Made For Each Other
A ROMANTIC SHORT STORY BY TERESA ASHBY
Brad had no doubts that this holiday would please Megan…
Brad, I’m sorry,” Megan said, her eyes swimming with tears. “I can’t do this. I think it might be better if we broke up.”
Brad was still holding out the ring, ready to slide it on to her finger, frozen in time.
“But Megan, I love you. I thought you loved me.”
“I did. I do,” she said, her voice breaking. “But I can’t do this. I’m sorry, Brad.”
“What about Venice?” he whispered.
“Is that all you care about?” she cried. “A holiday!”
The door closed behind her before Brad realised what had happened.
What had he done?
He felt tears hot in his eyes and an ache in his chest as if someone was squeezing his heart.
The fridge magnet Tony had brought him back from Fuerteventura fell off the fridge with a clatter and he picked it up and put it back with all the others.
Everything had been fine when his brother had come back from holiday just four weeks ago.
Now his life had fallen apart all over again . . .
Tony had bounced into Brad’s kitchen, a huge smile on his face as he handed Brad a small paper bag.
“Thanks, Tony,” Brad said. “You shouldn’t have.”
“Buying souvenirs for everyone is one of the best bits about going on holiday,” Tony replied, beaming. “Go on, open it!”
“Wow!” Brad exclaimed. “I love it.”
He looked at the fridge magnet shaped like a cactus with Fuerteventura written underneath, then at his fridge door.
“I’m going to need a bigger fridge!” He laughed.
“I know you like novelty magnets,” Tony said as Brad moved them around to find a space. “Want to see the photos?”
For the next hour, Brad admired the blue sea, the volcanic landscape and almost everything else Tony had seen on his travels.
He loved his brother, but didn’t share his love of travelling.
As kids, the summer holidays would no sooner have started than they’d be heading off to the airport.
Their parents didn’t bother to book first, and they loved the business of finding accommodation when they arrived – the cheaper the better.
And because they were on a budget, souvenirs were never allowed, which probably explained why Tony went overboard on them now.
With their parents both being teachers, they often didn’t come home until early September, then they’d be working flat out to get ready for the new term.
That was when Brad and Tony went to stay with Gram and Gramps for a few days, and it was bliss.
They were allowed to lie in, ride their bikes and play outside with the other kids their age.
Freedom! That for Brad was the real holiday.
“How’s Megan?” Tony asked at last.
“She’s great,” Brad said and felt his face heat up.
How ridiculous for a man of thirty-two to blush at the sound of his girlfriend’s name!
“I’m pleased for you,” Tony said.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so happy.
“Not even when . . . ” He broke off, then carried on. “When are we going to meet her? I can understand you being cautious, but you’ve been seeing her for a while now.”
He was referring to the wedding that never was.
Brad was actually waiting at the church with Tony at his side when he’d found out Chloe had had a change of heart.
He could still remember the humiliation and the murmurs of dismay as his parents went round telling everyone there wasn’t going to be a wedding.
As usual they took charge while Tony took him home and comforted him.
Oddly it had brought him and Tony closer together, so that was one good thing that came out of it.
But it had left its scars.
It had been a long time before Brad dared to trust again.
It had been easy to fall in love with Megan, though.
“I’m doing a birthday barbecue for Leanne,” Tony said, snapping him back to the present. “Bring Megan along.”
“Oh, I don’t think . . .” Brad began.
“Our parents won’t be there,” his brother cut in. “They’ve gone to Cyprus for the summer.
“Go on, say yes. Leanne’s dying to meet her and so are the kids.”
“All right,” Brad agreed. “Thanks. It’ll be great. She’s desperate to meet you all.”
“Has she met Gram and Gramps yet?” Tony asked.
Brad grinned.
“I met her through them. She’s Gram’s hairdresser.”
“Well, if that’s not a seal of approval, I don’t know what is,” Tony pointed out.
“Oh, I meant to ask,” he added, “what holiday plans have you got?”
“Me? None,” Brad replied.
“You mean you’re not planning to whisk Megan away somewhere romantic?”
“Do you think I should?”
“Of course you should. Even if it’s just a weekend in Paris.”
Brad looked dubious.
“You do you, Brad,” Tony said. “But remember not everyone dislikes holidays.”
“It’s not something we’ve ever talked about,” Brad admitted.
They’d talked about everything else, from their dream house to how many children they might have.
“That’s good.” Tony nodded enthusiastically. “A surprise holiday will be even better.”
Brad happened to know when Megan had booked time off work, so it was doable.
“Any suggestions?”
“Venice,” Tony replied. “Leanne’s desperate to go there, but we have three kids. You, however, can make the most of it before you start a family.”
“Venice it is!” Brad declared.
“I can’t believe I’m going to meet your family at last,” Megan said as they walked up to Tony and Leanne’s house.
She had her arm through his, holding on tight.
“They’re going to love you,” Brad said.
He led the way to the back garden where the children were bashing a multicoloured piñata shaped like a star and screaming with laughter.
“Brad!” Tony abandoned his post at the barbecue and hurried to greet them, hugging his brother before turning to Megan and hugging her, too.
“Welcome, Megan. I’m Tony.”
Seeing them, Leanne hurried over as well.
“It’s so lovely to meet you. I’m Leanne. Come with me and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
“I’m so pleased you persuaded Megan to come,” Gram said to Brad when the two women left. “I know she was nervous.”
“Me, too,” Brad admitted. “I know everyone questions my judgement since what happened with Chloe.”
“No-one does that, love,” Gram said. “We were all taken in by her, but Megan’s a good one, I promise you.”
“I know,” Brad said, his heart full as he watched Megan join the kids in clobbering the piñata.
Everything went better than he could have wished, and when it was all over he and Megan stayed behind to help clear up.
“She’s a keeper, bro,” Tony said when Megan went upstairs to read the children a bedtime story. “They’re already calling her Auntie Megs.
“So have you booked the holiday?” he added.
“I have,” Brad said. “A week in Venice.”
“Oh, you lucky things,” Leanne gushed. “I’d love to go there.”
“We will, love,” Tony said. “One day.”
“It’s a surprise, though,” Brad added. “While we’re away I’m going to propose.”
Leanne let out a squeal of joy and Tony hugged him.
“Congratulations!” he told him.
“What are congratulations in aid of?” Megan asked as she returned.
“We were congratulating him on finding you, Megan,” Leanne said at once. “He’s hit the jackpot!”
Megan blushed.
“Thank you,” she said. “I feel I have, too. When we met, it was as if we’d known each other forever.”
“Have you got any plans for your time off, Meg?” Brad asked casually a few weeks later, hoping a week would be enough time for her to pack.
“I thought I might do some decorating,” Megan replied. “You could help if you like.”
“I would, but I’m going to be busy,” he said. “And so are you!”
“I am?” Her face lit up. “What are we doing?”
“How does a week in Venice sound?” Brad asked, and she gasped.
“Venice?” she cried. “In Italy?”
“We fly out on Saturday.”
Megan clapped her hands over her mouth.
“Oh, Brad!” she cried. “How wonderful! But what about Bella?”
“Gram and Gramps will look after her.”
“You even thought about my dog,” she said softly. “That’s amazing.”
“This is just the beginning, Meg,” Brad assured her. “We can see the world together.”
He didn’t know why he said that. He couldn’t imagine anything worse, but perhaps holidays would be more bearable with Megan.
“I can’t wait,” she said, but she looked uncertain.
“Neither can I.” His mouth was dry.
There was something else he couldn’t wait for.
He’d planned to propose in Venice, but the ring would be safer on her finger than travelling round in his pocket.
He took out the box, showed it to her then took out the ring.
Her eyes sparkled like the sapphire.
It took a moment to realise she was in tears.
“Megan,” he said.
I love you. Will you marry me?
But they weren’t happy tears.
“Brad, I’m sorry. I can’t do this,” she said, before leaving quickly.
Now she was gone and Brad felt much worse than when Chloe had abandoned him at the altar.
He hadn’t wanted to chase after Chloe, but Megan was different.
When he arrived at her house, her eyes were red from crying.
“I came to say you can still go to Venice,” he said. “Find a friend to take with you.”
“I don’t want to,” Megan replied. “You’ll have to find someone else.”
“I don’t want to go with someone else.”
“I can’t lie to you, Brad,” she began. “I’m not like you. My parents always took us abroad when we were kids, but the best part for me was coming home.
“I’m sorry, but if it involves planes or boats, I can’t do it. I should have said so right away, but you were so happy.”
Brad stared at her, astonished.
“I know I’m weird,” Megan went on. “I thought I could pretend, but pretending to be someone you’re not is no way to start a marriage, is it?”
“You’re right,” he said. “But I was pretending, too. It was Tony’s idea. He thought you’d love it. I’d much rather help you with decorating.”
“Is that true?” she asked.
“I’ve never lied to you, Megan, and I never will!”
Brad dug the ring out of his pocket again and this time she held out her hand.
“We really are soul mates, aren’t we?” she asked.
“There is one thing we could do, though,” Brad said. “It would involve packing a suitcase.”
“I’m listening,” she replied.
“Venice!” Leanne cried when Brad handed her the plane tickets. “But how? What about the kids?”
“Don’t worry about the kids,” Megan said. “We’re going to move in with them with my dog, Bella!”
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Leanne looked hopeful.
“We’ve got plans,” Megan replied. “Cinema, bowling, afternoons in the park – all sorts. It’ll be like a holiday for us.”
Brad put his arm round Megan and squeezed her tight.
It sounded perfect.
Enjoy short stories every week within the pages of ‘The People’s Friend’
