It was the strangest situation to be in for any 18 year old.
I was offered a cup of tea when I arrived at their home. I thanked Charu but, politely refused.
Somehow having a mug of hot water around didn't seem either safe or appropriate.
Had I been offered a glass of wine, I'm sure I'd have accepted gladly.
Kev sat furthest away.
I was perched on the edge of one side of the sofa as Charu sat comfortably on the other.
She explained that, since Sunday, Kev had been very upset. She'd asked him a number of times throughout the week to give her the reason, but he'd kept it to himself.... until that night.
Prior to phoning me, I was told, Kev had poured it all out to her.
She said, "Kev tells me that you're both in love with each other and that he can't live without you, is this true?"
Had I at that point said, "Actually, no... I'm far too young to even understand what the term means and I can't speak for Kev", who knows ... they may have been able to repair their marriage and I would have gone on to live an entirely different life, perhaps.
If Time Travelling was a real option today and I were able to go back to that point and sit next to me and speak on my behalf, I'd be annoyed and want to say,
"She's confused, and far too young to have this huge burden placed on her. Don't you two adults think you should sort your marriage out without bringing an eighteen year old into your mess? He's lied to you, he's lied to her, this isn't her problem. Stop using her as an excuse, leave her out of it and let her get on with her life without being muddied further by your marital issues."
Instead, I was on my own and I felt cornered.
Both Charu and Kev sat there, watching me and waiting for my response.
I didn't feel able to admit that I didn't know what I wanted or that I had no idea what this would all lead to.
I'd done what Charu had said she'd wanted, I'd finished with Kev.
I hadn't planned for this.
I really was too young to have any understanding of the implications.
I was flattered, deeply flattered of course, to think that Kev had made this declaration, but he'd done this to his wife.
This wasn't what I'd asked or even hoped for.
Yet there I was, and they were expecting me to say something.
In typical scouse I said, "Well, er... yeah?"
Charu said she had heard enough and was going to bed, which she did at that point.
I was left in their lounge with Kev.
"Do you want to go home?"
"I think that's best"
I felt that somehow my fate was sealed.
