Chapter nineteen: The Past

Friday, 15th July 1988

Edinburgh, Scotland

Have you had someone in your room all night?’ Tilly Killick asked, when Emma Morley entered the kitchen in their flat that morning.

‘Oh, yes, it’s only Dexter Mayhew,’ Emma replied. She tried to sound uninterested. She was not very successful.

‘It’s only Dexter Mayhew! You lucky person,’ Tilly said. She sounded a little jealous. ‘Is he staying here all day too?’

‘No, I think we’ll go out after breakfast,’ Emma said. ‘What shall we do? Have you any ideas for a romantic day, Tilly?’

‘Well, Arthur’s Seat is a good place to go, isn’t it?’ Tilly said. ‘You can be romantic there.’

So after breakfast, Emma and Dexter went out into the city. Emma took her camera with her and they bought food for a picnic. Dexter was worried about climbing Arthur’s Seat. He was wearing expensive shoes and he didn’t want to ruin them.

‘I don’t climb mountains, Em,’ he said. ‘I’m not that kind of person.’

‘Dexter, it’s only a hill, it’s not K2,’ Emma replied, laughing. So they climbed Arthur’s Seat and when they reached the top they decided that it wasn’t really romantic. There were too many people already there for that. But Dexter had never climbed the hill before and he was surprised. He enjoyed the view. It made an impression on him. This didn’t often happen.

‘I’ve lived in this city for four years,’ he said. ‘Now this is my last day in Edinburgh. Why haven’t I been up here before?’

‘Because you’re not that kind of person,’ Emma replied.

They ate their picnic and then they sat quietly together.

‘Dexter,’ Emma said after a few minutes, ‘I want to say something. It’s about last night. I haven’t done that kind of thing often and I know that you were a bit drunk. I know it was just one night, and that’s it. But I want to say that it was nice for me. It was nice and you’re nice, Dexter. You’re a nice person when you allow yourself to be nice. I really like you.’

Later, on their way back to the bottom of the hill, they stopped to take some photos. Someone took a photo of both of them together. Then Emma walked with Dexter back to his flat. They found Dexter’s parents waiting for him there.

‘This is my friend Emma Morley,’ Dexter told his parents.

‘Hello Emma, I’m Alison,’ Dexter’s mother said. ‘We’re pleased to meet you. Do you want to come for a drink with us?’

Emma looked at Dexter. He looked unhappy and worried. She made a quick decision.

‘No, thank you,’ she replied. ‘That’s very kind of you, but I have to get back to my flat.’ Then she spoke to the boy. ‘Have a nice life, Dexter,’ she said quickly. She turned and walked away. ‘I’ll probably never see him again,’ she told herself as she walked sadly along the street.

But a few minutes later, as she walked through the city centre, she heard someone call her name behind her. She turned and saw Dexter. He had been running and he was exhausted”. ‘My parents came early,’ he said. ‘I didn’t have time to get your address and phone number.’ Quickly, Emma wrote these on a piece of paper and Dexter wrote his address and phone number for her.

‘Call me when I get back from France,’ he said. ‘Come and stay with us for a few days. I want to see you again.’

Then he kissed her gently and she kissed him. They stood in the middle of the busy street and people on their way home hurried around them. It was the sweetest kiss either of them ever knew.

‘Goodbye, Dex,’ Emma said. ‘Goodbye.’

‘Goodbye. Goodbye.’