The Cold Cold Sea Read Online Free PDF

other with a splendid view of the ocean. Of course he never sat there now, the park was all the view he wanted. Phillip cracked open a can of beer and flopped into the lounger. Christ, he was dead on his feet, how on earth was he going to stay awake for another four hours to phone Jennifer? But he had to talk to her, there were plans to be made, and more importantly he had to reassure himself that she really was as ‘fine’ as he’d assured Gran.
    Hailey. It seemed like yesterday. The memories played round his head, he couldn’t switch them off and the pain was as sharp tonight as it had been two years ago. Back then he had hardly been able to believe that such a dreadful thing was happening to them, a completely normal family who had done nothing to deserve such anguish.
    For days afterwards, Jennifer had sat on a corner of the sofa, moaning softly to herself. It was the start of what she still referred to as ‘the Black Patch’, like some innocuous frozen puddle on the pavement. She hadn’t spoken, hadn’t eaten, hadn’t even gone to bed, and in the end the doctor had sent her to a psychiatric hospital. While she was there, Phillip sold the house in Torquay and bought a new place in Truro, well away from the sea and with no agonising memories to contend with. His buy had been a success, because just a couple of weeks after coming home from hospital, Jennifer had woken up one morning and been right back to her old self. Confident and energetic, as if nothing had ever happened.
    Except... Phillip forced himself to remember the truth.
    It hadn’t really been her old self; the post-Black Patch Jennifer had been subtly different. The woman he’d fallen in love with had been clever, witty, confident, an able woman and a beautiful one, in command of a chain of estate agents. This new Jennifer was harder. Brittle. She never talked about their old life, it was as if she’d erased the memories from her mind. But then, it was only natural that she wasn’t the same person as before. He had changed too.
    In the end he didn’t have to wait up late to talk to his wife. Just half an hour later he was determinedly doing the crossword and nibbling garlic bread when his mobile rang in the kitchen.
    It was Jennifer, he saw in disbelief, lifting his phone. She was calling him at half past four in the morning, her time. Was she still taking her meds?
    ‘Jennifer, honey - how are you?’
    He was careful to keep his voice normal, friendly. Overly-concerned people always infuriated Jennifer.
    ‘Phillip! I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d call you. I saw you’d phoned earlier, thank you, darling. It’s a bad day to be apart, isn’t it?’
    She was alright. Phillip breathed out slowly, only now realising just how worried he’d been.
    ‘It is. Gran and I lit a candle. Were you okay, honey?’
    ‘I was out with Thea, and I’m staying at hers for the moment, so you don’t need to worry at all,’ she said.
    Phillip closed his eyes in relief. Thea had known Jennifer since they were teenagers at school; he could depend on her to keep an eye on things.
    Jennifer wasn’t finished yet.
    ‘You remember that house in Polpayne that we talked about last spring? Well it was still on the market so I put an offer in. And you’ll never guess what darling, it’s been accepted! I’m having it done up so it’ll be perfect for us, you’ll see. You’re going to love it.’
    Warning bells rang in Phillip’s head. Their house in Truro wasn’t ideal and they’d been talking about another move for a while. But this was all very sudden. And once Jennifer had a new house project underway, she wouldn’t be keen on leaving the UK. He tried to explain, carefully.
    Jennifer listened to the story of his Gran’s cancer and his proposal that he should come and get her.
    ‘Heavens, no, darling! You stay as long as you have to with darling Gran, it’s you she needs near her at a time like this. I’ll have plenty to do getting the house ready.