Laura Ch. 02

Chris turned around and found the old lady on the couch, now awake and watching him. "Why doesn't she leave him?"

"Young man, when you are belittled, terrorised, and what little confidence you have is taken away from you, it takes it takes a lot to get up the courage to leave. Laura will get there, but she needs to find the strength to leave herself, knowing that leaving will be safe for her."

Old fading eyes looked into the eyes of the man sitting twisted towards her at the table. "She needs friends to be there for her, for support, for encouragement. No judgement or pressure, and no complications." She smiled at him and continued "You like her, I can tell. Be her friend and help give her back her confidence, and she will find her way."

*

Laura stood at the counter in the bank, shaking inside, as the man behind the glass told her what she needed to open a basic account and slid a booklet and form through the gap at the bottom. "If you fill this in, along with the three pieces of ID we will set up your account and send the information to your address. You can pick up and sign for your debit card here at the bank."

Taking the forms she turned to leave "Thank you. By the way how long would it take to get the account set up?"

"No more than a couple of weeks."

Walking down the High Street Laura got the small amount of shopping that Mrs Jackson needed. There wasn't much, just basics like milk, some tins of soup and bread. She then went to the local post office where she had bought the lottery ticket. Asking for information on how to claim and how to find out the amount, Mr Patel looked at her and asked "How many numbers have you got? If the amount is under £50,000 I can do it, we write a cheque for the amount; all you need to do is fill in the forms, if it is more here is the number to contact. They will come to you or you can go to them with the ID you need. I can print out a list of the prizes for that draw for you to check how much you've won."

"Ummm, it's not me but my friend, and I'm not sure how many numbers. But thanks for the help."

Laura walked back, and when she reached the front gate she saw that Chris was still working in the garden which now looked a lot better. Rose bushes pruned back and the dead leaves and rubbish in a neat pile in one corner.

Chris looked up and stopped sweeping the rubbish off the lovely old paving stones, and leaned on the broom he had found in the kitchen cupboard. Nodding towards the gate that Laura was walking through he remarked "That front gate needs some work on it, I'll bring some of my tools back with me from work tonight and repair it tomorrow." and nodding at the pile of rubbish now sitting in the corner "Got the rubbish bags? If you give me a couple I'll get that out of the way." Then looking up at the sky "It's starting to drizzle again, so after I've finished that, I'll clean up and get going. See you tomorrow beautiful" giving her a big smile, another wink of a bright blue eye sparkling with amusement, bent down and kissed her nose before she had a chance to protest.

*

She had been happier all day than she had in ages. She realised that the man had thrown the offhand compliment at her this morning teasingly, but it had warmed her all day. He had called her beautiful, and she remembered his concern over the bruise on her cheek, his gentle touch when he wiped away her tears, and the sense of joie de vivre that seemed to emanate from him, and that silly kiss.

The first part of her plan was being placed into action. Tomorrow she was going to start the setting up of the bank account, placing a small amount of her own money in it to set it up. The tall man was coming again tomorrow and she was looking forward to his easy banter, unthreatening manner and if she was truthful to herself, she enjoyed the gentle flirting of a man, one with whom she felt safe with.

The horror of last night contrasted with the gentleness shown to her today by a stranger and helped to ease the pain in her heart and body.

*

Chris felt elated, he kept reliving every moment with her in his mind. Laura. He loved her sweet gentle voice, her graceful movements, and her flustered manner when he flirted with her. He loved the way she was with the old woman, her caring kindness, her empathy.

He smiled as he remembered her shocked face when he bent down and kissed her nose. He couldn't resist kissing it. He recalled what Mrs Jackson had said about her needing a friend. He would be that friend. She didn't need to know that he was in love with her. But he would be there for her, help build her confidence. Help her gain back her strength.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough for him. Tonight he would relax with his mates down the bar and savour the memories of today.

*

Robert felt good, his little office junior was giving him coy little looks, and he knew that she would be ripe for a night of sex at the Hotel. He decided to book it for Friday night so that he could lie in late, and not have to rush out for work the next day. He didn't give a shit that staying out over night would upset his wife; she would just have to put up with it, just as she had in the past with the others.

He had decided that taking her out tonight for a meal and a drink at the wine bar would keep her quiet and passive. Keeping her passive was important to him, it meant he could control her better, and control was everything. Control gave him power, and Robert craved power as it fed his ego, made him feel more of a man, made him feel safe. His father had taught him well, he learnt watching him hit and abuse his own mother, as well as being on the receiving end of his father's fist and belt himself as he grew up. Never again would he be the one without the control.

*

Putting on the blouse that she knew Robert liked, the one that clung to her, slightly opaque, but sheer enough to make out the white lacy bra underneath, and the black pencil line skirt that outlined her slim hips, Laura wondered why Robert's mood had changed this morning. He seemed almost like he was when they first met. She hoped that this mood would last, at least until she had made all her arrangements to leave.

After the last night's onslaught she had decided that she must get out. The look in his eyes and the rage on his face last night whilst he attacked her told her that it would be only a matter of time before he did her real damage. But she didn't want him to find her, didn't want to be on the receiving end of a beating for daring to defy him. So she would bide her time until she was ready and go. A new life, a new name, a new place.

Carefully using the make up to cover the bruise on her cheek she finished getting ready, and then sat down to wait for Robert to come home and collect her.

*

Tricia didn't know where Chris lived, or his mobile number, but she knew she wanted to see him again. He was fun, and although not her usual type, the type with flash cars and lots of money to throw around, he was sweet, uncomplicated, and the sex last night was so good.

Not being one to wait as patience was not her strongest asset, she decided to go down the bar tonight and see if he was there, or at least find his friends to see if they would give her his mobile number or address so she could ask him out for a drink.

Looking through her wardrobe for something that she could attract his attention she picked a very short clinging grey sweater dress that showed off her long legs and curvy bottom. The light grey contrasted against her auburn hair and clung to her generous breasts without revealing too much, and pulling on knee high black heeled boots over black opaque tights she felt that tonight when she found him he wouldn't be able to resist.

Grabbing her bag and coat, she left her flat full of expectations and starting walking towards the bar close to the centre of town.

*

The noise from the crowded bar was loud, with end of the day office workers in their smart suits mingling with casually dressed people out for a night drinking. Groups of people were standing around and enjoying themselves, listening to comments made by friends, and burst of laughter was heard every so often from all parts of the crowed bar.

Laura stood next to Robert in the group of his work colleagues, all laughing at an outrageously dirty joke one of the men had told. Laura was smiling when she glanced across the group and noticed that the very slim girl with short blond cropped hair and big brown eyes was staring at her with a look of barely concealed malice.

Glancing down, confused at first, it dawned on her that this must be the new one. His latest office affair. The girl looked just his type, petite, young and unworldly. Just like she had been when they first met.

Suddenly it occurred to her she was no longer jealous, no longer hurt by his infidelity. She knew she would be leaving soon, and having made that decision could no longer be hurt by his betrayal.

Looking back up at the young girl, who now was openly flirting with her husband, Laura relaxed a little bit. Never one to feel completely at ease in large social situations, standing next to Robert and surrounded by people she hardly knew, her already fragile confidence usually took a nose dive, but tonight she felt somehow more in control. She knew soon her nightmare would end, and it was a secret she had that Robert was not aware of. That gave her a boost.

Smiling at the latest comment made by Robert to the group she glanced out at the crowded room and that's when she saw him. Leaning against a column, relaxed and nonchalant, bottle of beer in one hand, wearing the same leather jacket from this morning, his other hand tucked into the pocket of his jeans. He was standing there with two other men, his head slightly bent down as he listened to what one of the men was saying. Suddenly he laughed. It was a full laugh, with head thrown back in enjoyment.

As if drawn by her stare his eyes scanned the room and settled on her. Sparkling ice blue eyes met her inquisitive green eyes, and his laugh changed to a smile. The room seemed to fade as she looked across the room at him. He lifted his bottle of beer and raised it in a mock salute.

Just then Robert who had stopped talking put his arm across her shoulders, pulled her into him and whispered in her ear "Another glass of wine before we leave to go to the Indian for that curry babe?" and kissed the top of her head.

Flustered for a moment, Laura looked up into her husband's eyes and shook her head.

Looking back across the room at Chris, the smile was replaced by a tight hard stare on his face, with eyes narrowed and brows lowered in a frown, stillness seemed to emanate from him. And as they looked across at each other, one angry the other confused, a girl walked over to Chris, and sliding her arms around his waist under his jacket, the moment of connection broke.

Laura felt a pang of regret; she should have guessed that he would have a girlfriend, even be married. After all she had only met him this morning, and there was no reason for this strange feeling she felt as she saw him bend his head towards the girl pressing her body against his and looking up into his now downturned face. He said something to her and then looked up straight at Laura, his eyes like slits and mouth tight and compressed.

Just then Robert said goodbye to the crowd around them and with his arm still across her shoulders guided her out of the bar and towards the car park where the silver Mercedes sat parked.

*

It felt as if he had been kicked in the heart, seeing that bastard, the one that Tricia was trying to evade last night, with his arm so proprietarily around Laura's shoulders. "What the hell did she see in him? The man was a total waste of space. So false and fake, can't she see that?" he thought to himself, "a bully and a coward, beating up on a woman. I ought to teach him a lesson on what it's like to be on the receiving end."

Chris's anger grew, and his body stiffened with unspent aggression.

Tricia felt the tension run through Chris as she leaned against him, arm still around his waist. She looked up at his face and saw he was looking towards the door just as she noticed the couple walking out and realised it was the bore from last night. Mistaking the tension as left over macho behaviour from last night she squeezed Chris around the waist and said "Hey Super Hero relax!"

Chris looked down confused, and then mentally shaking himself quietly said "Trish, I'm sorry, I'm just not in the mood tonight and need to get home to chill out by myself." And gently he moved away so that her arm around his middle slowly dropped away to her side, and putting down the bottle on a table close by made his way to the door and out of the bar.

Tricia stood there watching him leave, and then ran following behind, leaving the two men who watched her go and then shrug at each other. Catching up with him as he strode down the street, she slipped her arm through his.

Chris didn't even break stride, looking down and gruffly saying "Leave me alone Trish, you really don't want to be around me right now. I'm not going to be any good to be with!"

"Look no pressure, but I can be a friend if you need one. If you need to talk, let me just be there to listen." and she carried on along with him, arm through his, almost running to keep pace with his long legged stride as they moved through the rain washed streets.

After a while he stopped and motioning to the big old Victorian house he said "I live here, and if you come up with me to my flat I promise nothing. I'm not going to be great company tonight."

"Look Chris, you came to my aid last night, let me return the favour. If you need to talk about whatever is on your mind I'm a good listener."

Fishing into his jeans he pulled out his key ring and opening the beautiful stained glass panelled wooden front door, he stood back and motioned for Tricia to precede him through. The entrance hallway had two doors leading off it to the two flats, one upstairs, the other the downstairs of the house. The floor a beautiful oak, with walls painted a soft cream, broken up on one side by a large old mirror with a carved gold painted frame.

Chris opened one of the doors, and switching on a light, gestured for Tricia to walk up the stairs the other side of the open door. When she reached the top of the stairs she looked around at the flat's hallway now revealed, unsure where to go next. Chris who had followed her up the stairs pointed to a door at the end of the hall and she walked towards it, her boots echoing on the dark wooden floor covered by a brown coloured hessian runner.

"I'll get us glasses. Do you want red or white?"

"Red," and walking through the door she entered into a beautiful big room, high ceiling and big sash windows giving it a sense of space. Large worn leather couches faced each other, deep brown standing out against the cream rug. A dark wood coffee table sat between them, covered with books, half burnt candles of various lengths in holders grouped together at one end, and a selection of remote controls sat waiting to be used to work the large flat screen TV and DVD player at the end of the room.

Tricia sat down on one of the couches and picked up one of the many brown and cream striped cushions and held it against her stomach. The wall opposite the TV was covered by a dark wooden unit the same gleaming polished wood of the coffee table. Shelves held rows of books and pieces of hand carved wooden shapes, framed photos and DVDs sat on other shelves, whilst on another a stereo and rows of CDs. In one corner of the room stood an enormous rubber plant, its large green leaves standing out in contrast against the cream painted wall.

Chris walked into the room holding a bottle of red wine and two glasses, then sitting down on the couch opposite put the glasses on the table in front of him and poured out the wine. Picking up one glass he leant over the table and offered it to her. He picked up the other glass of wine, leaned back on the couch and took a long gulp of the red liquid.

"This is a lovely room, it suits you."

Chris looked across at Tricia and said nothing. She sensed the tension still in his body, his face revealing nothing.

"Is it something I've done? Because if it is I would rather be told to my face, I don't like games and I don't like being used."

"I didn't ask you to come here with me. I told you I needed to be alone."

Tricia put down the glass of wine and started to get up.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry Trish it's not you, it's me." and he leaned forward arms resting on his splayed out thighs, the glass of wine still in his right hand, his head lowered down, and in a quiet voice said "The woman I'm in love with was there just now with her husband and I couldn't handle it." head raising up he looked across at the woman opposite him "I'm sorry, last night shouldn't have happened, It was wrong of me. You're a lovely girl, and I'm a complete shit for treating you like this. I'm sorry."

She sunk back onto the couch and whispered "You're in love with someone....and she's married?" she paused and then "You're having an affair with a married woman and you slept with me last night, what kind of a bastard are you!"

Chris shook his head "No you misunderstand. I said I'm in love with Laura, but she doesn't know it. Until today we had never spoken to each other. There's no affair, she's married to that bastard that was annoying you last night. Look I'm sorry about last night, I didn't mean to hurt you and last night was special I guess. It was real, my feelings for Laura are one sided and I'm really mixed up at the moment. Please forgive me for acting the shit."

"She doesn't know you love her? You only met today? I don't understand."

A wry mocking laugh and a shake of his head, "I saw her first a couple of months ago as she was getting off the bus across the road from here. I had stripped down my bike and was getting the bus to work the day I saw her," and taking another sip of the wine he continued "It was like an electric current had run through my body and I couldn't move. She walked by, didn't even glance at me. My whole world had shifted and she just walked on up the road and went into a house nearby. The next day I stood at the bus stop waiting for her and as she got off the bus it was then I noticed her wedding ring and realised I had fallen in love at first sight with someone I couldn't have. It's been like that ever since. Me watching her each morning getting my fix, her not even noticing me" again the mocking laughter "just like a stalker, I'm stuck with my obsession, an unreality, but you and last night was not unreal, and I'm truly sorry if I've hurt you. That wasn't my intention."

"But you said you met her today...was that at the wine bar?"

"No, like a stupid fool I took an opportunity to get to know her" his eyes closed and in a hoarse voice "It looks like the bastard is abusing her. I've noticed bruises and this morning she looked like she was hurting badly so I went to the house and knocked and offered my services as a handyman to tidy up the garden as an excuse." He opened his eyes and looked across at Tricia sitting so still listening to him opposite, "I needed to check that she was alright." Draining the glass in his hand and putting it down on the table he continued "and then tonight there they were, the bastard's arm around her, and her looking up at him as if everything is normal......I feel a fool, so confused. I want to kill him for hurting her. I want gather her up and tell her how I feel, tell her that she doesn't need to be treated like this. But seeing them tonight..... it's burning me up inside Trish. I feel so helpless, so empty, so alone."

Tricia got up and walked around the table between them, sat down next to the man sitting there on the couch, a sad look in his eyes, his shoulders slumped, his large hands curled up into fists between his legs, and placing an arm around his shoulders rested her head there whispered "It's OK Chris. You don't have to be alone. I know what it's like to be lonely, to care about someone and they don't return your feelings. No pressure, we can just sit here, two people needing a friend to keep them company, and if you want I'll go....but if you want me to stay and keep you warm tonight I'm here, if you need me I'll stay."