Laura Ch. 05

"Yes"

"Good, fucking do it. Tomorrow. Now get out the car."

*

Laura lay quietly next to the sleeping man, planning and scheming in her head.

Grab a few necessary things, and go to Mrs Jackson's house, dye her hair, put on the glasses and old clothes she had found in the bedroom, grab the new Identity documents and she would be off. All traces of Laura Hamilton gone, reborn as Rebecca Jackson.

Then she could pick up the lottery cheque and pay it into the new account.

Within days she would be gone. Out of this nightmare and into the next phase of her life. No trace of her old self left for Robert to follow.

*

Rhiannon watched as Laura arrived and walk up the stairs from the office door.

"Laura please can you come here a moment."

Slowly Laura walked back down the stairs and to the office where yesterday the policeman had sat with her. Her cheeks a bright red she stood there in front of her Manager.

"I'm so sorry about yesterday Rhiannon. It won't happen again."

"Laura you know I worry about you. This is a place where we really don't need disturbances like last night, and I know it is not your fault. Please tell me if you need help. I want to help." Collapsing into the chair by the desk, Laura sat there shaking her head.

"I promise you I will sort it out. It won't happen again."

"There are refuges for women who need to get away from abusive partners Laura. I can get you into one. I have a friend who works in that field. Just say the word and I'll get her down to meet with you."

Looking up at the worried colleague Laura gave a wan smile. "It would be no good if I left him and stayed in the refuge. He would come after me there. I've heard of women that have ended up badly hurt or worse, dead, once their husbands have found out where they are. Robert would kill me if he found me there. I need to sort this out my way. I promise it won't happen again. I just need more time."

"If you change your mind let me know, in the meantime is there anyone else you know who can help you. A friend or family member maybe?"

Laura shook her head, and then looking up with a serious look on her face, "The only real friend I had I told to go away yesterday. It's complicated, but Chris is just a friend. A really nice man, but someone thinks that he and I are having an affair, and I am scared they will tell Robert." And looking down again into her lap whispered, "and if they did he would really kill me then." Then quickly looking up again at Rhiannon said earnestly "But we're not having an affair. Chris cares for me, but were not having an affair, he's just a friend."

"Laura you need to sort this out so that you're safe. Promise me you will sort this out."

"Yes. I promise I will sort this out. Soon, very soon."

*

Laura sat in the office, numb with grief, the last ounce of her strength totally depleted. After all she had been through; the fear and terror she had been experiencing increasingly at home, the emotional void her life seemed to have become, the ravages of her young dreams as they lay like shreds around her, that one small part of her life which gave her comfort was now gone. The small chink of affection and the bond that she had felt with Mrs Jackson had sustained her for the last six months, and now it was gone. Mrs Jackson was gone, the one person she had come to feel like family, the Grandmother she had never had.

She had been someone who cared about her because of who she was, not because they were being paid to care for her like all the others in her past. Sitting there in the office, the sobs shaking her slight body, the feelings of grief, loneliness and loss filling her up, her heart breaking, she was unaware of the concerned looks of Rhiannon watching her.

The older woman had seen Laura cope with the death of her clients before, but never had she seen her react like this, and she realised that there was so much more involved in this display of grief. Mixed with the trauma of last night, the pressure the young girl must be under in her home life and the loss of her patient the reaction was probably a release valve that had been ready to be let go of for some time.

Gently asking if there was someone she would like Laura to call to collect her and take her home, Laura had looked up, tears streaming down her face, eyes red and confused, and shaking her head whispered. "No one, Rhiannon I have no one." The plaintive comment broke the caring woman's heart.

"Surely you know someone who would come, apart from your husband? How about the man you were telling me about this morning, could you ask him?"

"I told him to go away yesterday." and taking the paper tissue being offered to her by Rhiannon sniffled and then continued in a small voice "Mrs Jackson liked Chris. She thought he was like her husband. She told me he was a good man, but I told him to go."

The tears started to flow again as she realised that there had been someone who cared for her and she had stupidly pushed him away.

"Well if he is as good a man as Mrs Jackson thought, he'll drop everything, come and get you and make sure you're alright. Do you have his phone number and I'll get him to come."

Taking the business card from her bag on the desk, Laura handed it to Rhiannon and watched with a pounding heart as picking up the handset her colleague dialled the number shown on the card in her hand.

*

It was lunchtime, and he was down the pub with the rest of the crew, listening to them talking and laughing. Derek the plasterer was standing next to him holding a pint in his plaster speckled hand grinning at the latest throwaway comments that one of the men had made.

But he wasn't joining in.

He gulped down the second half of his lager and putting down the glass, started to walk towards the bar to order another one.

"Hey Chris, you getting another? That was your third. It's not like you to drink during the day?"

"Yeah well it's not like me for a lot of things lately. So I guess at least I'm being consistent." and he leant against the bar waiting to be served by the young man trying to deal with the rowdy crowd of lads to his right.

John the Site Manager walked up next to Chris and leaning both elbows on the bar asked him, "you putting up that stair banister on the top floor this afternoon?"

"Hmmmm."

"Lovely piece of work you've done on it." he noted in his lilting Welsh accent, whilst looking sideways at Chris's face as they stood next to each other, assessing the out of place sullen demeanour of the younger man.

Chris looked back at John; standing next to him, assessing the serious expression on the older man's face. "Spit it out, it's not like you to throw compliments around."

"Leave working on the banister this afternoon, or leave off the booze."

"I'm a big boy now, I can look after myself."

"I'm not asking, I'm telling you...."

Chris's body started to tighten up, ready for a fight, an outlet for the pent up emotions roiling around in his body, when suddenly the phone in his jeans pocket started to ring and reaching in he pulled out the phone and growled into it. "Yeah...."

An unknown woman's voice replied, "Are you Chris Rubin?"

"Yeah." And not taking his eyes off John, "Who's this?"

"My name is Rhiannon Murphy, I work with Laura Hamilton who's given me your number."

Suddenly all his focus was on the voice by his ear. "Is she OK, is everything alright." A feeling of dread ran through him, "She's not hurt is she?"

"No she's not hurt. But I'm afraid she's very upset. One of her patients has died, one that she's very close to and she needs someone to take her home."

"Mrs Jackson has died?"

"Yes, I'm afraid on top of everything else Laura has taken it very badly and she's given me your business card to give you a call. Would it be alright for you to come and get her and take her home? I would normally call her husband but I don't think he'd be the best person to give her comfort right now."

"I'm on my way. Tell her I'm coming." And with that he started to walk towards the door of the pub when suddenly a hand grabbed his arm.

"If you think your getting on that bike after drinking those three pints you had better think again." Chris looked round at John who was holding his arm. "Wherever you're going, get a cab Chris."

"I can't wait for a cab to turn up; I need to get to the Hospice across town right now."

"Then I'll drop you off there. But you're not getting on the bike."

"OK, I appreciate it." And the two men walked out and got in the old battered van, the younger of the two totally wrapped up in his thoughts and concerns, silence between them as they rode through the lunchtime traffic towards the hospice across town.

*

John stood in the doorway watching as Chris knelt next the crying woman as she leant into him, sobbing into the big man's shoulder. He couldn't hear the quiet reassurances that Chris whispered into her ear, trying to calm the distressed woman who seemed to cling to him as if he was the last person alive, but by the body language of the two people he could see a man in love and now had a little more of an understanding why Chris had been so uncharacteristic today. Whatever was eating into Chris causing him to act out of character seemed to be linked up to this crying woman in his arms. He watched for a while longer and then looking across at the dark haired woman also standing watching the scene in front of them, signalled to leave the room.

As they met up in the hall outside, John explained that he had given Chris a lift over from work, but that he needed to get back to the site so he was leaving.

"Tell Chris to get take her home in a cab and not to worry about coming back to the site today. I'll make sure his bike is safe at the house for him to pick up when he's ready."

*

As he held her he could feel the tremors subside, the moist warmth of her breath warmed his neck, and her unique smell filling his lungs. A mingled feeling of sadness for her anguish and the stirrings of arousal fought inside of him. Just an hour ago he had thought he would never see her again, and now he was holding her against him, and knowing that it was him she had asked to be contacted when she needed someone made his heart swell.

Slightly turning his head to kiss the side of her head he whispered "Laura do you think you can get up? I need to get you home."

"I don't want to go home. Not yet." and slowly lifting her head from his shoulder sniffed and shyly looked into his light blue eyes. "Please can you take me somewhere where we can talk and I can think? Anywhere but home right now."

Rising up from his knees and then taking hold of her hands he pulled her up and tucked her under his arm, walking her out to the hall where Rhiannon stood waiting.

*

The cab had dropped them off at the car park by an old wooden stile that lead to the muddy leaf covered pathway twisting through a tunnel of Autumnal coloured trees. Laura stood quietly as Chris paid the driver sitting in the car, one hand resting on the top of the vehicle as he leaned down quietly talking with the driver.

In the cab he had told her he was taking her to his special place, the place where he came when he needed to clear his head to think.

Walking along the path, in a companionable silence, her small cold hand tucked inside his big warm one, she looked up at the trees around them. Leaves in hues of brown and gold rustled in the soft breeze, and crunched under foot as they made their way deeper into the wooded area. Suddenly they came to a clearing and Laura stopped walking, breathing in the crisp autumn air as she smiled and took in the spectacular view in front of her.

They were on top of a wide high ridge, with a stunning view extending out in front of them like a patchwork quilt. Here and there groups of houses nestled together like little dolls houses, surrounded by fields, and narrow country roads criss-crossed each other leading off to a small town far in the distance, and a river meandered across the scene, winding its way until it disappeared out of sight round the edge of the curve of the hillside.

Laura watched as a pair of riders on horses trotted across a large green open area below, looking like children toys.

Chris lead her to a wooden bench and there they sat, in silence at first, drinking in the peace and tranquillity before them. The only other person sharing this serenity was a middle aged man walking his dog, a large black Labrador who bounded around his owners feet, tongue lolling as he waited for a stick to be thrown in the age old game between dog and master.

Picking up her hand and placing it between his two palms, fingers entwined, Chris stretched out his long legs and leaning back against the seat smiled.

"When I was a boy I would come here with my parents and sister, and we would walk along the ridge of the hill until we came to the little tea room nestled about a quarter of a mile down the pathway. We would have a cream tea, and my mum would say that there was nothing that could compare to a big cup of really strong tea and hot scones on a Sunday afternoon. Afterwards my sister and I would roll down the hill, and then climb back up only to roll down again." Lifting her hand to his mouth he kissed the back and said softly, "I'm so sorry sweetheart that she's gone, that you're hurting so much. but for her the pain is no more."

"I know, but I feel like my heart has been cut. She was the closest I've ever had to a Grandmother. She was so good to me, and I'll miss her so much Chris." as tears filled her eyes, "I've never had that feeling of belonging before, never had the kind of memory that you have of feeling safe within a family. She made me feel as if I was starting to belong, as if there was someone who really cared."

"I care."

"All my life all I really wanted was to be part of a big family. To feel I belong. But somehow it's always out of my grasp."

"It doesn't have to be." Turning his body on the seat and placing his arm along the back of the bench, whilst still holding her hand with his other, "Laura if you want to belong I'll be there for you. You don't have to be alone, or put up with being hurt. I'll look after you I promise. And I'll never hurt you."

"I hardly know you. I told you I can't just move in with you."

"Yes you can. Move in with me, just as flat mates. We can get to know each other. I'll sleep on the couch and you have the bed. You'll be safe and not alone, and I'll protect you and keep you safe. You'll never have to be afraid or lonely again."

"It's so tempting."

"Then say yes."

"I need to sort myself out, get my things together."

"Does that mean Yes?"

"It means I need to sort myself out first. Please give me a couple of days to organise things and then I'll phone you."

Chris raised his hand and stroked her cheek, "Just say the word and I'll come and get you." Smiling he noted she had calmed down and the colour in her face that before had been so pale now was looking back to normal. Gently he leaned in closer and watching her eyes he tenderly kissed her, an open mouthed soft kiss, one of promise and so much more.

Sharing a smile they quietly sat in a comfortable silence until Chris said "I told the cab driver to come back about now, so we'd better start back."

Walking companionably back to the pathway and through the trees they reached the car park and stood talking whilst they waited for the cab to return. As evening dusk settled in, an occasional car drove past until one turned in to the car park and pulled in next to them.

*

Robert looked at the woman flirting with him again. He had come into the bar earlier than usual for a drink before going home and she had approached him straight away. What was she after now? He didn't trust her at all.

She seemed to be talking complete rubbish, asking him questions about his wife. He felt slightly uncomfortable, like there was a hidden agenda with this woman and he didn't quite get it, and now she was talking about that big bastard she had left him for that first night. What was she going on about?

Suddenly it started to dawn on him, she was hinting at something.

The rage started to build as he listened to her talking, saying nothing actually, but hinting at plenty.

The bar started to feel hot and too crowded as he listened, the noise around them making it difficult to hear everything she was saying, but the gist of it now quite clear. His breathing shallow, a flush across his cheeks he stared at the woman seemingly enjoying his reaction to her poisonous drips of gossip.

He was going to kill that bitch he was married to. There he was talking about starting a family, planning their future, working hard to support them, and all the time she was playing around on him.

*

Walking her dog along the road, Janet Palmer watched curiously as the neighbour who lived opposite's Mercedes pulled into the drive, the husband emerging from the car just as a cab turned the corner and stopped in front of him by the curb.

As she watched his wife emerged along with a very tall man in jeans and leather jacket, and the husband turned on his heel and strode aggressively over to the couple. Suddenly a heated argument broke out between the three people opposite, with the shorter and slighter of the two men shouting that he should have guessed that his slut of a wife was playing around with trash.

Janet stood routed to the spot as the drama played out in front of her.

The taller of the two men turned to the woman and seemed to be pointing towards the cab, inviting her to join him and leave, when suddenly her husband grabbed her arm and pushed her in front of him, manhandling her towards the front door of the house. The larger man followed seemingly remonstrating with the husband and trying to talk to the now crying wife, and suddenly the couple were gone, through the door as is was slammed shut in the face of the other man who stood there banging and yelling.

Fascinated Janet stood watching as the couple's neighbours came out to stand in the front garden, then walk over to the agitated man banging on the door. The cab driver, now out of his car walked over and joined the small group. Suddenly the door opened and the husband screamed that if they didn't leave he would call the police and re slammed the door in the faces of the four people standing there.

*

Chris stood outside the house, a ball of panic in his stomach, his hand running through his hair in frustration. Worry for Laura touching every fibre of his being, he stepped back from the door and shouted "Laura, Laura."

But there was no movement behind the door, and the three people surrounding him kept trying to pull him away from the scene, telling him to calm down, but how could he calm down when she was behind this damn door with that bastard.

"Look mate, I don't know what's going on here, but my advice is to leave it to cool down. Come back tomorrow and whatever's happening will be a lot calmer. Give the situation a little space."

Chris stared at the black cab driver, and then back at the house. He could see Laura's husband looking through the window his arm around Laura, and he realised that his presence would just inflame the situation more, and that the cab driver was right. Laura said she would think about moving in with him and phone him. There was nothing he could do right now, even though he was worried for her and her safety, he remembered something that Mrs Jackson had said to him, that the inner courage she would need to make the break had to come from her and that he should just be there for her when the time came.

Nodding to the man in front of him he walked back to the cab and giving his address to the driver the two men got in the cab and left the scene.

* "Norman this is getting worse, we must do something. That poor girl, I'm so worried for her." the wife said to the husband as they went back into their house.