Sail Away

We parted in the hotel's reception, Jeremy wanted to share a drink with David, it would be the last time he would see him before he checked out the next morning. My heart contracted almost painfully as I thought about him having to leave, nothing had been resolved between us and as I watched the hands of my bedside clock move on through the small hours of the morning I was still no closer to an answer. I only hoped that David was having an equally sleepless night.

"God Kate you look like shit this morning!" I knew this already but I didn't need to hear Mike saying it.

"Well thanks friend, you look stunning yourself." I was muttering degrading comments at him as I busied myself with the breakfast orders.

"Where's Haydn this morning then? He usually serves breakfasts himself."

"He's out in reception checking out a few people that didn't fancy breakfast so yours truly got roped in to help." My heart skipped a beat.

"Oh okay, just wondered." I needed to know if David was one of the ones leaving but I couldn't leave Mike to cope with the half filled dining room on his own.

The last order taken care of I began to clean up, pouring a large coffee to console myself with. Half the cup drunk I realised that it was providing no solace. Haydn himself, finished with the guests had come through to the kitchen to keep me company, he pushed a folded over piece of paper across the table towards me, giving my shoulder a fatherly pat he pushed his stool back and left the kitchen.

For a long time I just looked at it, my hands were clasped tightly, but I realised whatever was written in the note couldn't possibly make me feel worse than I already did. I drew in a shaky breath and opened it quickly, checking at the bottom of the short note sure enough was David's scrawled signature.

The kitchen door creaked open and I looked up to see a worried looking Mike standing in front of me.

"Well, I hope he apologised for running out on you."

"He's explained why he had to go, and yes, he did apologise." I folded the note back up.

"Well what are you going to do now; you're not going to leave us are you?"

"Well, not until the end of the season at least, but it looks like I'll definitely be going back to university." I grinned happily at him, my stomach somersaulting as I thought about what the future might hold.

Four weeks and six days later...