Conflicted Innocence by Netta Newbound

towards him and he panicked, his nerves already clanging, and he felt his body sag with relief as the woman ran past him and launched herself at his new friend, wrapping her legs around the much larger woman.
    Still staring at the commotion to his side, he gasped as someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around on the spot.
    “Hello, you,” Lydia said, softly.
    All the crazy emotions from the past few days rushed to the fore, and he gripped her bony shoulders and pulled her towards him, the tears rolling down his face.
    She eventually pushed away and smiled shyly. “Well, I wasn’t expecting that!” She stroked his head, leaving her hand to linger on his cheek for a few seconds as she gazed sadly into his eyes.
    “I missed you.” His words were barely audible.
    “And I you.”
    “Good luck, man,” the campervan driver said as she climbed in behind the wheel.
    He wiped his eyes and waved as she drove off.
    “Come on. We should be getting off too. We’ve got a long drive back.” He opened the car door for Lydia, and she clutched at her handbag as she slid into the seat, a worried look on her face.
    They travelled for the first few minutes in silence.
    Lee kept glancing her way, but she was turned slightly to face out of the window, and he couldn’t see her expression.
    “So, it must feel strange to be out at long last?”
    She shrugged and turned to smile at him. “I’m terrified, if I’m honest.”
    “Don’t be terrified! This is a happy time. The brand new start to the rest of our lives.” Or until the shit hits the fan, he thought.
    “Where are we going to?”
    “Home!”
    She gasped. “But, I thought...”
    “The cottage isn’t ready yet, Lyddie. I didn’t expect you home so soon.”
    Her fingers gripped at the strap of her handbag that was still hooked over her shoulder. Her lips pressed together in a tight line and she turned back to face the window.
    “You’ll be alright, love. I promise. And Jimmy has a new girlfriend who’s just moved in. She’s nice and can’t wait to meet you.”
    Her brow wrinkled, but she didn’t say anything.
    The rest of the journey was filled with either small talk about the altered scenery, or silence. He didn’t have the energy to push her and figured she’d come around in her own good time.
    Almost three hours later, they pulled up outside the house they’d bought together all those years ago, and he felt her stiffen.
    “I don’t know if I can do this, Lee.” Her eyes projected her pain.
    “It’s alright. I promise. Once you enter you’ll see it’s just a house—our house. Our home.”
    She shook her head rapidly. “I can’t do it, Lee. Please don’t make me do it!” she cried.
    He didn’t know what to do. Short of dragging her kicking and screaming down the path, he wasn’t going to be able to get her to go inside. He expected her to feel strange. It had been the same for him after it first happened, but it didn’t last long. In fact, the house, and all the memories it held, became a comfort to him eventually.
    “Just wait here.” He got out of the car, and instead of heading down their path, he went to Jimmy’s.
     
    ***
     
    “They’re here,” James said, peeking from the window. He’d come home at lunchtime in order to be there when Lydia and Lee arrived home.
    Once again, I got a twinge of jealousy at his interest in Lee’s wife, and then immediately felt guilty. I knew he was worried about his mate. Lee had looked like death warmed up last night.
    “Give them a chance to get inside, Mister. Make yourself useful, and go and wake Gracie up from her nap, or she won’t sleep tonight.”
    Seconds later, I watched Lee march down our path, and I rushed to open the door.
     
    ***
     
    Geri opened the door before he reached it.
    “Sorry to bother you, Geri, but is Jimmy about?” He’d seen Jimmy’s car parked on the street.
    “Sure,” she said, eyeing Lydia in the car. “Is everything alright?”
    “Not really, no.”
    She