Previously…

I stayed there, sitting on Rachel’s seat for some time–it may have been hours–I don’t know. I was in a state of shock and, I suppose, too numb to think constructively. I was vaguely aware that several people passed me but I didn’t take much notice.

The shadows were lengthening as sun dipped towards the horizon. There was a coolness in the air as the breeze off the sea freshened.

Something moving caught my eye over to the left and I saw a rabbit, sniffing in the undergrowth. A moment later two small baby rabbits appeared, young and vulnerable and trying to keep up with mum…

I lost control then and started sobbing into my hands. Not long afterwards I heard a snuffling noise and looked up. Through my tears, saw the happy face of Sandy, the Labrador.

‘Hello, Sam dear, what’s the matter?’

Jocasta sat down beside me and put her arm around my shoulders. I was totally unable to control my sobbing as the floodgates opened.

And now the story continues…

We sat there for what seemed like ages. I let it all out–the grief, the shock and the fact that Olivia was still trying to manipulate my life from a distance. Eventually I was all cried out and was left with a sort of empty feeling.

Jo hadn’t said much, she just hugged me tightly and gave me comfort.

‘Feeling a bit better?’ she asked.

I nodded. ‘Thanks, Jo.’

‘For what?’

‘Being here for me.’

‘That’s what friends are for.’

Dusk was gathering quickly as we headed back down the path and over the stile; Jo accompanied me all the way back to my cottage with Sandy following obediently. I got a distinct feeling that Jo was still worried about me because she linked arms with me all the way back to my cottage.

‘Can you come in?’ I asked as we arrived home.

‘Of course.’

‘Go into the sitting room, I won’t be a mo.’

‘Okay.’

‘Would Sandy like a drink of water?’ I asked.

‘I’m sure he’d love one,’ came the reply.

I turned on the lights in the small hall, and went into the kitchen, Sandy’s toenails tip-tapping behind me on the quarry-tile floor. I put some water in a bowl and put it on the floor where he lapped it thirstily Then I made a pot of tea for us ladies and put the things on a tray, with some McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives and rejoined Jo in the sitting room. After fussing about with the tea and biscuits for a minute or two, we settled down. Sandy, smelling biscuits layed his chin, first on Jo’s knee and then mine, making solemn pleading eyes at both of us.

‘No, Sandy,’ I told him, knowing chocolate to be poisonous to dogs and cats. ‘Thanks, Jo.’ I said, turning to her.

‘What for, my dear?’

‘For being here.’

‘Do you feel able to talk about it?’ Jo hadn’t asked why I was so upset earlier and for that I was thankful because I don’t think any explanation would have been very coherent.

I fished Olivia’s letter out of my bag and passed it to her. Her eyebrows shot up.

‘Are you sure that you want–?’

‘Please, that’s why I gave it to you.’

I sipped my hot sweet tea as she read the letter. I didn’t look at her and just stared into the empty fireplace.

‘My God!’

I looked up to see a Jocasta that I had never seen before. She was red in the face and looked on the verge of having a fit as she finished reading. She took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself a little. When she spoke, her anger was barely hidden beneath the surface.

‘I can understand why you were so distressed, Sam. In your circumstances, I would be just the same. How are you feeling now?’

‘Totally Numb.’

‘I’m not surprised. Look, you aren’t in this on your own you know. All your friends are here for you and then there’s your sister, Dawn.’

‘It’s my mess, I’ve got to get myself out of it.’

‘Sam, look at me.’ I looked up, my eyes watering again.

‘Sam, it’s not your mess. Olivia, is a conniving, manipulative bitch who acts as if the world owes her the right to say and do what she likes. Obviously, she was spoilt as a child, unable to do anything wrong in her doting father’s eyes and it looks to me as if she’s never truly grown up. You must not take on her baggage and problems.’

‘But–’

‘–No buts, Sam. Please, let me say this: you are a sweet, lovely girl and you owe Olivia absolutely nothing. You have always been straight with her and she knew about you before the marriage. The fact that she has flung all this back in your face and is now trying to blackmail you into going back to her for the sake of the baby is despicable beyond words and it’s not even your baby!’

‘But what about the baby? Why should the poor little thing suffer because of all this mess?’

‘It’s not your concern, Sam. Olivia has made her bed, now she must lie on it.’

‘I know but–’

Jo’s phone burbled.

‘Hello?’

‘Yes, she at home…she’s a bit upset at some news…okay, right, bye.’

‘That was Abby, your phone’s off and she was worried. She’s coming around.’

I felt comforted by that. I needed a kiss and a cuddle rather badly.

‘Look, Sam dear,’ Jo continued, ‘we need to hold a council of war about this. It’s too late tonight, but I’ll arrange things and see you tomorrow. I’ll bring Katie in the morning and then with Abby as well, we’ll come up with a plan to thwart Olivia and Nigel. Is that okay?’

‘That would be wonderful, Jo.’ I had a warm feeling from the realisation that I wasn’t alone, having people around me whom I loved and respected, who wanted to help make things easier for me. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Jo answered it.

I smiled as Abby came into the room. I stood up; she hugged me and for a few moments I forgot my troubles and enjoyed being up close and personal with the girl I loved.

There was a discreet cough and we both looked around.

‘Sorry, Jo,’ said Abby, looking rather shamefaced.

‘Don’t be…young love and all that. Look, I must go or David will wonder whether I’ve left him. He’s in a bit of a state at the moment because Lady F wants him to give a sermon on Sunday about the evils of lateness and the fact that young gels should do as they are told. Abby, Sam will explain what’s happened and we will hold a council of war here tomorrow morning. I’ll drag Katie along and we’ll see what can be done, okay?’

We both nodded and after hugs all round and a whispered thanks in Jo’s ear, she went off home.

David reminded me vaguely of Mr Collins trying to cope with Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride And Prejudice, only, of course, David was not creepy like Mr Collins.

After Jo left, I made Abby a cuppa and we sat on the sofa while she read the letter from Olivia.

She was somewhat annoyed after reading the letter. I could tell as she downed her tea, seemingly in one gulp, crashed the cup down on the coffee table and then started…

‘I’ll kill her. Let me get my hands on that manipulative bitch. To think that the cow should use such disgraceful and disgusting tactics against you–I–I.’ Her face had turned as red as a beetroot. She looked very pretty when she was angry. Mind you, I think she would look pretty with a tea cosy over her head…anyway, I let her rant for a minute or two.

‘Abby?’

‘Using an unborn baby as a bargaining chip–’

‘Abby?’

‘And what about her father. I bet he put her up to this…’

‘Abbeeeee!’

‘What! Oh, sorry, love. I do go off a bit don’t I? Come here; let’s have a cuddle.’

I was in her arms and soon the horrid letter went to the back of my mind for a moment as Abby and I got closely entangled. After a few minutes of this, I felt calmer and Abby’s beating heart seemed to slow down a few hundred beats.

I lay down on the sofa, my head in her lap, sighed and looked up at her.

‘Thanks, love.’

‘What for?’ she said stroking my hair distractedly.

‘For being here for me and loving me.’

‘It’s a two-way thing, you know. Even though you have no dress sense and your hair could do with a few highlights and the tea you make tastes like dishwater and…’

At that time she was laughing and so was I as I realised that she was rather ticklish! Talking stopped for quite a while as we continued to mess about like silly schoolgirls.

Eventually, we both came up for air. It was getting late now and I was feeling rather tired. I couldn’t control a yawn and that set her off too.

‘I suppose it’s bed time,’ I said, ‘I’ll have to get up early tomorrow if people are coming around. I do hope that I can sort out this mess.’

‘You will with our help.’

‘Mmm it’s sooo nice having such friends…and a wonderful lover.’

She gazed into my eyes and smiled.

‘Samantha Smart, I do love you.’

Looking at her I realised that I didn’t want to be alone tonight.

‘C—c—can you stay?’ My heart was in my mouth, as I waited for an answer.

‘What, tonight?’

‘Please.’

Had I said something wrong. My head was all over the place tonight. I didn’t want to spoil anything…

She looked at me silently for a few moments and then just smiled and nodded.

‘The cats will be okay; they’ve got food and water and are more independent than us humans. I’ll have to go back tomorrow morning just to check on them though.’

‘Okay.’ I sighed with relief. She wanted to stay. I was so happy. Maybe today wasn’t going to end up as a complete disaster, after all.

I locked up and then we turned the lights off and went upstairs, hand in hand.

I went into the bathroom first and smiled ruefully at my face. Wearing makeup and crying don’t really mix very well. I wondered why Abby, at seeing me, didn’t run off down the road screaming, but they say love is blind. I washed my face and then did the usual things. I then put on my pretty pink satin nightie; I loved the feel of it against my smooth skin. Brushing my hair, I wondered if I should get some highlights. Yet another decision to make–but not tonight as I was going to be with my beloved Abby.

Back in the bedroom, Abby was sitting on the bed.

‘You look gorgeous,’ she said getting up and hugging me tightly.

‘Thank you.’ I said a bit shyly and then after a quick kiss, I went to the chest of drawers and I searched for a few moments.

I handed Abby a toothbrush and nightie which was cream coloured and satin. I was sure that she would look lovely wearing it and couldn’t wait to see. She smiled, kissed me gently on the lips and then went to the bathroom.

Lying in bed waiting for her, my mind, once again returned to that letter. I felt sorry for the baby. Olivia knew that I had always wanted a child and she was using that fact to blackmail me into going back to her. I still didn’t understand the tangled web that was her mind, but much as I would love a child, I could not return to her under those or any other circumstances. If she was 28 weeks pregnant and it wasn’t just a figment of her warped and overactive imagination, I would do all I could to protect the baby, even if it meant reporting her to the authorities. Katie would know what to do about that.

I put all thoughts of Olivia and the baby to the back of my mind as soon as Abby came back in. She looked absolutely gorgeous in the nightie and I could see the silhouette of her lovely firm body through the thin fabric as she passed a table lamp sitting on the dressing table behind her.

‘Which side of the bed do you prefer?’ I breathed.

‘Stay where you are, you’re just fine.’

She got into bed and soon I could feel her warm silk-clad body next to me. My heart was pounding and I was by now terribly nervous. I wanted this time to be lovely and I didn’t want things to go wrong.

‘Relax, Sam, let’s just enjoy being together. You know I love you?’

‘Yes, and I love you more than anything I the world.’

‘Even more than clotted cream teas?’

‘Mmm, it’s a close run thing, but you get the nod.’ We both laughed and it dissipated any slight tension.

As she caressed my body, I was pleased that my breast forms were attached but really wanted some real ones so that I could feel her soft hands on the real me. I would remedy that at the earliest opportunity.

We explored each others bodies, it was so gentle and lovely. Her mouth tasted sweet and minty; her tongue was soft and deliciously moist. Her breasts were firm and her nipples hard with desire as they rose to attention as I licked them...

As we made love, we were crying again, not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy that we had each found a soul mate. Abby, I knew, felt the same and it was a time of great joy, love and sensitivity…

I will not say more about that night except to say that it was the most wonderful night of my life and I hoped and prayed that more of the same would happen very soon and that my past would stay firmly–in my past.