Pawned Virtue - #wattys2015 BK4 TPBS - Completed 1st draft

-27-

Not edited.  Tissues please!

Dinner that evening wasn't filled with the usual banter and jibes about their days. Instead it was under carefully concealed glances that Maggie, Adam and Jones watched Tara.

They'd seen the state of Lucas as he left and for the first time in a long time he looked as vulnerable as a small child. This was the Lucas they'd witnessed after the death of Maria. It worried them but knew not to push him to help until he came to them.

Maggie was still shocked at the comment he made as he was leaving.

If she leaves I'll never forgive you.

What exactly that meant she didn't know until Tara finally came inside and told her she'd heard what she said about Maria.  Even Jones and Adam were shocked. None of them had known that she'd been listening.

Tara sat in silence as she went through the motions required of her to eat the evening meal. Each bite had no taste, no flavour. It was only the fact that Jones had pushed her down into the chair and told her to eat or he'd feed her himself that had her actually trying at all. She forced herself to eat as much as she could before quietly excusing herself from the table and scraping off the unwanted food she then rinsed her plate before placing it into the dishwasher.

Every move, every step was watched by three sets of worried eyes. Turning to leave the kitchen she forgot to be careful and twisted her leg resulting in a painful hiss and a hand held up as Adam rushed to help her. Although her leg was completely healed it was silly moments like this that had her remembering that the muscles were still tender from being unused for so long. She was an idiot for refusing the offer of physio to speed up the process of healing.

She walked into her bedroom and felt lonelier than she had in many months. This place, a place she once felt could be a home, was anything but. She was just a guest... no... she was an obligation. He made that quite plain to her before he left. His words felt like they were stabbing her in every way possible of verbal torture.

Once he'd stopped crying he'd stood up and moved away. Everything in him had screamed not to do what he was about to do but... he did.

I will never love anyone again Tara. I can't offer you romantic moments or dinners or anything else that comes with love. That isn't what I want. I can't do that ever again. I want a child with no strings attached. I like you Tara, I really do... but once you finish school I'll give you a divorce and find someone closer to my age and make a deal with them. I'll take care of you for as long as you need, you won't go without a thing but that's all it will ever be. I made a mistake and it's time for me to make things right. You won't see me again so please don't go running off to Brisbane. You have family and friends here that care about you. Stay Tara. Stay with the people who love you. Find someone nearer your age to love you.

Her decision was made. The only option that he'd given her. Walking over to her desk she sent a message to friend who'd always been there for her.

A ping on her phone signalled the reply that had her walking into the large closet and choosing carefully she placed the cheapest of all her clothes into a small duffle bag.

She had money left over from the allowance she was given each week and as much as it killed her she lifted the cover of the small jewellery box and took half the money with the promise that one day, however she could, she would return every cent spent on her by Lucas.

Moving back she knocked something onto the floor. She pushed back the tears as she bent down to pick it up and place it back on her... the..  dressing table. The charm bracelet. Only ever worn once at Lucas' insistence. Once an icebreaker of sorts it was now it was a memory that she was leaving behind.

Determined, she pushed herself to do what needed to be done. Refusing to give in to the need to look back into her room for the last time she walked along the hallway and down the stairs.

Jones walked out of the kitchen and stopped with his mouth open as he saw the bag in her hand.

"Tara..."

She simply shook her head and kept walking towards the front door when Jones raced up behind her and pulled her into his arms.

"If you need anything, anything at all, I want you to promise you'll call me."

Fighting back the tears she simply nodded as a knock came on the door. Pulling away from Jones without looking at him she opened the door to reveal her best friend and his father.

Keiran took one look at Tara and grabbed her hand while his father grabbed the bag she was carrying. Together they walked down the steps. Keiran's arm around her waist while his father had one across her shoulders. Keiran helped her into the back seat and then took place beside her as his father started the car and drove her away from this life.

Tara sat as rigid as she possibly could knowing that if she didn't then she'd start to cry and never stop. The full tears would come later.

Jones walked back into the kitchen where Maggie and Adam sat at the table finishing their coffees. One look at his face had them up on their feet as he started to shake his head slowly.

"She's gone."

"What?" Adam hissed as Maggie cried out.

"She left. Gone."

"Like fuck she is!"

Adam grabbed his phone from off the kitchen counter and hit the numbers necessary to call their Tara. He held the phone to his ear as Maggie watched with panic and hope in her eyes and Jones stood looking dejected.

Seconds later they heard the sound of her phone as it echoed down the stairs through the quiet house. It was a haunting sound.

She'd left it behind. All chances of continuing contact were gone. She had left behind the only way she had to contact them. Their numbers had been preprogrammed on her phone. They could only hope that she took the time to look through and remember them.

Jones' mouth flew open with a cry.

"She promised!"