Captivation by Nicola Moriarty Page A

you . Juliette waited as he left.
    After he was gone, she reached across to her bedside drawer and searched through the contents until she found what she was looking for. A photo of her parents. She pulled it out and gazed at their figures. She was still angry with her mother for what had almost happened – but nevertheless, she would miss them, and she was a little sorry that it had to come to this. She kissed thephotograph goodbye through the cool glass of the frame, touching each of their faces gently with her fingertips. She placed the photo back and closed the drawer shut tight.
    Then she stood and opened the doors to her wardrobe. Inside, she slid the hangers aside until she found what she was looking for. A light summer dress, one that Danny had given her for Christmas, their last together before he died. It had a palepink and yellow floral print and she still remembered when she had opened the wrapping and first seen it. She’d loved it instantly – something in the colours, the feel of the fabric, everything about it, had reminded her of France and of home, and also of her new life here in Coogee Beach, all at once.
    She changed into the dress, gently pushing her arms through the sleeves and zipping it up at the side. Then she walked out to the lounge room to find Danny.
    ‘I’m ready,’ she said, smiling at the sight of Danny’s form, which was growing stronger by the minute.
    Ready to talk?
    ‘Yes. Follow me.’
    You look beautiful. I always loved you in that dress.
    She turned and moved carefully out onto the balcony. The stars were beginning to fade, the sun would be rising over the ocean soon. She allowed a tear to slip down her cheek, and then she was ready.
    Juliette pulled one of their deck chairs over to the railing. She stepped onto the chair and then stood still for a moment.
    Juliette, what are you doing?
    ‘Danny, I’ve made my decision. I’m coming to be with you.’
    What do you mean, what are you talking about?
    ‘I’m going to jump, Danny. I’m going to kill myself.’

Chapter Fourteen

    Juliette stood on the chair, looking out towards the moonlit ocean. She leaned forwards, ready to pull herself up, but Danny’s voice jumped into her mind yet again, making her pause to listen.
    Juliette, hold on. Just wait a second, let me process this … we need to be sure, we need to be certain that this really is the only way.
    ‘It doesn’t matter, Danny. It’s what I want. Please don’t try and stop me. This really is the only way.’
    But … but there has to be something else we can do. Can’t we just keep on as we are? Isn’t this working already? You said you were happy here, staying inside always, just the two of us.
    ‘I have been, I’ve been so very happy. But there are too many dangers, too many factors working against us. My family won’t give up. If they have to, they’ll break down the door and drag me out of here. And then what will happen to you? You’ll vanish, I know that you will, and then I’ll never get to touch you again, never get to see you.’
    I never thought that all of this was leading up to … to you taking your life, though.
    He sounded as though he was scrambling for the right words, as though he was coming to a realisation as he spoke.
    Juliette, I’ve been selfish, I see that now. I mean, I guess I knew all along that I was being selfish – but I thought that it was okay. I thought that it was for the right reasons. That our love mattered above all else, that you making a few sacrifices with how you lived your life didn’t matter. But this … this is different.
    ‘It’s not Danny, it’s exactly the same. It’s a sacrifice for our love, just like you said.’

    Honey, no, please. Don’t do this, don’t you take that step. Come back down. Talk with me. We’ll find another way, another way to make this work. There must be another way. This isn’t just some small thing you’re giving up. This is your life, your body, years of living – this is