Caught by Love: A Lesbian Romance

by Jade Winters

  Oh, Naomi what did you do? Why? she thought as she crumpled into a seat and buried her face in her hands. She had given her every part of her soul and this was how she had repaid her. Deep sobs racked inside her as she fought to come to terms with Naomi’s betrayal, all of this time holding her in such high esteem when she was nothing better than a cheat. A dirty lying cheat, who was no doubt sleeping with the other woman and coming home to share her bed. Pain coursed through her blood reaching every part of her.

  “Just know that I’m here if you need me,” Leah said rubbing her shoulder.

  The relationship she had once thought as a Garden of Eden had now lost all its innocence. Hannah stood up abruptly, knocking her chair sideways in the process. “I need to be alone,” she sobbed as she turned on her heel and ran from the room.

  ***

  Alisa sat alone with her thoughts. All she could think about was Hannah and the part she had inadvertently played in the whole mess that was now going to unfold. If she was to be honest, she had no one to blame but herself—had she not given Hannah the script, she would never had found out about Naomi’s infidelity and she could have carried on believing she was a flawless character who could do no wrong.

  Remembering the look on Hannah’s face caused her heart to ache knowing she was partly to blame for it.

  Wearily, she stood and walked to the fridge, opening it, her hand hovered over a bottle of wine before settling for a bottle of water. This was no time to be hiding behind alcohol.

  The damage had been done. She had really put the final nail in the coffin. There was no way that Hannah was going to forgive her once she found out that she knew about her affair all along.

  She was already beginning to miss her and she’d only been gone an hour—how was she going to feel if Hannah never wanted to see her again?

  She heard footsteps thundering along the decking above and within seconds they had made their way down the stairs. She had called Bobby straight after Hannah had left. She didn’t want to be alone. Without knocking he strode straight in. His eyes were glazed and he stopped before her.

  “Please, tell me you’re joking.”

  Alisa looked down at the bottle she cradled between her hands. “I wish I was.”

  Bobby slammed his fist down on the counter shaking the contents in the process. “That bitch needs hanging for doing this. Was it not enough Naomi cheated on her? Did she really have to rub salt into her wounds as well?”

  She should have burnt the script. Why had she given it to her? Why hadn’t she realised it was all going to ends in tears? She held her stomach. She wanted to be sick.

  “I swear to you, Alisa, by the time I’m finished, that bitch won’t even be able to get a job in McDonald’s,” he raged uncontrollable. Alisa had never seen him so angry before.

  “So, when are you going to tell her the truth, Alisa?” Bobby demanded.

  She flinched at the sound of his voice. “I’m not.”

  He looked at her wide eye, a muscle quivering at his jaw. “What do you mean you’re not?! Are you going to let her keep gas lighting that poor woman until she puts her in the mental hospital? Because I’ll tell you something, if you don’t tell her, I fucking will, I couldn’t care less if she never speaks to me again.”

  Alisa walked to the drinks counter and poured a scotch and gave it to him which he knocked back in one gulp, grimacing as he held out the glass for another.

  “Bobby, you need to calm down. Running around like a cave man is not going to work.”

  “So what’s your grand idea? Do nothing?”

  “I didn’t say I wasn’t going to do nothing.”

  “You said you weren’t going to tell her.”

  “And I’m not.”

  “So, who is then?”

  “Leah.” She had finally reached the end of her tether. Leah had upped the ante now and had stooped to a new level that even Alisa didn’t think she was capable of. She was going to set the scene for the truth to be revealed. With a little help from Skye, she was going to show Hannah, Leah’s true colours.

  Chapter 39

  Hannah looked down her caller ID. Alisa had been calling her all night, but she couldn’t speak to her, she didn’t want to speak to anyone. She wanted to push all thoughts of Naomi out of her mind. It was like a part of her had died all over again.

  As she arrived on set, she could sense something different in the atmosphere. Crew members cast their eyes downwards avoiding her.

  Meredith caught up with her, her eyes frantic. “I’ve been trying to get you all morning, why haven’t you answered your phone?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it. What’s wrong?” The last thing she needed was something going wrong on set today. It was the last day of filming then she could disappear.

  When Meredith hesitated Hannah asked impatiently, “Have I got food on my face or something?”

  “No.” Meredith took Hannah by the arm and led her into one of the empty rooms. She cast her eyes down to her feet shifting from side to side. “I don’t know how to say this, Hannah but I think you should know there’s a rumour going round.”

  “About what?” Like she needed to know. By the deer in the headlights look on Meredith’s face she knew the secret was out.

  “That the script is based on a true story. I’m so sorry, Hannah.”

  Only three people knew about it. Her mother wouldn’t have access to the set so it was between Alisa and Leah. What possible reason would Leah have to leak it out? Had Alisa told Skye and she in turn had shared it with someone else?

  She was grateful it was the last day of shooting. The footage she had filmed would now be going in to post production and editing. Though she didn’t think she could cope watching it again, she felt sick to her stomach.

  “Thanks for letting me know,” Hannah said, a shadow of a smile on her lips.

  The normal hub of noise was quiet as Hannah walked into one of the bedrooms where the final shots were going to be filmed.

  Leah came up behind her, startling her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you jump, are you okay? Look, it’s understandable if you can’t go through with it today. I’m sure the assistant director can finish up.”

  “Everyone knows, Leah!”

  “What! You’re kidding me, who told them? I bet it was Alisa who opened her mouth. I told you she couldn’t be trusted.”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “Let’s just hope this doesn’t get leaked to the press.”

  ***

  Leah walked away to get a coffee. God, her gullibility sickened her. Hannah was so trusting.

  She had started the rumour first thing this morning by telling one of the runners who she knew would spread it around like a rash. Now that Hannah knew the truth about her precious Naomi, she wasn’t looking so superior. She wondered how Hannah felt knowing she wasn’t that special after all?

  Leah saw Alisa heading straight towards her with Skye by her side, both women talking intently to each other. Alisa didn’t look happy. Leah turned to go in the opposite direction but it was too late, Alisa caught up with her and spun her around as Skye walked off in Hannah’s direction.

  “I want a word with you.”

  “About what?”

  “You think you’re pretty smart, don’t you?”

  Leah smiled and looked at her innocently. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Stop the acting, Leah. Jesus, why did you waste your immense talent working as an assistant when you would have made a great actress.”

  “I’ve got more important things to attend to than standing here discussing my CV with you.”

  “You better come with me now or I’m going to tell Hannah all about you and your little secret.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.” Leah snarled. “You wouldn’t risk her finding out that you knew about our affair all along.”

  “Come in here,” Alisa said backing into a room and dragging Leah with her.

  Leah shrugged off her han
d. “What is it you want, Alisa? I’ve got to go and comfort Hannah she’s feeling a bit—low.” She said with a smirk spreading on her lips.

  Alisa shook her head. “You really are a bitch. What’s the point of this, Leah? Everyone now knows that Naomi was unfaithful. When are you going to cast yourself in the leading role or are you too chicken shit to let everyone find out that you were the one she was having an affair with.”

  Leah casually shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not my fault Naomi was clumsy and didn’t tie up the loose ends. I didn’t ask her to write a bloody story about us, that was just her ego—you’re the one who brought this to light. You’re the one who should feel ashamed.”

  A look of disgust crossed Alisa’s face. “Do you have no remorse what so ever?”

  Leah squared up to her. “No, I don’t, do you?”

  Alisa’s shoulders dropped as she slipped her hands into her pockets. “Yes I do. Stupidly, I thought Hannah having something to do would help her with her grief, but I didn’t bank on you being a sadistic bitch. You know I actually feel sorry for you.”

  Leah gave her a dismissive look as she turned to leave. “Save your pity for someone who needs it. I’m doing just fine, thanks.”

  Alisa winced. “Don’t you care Hannah might find out?”

  Leah halted at the door, spun around and walked back over to her, stopping inches away. Her eyes hard and relentless as she spoke in a sharp invasive voice. “Maybe it’s time for her to know the truth about her precious Naomi. Why is it the other woman is always the one who gets flamed? I didn’t put a gun to her head, you know, Naomi was with me willingly. If you’re so innocent in all of this, why didn’t you just come out with the truth? You’ve never told Hannah because you’re in love with her and always have been. You’re spineless just like Naomi, scared to tell her the truth.”

  “Well, she doesn’t have to.” Hannah’s voice entered the room from the doorway where she stood with Skye, her body erect, her face a mask of shock.

  Alisa looked past Leah and began to walk towards Hannah but stopped in her tracks when she noticed the steely look of hatred as she stared at both of them.

  “I’m sorry you had to find out this way, Hannah,” Alisa managed to muster.

  “You knew all this time and you let me walk around like an idiot. You watched me make a film about Naomi and this . . . tramp,” she spat, looking at Leah. “Yet, you said nothing, even knowing she was still in my home. And you—” Her brows knitted together in an angry frown. “—are a fucking, delusional bitch.” She looked at Leah with disgust in her eyes. “I can’t believe I trusted you!”

  Leah raised her eyebrows enquiringly. “Hannah, I think you’re forgetting there were two in the party, not just me”

  “That’s your excuse, is it?”

  “What do I need an excuse for? Falling in love with someone who was in love with me.”

  “Love! Do you even know the meaning of the word? You call being someone’s sloppy seconds, love?” She looked in fury at Leah. “You’re more pathetic than I thought. Do you honestly think if Naomi loved you she wouldn’t have left me for you? Naomi had an active imagination and she told stories. She sold you a big fat one if you think she was going to end up with you. Did you know she was in the process for trying for a baby with me? Did she tell you that?”

  Uncertainty crept over Leah’s face, as she lowered her eyes to the floor.

  Hannah drilled the words into her with no mercy. “By the look on your face, no, she didn’t. Does that sound like someone who was going to run off with you into the sunset?”

  “I’ll second that,” Skye said, as she stood shoulder to shoulder beside Hannah. “And Leah, I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you this but you have the emotional depth of a cabbage.”

  “I want you off this set now.” Hannah raged, taking a step towards Leah.

  “It will be my pleasure,” Leah said, pushing past her and the crowd that had assembled behind her. She felt her confidence and defiance slowly eroding as Hannah’s words replayed in her mind—Naomi had lied to her, it had all been for nothing. All those years of waiting patiently had been nothing but a ruse. Naomi had merely been using her as a plaything and she had stupidly fallen for it. She had lost everything over a lie.

  “Show’s over everybody,” Meredith called out to the crew who filled the hallway watching the showdown.

  When everyone had dispersed, Hannah and Alisa remained alone in the room. Both women stood metres apart.

  Alisa rubbed the back of her neck, her expression pained. “I really am sorry, that you had to find out this way Hannah.”

  Hannah gave her a cursory shrug of her eye brows. “So am I, Alisa,” she said in a hoarse whisper as she turned and left the room.

  ***

  For the first time in her career, Hannah walked off the set. She had called Larry and explained the situation and he was more than understanding. He said he was happy for the assistant director to carry on with the rest of filming. She couldn’t bear to have anything more to do with it. She was still too shocked to get her head around it all. Naomi and Leah—how could they have betrayed her like that? More to the point—how could she not have seen what was going on right under her nose? She stumbled to her car and practically fell into it. The three people she had trusted the most had betrayed her. She suddenly felt lightheaded and overwhelmed with nausea. She quickly wound the window down, gulping in the air. With a shaking hand she started the engine and drove out of the car park without putting her seat belt on. She needed to get as far away as possible from the whole sordid mess.

  Had she ever known Naomi? Had she hated her that much that not only would she have an affair with someone whom they both considered a friend but to actually write a script based on her deceitfulness? She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She brought the car to a sudden halt as she arrived home getting out of it as if she were drunk.

  Maggie was looking out of the window and seemed surprised by her early arrival. Within seconds she was opening the front door, evidently pleased to see her.

  “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you until midnight.” Her smile faded as Hannah neared. “Hannah what’s wrong? What’s happened?” she said alarmed as her daughter fell into her arms.

  “Hannah, please tell me, you’re frightening me.”

  “It’s Naomi.”

  Maggie stroked her hair as she led her into the house and sat down with her on the sofa.

  “It’s only a hiccup, darling, you’ll have days like this. You’ve been working too hard.”

  “You don’t understand.”

  “What don’t I understand, darling?”

  “She was . . . she was. . .” She clasped her hands to her head unable to say the words.

  “Hannah, you’re not making any sense.”

  “Naomi was having an affair.”

  Maggie looked at her in disbelief. “What! I really don’t know why you’ve convinced yourself she would do such a thing. You are tying yourself into knots over this, darling. That bracelet was for you!”

  “It’s . . . actually true, Mum.”

  Maggie’s face crumpled, as she placed her hand over her chest. “It’s Alisa, then, isn’t it? Well, I told you she was nothing but trouble.”

  “It . . . wasn’t . . . Alisa.”

  “Then who?”

  “Leah!”

  Maggie’s shock was palpable. “Come on, now. Someone’s pulling your leg. Leah’s your friend, she would die for you.”

  “It’s true. She admitted it—the whole script she wrote . . . it was about them.”

  Maggie’s face turned ghostly white.

  Hannah thought her mother was going to faint. “Are you alright, Mum?”

  “Yes—this is just such a shock. I just can’t believe it!”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “My poor, darling,” Maggie said stroking her hair.

  “Can you pour me a drink, please.”

  “Of course,” s
he said rising from the seat. “How did you find out?”

  “I overheard Leah talking with Alisa. I can’t believe she knew about it as well and didn’t tell me.”

  “Would you have really wanted to know?” Maggie asked cautiously as she poured Hannah a brandy.

  Hannah answered with a nod.

  Maggie pursed her lips. “Do you think you would have believed her? Naomi had us all believing Alisa was some sort of villain.”

  “She could have at least tried.”

  “Maybe. She obviously had her reasons not to,” Maggie said as she handed Hannah a glass. “Who would have thought it, though, and Leah of all people. I thought she was such a lovely girl.”

  “She had us all fooled,” Hannah said burying her fingers in her hair. “I never want to lay eyes on that woman again.”

  “What are you going to do about the rest of the film?”

  Hannah looked up at her pleadingly as though her mother could magically make it all go away. “I can’t go back mum. I was totally humiliated. Everybody knows. I don’t want anything to do with that film.”

  Maggie sat down beside Hannah and firmly took her by her shoulders. “You have nothing to feel ashamed about do you hear me. You’ve done nothing wrong!”

  “But I feel like such a fool.”

  Maggie let out an abrupt snort. “For what? Loving someone? You’re not the fool, Hannah, Naomi was.”

  Hannah greedily took a gulp of her drink. “If she was so unhappy why didn’t she just leave? Why have an affair? I would have understood. I would have let her go. I wouldn’t have tried to make her stay.”

  “That was Naomi for you, though, wasn’t it. She wanted it all. She could never have enough.”

  “I thought I was enough,” Hannah said weakly, a tear falling down her cheek.

  “You are, Hannah. Anybody with half a brain can see you’re worth more than what she did to you. After you’ve had a few days off, you need to brush yourself down, stand tall and go and finish what you started.” She leaned in towards her and eyed her fiercely. “If it’s one thing you are not, Hannah Richards, it’s a quitter.”