could put it like that.’

  ‘So I take it you’re just travelling around, like myself.’ His eyes were searching hers and she felt as though he was looking right into her soul.

  ‘I’ve been in Australia for a few months but I’m homeward bound now. It’s been great but it’s really not my thing.’

  ‘Why did you do it in the first place, then? I mean, did you just discover it wasn’t for you while you were away?’

  ‘It’s complicated.’ She really wasn’t sure she wanted to get into the whole story about Tina with a complete stranger.

  ‘Complicated how?’

  Donna sighed. ‘Let’s just say I did it for my sister. But let’s not talk about that now. Where in Dublin are you from?’

  Just then, the surly waitress came with the drinks and William’s walnut cake and banged them down unnecessarily on the table. ‘Just to let you know we’ll be closing in ten minutes.’

  ‘Service with a smile,’ said William, glaring at the young girl who proceeded to bang things around behind the counter. ‘Maybe I should say something.’

  Donna shook her head. ‘Don’t bother. I’ll have to go in a few minutes anyway.’

  ‘Oh.’ William looked disappointed and Donna could have kicked herself for the lie. Something was telling her that this was something special and it was making her nervous. She didn’t want to rush in and make a mess of things, but on the other hand, she really wanted to spend more time with him.

  ‘Or maybe I could reschedule a few things and stay a bit longer?’

  William shook his head. ‘Please don’t change your plans on my account. I should probably get an early night anyway. It’s been a long day.’

  Donna’s heart sank. She sipped her tea and watched William demolish his cake.

  ‘But how about tomorrow?’ William continued, washing down the cake with a big mouthful of coffee. ‘Since we’re both planning on exploring the city, why don’t we do it together?’

  Donna could have leapt for joy. ‘That sounds good to me. What time do you want to meet?’

  ‘Is 12.30 okay?’

  ‘Yep. Fine by me.’

  ‘Let’s say outside the cathedral. We can explore that first before heading off for the day.’

  ‘Perfect.’

  ‘Excuse me.’ The surly one was back, reaching over them to clear away the half-full cups.

  ‘I take it that’s our cue to leave.’ Donna giggled. ‘I wouldn’t want to push our luck with that one!’

  ‘Oh, hang on a sec.’ William zipped open a pocket of his rucksack and pulled out a pen and piece of paper. ‘What’s your phone number, just in case?’

  Donna said nothing for a few seconds and again could have kicked herself when William spoke. ‘Sorry, sorry. I don’t want you to think I’m being too forward. Here, this is mine. But I’ll see you at 12.30 anyway.’

  The waitress was hovering again and Donna took the piece of paper with his phone number and stuffed it into her pocket. She then reached into her bag and pulled out a ten-dollar note and left it on the table.

  ‘I actually paid already when I slipped out to the toilet. I hope you don’t mind.’

  ‘Oh, thanks. Well, Miss Happy there can take this as a tip so.’ Donna smiled as she saw the girl’s face light up at the sight of the generous tip. She may not have deserved it, but Donna was feeling generous. Her life had just taken a turn for the better and, for the first time in a long time, she was excited about the future.

  * * *

  Her freckles seemed to dance on her face as she spoke. He could barely take his eyes off her. It was as though someone else had taken over his mind back in the tourist office because he could barely remember asking her out. Before he knew it, he’d been sitting in front of her in the coffee shop and wanting time to stand still.

  And now they were going to say goodbye. He wanted to tell her not to go. He wanted to ask her to stay with him for the evening so he could find out more about her. He hated having to wait until the next day. But he didn’t want to freak her out. She’d said she had somewhere to go so he needed to respect that. But at least his quick thinking meant that he was going to see her again tomorrow. He smiled at the thought, as they walked back outside into the sunshine.

  ‘Well, it was lovely meeting you, Donna.’ He shifted awkwardly from foot to foot.

  ‘And you too. I’ll see you tomorrow at half twelve.’

  ‘Great. I’ll see you then.’

  There were a few moments of silence where neither seemed to know what to do. Surely he couldn’t lean in for a kiss. No, that would be way too much. But God, he wanted to taste those lips, their soft pinkness calling out to him, strands of her long red hair sticking to them as the wind blew gently on their faces. He wanted to cup that beautiful face in his hands and kiss every inch of it. He wanted to pull her to him and hold her. He felt almost dizzy at the thought.

  ‘William?’

  ‘Sorry, what?’

  ‘I was just saying I have your number in case anything changes but I don’t see why it should.’

  ‘Great. I’m looking forward to it.’ He stood and watched as she walked down th
e street, a vision of loveliness in her daisy-patterned dress and kitten heels. Thank God for those heels. Otherwise she may not have tripped and landed in his arms. It was serendipity. He knew it. All his life he’d been looking for something and, mad and all as it seemed, he felt that he’d just found it.

  She reached the end of the street and disappeared around the corner and Will slumped back against the wall. He felt suddenly exhausted. It was still early but all he wanted to do now was sleep. He wanted to dream about Donna and when he woke up it would be time to go and meet her again.

  He hauled his rucksack up on his back and, with a spring in his step, he headed towards the hostel he’d booked for the week. He’d learned over the years that life had a habit of throwing curveballs, Jack’s suicide being the biggest one. But curveballs could be good too and it seemed to him that he’d just experienced something that would change the course of his life forever.

  Chapter 19

  Two o’clock. Bloody hell. She knew it had been a mistake to go to bed early. She’d thought that the sooner she got to sleep, the sooner morning would come, but how wrong had she been. She’d already been to sleep and woken up three times and it was still an ungodly hour of the morning.

  Donna shoved back the bedclothes and swung her legs out of the bed. Maybe a cup of hot milk would settle her back to sleep once and for all. She padded over to the little kitchen and switched on the light. Two minutes later she was back in bed, sipping on her hot milk and thinking of the man who’d come between her and her sleep.

  William. She loved the sound of his name. William, William, William. She’d been surprised at how she’d fallen for him – literally. When his hand had touched her arm to save her from falling, she’d felt bolts of electricity like she’d never felt before. And judging by how he’d reacted, he’d felt it too. God, she couldn’t wait to see him again today. She left the cup down on the locker beside the bed and thankfully felt her eyes becoming heavy. Twelve thirty couldn’t come quick enough.

  Four fifteen. Jesus, that was a weird dream. She’d dreamt she was a teenager again and she and William were running away together. But Lexie wanted to come too and then there was this other guy she didn’t know and Tina and her mother. They were all at a funfair then and William got stuck up at the top of a ride and she couldn’t reach him. She’d woken up with a start, feeling anxious and scared. God, she really needed to get a grip and try and clear her mind of stuff so that she could get some proper sleep.

  She almost cried when she opened her eyes and saw it was only seven o’clock. She could get up and do something since it was bright outside but after tossing and turning most of the night she was exhausted. She needed to get a few hours’ sleep or else she’d be falling asleep during her date with William later. Or was it a date? She hoped so. Thoughts of him had filled her head all night and she was already thinking of the possibility of them getting together back in Ireland.

  There was something about William that filled her head with thoughts of her childhood. She’d been remembering some happy times with Lexie and Tina and even some early memories of her mother bringing her to the park or buying her a jam doughnut. She wasn’t sure why he’d triggered those memories – maybe it was just hearing the Irish accent or maybe it was that he made her feel happy.

  She snuggled down further into the bed and pictured his tanned, smiley face. She hoped she’d have a chance to touch it, to feel it close to hers as their lips touched. That moment when they’d said goodbye yesterday had been excruciating. She’d so badly wanted him to kiss her but she’d known he wouldn’t. But maybe he would today. She allowed herself to imagine what it would be like and it was with that kiss happening in her mind that she finally drifted off into a delicious sleep.

  * * *

  It was only a quarter past twelve but Will wanted to make sure he was there in plenty of time. He stood at the front door of Christchurch Cathedral and looked around at the passers-by in anticipation. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking of Donna all night and his stomach was doing flips at the thought of seeing her again. He was tempted to go inside to have a look at the cathedral but he was afraid she’d come along and think he wasn’t there. And besides, maybe they’d start their day by checking it out together.

  The sun was shining again and the square was alive with people buzzing around. It was funny. Out of all the places he’d visited these last couple of years, he felt most at home here. As he stood waiting, he pictured himself in Dublin city centre on a Tuesday afternoon, heading out of the office for a bite to eat. Although, considering it was February, it would definitely be a lot colder and darker in Dublin.

  It was twenty past twelve now and his palms were beginning to sweat. What if she didn’t turn up? He had no way of contacting her because she hadn’t given him her number. He didn’t even know her surname so there wouldn’t be much chance of finding her back in Ireland either. A chill ran down his spine and he shivered. God, he needed to get a grip. It was still early so there was no need to panic.

  But something didn’t feel right. He had a sense of foreboding. Much as he was excited about seeing Donna again, there was something telling him things wouldn’t run as smoothly as he hoped. But maybe that feeling was due to how he felt about her. It was stupid really. He’d only known her for less than a day. Was it possible that he could have fallen in love so quickly? His head was telling him it was an impossibility but his heart said different. It was screaming at him that Donna was the one and he needed to know if she felt the same way too.

  * * *

  Donna jumped out of bed in a panic. After waking up at various stages of the night and morning, she’d eventually fallen into a deep sleep and had just woken up. It was twenty past twelve – just ten minutes from the time she was due to meet William. Shit. She needed to get her act together fast. She abandoned her pyjamas on the floor and hopped into the shower, careful not to wet her hair. She’d planned on washing it but there just wasn’t time. Fifteen minutes later she was heading out the door, dressed in her denim shorts and a cute green top, her unruly hair tied up into a high ponytail. She was already late but she’d ring William along the way to let him know she was coming.

  Once she was well on her way, she pulled out her mobile and found the piece of paper William had written his number on. She’d let him know she’d be there in five minutes. It was already almost ten to one and she felt bad for keeping him waiting for so long. Still, they had the whole day ahead of them and Donna was looking forward to seeing how it would unfold.

  She stopped walking for a moment to dial the number on her phone when suddenly the earth began to shake violently and her ears were filled with a deafening sound. Within seconds there was smoke everywhere. All of a sudden people spilled out onto the street, running from buildings that were beginning to collapse. Donna stood in shock, gripped by fear, not knowing what to do or where to turn. And then she found herself forced to the ground by some falling rubble and screamed as her head hit the pavement. She lay there for a moment, confused and scared, but something told her she needed to get up and move out of there. Panic-stricken, she managed to pull herself to her feet and began to walk in a daze, shocked by the devastation around her.

  Terrified, she realised she was in the middle of an earthquake. She’d read about previous ones in Christchurch. There’d been a serious one last year that they were still recovering from but she’d never, for one minute, thought there’d be another while she was there. Especially not one of this magnitude.

  People were screaming and running in all directions and it was difficult to see with the black smoke in the air. Then suddenly Donna remembered. William! She realised she still had her phone clutched tightly in her hand and it seemed to have survived her fall, except for a cracked screen. But the number. It was gone. She had no way of contacting him. She began to run in the direction of the cathedral, aware of blood trickling down her face. But she didn’t care. She needed to see that he was okay.

  She wasn’t sure wh
at she’d been expecting but nothing prepared her for what she saw when she arrived at the square. The spire of the Cathedral had fallen down and there were bricks and debris all around. She rushed to where people had gathered and heard words all around her like ‘buried alive’ and ‘people confirmed dead already’. William was nowhere to be seen.

  Dust was thick in the air, making it difficult to see and she felt disoriented as she looked all around her, trying to decide which way to turn. Tears poured down her face as she called William’s name, but it was useless. Her voice was muffled by screams and cries of those who realised their loved ones were missing and feared dead. Could she call William her loved one? It didn’t matter. He was gone – either injured or dead. And her world felt like it had just ended.

  A piercing scream filled her ears all of a sudden and it took her a moment to realise it was coming from her own mouth. She was alone in a foreign country and in the middle of the worst disaster she’d ever seen. She tried to move from where she was standing but her feet wouldn’t allow her. Everyone around her was dashing frantically around and it was as though she was invisible. Maybe she was just stuck in a terrible nightmare. Maybe she’d wake up in a minute and thank God for being in the safety of her own bed.

  ‘Miss, Miss, are you okay?’

  Donna realised she’d been standing there with her eyes closed and when she opened them, she looked straight into the kindest face she’d ever seen.

  ‘I … yes, I think so …’

  ‘It’s just you were screaming but not moving. Did you lose somebody?’

  She thought for a moment. ‘No, no, I didn’t lose anybody. I was alone.’

  ‘You should get that wound seen to,’ said the kind old man, as he moved on to another woman who was on her knees crying.