Oh, Darling

~2~

(Thanks for reading my story! Sorry if its a bit boring right now, I promise the boys are coming in soon! Peace and love 😉 )

Beth wakes up on the ground. Her hair is messy, and she's all bruised. There's broken glass around her. The house is a mess. She stays on the floor, listening to see if Mike is awake. She doesnt hear anybody, so she slowly sits up. Her body aches. She can feel her dry tears on her face. She stands up and looks around. Her knees buckle as she walks. She grabs the counter for support. She looks up at the window, and realises Mike's car is gone.
This is her only chance.
She stands up and regains herself. She starts walking into her and Mike's room while stumbling. She grabs her purse, and the money from the safe in the closet. She grabs clothes, a coat, hygiene products, Mike's watch, pen and paper, and a pack of cigarettes & a lighter.

Beth begins to hurry out to the back door. She knows she cant go through the front, in case Mike comes back. Plus, the front door is always locked when he's gone.

She opens the door and immediately runs out through the gate, out to the field in the back of the house. There's a path through the snow that her and Mike would walk on. But those days are gone. A sense of happiness comes over her as she walks the path alone, finally being able to make her own choices. She also feels a sense of sadness. Guilt. Loneliness. All from knowing she can never come back. Her parents live in Birmingham, but thats about a 30 hour walk from Liverpool, which is where she is right now. Plus, its winter. Perhaps she could catch a train, she thinks to herself. But it's too late right now. She'll have to sleep outside and make do. She pulls Mike's wristwatch out and checks the time. 9:24pm.

She keeps walking until she makes it to downtown Liverpool. It's snowing lightly with a cool breeze. Beth watches her breath leaving her mouth. Cars drive past her as she walks along the roads until she reaches a coffee shop. Thankfully, it's still open. She stops in front of it and just stares. She recognizes it as the one her and Mike would always pass. She would look inside and see couples enjoying each others company, sharing a hot chocolate. She'd always wished she could be happy like that. But now, she's free. And she can go wherever she'd like.

But as she goes to open the door, the feeling of guilt overcomes her once again. She feels like she shouldn't be going into the shop. It's because of Mike.
"Fuck you, Mike." She mumbles to herself, and opens the door to the shop.
The bell rings and she lets herself in, stomping her boots at the door, getting rid of the snow. Theres nobody inside. It's a warm, coffee smelling, dim-lit little shop.

Immediately a voice from across the room calls to her.

"Heya, dollface. My apologies but we seem to be a-closin' real soon here." The man behind the counter says. He's an older man, a bit chubby. He doesnt have any hair, except for the bush on top of his lip.

"I- Im sorry sir. Do you think I could just grab a coffee real quickly?" Beth says.

He hesitates, but nods and signals for her to come over to the counter.

"Just the coffee?"

"Yes, please. Two sugars and a cream, please."

"Sure thing." He walks into the small kitchen and grabs a coffee mug, and fills it with rich coffee.

"Enjoy." He hands it to her and flashes his white pearls at her.

"Oh, how much was it?" Beth asks, starting to open her purse.
The man slides the mug over to her.

"On the house. Besides, I already counted all of today's profit."

Beth smiles at him and picks up the mug. The feeling of warmth between her fingers calms her.

"Thank you mister. Have a good night."

She begins to walk away, but she stops a meter from the door.

"My apologies, but is there anywhere around here I could be able to stay overnight?" Beth asks.

He looks at her and tilts his head.

"Why's that? Did your car break down?"

"No, I just need somewhere to stay, thats all."

He pulls out a paper from underneath the counter, and holds it out for Beth to take. She walks over and grabs it.

"Go there, and tell them that Charles sent you. They'll give you a discount, on me. I know a fella that works there."

"Thank you so much. I really appreciate  it."

Beth leaves the coffee shop.