Something Else

Chapter 13 - And Now?

' ... And don't go looking at me like that - I don't need it - not from you anyway. I'm only telling you to go to bed cos you look tired, alright? No other reason, so cool it. I'll be through in a minute.'
Once in the bedroom, Stacey broke down. She pulled back the sheets and flung herself down on the bed, burying her face in the pillow to stifle the sound of her sobs.

She squeezed the pillow tightly in her fists, trying hard to rid herself of the pain and anger that had built up inside her.
'God, you can be a heartless bastard sometimes,' she heard Bob say as he went back into the lounge room. 'What the fuck are you playing at?'
There was no answer.

Stacey felt warm tears making tracks down the side of her face as she turned over to listen.

'I can't believe you sometimes ...' Bob started to say.
'Ah, shut up!' said Lee, cutting him short. He lay back on the sofa, covering his face with his hands, having had enough for one night. 'Don't start. I'm not in the mood for it.'
'Well, think about it!' said Bob. He sat down on the arm of the chair, knowing there was something on his mind. 'What's going on in that head of yours, eh?'

Lee then glanced at him, unsmiling, heaving a heavy sigh before he spoke. 'I'm going to have to come back again now, aren't I,' he said flatly. 'I'm going to have to come back and sort that cunt out once and for all. He's not stickin' a knife in me and getting away with it.'
Bob closed his eyes in disbelief. 'Don't say that Lee, for fuck's sake!'
'Well, I am.'

'No you're not!' he told him, raising his voice. 'What the fuck do you have to come back for? I mean, by the time he comes round, let alone comes out of hospital, you two'll be gone and laughing.'

But Lee said nothing, obviously not feeling the same way.

' ... And what about her?' he then said, nodding towards the bedroom. 'How do you think she's going to feel about having to come back? This fighting thing's not her scene at all, believe me.'

And still Lee said nothing – obviously that wasn't important either.

'Come on Lee, think about it!'

'I am thinking about it. I've done nothing but think about it. This has been going on between me an' him now for too long, and he's not getting away with it.'

'But what's he getting away with, for Christ's sake? What the fuck is he getting away with? He's the one in hospital, not you. He's the one on the critical list. How do you think he's going to feel once he comes round and remembers what happened? Gutted, that's what! You've stitched him right up. He's going to go fucking mental.'

For a moment, Bob just watched Lee and could see none of this was sinking in, so attempted approaching it from a different angle. 'Have you thought about Stacey and what she'll be coming back to? Once all this gets out, she's going to have nothing to come back to. Think about it! None of her old mates will want to know her - and can you see Claire or any of the other birds we know befriend her? No chance! Not after what you're planning to do this weekend. After this weekend, Claire's going to be one hell of a bitter person, and there's no way in the world she's ever going to forgive you – let alone accept you coming back with Stacey on your arm.'

'It wouldn't matter who I came back with, Stacey, Liz bloody Taylor, the Queen of fucking Sheba - she'd have it in for all of 'em.' 'Exactly - so why do it? You can't just drag her back to that, it wouldn't be fair. Claire will make her life hell!'
But Lee just scrunched his face up, thinking Bob was overreacting.

'Nah, give it a couple of months and it will all've blown over. Claire'll end up with Pete, she'll have the kid and they'll play happy families ever after. She might get nasty, to begin with, but she'll get over it.'