Somebody That I Used to Know Ch. 01

Notice: While re-reading the first chapter I noticed a major fuck-up in the dates, in one year Alexandra went from ten to twelve and I never noticed it. I apologize for this but after seeing it I had to change it, this has given me the chance to address some of the grammatical errors people pointed out so hopefully this revise will go down better.

To those who have already read this chapter the second chapter will be uploaded soon.

**

This is a story about a relationship so it makes sense to have the start of the story at the relationship. It was April 1970 when two year old Adam McAllister was taken down the hospital hallway; he recognized the place as where the men in the white coats made him feel better but why was he here today, he wasn't ill.

Adam looked up at his mother, she had a smile on her face so she was happy, but she was also crying, so she sad. As they approached the white door Adam began to panic, what was behind there, was it good or bad, why wasn't his mother telling him anything?

His mother slowly pushed the white door, Adam let out a sigh of relief, it was only her sister, his aunt, sitting in a bed. She too had a smile and tears in her eyes, what was going on between these people? And what was his aunt holding?

His aunt looked up from what she holding. "Hey Claire, you made it."

"How you holding up Jane?"

"I'm exhausted; Susan's just downstairs getting a coffee."

"No Craig?"

Jane looked away, ashamed at the mention of her husband.

"Thought not, you'd think that for once that son of a bitch would get off his ass for his own daughter's birth."

"Claire. Leave Craig alone I'm sure he has his reasons. He'll be here later today, I know it."

Claire rolled her eyes at her little sister's painfully dependent nature. She looked down at her son he was confused by everything.

"Sorry you had to hear that honey, come up here, there's someone that wants to meet you."

Meet him? There were only three people in the room and they all knew each other. Before he knew it Adam was lifted up and onto the same bed as his aunt, she removed the blanket covering the bundle in her arms.

Underneath Adam saw the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen, a tiny little person, eyes half open, mouth agape in a yawn, specks of blonde hair covering their round red face.

His aunt smiled at his expression. "Adam, meet Alexandra, this is your cousin."

Adam felt a massive smile on his face as he looked down at this teeny tiny little baby girl. He stroked her chin making her giggle, the two of the caught eyes with each other.

In those few seconds a friendship was formed between Adam McAllister and Alexandra Buchannan, a friendship that over the years would take them to the best and worst moments of their lives.

But in those first few, innocent seconds neither of them knew this future, they were just happy to meet each other.

1975

Over the next few years Adam and Alexandra formed an unbreakable bond, living so close to each other they saw each other almost every day, they told each other secrets, they helped each other. They were just happy to be around each other.

Adam could never understand why their parents didn't feel the same way when they met, as he got older and began to become aware of sibling bonds he wondered why his mother and his aunt were sometimes sad to see each other and at other times angry. From overhearing their arguments he heard Uncle Craig's name pop up a lot, mum didn't seem to like Uncle Craig and called him horrible names.

One Saturday afternoon he and Alexandra were in Adam's back garden playing while Auntie Jane was talking to mummy inside.

"You excited for school on Monday?" He asked his cousin, she was starting school in a few days and was a little nervous.

"A bit."

"It's ok no-one will do anything bad. If you need anyone just come find me."

Adam heard his mother shouting from inside. "Call the police on that bastard."

He looked and saw his mum and auntie arguing, Auntie Jane had a bag of frozen peas to her eye.

"How'd Auntie Jane hurt her eye?"

"Mummy was making a lot of noise so daddy made her stop. Daddy doesn't like loud noises."

"Does your dad ever make you stop making loud noises?"

"No, my daddy loves me and he always makes me feel special. He's always kissing me and stroking me and tickling me on my bum."

Alexandra giggled but Adam didn't join her, he couldn't explain it but he didn't like the sound of what her father was doing to her. He knew from experience of walking in on his own mother when he was younger that bums and things between people's legs were private and not meant to be shown to other people, so why was Uncle Craig tickling Alexandra's bum.

Auntie Jane came out the house and picked Alexandra up. "Come on honey, we have to leave."

"Yeah cause going back to the problem is going to help."

"Claire just leave me alone ok. Say goodbye to Adam honey."

"Bye Adam."

"Bye Lexi."

Auntie Jane and Alexandra left after that, Claire followed them still arguing with her sister. Adam went inside to find his mum crying on the sofa.

"What's wrong mum?"

"Oh it's nothing dear; you'll understand when you're older."

Sensing something, Adam sat next to his mother and hugged her, she seemed to appreciate it.

1978

It was a few days before Christmas and Adam and Alexandra were taken out to play in the snow by Auntie Jane. Adam had brought along his new sled which he and Alexandra were having endless amounts of fun with, sliding down the hills, feeling every bump in the ground. Even Auntie Jane was smiling. They were walking though a snow covered field when Alexandra spotted a large hill, she tugged on Adam's jacket.

"Adam Adam Adam. Can we please go down the big hill? Please can we? Please please please."

"Only if your mum says it's ok."

"Can we mum, please?"

"Alright, but be careful."

Alexandra let out a little squeal as she grabbed Adam's hand and dragged him to the hill. Jane stood back as she watched her daughter and her nephew climb the cold white hill, a rare smile on her face.

At the top of the hill Adam looked around, it was a lot bigger than he expected, he could see miles into the distance, he felt Alexandra tugging on his arm.

"Come on Adam I want to go sledging."

"Ok Ok."

Adam laid the sledge on the edge of the hill, he sat down in the back then helped Alexandra into the front, holding her tight around her waist. The two of them scooted forward, pushing the sledge forward until they finally tipped the balance and flew down the hill.

Adam could feel himself laughing but he couldn't hear it, the only noise was the music of Alexandra giggling, the air whooshed past them, they were going to take off at any moment, take off and fly through the air.

But they weren't about to fly. When they reached the bottom of the hill Adam came back to reality as they were still speeding and weren't slowing down. Adam looked in front of them and saw a large patch of branches and thistles getting closer and closer, instinctively Adam bent over and covered his cousin. His whole body protected her as they crashed through the bushes, Adam felt a sharp, whip-like pain across his left eye.

Then they were flying.

**

Adam didn't know how long he was out, must not have been long because he could hear Auntie Jane's voice yelling to him and Alexandra in the distance. He blinked and tried to get his bearings; he was on his back looking up at the sky, although he was blind through his left eye, it was just a dark red blur, there was a pain on his right side and his left leg felt wet for some reason. He sat himself, a painful act as his right arm felt the beginnings of a nasty bruise and his shoulder felt stiff, possibly dislocated. Somehow he managed to sit up and looked around where he was.

He was in a reclusive place, the whole area was blocked off by the bushes that he and Alexandra had crashed through, there was a small pond in the middle surrounded by a dirt and bark walkway only separated by a river flowing in and out of the pond, there was even an upside down shopping trolley in the middle of the pond. The place had an otherworldly feel to it, it was completely silent not even birds or bugs made noise here.

Suddenly the silence was broken and for the first time he heard Alexandra crying. He looked for her and saw her across the pond, somehow he had flown across while she fell out soon after they crashed, she was sitting by the sledge. Adam stood up and limped his way round the pond, he picked her up and the two of them left the pond, they never returned for the sledge.

Jane was in a state having just watched the two children hurt themselves. She took the two of them back to her house, bursting through the front door and finding her husband Craig in the living room.

"Craig I need your help."

He ignored her.

"Craig please you need to help us."

Again he ignored her, he picked up the TV remote and turned the channel. Jane let out a sigh.

"Sir can you please help me as I cannot do anything without you."

Craig turned, smiling at his wife. "Yes dear how can I help you?"

"Adam and Alexandra were in an accident with the sledge, Adam needs to be taken to hospital. I need you to... need your help in driving him there."

"How's my daughter?"

"She's fine just a few bruises and a cut."

"You let my daughter get harmed."

"No, no it was an accident."

"Bullshit you're just useless. You're a terrible mother you let your own child get hurt while you whored yourself out to strangers."

"No, Craig I never took my eyes off them."

Suddenly Craig grabbed his wife's chin, he snarled at her. "No. Sir. Understand."

Jane nodded quickly, trying hard not to burst into tears. Craig smiled and let her go, he walked outside to where Adam and Alexandra were sitting on a wall.

"Come on then, into the car. We better have someone take a look at that before you lose your eye."

Craig smiled and opened the car door. He couldn't tell because of his injury but Adam was staring at his uncle with a look of hate and anger. He'd always suspected his uncle of being violent but now having watched him attack his own wife he knew it.

At the hospital the doctors fixed up Adam's eye, it wasn't a bad as they thought it would be but Adam was now left with a scar across his face that he would have for the rest of his life. His own parents arrived a few hours after his operation to take him home, their arrival meant that Jane, Craig and Alexandra could leave. Walking away Adam swore he saw Craig stroke his daughter's leg just a little too close to her privates. He would've said something but he didn't want to base his accusation on the ridiculous imagination of a ten year old.

1982

Adam's fear of his uncle's dark nature never fell from his mind but he could never find any proof of it, he didn't want to just ask Alexandra if her father was molesting her, she seemed to idolise him and may take offence if he brought it up, if she did she may tell her father and if she did that there would be no end of shit that he would face from her parents and his.

Of course that didn't mean he couldn't try to keep her from Craig. One day when she was 12 he went round to her house, knocking on the door he was answered by Jane, he was shocked but unsurprised to see yet another black eye on her.

"Oh hello Adam."

"Hello Aunt Jane, what was it this time, door or fall down the stairs."

"Adam..."

"Leave it Aunt Jane. Where's Lexi?"

"She's upstairs with Crai..."

Adam pushed forward and barged his way upstairs, he could see his uncle and cousin on her bed, Craig was tickling Alexandra's chin but his free hand was creeping slowly up her thigh.

Adam cleared his throat loudly so they would know he was there, Alexandra was happy to see him while Craig looked disappointed.

"Hey Adam." Alexandra squealed out.

"Hey Lexi, you want to head out."

Craig immediately grabbed his daughter's arm. "I'm sorry Adam but Alexandra and I were spending the day together, perhaps next time."

"Well my dad says it was ok for Lexi to play with me, I can ask him again if you want."

The look on Craig's face could not have been worse, he let go of his daughter and shoed the two of them away, Adam quickly left with his cousin, much to the surprise of Jane.

Outside they headed towards the play park, Adam battled with asking Alexandra the question.

"How can you let him do that to you?"

"Do what?"

"All that touching, you know it's not right."

"Yes it is, daddy's just showing me how much he loves me. I'm his special girl."

"Trust me Lexi that's not love. It's wrong and he shouldn't be doing it, if he tries to do it again tell him no."

"Why?"

"Just believe me ok, you must feel strange when he's doing it."

"Dad, daddy says that's normal."

The colour was draining from Alexandra's face as she began to realise the lie her father had been telling her her whole life.

"Just tell him no Lexi and he won't hurt you."

The two cousins stayed close together for the rest of the day, when it was time to return home Alexandra didn't want to, for the first time in twelve years she was afraid of her father.

1985

Adam immediately regretted telling Alexandra the truth about her father. For the next three years her life was a misery, she was a usually happy girl but after finding out the truth she become quiet and depressed, what was worse was that Adam had played his cards too early and now Craig was getting better at hiding his dark ways, the only way Adam knew he'd done something was when Alexandra told him.

Adam knew his parents were aware of the abuse Jane got from her husband, they'd even witnessed firsthand the psychological damage Craig deals out, but they were only suspicious of his actions against Alexandra, he hated the fact that they did nothing but neither did he, why was his fear that great that he couldn't save his best friend.

Everything finally came to a head in July 1985. It was Craig and Jane's anniversary and Adam and his parents went round for a dinner. Adam could tell by Craig's eyes that he didn't want that.

But despite his underlying disapproval he stayed quiet and the six of them had a good talk, that was until halfway through the main course. The adults were talking about work when Adam's mother made a simple compliment.

"Mmm, Jane this food is great, I forgot how great you're cooking was."

"Thanks. I've never managed to get the mash potatoes right before but today it just worked."

The adults laughed but Craig stayed silent, he simple stared at his wife until the laughter died down.

"What was that honey?" He spoke with an oily subtext.

"Nothing sir."

"No, no. You said something about the potatoes. What was it again?"

"I, I, I said I've never managed to get the mash potatoes right before."

"But we've ate mash potatoes hundreds of times. Are you telling me that all those other times you served me rubbish?"

"No I was just saying..."

"No you said it yourself, the other hundred times you cooked mash potatoes they were rubbish. Why are you serving me rubbish Jane?"

The tension in the room was building fast, Adam was getting angrier and angrier by the second while his parents were in stunned silence.

Jane was noticeably shaking with fear. "I haven't served you rubbish."

"Yes you have Jane. You've served me rubbish and admitted it in front of our family. Does that make you feel big Jane, telling you family that I've ate rubbish?"

"I haven't..."

"Do you like eating rubbish Jane?"

"No."

"I think you do otherwise why would you serve it to the family?"

Craig stood up and stepped around the table to his wife's chair, he stood to her side, towering over her. "Come here."

There was only a second's hesitation from Jane but it was enough for Craig, he grabbed his wife's hair and dragged her into the kitchen. He knocked over a bin, spilling the rubbish inside and threw his wife into it all.

"There, you love rubbish so that can be your dinner."

"Craig will you leave her alone." Adam's father spoke up finally.

"Leave it Kieran this is my wife and I'll deal with her my way. Eat up honey."

"I don't want to."

At this Craig near enough kicked his wife's head into the mess. The sound of her crying set off Adam. "Will you just leave her alone goddamn it she's done nothing wrong."

"Sit down boy or I'll give you a scar to rival that one."

Claire was furious at the threat to her son and the treatment her sister was getting but she couldn't say anything.

Not wanting anymore violence Jane picked out a semi-rotten apple core and started biting into it, trying not to gag as she chewed.

Craig smiled evilly. "That's good honey, you can eat that for the rest of your life now because I'm not buying you anymore food for you to turn into rubbish." He turned back into the dining room and picked up his coat.

"Come on Alexandra honey we're leaving."

Alexandra stayed where she was.

"Alexandra we're leaving. Get your coat."

"No."

That surprised even Adam, Craig stood over his daughter. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm not going with you, I'm not going so you can touch me without anyone watching."

Kieran shot up. "What did you say Alexandra? Does your father molest you?"

"Fuck off Kieran she's my daughter I can raise her how I feel."

"She's not your daughter."

Everyone turned round to Jane who was still on the floor, her face a mess and her hair dishevelled. Craig's eyes grew wide with fury.

"What?"

"I said she's not your daughter. You're not her father Craig."

"That's impossible."

"How, how is it impossible for me to go out and find someone who loves me, who wants to fuck me and who doesn't treat me like shit?"

Everyone was silent except Alexandra who was getting close to bursting into tears. "Mum?"

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way honey."

"Who is my father?"

"An old work friend, Ray Henderson, he was promoted years ago and now works in Berlin, he doesn't know about you."

Craig's face was getting ready to blow. "How can you be sure that it's his and not mine."

"Oh fuck you Craig, we hadn't fucked in months because you didn't believe I was worthy of your tiny dick. I fucked Ray and only fucked you after I found out I was pregnant."

"I don't believe you."

"Jesus you've been so fucking dense all these years. Look at her eyes, mine are brown, so are yours, hers are green. She takes after her father."

Craig stared at Alexandra's eyes and suddenly the realisation hit him, she wasn't his daughter. That's when he snapped and lunged at Jane. "I'll fucking kill you you whore cunt."

It was only the saving grace of Kieran who managed to tackle Craig and hold him to the ground while Jane got out the way that saved her life. Kieran kept Craig there while Claire phoned the police. Alexandra ran upstairs to her room followed closely by Adam, they shut the door and sat down on the bed.

"How you feeling?"

"I don't know, I've just found out the man who's been abusing me my whole life isn't my father, I'm a bastard Adam."

"Come here Lexi."

Alexandra burst into tears and she hugged her cousin, the two of them lay on her bed as she cried out years of abuse and lies. They could hear the commotion downstairs but they didn't pay attention to it, right then it was just the two of them. They fell asleep and stayed like that together until the next morning.

The next week Jane and Alexandra sold their house, divorced Craig, packed up and left. Adam was left a note from Alexandra telling him she didn't say good bye because if she did she wouldn't want to leave.

1989

It had been four years since Adam saw his cousin, he was now 21 and in university studying law. He kept in touch with Alexandra through letters and postcards but he hadn't actually seen her since she left town. Adam was so focussed on his schoolwork that he never had time to go down to Wales where Alexandra was living now and with her mother refusing to set foot in Scotland again she didn't have enough money or even a car to head up herself.