Ben ran out of the hospital after Heather but he had lost sight of her. He stopped in his tracks and looked out into the dark street. She had gone.
A tear slid down Ben's cheek as he turned and walked to his car. As he started up the ignition, the radio came on. The midnight chimes were being broadcast. "Happy 2006!" the DJ said as the last chime sounded and a dance song started up.
"What a start to the new year!" Ben exclaimed to himself, zooming out of the car park, on his way home.
Heather couldn't face going home to an empty house. She pulled up outside Helen and Paul's place and stopped the car. She wiped her eyes and wiped away smears of mascara which had run when she had been crying, and walked inside.
The party was still going, everyone was cheering while the clock struck midnight.
"Happy new year Heather!" Helen smiled. "How was Lucy? Has she had the baby yet?".
Heather rolled her eyes. "Yes, she's had Ben's kid now,".
"Oh no!" Helen gasped. "You found out about it?".
"What?" Heather cried. "You knew about it?".
Helen sighed. "Well, Ben told me a few months ago, but he made me promise I would keep quiet,".
Heather shook her head. "You should have told me," she said, annoyed.
"I'm really sorry," Helen told Heather. She led her into the conservatory where it was quiet. "So how did you find out?".
"Ben confessed all to me," Heather said, sitting down and putting her head in her hands. "I'm never going to speak to him again!".
"He's really, really sorry about it," Helen said calmly. "It was only a one-off, he said he really regretted it,".
"I don't care how many times it happened, he shouldn't have cheated on me!" Heather shouted, getting worked up. "I thought we were on our way back to getting together again... but that was before I knew the truth,".
"Can't you talk to him about it?" Helen suggested.
"No way," Heather said, folding her arms.
"Look, don't yell at me for saying this, but you're just as bad as him. You cheated on him too.. can't you just say to him that you're even with each other, both done things wrong?".
"No," Heather said slowly, knowing what Helen was saying made sense but not wanting to believe it.
"Think it over," Helen told her. "You're being a bit of a hypocrite. Ben was prepared to get back with you knowing that you'd had an affair, but you don't want anything to do with him after what he did, and that was only a one night thing,".
"But it was with my friend!" Heather exclaimed. "I don't know how either of them could have done that!".
Helen gave her a look. "Um, are you forgetting what went of with you and Paul???".
'Oh," Heather said, going red.
"Look, that's all in the past," Helen continued. "I forgave you, so can't you forgive Ben? He really loves you, he would give anything to get back with you,".
Heather didn't know what to say. "Um, well, maybe I'll go over and see him..." she trailed off.
Ben couldn't sleep, he lay in bed alone still wide awake, despite it being 3am.
He was totally alone in the house, as Nicole was staying over at his parent's house for the night. He got out of bed and picked up his photo album which lay on the bedside table.
Ben pulled the curtains open slightly, letting the light of the street lamp outside light up the room. He opened the album and looked at the first page.
The page displayed several photos from the summer he had met Heather. He smiled as he remembered their trip to New York and the day they had gone to Swanage. It had been one of the best summers ever.
The next page showed him and Heather with baby Nicole when she had just been born. Both were smiling as they cuddled tiny little Nicole.
Ben sighed as he looked at the next set of pictures. They were from the wedding. It had been the happiest day of his life. A tear fell from his eyes onto the page. He reached for a tissue and wiped his eyes.
He couldn't look at any more pictures, it was too painful. They just reminded him of how he had lost heather, the only girl he had ever loved...
Ben couldn't go back to sleep so he walked downstairs and made himself a cup of tea. He sat in the lounge in silence. He looked across the room and saw his piano. He got up and went over to it.
He placed his fingers on the keys and started to play 'Everytime'. "Lately, I'm not who I used to be, someone's come and taken me where I don't wanna go..." he started to sing.
Heather was sitting in her car outside the house, working up the nerve to go to the door. "OK, it's now or never," she said to herself, getting out of the door and walking to Ben's front door. As she rung the bell, she could hear piano music and someone singing.
Ben answered the door in shock. "I wasn't expecting to see you, come in," he said, leading her inside.
"I'm sorry to come at such an early hour, I didn't wake you did I?" Heather said as they sat on the sofa.
"No, I couldn't sleep so I was up anyway," Ben said. "Can I get you a drink?".
Heather wanted a tea so Ben made her one and made himself another one too. "I'm really sorry," he told her as he sat next to her.
Heather took at his serious face and knew he meant it. She nodded and turned away.
"Look, I would never do it again, you know I'll always be faithful to you," Ben continued, feeling nervous.
"I know," Heather said, managing to look back at him. "I just wish you'd told me about it,".
"I did, I told you tonight,".
"You should have told me nine months ago!" Heather exclaimed.
"Yeah, and you should have told me about you and Paul!" Ben shot back. "Instead, I walked into this very room and found you with him!".
Heather looked down at the ground. "Yeah, yeah. OK,".
"It took me a long time to get over it," Ben said sadly. "I couldn't believe how both my wife and best friend had betrayed me. But in the end, I realised that we all make mistakes. I had to forgive and forget,".
Heather stayed silent, thinking about what he had said.
"Please forgive me Heather, please," Ben whispered.
Heather looked up and their eyes met.
"Please," Ben pleaded. "Let's forget everything that happened and start again. We can cancel the court case and throw away the divorce papers when they come. Come on Heather, remember all the good times we had together, and how the last few months have been hell. We've both been lonely since the break up...".
Heather paused, she knew she wanted to say yes, but she couldn't speak. She continued to look into Ben's soulful blue eyes.
"Please Heather, I love you,".
Heather couldn't resist him any more. She jumped into his arms and they hugged for what seemed like forever.
Ben grinned at Heather and held her hand. "Don't ever leave again," he whispered.
"I won't," Heather promised with a smile as they walked up the stairs to the bedroom.
The following day, Heather and Ben invited everybody over to their house for a new years day lunch.
"This smells good," Ben smiled as he walked into the kitchen.
"Thanks," Heather said, flashing him a grin as she lay the buffet out on the table. "The guests should be arriving any minute,".
Sure enough, the doorbell soon rang. It was Paul and Helen.
"We're so happy that you're back together," Paul said, handing Ben a bottle of wine.
"It was me who persuaded Heather to talk to you," Helen whispered to Ben.
"Thanks!" Ben told her gratefully.
Before long, more people had arrived, may of which had bad hangovers from the previous night's celebrations. "Get me a coffee!" Christian laughed as he and Naomi arrived.
Sarah and Mark were also there. "She's got morning sickness," Mark said proudly, he was excited about their baby which was due in a couple of months.
"I think everyone's here now," Ben told Heather as Linda, Shane, Sam and Tasha entered the house. "Well, except for...".
The doorbell rang, so Heather went to answer it. Stood at the door was Ben's mum, holding Nicole.
"Mummy!" Nicole squealed.
Heather took Nicole in her arms and have her a big hug.
Ben joined them and smiled. "Hello sweetie, did you have a nice time at grandma's house last night?".
"Yes, I was allowed to stay up until midnight!" Nicole said excitedly.
"Was she well behaved?" Ben asked his mum.
"Yes, she was an angel,".
Nicole looked at her parents. "I though you said mummy wasn't coming back, daddy?".
Ben took Nicole from Heather and shook his head. "Well mummy's back now, she won't be going away ever again,".
"Yay, mummy's home again!" Nicole squealed happily.
In the next room, Christian, Mark and Paul were setting up microphones. "Come on Ben, everyone wants us to do a song!" Mark shouted out.
Ben handed Nicole back to Heather and joined them. "OK, what are we gonna sing?".
"This," Paul smiled, pressing play on the CD player.
Heather had a huge smile on her face as she sat on the armchair and watched the boys sing 'Celebrate Our Love'.
Ben smiled back at her as he sang. He certainly had something to celebrate. He had his wife back and nothing else could make him happier.
<next.story.in.the.trilogy> .:tomorrow:.
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