Chapter 13
“No what have you done!” he screamed at her. She pushed past him and went to Abbey.
“Come on let’s get you up.” Abbey was in agony, but it was Marianne’s treatment of her that was shocking her the most. She was used to the beatings, but Marianne being nice was just too odd.
Marianne helped Abbey up and lifted her face to the side to get a better look at the cut from Greg’s ring on her cheek.
“Sit down I’ll get you a drink.” Marianne was so outraged at what she had just walked in on. She looked at her son, her only child a woman beater. She didn’t really like Abbey, but no one deserved that. It was wrong she, and hadn’t brought Greg up like that.
She glared at him he was pacing round muttering about needing to go. “You’re not going anywhere!” Marianne shouted storming over to him. She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him.
“You disgust me!” She hissed.
Greg grimaced at her words. She got a bottle of whiskey from the cupboard, and got two glasses she poured herself and Abbey a glass.
“Here it will help with the shock.” She told her, but then Abbey muttered something Marianne couldn’t quite hear, “What was that?”
“Nothing helps,” Abbey, sighed. She couldn’t look at Greg she was terrified. When she finally managed to look up he was still pacing back and forth, but he stopped and moved towards the table making Abbey jump back knocking the drink everywhere.
“Move away from her now!” Marianne cursed.
“Abbey how long has this been going on?” she was concerned that this wasn’t the first time.
Abbey gulped wondering whether it was wise to speak. As if, Marianne would stop Greg if he really wanted to get to her.
She started to cry, and that was all Marianne needed to know, “You’re a sick man and I’m ashamed to say you’re my son.”
Greg went to speak but two police officers walked in behind him. They looked at Abbey then at Greg.
“Who made the call?” Marianne stood up and told them it was her.
“Name?” The one officer asked Greg.
He told him, and the two officers gave each other knowing looks. “Greg Bell I am arresting you for assault you do not have to say anything, but it might harm your defence. If you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court.”
“I know how it goes” Greg snapped.
He had been in trouble, for various things in the past and was well known to the police. Only he had become a bit cleverer about covering his crimes now.
“An officer will come round to get statements, but I’d like you to take Mrs. Bell to the hospital to be checked out. I want a full list of injuries.” He told Marianne.
“Let’s get this one down the station.” He said to the other officer.
Abbey watched as they dragged Greg out of the house. He was putting up a fight, and they finally got him out. Marianne sank into the chair.
“Why haven’t you said something before?” she questioned.
She felt awful, because she could have done something to stop this. She always thought Greg was too good for Abbey, but it was clearly the other way round. It wasn’t her fault. She was one of those mothers who couldn’t see any wrong in her child, but she had seen with her own eyes Greg’s abuse now and there was denying it.
Abbey swirled the whiskey round in the glass. She smirked; whiskey seemed to be everyone’s answer to a problem round here. She looked up at Marianne who was waiting for an answer.
“You’re not exactly approachable Mari; you’ve made it clear you don’t like me.”
Marianne knew she was right she hadn’t been nice to the girl at all, but she knew now that it was wrong of her she was scared of losing her son to Abbey and being pushed out. Abbey had always tried her best to make her welcome, but she threw it in her face every time.
“I can’t say sorry enough. I know the way I’ve treated you is unforgivable, but I need to know what he’s been doing?” she did need to know. She wanted to know what sort of man her son had really become.
Abbey took a sip of the drink, “Its most days, and that wasn’t the worst that you saw.”
Marianne gasped she had just witnessed a vicious assault and that wasn’t the worst it made her stomach turnover. She felt sick. “Why did he attack you?”
“He’s been having an affair. I’ve seen the marks on his back, and his clothes smell of women’s perfume.”
Now Marianne was angry. She hated cheats her second husband had cheated on her and she had been in denial ignoring it. That was until she caught them, and she wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
“Oh lord. I need to take you to the hospital” she stood up and got her bag. Abbey was hesitant she didn’t want to go.
“Abbey come on. I’m not taking no for an answer, and the least I can do is look after you. Go and pack a bag you’re coming to stay at my house in case they release him. I’m not leaving you here.”
Abbey frowned, she would rather go to the hospital than go and stay with her. She wanted Sam but there was so way he could see her in this state what would he say? Would he be bothered? She wondered how Sam would react.
Marianne was tapping her foot impatiently, “Come on girl get your things.” She pushed for Abbey to hurry up, and not wanting an argument, Abbey went and packed a bag.
She went downstairs to Marianne. She took the bag from Abbey and locked the front door behind them. They got in the car she drove to the hospital, and they went in to see a doctor. Marianne insisted she had private treatment, and she would pay. Abbey was too exhausted to say no.
The doctor checked her over and wrote a report up, “You have some cracked ribs, but I can’t really do anything. Just take it easy and take these tablets three times a day for the pain. You need plenty of rest, no lifting, or driving.”
Marianne nodded taking it all in. Abbey was in a daze her head was spinning, was this the end of her marriage? She thought to herself. Marianne tapped her on the shoulder making her flinch.
“Sorry, are you ready to go now?” she asked her. Abbey nodded and followed her out to the car. The drive to Marianne’s didn’t take long, but there was an awkward silence the whole way there.
They got back to Marianne’s and she made a bed up for Abbey.
“Would you like something to eat?” she asked her. Abbey shook her head she felt sick.
“OK why don't you go to bed then” Abbey said good night and walked numbly up the stairs.
Marianne came up after her. “Abbey take one of these it will help you to sleep.” She was holding some sleeping pills and a glass of water.
Abbey felt like swallowing the lot, but Marianne wasn’t stupid. She knew that in such a fragile state it would be stupid to give her the bottle of pills, so she just gave her one.
“Good night love.”
Abbey’s head was spinning, she felt like it was going to come off. Marianne being nice was not something she had ever experienced and although it was better than her usual treatment, it still unnerved her.
Abbey took the pill and lay down on the bed she cried her heart out. She knew what Greg did was wrong, but now he had been caught it was made more real. Now she was mourning the marriage that never was. It didn’t take long for the pill to work, and soon she was in a deep dreamless sleep.
Marianne couldn’t sleep she just kept replaying the scene over and over in her head, and each time it was worse. She was sick to her stomach her own son how could he do that. How could she have not noticed? She started to blame herself.
She was deeply conflicted by it. She kept switching from blaming herself to her late husband who had been a heavy drinker. He never hit Marianne, but he shouted and smashed things. Greg had seen it all, but then she had spoilt Greg as a child gave him anything he wanted. She had made him a brat.
Marianne fell to sleep on the sofa, and was woken by someone knocking on the front door. She was shocked that it was morning. She jumped up. It must have been the police to take their statements; she went to the door there was a tall broad man standing on her doorstep.
“Marianne Bell?” he asked. “Yes and you are?” she eyed him suspiciously.
“I’ve come to collect Mrs. Bell to take her to the station for questioning.” He told her. Marianne was worried he was someone else for a minute,
“Oh right. We were told that an officer would be coming to speak to us here.”
The man smiled at her, “Due to the nature of the incident we need to do this at the station. It isn’t necessary for you to accompany Abbey.” He told her firmly.
Marianne wasn’t going to argue with the officer, “OK, I’ll get her up. When will I be questioned?” she asked him.
“Oh yes I’ve been asked to tell you to meet with an officer at Mrs. Bells home. Someone needs to be there to go over the crime scene so they will interview you there.” Marianne nodded. Nothing was ever straightforward.
She went upstairs and woke Abbey up telling her what she had to do. Abbey groaned, and got up she got washed and dressed quickly wanting to get it over with.
She went downstairs with Marianne and the man was sitting on the sofa. “Ah Mrs. Bell, I’m PC Davis and I’m going to be conducting your interview at the station. Shall we go?” he asked.
Abbey followed him out of the house and Marianne was behind them. Abbey gave her the keys for her house and they went their separate ways. Abbey watched as Marianne drove off in the opposite direction to them.
**
Sam got up and stretched out he was shattered he had waited for Abbey’s call all night, but she hadn’t rang and he was annoyed with her and himself. He was falling for her so much and it killed him that she was with another man.
He got up and went downstairs. His housemate Dan was putting his jacket on, “Hey where are you going?” he asked him stretching and yawning.
“Just round to the shop. I need some chocolate.” Sam raised his eyebrows disapprovingly. It was nine in the morning and he wanted chocolate.
“At this time in the morning? Have you been smoking something?” he teased. Dan looked at him pretending to be shocked.
“I haven’t smoked that since we were eighteen. We ate everything in the house remember? I don’t think a chocolate bar would be enough.”
Sam started to laugh thinking back to when they got stoned they had laughed until they were in pain. Dan’s mother had gone mad when she saw they had eaten everything in the fridge and cupboards.
“Do you need anything?” Dan asked Sam shook his head.
“Oh actually get me a protein shake.” Dan screwed his face up. He had tried one of Sam’s shakes before, and they were disgusting. He opened the door and walked round to the shop. It started to rain as he got by the shop. Typical he thought, the day he decides to leave the car at home it rains.
He ran into the shop trying to avoid the rain that was now pouring outside, “Hey, weather’s great isn’t it.” He jokingly said to the teenage girl behind the counter. She looked up from her magazine and blew a massive bubble from her gum then when it popped, she looked back down.
“Charming.” Dan muttered as he grabbed a shake and some chocolate.
He threw them down on the counter smirking when the girl nearly fell off her stool, “Just those, if you can tear yourself away from your magazine” he added sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and scanned the items through.
Dan looked down at the counter and saw a newspaper he looked back up at the girl who was waving the bag at him. He snatched it off her and packed his things.
“This isn’t a library!” the girl snapped watching Dan read the newspaper.
He looked up at her, and gave her the money, “You could have fooled me,” he snapped back pointing at her magazine.
A woman came into the shop as Dan was leaving. She was a tall woman with long black hair and she smiled at Dan as she walked past. She was talking to someone on the phone, “Yes, well just get the best lawyer you can. That bitch Abbey isn’t getting what she wants. I’ll get Greg cleared.” Dan raised his eyebrows and hurried out of the shop wondering whether it the same Abbey Sam was seeing.
Sam was stretched out on the sofa flicking through the channels; “Hey” Sam said turning to look at Dan who was looking a bit worried about something.
“What’s your promoter’s name?” he asked. Sam frowned, Dan already knew what he was called, “Greg, why? You know this,” he told him like he was stupid.
“You’re not going to like this then.” He took a deep breath, “I just heard a woman talking on the phone in the shop, and she was asking for a lawyer saying something about Abbey not getting what she wants and clearing Greg’s name.”
Sam’s looked at Dan strangely, “I’ll ring her and find out." Sam was curious now he needed to call Abbey.