“She’s not coming Ben” Sara said for
the umpteenth time after checking her watch once more “She’ll come” Ben said
positively as he lifted his pint of lager “What makes you so sure?” Sara added
Ben swallowed the lager then smiled “Told you she’d come” he said with a
satisfied grin on his face.
Isobel
Duncan-Jones pushed her way through the crowded bar until she came to the small
booth nearest the exit “You made it?” Ben said coyly she sat down opposite them
her eyes on Ben “Well young man…you give me one good reason why I don’t call
the police and have you arrested?” Sara looked anguished “You aren’t going to
do that…are you Mrs Duncan-Jones…or is it Isobel I can call you Isobel can’t I”
the woman shifted nervously “No! Indeed
you may not…please leave us you little upstart…I wish to talk to this young
woman alone!” Ben smirked as he glanced at Sara “Will you be okay? I wont leave you alone if you don’t want me
to?” Sara stared at the woman then sighed, “I’ll be fine” she assured as she
glanced once again to where the woman sat.
Both stared at
each other for a while before the woman finally spoke “You are Isobel Landers
aren’t you?” the woman let out a deep sigh “Yes…yes I am?” she admitted Sara
frowned “How did you find me?”
“It wasn’t too difficult…mum had your old address in an old
book and my boyfriend was able to trace you from there” the woman glanced at
Ben “Quite the little detective” she simpered “Ben isn’t my boyfriend he’s just
a friend” Isobel stared at the teenage boy “Does he know he’s just a friend?”
Sara’s eyes widened “Yes…he does…so what about you…you look as if you did
okay?” the woman smiled proudly “Yes I have…my husband is a civil servant in
the house of commons…and no he doesn’t know I had a bastard daughter…nor is he
going to!” Sara looked down at her hands “Mum I have all these questions”
“What did you call me?”
“Sorry…please I want to know who my father is why you left
me”
“My dear I thought that was perfectly obvious…I didn’t want
you…you were the result of a one night stand…the worst night of my life to be
exact…I wanted to have an abortion…you didn’t honestly think I’d welcome you
with open arms? I knew this day would
come and I’ve been dreading it” tears begun to sting at Sara’s eyes “How can
you be like this?”
“Like what…callous?
I didn’t want you dear…I still don’t want you…don’t you understand I
hated you the minute I found out I was pregnant getting rid of you would have
been a pleasure” Sara felt her tears flow freely down her cheeks “Look…you have
a good mother in Irene…I don’t doubt that…she wanted you so much…begged me not
to get shot of you” Sara thought of her Mother then wiped away a tear.
“Here” the woman handed her a clean white handkerchief “Here
dry your eyes” Sara took the handkerchief from her “Now then…how much do you
want?” Sara’s eyes widened “What…what do you mean how much do I want?” Isobel
Duncan-Jones paused gold pen in hand ready to write a cheque “Nothing I don’t
want anything! I wont be bought” the
woman closed the cheque book deliberately “Fine you had your chance…I wont
expect to see you again” Sara shook her head “Oh don’t worry Mrs Duncan-Jones
you wont see me again!” she vowed as she stood up “As long as we understand
each other…if you ever call on me again I shall have you removed and if that
little upstart ever tries to Blackmail me again I shall have him beaten!” It was Sara’s turn to simper “Don’t threaten
me! You may think you have friends in
the government but my boyfriend’s family are well up in the police force…so
kindly think on” the woman drew in a deep breath as she watched the young
couple leave.
Ben checked his
watch it was too late to catch the train home they would have to go back to the
B & B “Are you okay?” he asked she nodded solemnly as they made their way
back along the busy streets “What did she say to you Sara?” he added as they
entered the same room they’d stayed in the night before “She was awful Ben…she
never wanted me…she wanted to get shot of me…fuck she even tried to buy me
off…she looked at me as If I was something she scraped from her shoe” Ben took
her in his arms allowing her to cry on his shoulder his arms brought comfort
she was glad to have someone with her she wondered why Chris hadn’t called
didn’t he care enough?
They begun to
kiss and as their kiss deepened they both moved to the bed Ben gently pushing
her down onto it and still they kissed lost in one another all their suppressed
feelings overwhelming them and before they could stop themselves they were
making love.
The sun shone
that morning waking Sara who smiled as she stared at a sleeping Ben his arm
around her, she moved closer to him resting her head on his chest he opened his
eyes and stared at her “Am I dreaming?” he asked happily she smiled at him
“Wow…what a night” she said “Have you any regrets Sara?” he said worriedly she
thought for a few minutes “No…no I don’t” he smiled warmly at her “What about
Chris?” he added “Chris…I left him a text message telling him what I was
intending to do and he didn’t care enough to come after me or try to stop me…fuck
he hasn’t even called me Ben!” Ben hide his guilt well “He’s maybe just busy”
Sara stared into Ben’s eyes “Too busy to help me…I was a wreck when I found out
that mum had adopted me but he couldn’t care less…No Ben Chris can go to hell
for all I care!” Ben felt his heart do a little summersault at the prospect of
Chris being dumped. “Are you sure?” he
checked Sara nodded forcefully as she got out of bed and went to wash and
dress.
~**~
Chris sat with
Mark that afternoon wondering what was going on with Sara…he’d called and
called but her phone was always switched off “Do you think she’s okay…she’d
gone by the time I got her text…I mean she’s alone in London” Mark frowned “I’m
sure she’ll be fine…now what’s the big mystery?” Chris smiled wryly as he stood
up then fetched a small black velvet box from his pocket “What do you think?”
Mark glanced at the diamond solitaire gold ring “Wow…that’s nice mate” Chris
grinned “I’m going to ask her to marry me” Mark agreed Chris and Sara made a
lovely couple “That’s why I haven’t been round I’ve been working all the hours
God sends just to pay for it…it cost £500 pounds” Mark suddenly went cold an
image vivid in his mind he could see himself in years to come a home a wife and
a family “Mark! Are you okay?” said
Chris snapping Mark out of his trance
“Sorry I was miles away” he explained happily.
~**~
Sara thought it
best if they part company before the reached their town “What? Why?” she
shrugged as she took a few paces away “Please Ben…I want to tell Chris on my
own…he doesn’t need to see us together” Ben shrugged as he leaned over to kiss
her “No…not yet just give me a few days to get things sorted okay?” Ben agreed
albeit reluctantly.
Chris smiled
joyfully on seeing her “Hi how was it?” he inquired she walked past him without
saying a word leaving him to close the door “It was awful…she didn’t want to
know” Chris followed her to the lounge “I’m so sorry” he sympathised she turned
on him “Save it Chris…you couldn’t be bothered to come after me…I left you a
message” he nodded knowingly “I know and I called the minute I realised but you
didn’t answer then your phone was switched off” she looked confused “What?” she
said reaching inside her bag “I could have sworn I’d switched it back on after
I spoke to my mum” she said as much to herself as to him “Well you’re here
now…I’ll make you a coffee and if you want to talk about it I’m a good
listener” he offered as he made his way to the kitchen.
Sara thought of Ben patiently waiting for
her call he’d already text her twice but this wasn’t going to be easy how can
you just tell someone it’s over especially as she still had some feelings for
him “Here we are” he said as he placed the tray onto the table “Thanks” she
said as she lifted the mug to her lips nervously taking a sip “Are you sure
you’re okay? I mean with her not
wanting to know?” Chris said quietly as he took hold of her hand “I’ll
survive…I still have Irene she’s my real mum…Isobel Duncan-Jones may have gave
me life but it was Irene who made my life worthwhile…when we…I travelled back
home…I did a lot of thinking…I have a good life Chris compared to what Amy and
Mark are going through right now” Chris smiled “Yes you’re right there…listen
Sara I was going to wait until you’d gotten over the shock of knowing your mum
wasn’t’ your mum but I can’t I love you and I want to marry you” she stared
wide eyed “Marry me?” she asked her tone almost inaudible he smiled as he got
down on one knee “Sara would you be my wife?” tears begun to well up in her
eyes as she witnessed the hope in his eyes “Yes…yes I’ll marry you” she accepted
joyfully as they embraced Chris taking the box from the tray opened it then
placed the ring onto her finger “If you don’t like it I can take it back” he
offered Sara wiped away a tear as she stared at it “No! Don’t I love it?” she
said as he kissed her softly on the lips.