Clara stepped forward and threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest to keep him from seeing her tears. John didn't hesitate to close his arms around her.
“I understand. But I have to ask: is there any way I can make you change your mind?” she asked desperately.
“No,” he sighed into her hair, “But there is something you can do for me.”
Clara nuzzled her face against the fabric of his shirt, realizing that she would miss the smell of him for a very long time. “What?”
“Give Alex a chance,” John said quietly, “He loves you and losing you would probably be the worst thing that could happen to him.”
She cleared her throat, realizing how broken it sounded all of a sudden, and looked at him. “Would you do something for me, too?”
“Anything.”
“Just while we're in Glasgow,” she began, “Let's pretend that everything is fine, that Alex doesn't exist. I want to be with you, even if it's just for a few hours.”
John's hand wandered to her head, stroking her hair softly. “Is that wise?”
“No,” Clara replied firmly, “But it's what I want.”