Marriage Divorce Life Ch. 04

Finally, the book was complete, and Annabelle went back to her own place. We had a couple of weeks grace before we were invited to Annabelle's book release party. It was quite a fancy affair held at a local pub. There were lots of Shelby's writer friends, publisher's retailers and of course Annabelle's friends. I tried to get out of going but Shelby was adamant that I had to go, and when she has her heart set on something, man it's hard to get away.

She looked very pretty as it was a formal affair and all the women took great delight in dressing up. I chose a more casual approach which didn't go down all that well with Shelby who had pushed me to go all out.

At the party I noticed Paul who was also attending, god what a prick he was dressed like we were going to the Oscars. OK most of the men wore suits but Paul stood out dressed like a bloody peacock.

Shelby spent a lot of time chatting with him, but I did note that she always stayed in plain view and watched me while they talked.

God I was bored, I didn't really see myself as a writer, I wanted to talk car's, sports, anything but bloody writing. apart from Annabelle and a couple of the guys who came out home, I didn't know many of the people. The guys I knew were tied up talking to the publishers pressing their own concerns.

Shelby saw me standing off to the side nursing my whiskey crowd watching. She came over to stand beside me, "Honey, the place is full of publishers and writers, why don't you at least try to mingle, it would be good for your career."

"Sorry but car salesmen don't need publishers."

Giving me a scowl, she moaned, "You're also a writer, and I think if you talked to them you might get some fresh ideas. Like when you go to those sales conventions. Talk to them hon, open up a little."

I groaned, "I'm not interested Shell, don't you get it, just because I write doesn't mean I want to talk to these posers."

Angry she moaned, "Then go and talk to Annabelle, she looks like she could use a drink."

"No, I think not, this is her night. I think I'll let her soak up all the praise."

"Oh, for heaven's sake honey she would love to talk to you."

I snapped sharply, "I said no."

She turned away and went over to talk to some of the others. I got another drink and circulated without really talking to anyone. Shelby surprised me by dragging Paul over to where I was picking at the food. "Tom have a chat with Paul, I think I shall go and keep Annabelle company."

As we stood there Paul said hesitantly, his voice wavering, "How have you been? Shelby says you are working on a new book."

I gave him a scathing glare and muttered, "Paul I don't want to talk to you OK."

He stepped back shocked by my bluntness, he tried to say something but decided against it and scurried away like a scared mouse.

A little while later I noticed Shelby came scampering across to me, "What happened to Paul?"

"I told him I didn't want to talk to him."

Horrified she gasped, "You did what?"

I snapped back caustically, "I told you many times Shell...I don't like him."

"Oh, good lord you rude pompous bastard, would it have hurt you to be pleasant for the evening?"

"I told you Shell, I don't like him."

She gave me an angry stare, "You said you wanted to merge our worlds, be friends."

"Yes, but that did not include socialising with him." When I saw her determined stance I grumbled, "I refuse to talk to the man who had an affair with my wife."

She snipped, "God when will you let that go?"

"When you stop rubbing it in my face."

She walked away leaving me standing by myself. My irritation grew as she went over to talk to Paul where she stayed for the rest of the night. I waited until I couldn't take anymore and tapped her on the shoulder, "I think it's time to leave, we have a long drive ahead."

She turned to peer up at me, "We could stay longer, if we stayed at my apartment and we could have a sleep in tomorrow."

"I have work to do at the house tomorrow, I want to go home, and I would like to leave now." She snapped back angrily, "Fine, I will say goodbye to Annabelle."

The drive home was cold, certainly no need for air conditioning. It seemed to be the way our lives were these days, a continual rollercoaster, angry, happy, fighting, loving.

Once we got past the anger of that night, we moved into what I can only describe as a wonderful period. It couldn't last though, the dark spectre of Paul always hung over us and it fell like a thunderstorm one evening when we were cuddled together on the sofa enjoying a romantic evening when our little dreamy moment was shattered into a million pieces when the phone went. Shelby answered it and I watched as her face went white and she cried, "Oh my god...no, no, no...Paul what are you talking about?" She stared at me with a look of complete shock, "Paul please no, oh my god what are you talking about?"

She sat staring at the phone, he had obviously hung up.

With tears streaming down her face, she started dialling, "Yes emergency services, police, ambulance."

As the call connected, I heard her scream hysterically, "A man is trying to commit suicide, his name is Paul Withersome and his address is 66 Armagh Street, Christchurch Central, 8013 apartment 15."

She stood up as she recounted what he had just told her. I couldn't believe what I was hearing...The stupid bastard had taken an overdose.

I jumped up to support Shelby I grabbed her around the waist just as she staggered her knees giving out as if she was about to faint.

I took the phone from her hand and listened as the dispatcher said that a unit had been dispatched. Shelby cried out, "I'm going in there."

I pulled her tighter into our embrace and told her to get dressed she was in no condition to drive.

As we raced in to try and help Shelby got a call from the police, they had picked up Paul and he was on his way to hospital in the ambulance.

She sighed, "Oh my god, thank heavens." She grabbed my hand seeking reassurance. "Oh god Tom, what if he died? I would never be able to forgive myself. This is what I mean about Paul he is so fragile, so weak."

I didn't want to say anything to upset her but I figured it was more a sign of his mental capacity than anything else.

The whole way in she babbled about how she hoped he was going to be OK."

All I could think of was why did he ring? I started to get a little uncomfortable when Shelby said that he had tried suicide in the past. He had a history of self-harm...

As she recounted what she knew I started to get a picture of a guy who used suicide to get attention. I wondered whether this was a setup to get Shelby back.

At the hospital I was going to wait in the car but seeing how disturbed Shelby was, I went in holding her hand. The emergency ward was overflowing with cases, car accidents, fights, domestic disputes. It took us ages to get to the counter and get some information. Initially they weren't going to give us anything as it was restricted to family. Shelby had to tell them she was his partner before they would give us an update.

His stomach had been pumped and he was in recovery. He was sleeping soundly and would recover. As we sat in the waiting area the attending doctor came and sat with us for a minute explaining that Paul had taken a huge over dose, thankfully the paramedics had arrived in time and their quick actions saved his life.

As the doctor walked away, I followed him and asked for a quiet word. He was heading for the coffee machine so I walked with him, "Tell me doc, when you pumped him out, were the tablets dissolved properly?"

He gave me a quizzical look and I explained a little of what I knew about him. He nodded, "Yes, I get it. What I can say is some of the tablets had obviously only recently been taken because they hadn't dissolved."

"Do you think this was a serious attempt?"

Looking around to see who was listening he shook his head, "No, not really...perhaps a reach out for help. If what you say is true then it may be just his way of reaching out. I will check his records."

I got a couple of coffees and went back and sat with Shelby. As I passed it over, she held my hand seeking comfort, "Do you think he will be alright?"

"From what the doc said, he's going to be fine, look Shell, I'm not sure he was serious, the doc said most of the tablets were taken only minutes before he was found because they weren't even dissolved."

She snatched her hand away and snorted, "What are you trying to say?"

Gritting my teeth, I groaned, "I think he's attention seeking, I don't think he was trying to kill himself."

She scowled, "But he took all those pills, he could have died."

"I think it was carefully orchestrated, he took a few early, made the call to you then waited before taking the rest knowing full well emergency services would get there."

"You cruel bastard, he tried to kill himself, he's lying in there clinging on to life. I just peeked in his room before and he has hoses and cables all over his body."

"Jesus Shell, go and look in every other room they will all be the same. It's an emergency ward."

She gave me a determined stare, "Well I'm going to stay so I'm here when he wakes up. He will need our support."

"He might need yours but he will get nothing from me."

"God Tom when did you become so cold and callous."

Checking my phone for the time I said, "Stay if you want, but I can't wait around here I have work in the morning."

She glared at me, "So what are you going to do? Leave me here by myself?"

"Shell I don't have time to waste on him, he is in good hands and he's safe so I'm going to try and get some sleep so I can function at work tomorrow."

"Go on then fuck off." She hissed. I tried to give her a kiss as I headed away but she pushed me away.

As I walked out my mind spinning, I started to get a better picture of who Paul really was. My opinion solidified, I considered him to be a very manipulative man.

I drove to the car yard, made myself a cup of tea and went down to the workshop and had a shower. Sitting back behind my desk I leaned back put my feet up and tried to get some kip.

I heard nothing from Shelby until I was getting ready to go home after work. She walked in looking terrible, red bloodshot eyes with sagging bags under them. She looked tired and worn out.

I opened the car door for her and headed home. The trip was completed in silence, she was deep in contemplation and I had my own thought processes operating trying to get my head around what to do.

We were almost home before she blurted out, "Well aren't you at least going to ask how he is?"

"No not really, it's none of my business."

"Good god...Tom you heartless shit. For your information he was lucky to survive, the doctors said he was close to death when he was found."

Snorting derisively, I moaned, "I'm sorry if that seems a bit harsh but I don't believe he was seriously trying to kill himself."

She gave me a severe glare as we pulled into the driveway, "What do you mean by that?"

"OK you want to get into this, well I spoke to the doctor who treated him and it was his opinion that he only took the majority of the pills minutes before he was found. The pills hadn't even been in his system long enough to dissolve, that means they had only just been ingested."

"Well, what does that mean, he still took them."

"Yeah, after he called you knowing full well that even if emergency services didn't get to him in time you would."

She bit her lips as we sat in the car

"Bloody hell, you are incredible, my best friend almost dies and that's all you can say?"

"Fucking typical, I thought I was your best friend."

She flinched realising what she said, "Don't be an arsehole, you know what I meant."

"Unfortunately, Shell I think I do, perhaps it was a Freudian slip, but I think you meant it."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, I was just trying to say apart from you he is my best friend."

With that snarky comment she jumped out and I followed her inside. I put the jug on for a drink and Shelby disappeared into the bedroom. I walked in with her cup of tea and saw her packing a small bag, "What are you doing?"

She grimaced, "I'm moving back into town until Paul is released, he needs somebody around at the moment."

"But your place is empty...you can't stay there, there isn't any furniture."

I saw her nervous expression as she forced the words out, "I'm going to stay at Pauls place."

"What with him?" I sneered.

"No numbskull, they have refused to release him. They are running tests and evaluations before he will be released. I just need to be nearby so I can visit with him."

"Yeah whatever, I'm telling you Shell this won't work, he is just sucking you in, all he wants is sympathy."

"I'm sorry you think that way, I think I know him better than you. He needs me and I'm going to be there for him."

She gave me a snarky glare, "For god's sake, he tried to kill himself."

"No, he didn't it was a very carefully orchestrated ruse. He was just attention seeking, he is trying to suck you back into his life. He waited until he had called you and you were well on your way before he took the pills. He's a bloody psychopath."

She chewed on her lip as she ruminated on my words, "Shell humour me, when you get to his place have a look on his search history and I bet you will see countless searches on distance and time from home to his place, and what's more I bet you will find some searches on how long you can survive after taking sleeping pills."

There was no more discussion, but I could see the wheels turning, at least I had planted the seeds of doubt.

She drove off, with a cursory goodbye, Now I was more nervous than ever about our possible future, if indeed there was a future. My whole world had been turned upside down again by that snivelling bastard.

The next couple of days passed uneventfully except my writing returned with a vengeance. After Shell walked out that first night, I found myself at the desk and the words flowed. By the third night I was fifty pages into it and every day I couldn't wait to get home and do some more. Paul had unknowingly supplied me with a great story line

Shelby rang on Thursday night to tell me that the authorities were holding Paul in for further evaluation. He wouldn't be released unless he had somewhere safe to go where he would not be living alone and he would have somebody with him twenty-four seven.

That statement worried me, "So what are you saying? How long is he going to be detained?"

I heard her suck in a deep breath, "They have transferred him to the psyche ward for the evaluation but if he is OK, they will release him tomorrow."

"So where is he going to go?"

"Tom, he hates it in there, it's bloody awful, and it's like a prison. If they release him, he's going home but will need round the clock care."

Sighing deeply, I muttered, "And who's going to be doing that then might I ask?"

"Honey he doesn't have any friends or family; he is totally alone."

"So, if they let him out who is going to look after him?" I already knew the answer and it pissed me off completely, I just wanted to hear her say it.

"Tom..."

I cut her off, "It's you isn't it? You're going to be living with him, aren't you?"

"Tom he can't be left alone, what am I supposed to do?"

"Leave him there, once he knows he's on his own and his tricks aren't working he will come right, why not try some tough love."

"You insensitive jerk, they won't release him. He will be stuck in there and it's bloody horrid, bloody padded cells and locks everywhere. All the doors are locked and there's full time security."

"Sounds like the perfect place for him, I'll tell you what Shelby, if you move in there with him then you may as well come and pack up your stuff because you won't be welcome here."

"Tom you're making this so much harder than it has to be, I'm just staying with a friend to help out."

"How many bedrooms does his apartment have Shell?"

There was nothing but a dull hum as the phone went silent, "Well tell me Shell, how many?"

"One." She sniffled, "But I was going to sleep on the sofa."

"Bullshit, Jesus Shell, you couldn't lie straight in bed."

"Well give me another option...what am I supposed to do he needs somewhere there is around the clock care. The doctors said the best thing would be if he was surrounded by people he knew."

"Let him go Shell, because I have had it up to my eyes with him. If he dies, he might be doing the world a favour." I hated myself for saying it and regretted it the moment the words were out. Unfortunately, of course I couldn't take them back.

She growled, "You miserable fucking bastard."

When I didn't respond she moaned, "Tom even if he wasn't serious it was a frantic reach out, he needs help."

I snapped, "He was in the perfect place, they could give him the care he needs."

"I can't leave him in there, he's falling apart, he needs to get out and he needs my help."

"Do what you want Shell, but I'm telling you, if you move in with him it's all over. We've been down this road before so you know I'm serious."