Lover one's ditched for a time finds comfortable pad (8)
I believe the answer is:
mattress
'pad' is the definition.
(mattress is a kind of pad)
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for mattress that I've seen before include "Bedding" , "Padded bag on which to sleep" , "Padded part of a bed" , "Sleeping support" , "Large thick pad on the bed" .)