“
They had a very pleasant evening out together in Shrewsbury – she was lovely to him, they chatted to mutual acquaintances, laughed, drank quite a bit of wine. They settled into a relaxed mood together – Jason wondering why it couldn’t always be that way; and, in fact, she had closed down again by the time they were walking back to his flat, with a bag of chips shared between them.
Something sparked the subject of family once more. He joked about one day being invited to meet her parents.
‘There you go again!’ she snapped. ‘It’s not as if you’re a serious boyfriend, or anything.’
He stopped dead, other revellers had to swerve around them. ‘Why do you say that? I know I’m serious about this. I just don’t get you at all.’ Her expression told him that she was not willing to discuss it. He threw the remnants of the chips into a plastic bin. ‘Adelaide, we’re so good together. We are, aren’t we? Admit it.’
‘All right, I admit it. I do want you, Jason. Just not in the way you want.’
‘I know I don’t pressure you. God, I put up with so much crap from you. Just spell it out to me. What is your problem?’
By some miracle of logistics, two police officers happened to be passing along the pedestrianised road. Adelaide used their presence as a way of ending the discussion, ‘Jason, you’re making a scene. I’m going home alone.’
‘Adelaide!’
‘Let’s leave it for now, Jason.’
‘Adelaide!’
She skipped away into groups of passers-by. Infuriated beyond belief by her once more, Jason punched the plastic bin, causing a huge dent. The policemen looked over their shoulders briefly, but then continued on.
”
”