'Too much, too young'

1989 - in the summer of 1989 I moved away from North London to the Midlands. It was cold there but I had a good job and life was full. I was very slack about giving people my new address and I lost contact with Elaine for a few months. But as the time came to send out my Christmas cards I started to write out her card, as usual.

Then I stopped. I was overwhelmed by a feeling that Elaine wasn't at her house anymore. I don't know why; it was not rational. Just instinct. But I knew she wasn't there. I'd just have to wait until I'd heard from her. She knew mum and dad's address, she could contact me there.

A few days before Christmas I went back home to stay with mum and dad for the holidays. There was a card waiting for me, from Elaine. She told me she'd left her husband some months before and she was now living in Hertfordshire. She asked me to meet her in a pub near her house so we could have a chat.

She said she'd bring Paul.