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‘Does anyone say that any more? What if you both lived till you were ninety-five? That’s a lot of e At fifty who’s the same person they were at thirty, let alone in their nineties?’ asked the guy who’d signed up for ever with Cassie, only to get the boot within two years Failedthey had in common
‘Typical of you to come up with that question’ If she fed hio? Not likely This was Rafe Neither did ad how she’d failed co Darren His pro children didn’t eventuate Instead the parties, going to the rugby gahts at the office not working—found that out later—the weekends aith the boys None of it ever stopped, actually becareed to do with her She’d gotanniversary ca in her life Not accepting that she’d rushed in on those pro herself if she really loved Darren as much as she’d believed ‘I’m fine I made a mistake, and now I’ve put it behind me’
‘As long as you’re sure,’ Raphaelhim further down the track’
‘Drop it, Rafe We are not getting back together It’s over’ How many times did she have to say it?
‘Right Tell me about Phnom Penh, then What made you stay on an extra month?’
She’d rather talk about her ex ‘A tragic case that I got too close to’
‘We’re not meant to do that, Izzy’
Tell her so she didn’t know ‘It’s different over there When someone’s sick or seriously injured the whole faot swept up in it all’ To the point where she’d put the brakes on racing around chasing happiness while she thought about what she really wanted for the future ‘Can we change the subject?’
‘Fine So what’s next? A suent? Or a month on one of the charity ships in Africa?’
There seemed to be another question behind Raphael’s queries, but Isabella couldn’t hear what it was Strange, given hoell they knew each other—apart froh the past year said otherwise Auckland, Melbourne, Cambodia Maybe she was more like her parents than she cared to ad to find that per with Mu in one place for h They just shouldn’t have brought her into theas a nurse Fourmidwifery before—’
‘Oui, I get it But right now you’ll be overthinking what you’re going to do next Stay in Wellington, move to Africa or America’ He paused Then on a deep breath, he continued ‘With your attitude about failing, this breakup will still be winding you into a tight ball of conjecture “Where shall I live? What’s the next project to undertake? Ahed, then said, ‘Tell , Izzy’
She couldn’t That was exactly who she was Except that faed her in some indefinable way But she wasn’t ready to talk about it yet Might never be Isabella stretched the length of her bed, and tucked the thick woollen duvet around herself ‘You’ll be pleased to know I can’t i to rely on in-depth conversations with penguins’ She pulled her pillon around her neck Autu a reminder of inter would have in store in a feeeks
‘Penguins are probably et to hter was usually infectious, but tonight it was sounding a little tired, fed up even
‘So at your end of the world?’
‘No more than the usual We’re short-staffed and it seenant at the moment’
‘What about life outside the Queen Victoria? Love, life, laughter, those things?’ Raphael was one of themen she knew Wo said bonjour Yet, since Cassie, he’d not had one serious relationship, preferring the love ’em and leave ’em approach to relationships—when he found ti else and alarned the wo for a partner In fact, he was so kind and careful about his approach they all still thought he onderful long after he’d said au revoir
‘Don’t knohat you’re talking about’ At least his laughter was genuine now ‘Haven’t got time for much than work and study’
‘That sounds as pathetic as ht now’
What a scintillating pair they made
‘You think?’ Raphael took a long, slow breath ‘Crunch time, huh, Midwife Nicholson? For you, not me,’ he clarified
‘You sure about that?’ she gru her
‘It’s notto put the pieces of the puzzle back together’
‘You’re right, and don’t you dare gloat,’ she added in a hurry ‘I do have some decisions to make’
‘Starting with?’
That was the problem She didn’t knohere to start ‘Where to live?’
‘What’s wrong here you are?’ Straight to the point, as always
‘If I’et stuck in hed It was the truth, just not all of it Try again ‘Funny how I always thought of Wellington as home and yet it doesn’t feel like that’
‘You haven’t exactly been happy there in the past We all need some place to call hoetting e require fronon’
Yeah, where he got toocity’ The ancient wall surrounding the city centre, the old fort on the other side of the river, the fanon The history had drawn her,so—and so when Darren caton with hi was et back to friends who know me and where I’ve come from’ Maybe even where she was headed
Raphael should understand They’d met on trips with their respective schools to a ski field in the Swiss Alps Out of control on a snow board, she’d crashed into hi bruises over hot chocolate in the café they’d instantly bonded His father worked in a bank in Geneva while her dad orking at the New Zealand consulate in the sa friends quickly, aware how fast three years passed when she’d have to ain Raphael had been honon, and resented his parents for taking him away from the Instead, when herco a lot, Isabella had been sent to boarding school in England, leaving her feeling unconnected, abandoned Even when she returned to the farowing up in the interied for ever