something I think about when I’m awake too. I think it will take me a long time to get over it, don’t you?”
“ I’m afraid so, but, Ella, it’s been more than three years. Don’t you think it’s time to put him behind you?”
“ What if he’s dead?”
“ What if he’s not? For all you know, he could be alive and well and beating the hell out of some other poor woman. Christ, Ella, it’s time to move on. Call Sammy, find out the truth, and get yourself some friends, maybe another boyfriend. Listen, darling, I really think you need to start living.”
“ Jack, I can’t. I just can’t.” And with that, she burst into tears.
Jackie held Ella, the frightened, fragile Ella, and she knew that one day Ella would have to make that confrontation. She just prayed that Ella would be strong enough to cope.
***
Virginia could hardly carry Isabelle ’s dry-cleaning. She was weighed down with it as she struggled back to the office. She had barely had a chance to breathe all day, and she had had to run to the shop to collect the clothes just minutes before it closed. She was tired and out of breath when she handed it over, but she didn’t even have time to be annoyed when Isabelle failed to thank her. She was so busy arranging the conference and the lunch that all her other work was still waiting for her. Cursing again, Virginia prepared herself for a long night.
That evening, driving home at nine, all Virginia wanted was to shower and go to bed. Huddled like a child under her pale blue duvet, she wanted never to get up again. She felt so trapped and she didn ’t know how she would ever get out.
***
Tim didn’t think to call Clara, he just turned up at her flat. Clara was awake, although she had a headache and had been about to take a couple of sleeping pills then go to bed. She thought about not answering the door, but decided she would in case it was someone important.
She regretted the decision as Tim landed a sloppy kiss on her lips. “I thought you’d like to hear about how many prostitutes I screwed last night.” He leered and Clara cringed inside. This was the game he always played before sleeping with her: he believed it turned her on.
Clara walked to the sofa, sat down and smiled her best smile. Once , she had asked herself why she made herself so sexy for Tim, but she knew the answer really: she did it for the cocaine.
“ So tell me,” she purred.
“ Well, darling, I started with the redhead. I licked her boobs and she had an orgasm there and then. Then I fucked her. I moved on to the blonde girl. God, my stamina is unbelievable. Next week I’m going to sleep with both of them together and they’ll do a show for me, if you know what I mean. You should consider joining us.”
Tim smiled. Clara felt sick again.
“Well, Timmy, you’d have to be a very good boy before I’d do that for you.”
Tim scowled. Just as he thought he was in control, making her jealous, turning her on, making her want him, she always tried to snatch it back. “I think it’s time you did as you were told. Get into the bedroom.” Tim used his sergeant-major voice, the one that Clara thought made him sound even more of an idiot than he was. However, she did as he said.
After an hour of sex, which involved foreplay, on Clara ’s part, then huffing and puffing, on Tim’s part, he collapsed on top of her and kissed her lips. As he put his tongue into her mouth Clara realised that this affair could not last for ever. Lying in his arms, she concentrated hard on not feeling sick, but she was sweaty and feverish.
“ You know I told you I’m thinking about leaving Constance,” Tim said. Clara was not in a fit state to deal with this.
“ Um,” she replied.
“ I’m not promising, but carry on looking after my needs the way you do and maybe, just maybe, I will.” He planted another kiss on her lips and went to the shower.
Clara got up, went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water. She
“ I’m afraid so, but, Ella, it’s been more than three years. Don’t you think it’s time to put him behind you?”
“ What if he’s dead?”
“ What if he’s not? For all you know, he could be alive and well and beating the hell out of some other poor woman. Christ, Ella, it’s time to move on. Call Sammy, find out the truth, and get yourself some friends, maybe another boyfriend. Listen, darling, I really think you need to start living.”
“ Jack, I can’t. I just can’t.” And with that, she burst into tears.
Jackie held Ella, the frightened, fragile Ella, and she knew that one day Ella would have to make that confrontation. She just prayed that Ella would be strong enough to cope.
***
Virginia could hardly carry Isabelle ’s dry-cleaning. She was weighed down with it as she struggled back to the office. She had barely had a chance to breathe all day, and she had had to run to the shop to collect the clothes just minutes before it closed. She was tired and out of breath when she handed it over, but she didn’t even have time to be annoyed when Isabelle failed to thank her. She was so busy arranging the conference and the lunch that all her other work was still waiting for her. Cursing again, Virginia prepared herself for a long night.
That evening, driving home at nine, all Virginia wanted was to shower and go to bed. Huddled like a child under her pale blue duvet, she wanted never to get up again. She felt so trapped and she didn ’t know how she would ever get out.
***
Tim didn’t think to call Clara, he just turned up at her flat. Clara was awake, although she had a headache and had been about to take a couple of sleeping pills then go to bed. She thought about not answering the door, but decided she would in case it was someone important.
She regretted the decision as Tim landed a sloppy kiss on her lips. “I thought you’d like to hear about how many prostitutes I screwed last night.” He leered and Clara cringed inside. This was the game he always played before sleeping with her: he believed it turned her on.
Clara walked to the sofa, sat down and smiled her best smile. Once , she had asked herself why she made herself so sexy for Tim, but she knew the answer really: she did it for the cocaine.
“ So tell me,” she purred.
“ Well, darling, I started with the redhead. I licked her boobs and she had an orgasm there and then. Then I fucked her. I moved on to the blonde girl. God, my stamina is unbelievable. Next week I’m going to sleep with both of them together and they’ll do a show for me, if you know what I mean. You should consider joining us.”
Tim smiled. Clara felt sick again.
“Well, Timmy, you’d have to be a very good boy before I’d do that for you.”
Tim scowled. Just as he thought he was in control, making her jealous, turning her on, making her want him, she always tried to snatch it back. “I think it’s time you did as you were told. Get into the bedroom.” Tim used his sergeant-major voice, the one that Clara thought made him sound even more of an idiot than he was. However, she did as he said.
After an hour of sex, which involved foreplay, on Clara ’s part, then huffing and puffing, on Tim’s part, he collapsed on top of her and kissed her lips. As he put his tongue into her mouth Clara realised that this affair could not last for ever. Lying in his arms, she concentrated hard on not feeling sick, but she was sweaty and feverish.
“ You know I told you I’m thinking about leaving Constance,” Tim said. Clara was not in a fit state to deal with this.
“ Um,” she replied.
“ I’m not promising, but carry on looking after my needs the way you do and maybe, just maybe, I will.” He planted another kiss on her lips and went to the shower.
Clara got up, went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water. She
Similar Books
