SHIRLEY WORRALL writes this romantic complete Story .sx At The Moment Of Parting .sx SHIRLEY WORRALL .sx CAROLINE tore open the envelope and scanned the contents , briefly at first but then in more detail .sx Having finished at university , she'd decided on a year's voluntary work abroad and the letter contained full details of her travel arrangements to Africa .sx She was about to dash off and share her exciting news with Andy when he burst into the living-room .sx " Caro , you have to help me .sx Something awful has happened .sx " .sx Fifty possible disasters raced through her mind .sx " Whatever's wrong ?sx " she asked .sx Andy threw himself down in a chair , looking as if the end of the world had been prophesied .sx " I rang Maria and invited her round this evening , " he explained .sx " I planned to cook her a meal and impress her with all the trimmings .sx Anyway , she said she couldn't make it .sx " .sx Caroline laughed with relief .sx " Is that all ?sx " Andy had grown into a very handsome and charming man so Caroline guessed that a replacement would be easy enough to find .sx " I'm sure that your little black book will jump to the rescue , Andy , " she added .sx Andy didn't share her amusement .sx " That's the problem .sx I then called Sally , who was delighted to accept .sx " With a groan , Andy ran his fingers through his hair .sx " But Dad's just given me a message saying that Maria's managed to change her plans and that she'll be here at seven .sx " .sx " Oh dear .sx " So Andy had a double date .sx " Can't you telephone one of them ?sx " .sx I've been trying but neither answers .sx They must both be on their way .sx What am I going to do , Caro ?sx They'll both turn up together .sx " .sx Caroline burst out laughing again .sx " It looks as if the three of you will have a very cosy evening .sx Think about it logically , " she went on , trying to be serious .sx " Which of them do you like best ?sx " .sx " I like them both , " Andy replied .sx " It's not serious with either of them .sx " .sx " Let me put it another way , " Caroline grinned .sx " Is either of them trained in martial arts ?sx " .sx " Very funny , Caro .sx " .sx " Sorry , Andy , but you're in big trouble and it serves you right .sx You're so - fickle .sx " .sx " It's you women , changing your minds at the drop of a hat .sx " He stood up and gave Caroline his most appealing smile .sx " Caro , if I took the first one away , you could answer the door to the second one and - " .sx " Oh , no !sx " .sx " But if you could just keep one of them out of the way for a while - say I'd been called away urgently or something - I could get rid of the first one early and then see the second one .sx " .sx " Andy !sx Women are not things to 'get rid of' .sx " .sx " I know that but I can't think of any other way round it .sx I don't want to upset either of them .sx " .sx " And I can't entertain one of your girlfriends for a couple of hours , Andy .sx Be sensible .sx " .sx BUT Andy pleaded with her until finally , Caroline agreed to his monstrous plan .sx He was her best friend and despite his morals , or lack of them , she loved him dearly .sx With a smile , Caroline recalled how , at the age of five , she'd thought that Andy was her brother .sx After all , they lived in the same house .sx Andy , a wise nine-year-old , had explained .sx " Brothers and sisters have to have the same mums and dads .sx " .sx " But we do .sx Don't we ?sx " .sx Andy raised his eyes heavenwards .sx " Of course not .sx Your mum just works for my dad .sx " He was thoughtful for a moment .sx " If they got married , then I suppose you'd be my sister .sx " .sx " Do you want a sister ?sx " Caroline asked , thinking she could persuade her mother to marry Andy's father , Ben .sx " Yuk !sx " was Andy's quick response .sx " No , I don't .sx " .sx " I don't want a brother then , " Caroline retaliated .sx From that moment on , she forgot all thoughts of asking her mother to marry Ben .sx And from that moment on , she thought , they grew closer than many brothers and sisters .sx Which was why she found herself helping him out of trouble .sx As it turned out , Maria was first to arrive .sx Andy quickly took her through to the dining-room which was safely at the back of the house .sx Sally turned up twenty minutes later .sx An apologetic Caroline took her into the sitting-room and explained Andy's absence .sx " He took off in such a rush that I don't know where he was going , " Caroline said , fingers crossed .sx " I know it was an emergency though .sx Perhaps it would be better if he rang you tomorrow .sx " .sx " It's OK , " Sally said .sx " I can wait .sx " .sx Caroline hated the deception .sx " He might be very late .sx " .sx " I've got all night .sx " .sx Caroline swallowed her groan of dismay and offered Sally coffee .sx Sally accepted and the two spent an hour and a half discussing Andy in great depth .sx Caroline realised that if Andy wasn't serious about the relationship , Sally certainly was .sx It was the first time Caroline had met Sally and for some reason , she couldn't take to her .sx Usually Caroline made friends easily , and although she couldn't fault Sally's behaviour , there was something about the girl that she didn't like .sx Caroline wasn't too fond of Andy at that moment either , and she couldn't help wondering if their unusual upbringing was at the root of Andy's irresponsibility .sx Ben , Andy's father , had started his career as an archaeologist but soon turned to writing about his passion .sx Caroline's mother took the job as his secretary , typing notes , arranging meetings and doing research work .sx Due to the long hours they worked , it was soon decided that Caroline and her mother would live in Ben's rambling old house .sx Ben was divorced and Caroline's own father had died before she was born , so it might have been reasonable to expect a little romance between the two .sx However , it wasn't to be .sx They spent long hours in Ben's office , having issued severe warnings that they weren't to be disturbed .sx Consequently , Caroline and Andy were thrown together .sx As children they were left to run wild but because they knew they were loved , neither of them minded .sx In fact , they enjoyed their freedom .sx The lack of parental supervision should have turned them into hooligans , Caroline thought with a smile , but it didn't .sx Against all odds , she and Andy had managed to grow into sane , thoughtful and considerate adults .sx Or had they , she wondered .sx Wasn't Andy behaving in a totally irresponsible way ?sx DID I hear a car ?sx " Sally asked suddenly .sx It was a car , but it was going in the wrong direction .sx It had to be Maria leaving .sx " My mother going out , " Caroline lied .sx Minutes later , the door opened and Andy joined them .sx His apologies were totally unnecessary , Caroline noticed , as Sally would have forgiven him anything .sx If only she knew , Caroline thought crossly .sx Caroline sat alone to watch the television but her mind wasn't on it .sx She couldn't help thinking about Andy .sx She could imagine him now , pouring on the charm for Sally and the girl being completely taken in by it .sx The more Caroline thought about it , the angrier she became .sx She was still sitting in front of the television when she heard Sally leave .sx Shortly afterwards , Andy brought two glasses of wine into the sitting-room .sx Caroline felt a childish desire to tell him where he could take his girlfriends' leftovers , but she took the glass and murmured her thanks .sx " What would I do without you , Caro ?sx " .sx " Get yourself into even more trouble , " she said , smiling reluctantly .sx " I owe you one .sx How about we try 'Pierre's' tomorrow night ?sx My treat .sx " .sx Caroline's smile broadened to a grin .sx " Pierre's " was the new restaurant in town and by all accounts it was as fabulous as the exorbitant prices promised .sx " I'll keep you to that .sx Will it be just the two of us , or will your harem be coming along ?sx " .sx " Just the two of us .sx I'm off women - for life .sx " At Caroline's glare , he laughed and ruffled her hair .sx " You're different , Caro .sx " .sx Caroline wasn't sure that she wanted to be different .sx And different in what way ?sx She was just as pretty as Sally , just as intelligent - so what made her different ?sx She didn't know what was wrong with her .sx She wasn't usually so tetchy .sx " Andy !sx " she exclaimed .sx " I almost forgot .sx You know I said I'd enquired about going out to Africa ?sx Well , I'm going .sx The letter came this morning .sx My plane leaves on the twenty-first .sx " .sx Andy stared back at her as if she'd spoken in a foreign language .sx " You're going ?sx But you only said you were thinking about it .sx You didn't say anything about actually going .sx " .sx " Didn't I ?sx Well , I am going .sx " .sx When he finally spoke , he seemed angry .sx " That's typical of you , Caro .sx You get these half-baked ideas and the next thing , you're traipsing halfway around the world without so much as a word to anyone .sx " .sx " It's not half-baked .sx " His reaction hurt .sx " I've been thinking about it for ages .sx I told you about it .sx " She paused before asking quietly , " Aren't you pleased for me ?sx " .sx Andy considered the question but didn't answer it .sx " When will you be back ?sx " he asked finally .sx " In a year .sx " Caroline was unnerved by the way he was looking at her .sx He seemed so serious .sx " So if you get yourself in a mess like tonight's , " she tried to smile , " you'll have to sort it out on your own .sx " .sx The attempted joke didn't receive a smile .sx What's wrong with us ?sx Caroline wondered .sx For no reason she could put her finger on , she'd been moody all evening .sx Now Andy seemed the same .sx It was so unlike him , so unlike them both .sx They'd always been able to talk things over .sx When Caroline went to bed that night , she hoped that things would be right between them the following morning , but nothing had changed .sx There was a cold gulf between them that she couldn't bridge .sx THREE weeks later , Andy drove her to the airport .sx They said little on the journey and Caroline dreaded leaving with things so awkward between them .sx She wished she could put everything right , but she didn't even know what was wrong .sx As they waited for her flight to be called , Caroline tried to behave as if everything was normal .sx " I'll write to you often .sx But I won't hold my breath waiting for a letter from you .sx In three years at university , I think I had a total of four letters .sx " .sx " As many as that ?sx " Andy tried to smile but he failed .sx Caroline didn't feel like smiling either .sx The flight was called and her heart turned over .sx The moment had arrived and they still had barriers between them .sx They'd always been so close , but now they were like strangers .sx In a moment of panic Caroline whispered , " Andy , I'm going to miss you so much .sx " .sx He gazed back at her .sx " Me too .sx I'll write .sx " .sx She gave him a watery smile .sx No , you won't .sx " .sx The flight was called again and Caroline reached up to kiss him .sx " Take care , Andy .sx " .sx " And you .sx " .sx He hugged her and for a long moment , Caroline could do nothing but cling to him .sx Then he set her back from him .sx In an old familiar gesture , he ruffled her hair .sx " Watch out for the lions , Caro .sx " .sx She wanted to give him a flippant reply but she couldn't .sx She walked away from him and towards the departure lounge .sx She longed to turn around for one final look at him but she couldn't do that either .sx The tears were pouring down her face .sx four-stars .sx Caroline's life in Africa was varied and exciting , filled with fresh challenges and new friends , so that she didn't have time to be homesick .sx Except in the evenings .sx Then she would sit down and write Andy long letters , telling him every detail of her life .sx To her complete amazement , she received long letters by return , sometimes as many as three a week .sx Andy wrote very chatty letters so that she could almost imagine he was there talking to her .sx She kept every one of his letters , reading them over and over until she knew them by heart .sx