When Your Eyes Close: A psychological thriller unlike anything you’ve read before!. Tanya Farrelly

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ and through the frosted glass of the hall window she saw Nick descend the stairs.

      He didn’t look pleased to see her. He ran a hand through his already dishevelled hair. She noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes, and his hands were shaking. ‘What are you doing here?’ he said.

      ‘I was worried. Can I come in for a minute? I won’t stay long.’

      He stood back, avoiding her eyes as she stepped past him into the hall. He followed her into the kitchen.

      ‘Are you okay?’ she said.

      ‘I’m fine. You shouldn’t have come, Michelle. I was going to call you …’ He still didn’t meet her eye.

      She put a hand on his arm. ‘Nick, what’s going on? Why have you been avoiding me?’

      ‘I haven’t, I’ve been busy that’s all …’ He stepped away from her, crossed the kitchen to the dishwasher and began emptying it.

      Michelle stood in the middle of the room, lost. ‘Can’t we at least talk about it?’

      ‘Sure, but you shouldn’t just show up like this. It’s not fair.’

      ‘Not fair? Do you think it’s fair to just ignore me? I’ve been worried sick. You haven’t called in days. I thought there was something wrong. And obviously there is, but we need to talk about it, Nick. I mean … is it me, am I the problem?’

      Nick shook his. ‘No, it’s not you. Not personally.’ He stopped putting away the dishes and turned to look at her. ‘I’m sorry, Michelle. Look, I don’t know what to tell you. I just don’t feel that great right now. Can’t we do this another time?’

      Another time. Another four days of silence, more maybe? ‘No. I’m sorry, Nick, but I can’t go on like this; not knowing what’s happening between us. If you want to finish it, then it would be better if you just told me.’

      He didn’t say anything for a minute. ‘Look, Michelle, you know I’m crazy about you. It’s just … I don’t think I can do this right now. Maybe it was too soon after my divorce, everything happened so quickly.’

      She was fighting back the tears. This was the last thing she wanted, and if he was so crazy about her, what the hell was he doing? ‘So, what? We just end it – walk away and pretend we never met?’

      Nick took a deep breath. He looked like hell, and she wondered if there was something else going on. ‘I don’t want to string you along … not when I don’t know what …’

      ‘Nick, you’ve been stringing me along for days. I thought we were happy, I thought we were doing great … what happened to change your mind? Is it your ex-wife, is that it?’

      ‘Susan? No, that’s got nothing to do with it.’

      ‘What then? I just wish you’d give me a reason …’

      ‘I’m sorry … I guess I’m just not ready. I’m so sorry, Michelle, I really am.’

      ‘Right, well that’s it then. There’s nothing I can say to change your mind.’

      He pinched the sides of his nose, shook his head. For a minute she thought he was crying. It was all she could do to keep back her own tears. ‘Right, well, there’s a bag of stuff upstairs, clothes … If you don’t mind, I’ll go up and get it.’

      ‘No. No, go ahead.’

      Rowdy sniffed beneath the sitting room door as she passed. She walked on, seeing the dog would surely make her come undone. At the top of the stairs she paused. This might be her last time in this house, and she didn’t even know why. She wished he’d change his mind, follow her up the stairs and tell her not to go, but he didn’t. In the bedroom, she picked up her slippers from her side of the bed, put them in the bag that she’d left there for convenience. He’d told her there was no need to keep taking it every time she left, and so she’d taken it home once a week to fill it with clean clothes, but this time there’d be no coming back. She stood at the end of the bed, looked round the room, committing everything to memory. When she neared the door, she noticed something on his bedside locker. It was a container of pills and, curious, she picked them up. Valium the label read. Surprised, she put them down again. What was he doing taking Valium? He’d never mentioned being on any sort of medication. She’d never seen him take it.

      ‘Did you get everything?’ Nick asked as Michelle headed back downstairs.

      She nodded. ‘Nick, those tablets on your locker … is everything all right?’

      He looked taken aback, but then sighed resignedly. ‘Yeah, I’ve just been a bit stressed, you know. Work … the doctor said they’d help.’

      ‘Okay. Look, if there was anything else wrong, you’d tell me, wouldn’t you? I’m here for you, Nick, if you need me. I can be a friend if you’re not ready for anything more …’

      ‘I know.’

      He walked with her to the door. She waited for him to say that he’d call her, anything that might give her hope, but instead he just hugged her awkwardly, and told her to take care of herself.

      ‘You too,’ she said, and hurried to the car before he could see just how badly he’d hurt her.

       CHAPTER SEVEN

       Nick

      In daylight, Tessa’s house was even more impressive. Nick looked out across the lake as he stood on the porch waiting for someone to answer. Round the back, he could hear children playing, their squeals of innocent delight. Tessa answered the door herself this time.

      ‘Hello, Nick. Please, come in.’ Her smile was warm as she stepped back to admit him.

      The medication had helped, for the shakes at least. He’d felt like hell after Michelle’s visit. He’d gone into the sitting room and sat on the sofa crying, the pain so bad that nothing could ease it, and the only one he could blame was himself. The dog had looked at him, puzzled, and he’d buried his face in its fur until the convulsions had eased. But he knew that he’d done the right thing. If he’d been honest, Michelle would have insisted on staying. Better that she think he was a total bastard and get on with her life. She’d get over him; he wasn’t that special. Not like her.

      ‘How have you been?’ Tessa asked as she led him into the small office.

      ‘Up. Down. The doctor prescribed Librium and Valium. They’re helping a bit. How many sessions do you think I’ll need before the urges stop?’

      Tessa indicated for him to lie back in the chair. ‘It’s different for everyone,’ she said. ‘I know it’s only been two days, but have you noticed any difference?’

      He shook his head, took off his jacket and sat into the chair.

      As soon as he did so, the visions came back – the confabulation. He wasn’t surprised. His dreams always came СКАЧАТЬ