You are Definitely Going to Hell Ch. 02

I close my eyes, only now feeling the guilt wash over me. "Jill, I know we created this wonderful human being, but we shouldn't have done that."

"I know, and I will feel it tomorrow. Look, Rob, I have had way too much to drink. Can you have Aaron here overnight and bring him over in the morning?..... Please? I wouldn't trust him to anyone else." I nod my head, and she kisses my cheek and heads back to the party.

Aaron slept most of the night, and I only had to get up once to feed him at half five. He had also filled his nappy, which stank to high heaven, and I almost puked a couple of times, changing it. Mum and Dad didn't stir until eleven when I was about to walk across the road to return the baby.

"He's been very quiet, and I don't think I heard him cry once." My mum says as I hand her a coffee.

"He only woke once in the night at about half five." Mum looks over my shoulder at Aaron staring up at me.

"He certainly got his mother's looks. Look at those beautiful eyes," she says and then turns to sit down, not feeling at all right.

"I'm just going to take him home. Do you need anything before I go?"

She waves me off as she drinks her coffee. "Oh, thank Jack and Jill for the best new year party yet."

"Okay, Mum. See you in a bit."

I walk across the quiet street and knock on the Peters' door. I get no answer, so I ring the bell. I hear some movement a moment later, and then, a very hungover Jack answers the door.

"Morning," he says as he turns, leaving the door open.

"Morning, you look like you had a good night."

He turns and grins, "the best." He walks into the kitchen and puts the kettle going before disappearing back into the bedroom.

I hear a "who is it, love?" from Jill.

"It's Rob with our son, so the party is truly over my ravenous beauty." He says to his wife, and then I hear a slap on bare buttock.

I walk into the bomb site that used to be the lounge and clear an area for the pram. I go into the kitchen and look for some bin bags under the sink. As I start clearing up, I spot Aaron's bouncy chair tucked behind the sofa, so I clear a space on the floor and put him in it so he can watch.

He's happy bouncing up and down with a rattling thing attached, making plenty of noise. Another hung-over-looking adult looked through the door and quickly retreated to the kitchen. "Morning, Jill," I shout after her.

"Morning, Rob." She looks through the serving hatch. "Rob, did I come over and check on Aaron last night only to fall flat on my face and wake him up?"

"Yes, that happened, and you weren't even sorry."

"Shit, sorry, Rob. How was he last night?"

"Very good," I say. Both Jack, who looks through the door, and Jill, through the serving hatch, look at me in amazement. So I continue, "he woke up when you came over about half twelve and then again at around half five. Then he slept until ten when I got up and woke him."

They both looked at each other, "we must be doing something wrong," Jack says.

"I doubt that; he just knew that his parents needed a night to themselves and behaved accordingly." I smile at both and continue to clear up to the amusement of Aaron.

Jill and Jack finally get their act together and come into the lounge dressed and looking a little more human. Jill sits on the now cleared sofa, "thanks, Rob, but you don't have to do that." She closes her eyes for a moment as the paracetamol seems to take effect.

Jack goes out the front door to the garage to get boxes for all the empty bottles. I lean into Jill, "looks like you two had a good night?"

"Yes," Jill says, smiling at the memory. "Not sure why I was so horny, but we didn't get to sleep until gone five. Not done that for a while." She turns and looks out the front door. "Sorry for putting that on you last night. I must have missed you more than I thought, but it should have never happened."

"Yeah, I know. We never used any protection. Is there a chance you are pregnant?" Jill looks at me with wide eyes. She gets up and walks into the kitchen. Jack comes back in with two boxes bashing against every wall he passes. Jill comes back in and nods at me. I help Jack with one of the boxes and start to clear the dining table. "So, Jack, are you thinking of having another child?" I say as Jill disappears into the kitchen to start the washing up.

"Oh yes," he says enthusiastically. He walks a little closer, "between you and me, I'm hoping she got pregnant last night." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"Sounds like you two brought the new year in with a bang," I say, hoping he is talking about him and Jill. He grins at me and nods. A little relieved, I smile back and shake my head at the overload of information.

"So, was he really that good?" He says, looking at Aaron.

"Yes, other than a stinking nappy this morning, I found it quite a good experience."

"It's a shame you're so far away," he says. "We could do with you at least once a month. You're the first person she's allowed near him since his birth other than me."

"Really?" I say. "I suppose there are not many options living here."

"I guess we are a little out the way."

"If that's not an understatement, nothing is," I say, laughing.

"Yeah, we have talked about moving. Should be able to sell this place and get another quite easily."

"It would be strange having different people living here."

"Yeah, but life moves on, Rob."

Jill comes back in with the hoover and says, "come on, Rob. This isn't your mess; time to go."

I could tell she was unhappy. I'm not sure which conversation caused it, but I know when I have overstayed my welcome. "Okay, I'll leave you two party animals to it then." I grab my coat and say goodbye to Aaron, who laughs at me. "I'll see you two around," I say as I walk towards the front door.

Jill follows me out, "sorry, Rob, still a little hungover, and you know." She puts her hand on my shoulder and gives me a half-smile. I nod and make my way home.

The next couple of days is quiet. It's Sunday, and I hear the phone ring downstairs. "Robert, it's for you." I start to walk down and hear her say down the phone, "he's just coming."

I get to the phone with a slight feeling of dread. "Hello?"

"Hi, Rob, it's Clive."

"Oh, hi Clive," I say, relieved. Not sure what I would have said if it was Charlie. "So to what do I owe the honor of a phone call?"

"Well, the guys and I were wondering if you were up for the cinema on Saturday?"

"Sorry, mate, I will be leaving early Saturday to make my way back to University."

"Oh," there's a silence on the other end, and I think he's talking to someone. "Friday?"

"I have my last physio on Friday."

"You're still doing Physiotherapy?"

"Yeah, they've allowed me to join the group at the leisure center. I'm being assessed Friday morning in the pool and then at the hospital in the afternoon for a scan. I will then hopefully be signed fit by the doctor who saved my life."

"That's a shame, mate. It would have been good to see you."

"Yeah, we need to catch up. So how have you been? Are you and Sharon still together?"

"Yeah, still going strong, and everything else is fine."

Clive and I talk for a while before he says he has to go, and he hangs up.

******

Friday morning, I've packed my things that I'm taking back up north and am off out to the pool. The weather forecast for Saturday afternoon doesn't sound too good for the north of the country. I figure that if I leave early enough, I will get to the hotel before the snow starts, and by the following day, the roads should be clear.

I get to the pool at around ten. Although the pool isn't closed for the public, the hospital has one end of the pool cordoned off, so the physio can work on people's mobility in the water unhindered. The pool was built near the hospital with funds to aid the hospital with things like this. It's resulted in a far better facility than the town would have had usually.

I'm doing my lengths with my physio Georgina and her husband Mike looking after us today. Georgina has worked with me from the beginning and has helped me with my stamina training. I lost 20% of my lung capacity, and I have strengthened my remaining 80% by swimming. The result is that I have never felt fitter and don't have any lasting effects other than a six-inch scar.

"Out of the pool now, Rob, you've proved you're fitness," Georgina says. I stop at the end and take a moment to get my breath. Georgina kneels in front of me. "Good job; I'm glad being away at Uni hasn't made you lazy. Right, jump out, and I'll check you physically." I get out and stand in front of her. "Arm on here," she says, pointing to her shoulder.

As soon as Georgina touches my scar area, I hear a wolf whistle from the other side of the pool. "Hey, Rob, who's your friend?" I glance over, and Nick and Clive are there grinning at me.

"Do you know them?" Georgina asks.

"Unfortunately," I say, trying not to laugh.

She checks my muscle groups around the scar and seems happy everything has gone back to where it should have. "Right, we're done." I would like you to sit in the Jacuzzi for a while. Your shoulder muscles seem a little tight.

"Yeah, sure. Nothing new there," I smile. "Thanks, Georgina, for all that you've done."

She leans forward and hugs me, "don't think anything of it. If all my clients were as good as you, my job would be a lot easier."

"Not trying to steal my wife, are you?" Mike says as he comes over to shake my hand.

"As if she would leave you for me," I say with a grin.

"Oh, I don't know," Georgina says with a wicked grin.

"You two are too much," I say walking away smiling and make my way round to the Jacuzzi. I see Nick and Clive with Sharon and someone else I think is Charlie in the hot tub as I get close.

As I walk past the pool attendant, he asks, "would you like me to clear them out?"

"Nah, it's okay. I know them." He nods and turns to continue what he is doing. I walk up, and both Clive and Nick stand, blocking my view of the fourth person. "Nick, Clive, Sharon, and hi Charlie," I say.

That seems to deflate their whole reason for standing, and both slowly sit as I hop over and side into the warm water. I lay back and close my eyes as Charlie stays quiet on the other side of the tub.

"So, how have you been," Sharon says. "You definitely look a lot better."

"Yeah, not too bad. Can someone hit the bubbles? I'm meant to be relaxing after my physio." I deliberately keep my eyes closed and wait for Charlie to say something.

"Aren't you going to ask how I am?" Charlie says finally.

I open my eyes and look at her for the first time. She has lost all of her puppy fat and looks like a different person. She has grown her hair longer, lost her braces, and looks beautiful.

"I figured that seems you were hiding. I would wait until you felt confident enough to talk, so how have you been, Charlie?"

She's a little taken aback by my confident stance and looks at me for a moment trying to work out what to say. "I'm doing much better, thank you," she finally answers. "Why are you doing physiotherapy? Have you injured yourself?"

This takes me by surprise that she still didn't know. I looked at the three other faces, and each one looks away as I glance at them in turn for an answer to my unasked question. "Well, it sounds like your friends haven't told you." I look at Charlie again, who is now looking at the three for an answer. "So Charlie, Mum tells me you called and wanted to talk."

Charlie's eyes snap back at me, "yes, I was wondering whether there was a chance in the future for us or are we finished?" There's an uneasy silence. "It's just that I got asked out at Uni, but I still have feelings for you and don't want to even think about another person if you are willing to give us another go."

I didn't expect this and sit thinking what to say. I see a wave of fear cross over Charlie's eyes. "Charlie, I still love you, but I don't think you know the whole story." I think for a moment. I give out an exasperated breath, "Charlie, I don't have the strength or the heart to tell you, but when I am gone, I give these three full permission to fill you in with what happened just after we split."

"You love me?" She says in an unbelieving voice. "So, what do I do now?" She asks, looking very confused.

"Charlie, when you have the whole story, and when you know what happened. Then you can make your mind up if we have a future. If you still think we can move past it, then call me. Clive has my number and address, so feel free to ring or write."

I stand and sit on the back to get out. I see Charlie's eyes scan my now fit body. Then her eyes double in size when she spots the six-inch scar. She moves quickly across to get a closer look. Her shaking hand comes up, and her finger traces the entire length of the scar. She looks up at me for an answer, but I can't keep eye contact.

My emotions a getting too much, "I'm sorry, I can't." I spin my legs out of the tub and stand. Without looking behind, I walk towards the changing rooms. I am close to breaking down and just about holding together.

This lasts until I hear Charlie say, "no, tell me now, why does he have that horrific scar." Then she adds, "how the hell could you keep that from me, Sharon? You're supposed to be my best friend."

Hearing Charlie so distraught sends me over the top as tears cascade down my face. I glace back, and our eyes lock together. At that moment, we share every ounce of pain we have gone through as I disappear through the footbath into the changing room.

"Charlie, calm down, or I'm getting out and going home," Sharon says, trying to calm her friend. Charlie finally sits and looks at her friend with fire in her eyes. "We didn't tell you because we didn't know how to. Even if you don't believe what we are about to say." Charlie folds her arms defensively. "Okay, shortly after Rob came around your house and had the incident with your mother, he decided to try and talk to you at work the following Saturday."

"I didn't see him."

"Because you didn't go to work that Saturday. Anyway, while he was waiting, someone must have seen him and reported it to your Dad. Your Dad and two others pulled him out of his car and beat him so severely that he ended up in ICU. He had two broken ribs and a punctured lung, a broken arm, and bruises all over." Charlie's hand is over her mouth. Tears are forming in her eyes once again. Sharon continues, "after they beat him, they bundled him into the back of his car, drove him to the hospital and left him there to die. It was only because one of the workers got a guilty conscience and called the police that they found Rob in time to save him."

There's a silence while Charlie absorbs what she has been told. She's frozen, just staring at her friend, not knowing how to respond.

"No, my Dad wouldn't do such a thing. He wouldn't hurt Rob and leave him."

"This is what Rob told us, Charlie, and I don't think he would make it up. Plus, you saw the scar, and the reason he's here today is that he's still having physiotherapy."

"No, I don't believe it." With that, Charlie gets out of the jacuzzi. "I need to talk to Rob," she says as she runs towards the changing room. But by the time she gets out to the car park, I have well and truly gone. Charlie collapses on a bench crying.

******

Dinner time in the Kean house. Charlie is still in a daze from what she had been told earlier in the day. She pushes the peas around her plate, not knowing what to think. She had spent most of the afternoon laying on her bed, going over and over what Sharon had said. "Well, it explains why I've not seen him," she said to herself.

"Is everything alright, sweetie?" her mother says.

Charlie looks at her Mum, "uh yeah. I saw Rob Johnson today," she announces, looking at both her parent's facial expressions.

There's an uncomfortable silence. Then her Dad says, "you're not thinking of going out with that loser again?"

"No, we're not going out," she replies, disappointed at her answer.

"So, what did he have to say for himself?" Her mother says, looking a little nervous.

"Oh, not much. It's what was said when he was gone that worries me."

"And what was that," her Dad asks?

"Oh, that you and two others from the store beat him to a pulp."

"No....yo.."

"We hardly touched the boy. He must be exaggerating." Her father said, cutting her mother off.

"What? You mean she's telling the truth?"

"Not to a pulp bit, but yes. I had to teach him a lesson because of what he did to you."

"Dad, he nearly died."

Her Dad scoffs, "what of?"

"He's got a six-inch scar where they operated on a punctured lung. He was kicked so hard it broke his arm. If one of the guys hadn't rung the police telling them where he was, he would be dead." Charlie is getting more distressed.

Her Dad goes white as a sheet, "and he told you this?"

"No, Sharon did. Rob said he didn't have the heart or the strength to and left it to my friends to tell me." She can't hold her tears back as the gravity of the conversation takes hold.

Charlie can't take anymore and runs up to her room. She slams herself down on her bed, crying her broken heart out.

******

I'm making good time. North of Cambridge seems to be very quiet. It looks like people have heeded the weather warning and stayed home today.

Seeing Charlie at the pool has changed my view of our relationship. At this moment I am between a rock and a hard place. I can't see a future for us while everything is the way it is. Something needs to happen to help us get past what I now see as an injustice to us both. One thing driving long distance does is gives you time to think. There's nothing I can do about it now, so I decide to just carry on the way I have and see where life takes me. One thing I will say, is that she's looking mighty fine.

I get to the hotel just as the snow starts to fall heavy enough to settle. As I walk into the hotel reception, it's like someone turned on the tap as it starts to come down thick with a cold northern wind.

Kelly is beaming at me from behind the desk. "Happy new year Mr. Johnson. I saw you were booked in when I started my shift."

"Hello Kelly, happy new year. I'm so pleased I got here before the snow."

"Yeah, it's meant to be a bad one. Would you like the same room as before?"

"Yes, that will be fine," I say, yawning.

"Long trip?"

"Yeah, Ashford."

"Wow, and will we be expecting any visitors tonight?"

"No, I don't think so. Jenny has found herself a boyfriend, and judging by her last letter, she quite likes him."

"Oh, so she wasn't your girlfriend then."

"No, we were childhood friends that kept in touch." Kelly looks at me, a little puzzled. "That's not to say we had a little fun, but it was always just that, fun."

"Sorry," Kelly goes a little red. "I caught one of your fun times. It sounded like she was enjoying it."

"Really? I'm so sorry. I doubt it will happen again. It was just a stop-gap between boyfriends."

"Anyway, here's your key, and you know where you are going."

"Thank Kelly," I say. "I'll see you later when I come down for dinner." She nods in response, and I make my way on a now-familiar route to room 25.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know is that it is dark outside and I'm feeling really hungry. I make myself a cup of tea before grabbing a quick shower and heading down for something to eat.

Kelly is still on the desk, trying to calm a man down who wants a room. He's insulting Kelly, so I walk up and stand next to him. I don't say anything and keep a straight face. He looks at me standing there and gives up. He walks back out of the door and into quite deep snow. Kelly mouths 'thank you' to me.

"Kelly, is the restaurant still serving food?"

"Yes, but you'll have to be quick. The chef wants to pack up and get home before it gets impossible."