by L Chapman
I slam the door and run down the stairs, unable to see with the tears falling from my face.
“Arghhhh!” I scream.
****
I slowly open my eyes. Where am I?
“Jenny, you’re awake,” Megan says as she grabs hold of my hand.
“Where am I?” I question.
“In the hospital, you tripped going down the stairs at Luke’s,” she informs me.
“Oh, I remember now.”
“That’s good. Bad news, you broke your ankle,” she says.
“Oh, fuck.”
“You will be okay. Rich and I will look after you.” She smiles.
“I don’t want Rich near me.”
“Why?”
“He was having sex with Chad!”
“What?” A look of shock covers her face.
“Yes, Chad had his cock in Rich, so I ran.”
“Oh my.”
“Where is Rich?”
“He is with Luke getting some drinks.”
“Please ask him to leave. Tell him I will move my stuff out of the house.” I begin to cry.
“You can stay with me.”
“Thank you.”
“Knock knock,” A tall skinny man says as he walks through the hanging privacy curtain.
“Hi, Miss Wright. I’m Dr. Ding. How are you feeling?” He asks, moving up the bed towards me.
“I feel sick, and my head hurts,” I say, placing my hand on my head.
“You cut it when you fell. You received twelve stitches and you broke your ankle. No wonder you feel sick,” he informs me.
“Can I go home, please?” I ask.
“Not yet. You need to stay for a few hours longer. Then I can release you if you have someone to look after you,” he says as he picks up the clipboard.
“Megan will,” I state. Please, let me go, please. I do not want to see Rich.
“Still need to wait a few more hours,” he states before leaving us to talk.
I roll over on my side and cry. “Please, don’t cry, Jenny. We will sort everything.”
“Can you get rid of Rich for me, please?” I ask.
“I will.”
Chapter Twenty
Once the doctor released me, I went straight to Megan’s house. I have been here for about an hour now. I have had a wash and put on some of her pyjamas. That’s one good thing about being the same size. Megan spoke to Rich for me, and he left the hospital without a fight. I never want to see him again. I am thankful that Megan’s house is big with plenty of room for us all to sleep.
Mia offered to stay in a hotel, so I could stay here. Megan is planning a special tea for us all. I smell some type of food, but I can’t make out what it is. I start to walk towards the landing when I hear Lucy crying.
“I’ll get her, Megan,” I bellow down the stairs.
“Shhh, Lucy what’s wrong?” I pick her up from her basket and cradle her in my arms. “Shhh…shhh.” I place a little kiss on her head.
“Shall we change that bum bum of yours?” I question before sorting her out.
“That’s you all sorted, baby.”
I turn around to see Mark sanding there smiling.
“You’re going to be an amazing mum sometime, Jenny,” he says.
Tears start to fall from my face. “Thank you.”
Mark walks over to me, giving me a hug with Lucy between us. I can see why Megan likes him so much. He is good at comforting.
“I came to see if you wanted a hand. Tea is ready,” he whispers.
“Thank you. You can take Lucy. I should manage to get down the stairs okay.” I turn off the baby monitor before following Mark along the landing.
“Would you like a dressing gown or anything? It is chilly downstairs.” He asks.
“I don’t know if there is any spare,” I state.
“You head downstairs. I’ll get you something,” he says, heading off into Megan’s room.
“Thank you.” I smile.
I hope it gets easier moving up and down the stairs because it seems to take forever. Hopefully, I will work out how to do it without the worry of falling again. I had a hard time walking upstairs when I arrived here.
“There you are,” Mia says as she stands in the doorway of the front room.
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Come sit down,” she says, pointing at the sofa.
I sit down on the sofa, Mia places a footstool under my feet.
“Thank you.” I feel like an invalid. Everyone is trying to mother me. I just want to be alone. I need time to think; I need to work out what to do.
Mark comes around the door. “Here you go.” He passes me a little jacket in the same material as a dressing gown.
Mark places Lucy into her baby bouncer before they all leave me. I reach for my mobile and check my messages. They are all from Rich.
Jenny, baby. I love you. Xx
I love you, I’m sorry. Xx
We need to get the rest of the wedding things sorted. Xx
Why will you not talk to me Jenny? Xx
I delete them all because I refuse to read any more. With shaking hands, I type him a text.
Rich, it’s over, you’re GAY. Accept it. No wedding, no nothing. I will collect my things. The house is yours. I will ring and cancel all the wedding things. I will place anything of yours at the house. I will leave the car there too.
I hit send and sit there crying. I’m losing everything by leaving. The car is Rich’s because mine is broken. I have nothing. Because of my ankle injury, I cannot work for the next six weeks. I don’t even have a place to live. There are too many people living at my parents’ house, so that’s not even an option. I need to face the fact that I am homeless.
“Hey, what’s up?” Megan questions as she walks through the door with a tray of drinks.
“I have lost everything,” I say between the tears.
“Not everything.”
“What can I do?”
“Let’s have tea, an early night and we can sort out everything tomorrow,” Megan suggests.
I nod. I need to sleep.
Chapter Twenty-One
I should be getting married in sixteen days, but instead, today I am cancelling everything. I slide up in the bed lifting a pillow to place behind my back. I reach over for my mobile.
It’s 9 a.m. I check through my messages. I am happy to see there is nothing from Rich. I go back to find my daily to do alert.
16 days to go list:
Flowers
Wedding Favours
Thank you gifts
Thank you cards
Tears roll down my face. My dream day is gone. There is no way I can cope with all of this, it is just too hard. I have always wanted to be married, always wanted to have a day set aside just for us. Today is meant to be a girly day for Megan, Lucy, Mia and me. We are going shopping and having lunch away from the boys to sort out the list.
I need to return to my house to pick up all the contact numbers and ring or text everyone regarding the change of plans. My mind is racing all over the place. I want to be alone to sleep, but I also feel the need for someone to hold me. More importantly, I want everything finished so I can get on with my new life. Just me, myself and I.
I slide onto the side of the bed, taking it slow. Megan has given me some of her clothes, but I need my own. I inch down the bed and grab some black leggings and a white jumper. That will do. I could care less what I look like right now anyway. I take them over the landing to the bathroom. I apply some mascara and make my eyes smoky, so maybe people won’t notice I have been crying. I step out of the bathroom and straight into Mark.
“Good morning, Jenny,” he says in a cheerful manner.
“Can tell you got some last night, Mr. Cheerful,” I comment before laughing. “Morning.”
“Well, maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. How did you sleep?” He asks.
“Really well, thank you. I crashed.”
“Great. I’ll see you downstairs for
breakfast.” He jumps down the stairs. I am surprised he does not hurt himself.
Breakfast goes really quickly. I don’t want to eat, but do just to keep the peace.
“Change of plans, Jenny. You and I are off to sort out the stuff. Mark’s going to collect your car and drop it off at Rich’s,” Megan states.
“Thank you.”
“Let’s get on. Sooner we start, the sooner it’s over with,” Megan says while grabbing her keys before walking over to Lucy and giving her a little kiss.
“I love you, baby.” I stand there watching Megan with her. She was born to be a mum.
We head out to the car. “We are going in Mark’s. More room for your things. The seats are already down and ready to roll,” she states.
The journey to what used to be my house does not take long. I just sit there with my eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. I really don’t want to be around people, but I need help with moving everything today.
“We are here, but so is Rich,” Megan announces. I open my eyes and take a deep breath.
“Can you give me ten, just to talk to him please, hun?” I ask.
“Of course.”
I climb out of the car and knock on the door. About a minute later, Rich opens the door.
“Why didn’t you use your keys?” He asks, standing at the door in his favourite red tracksuit.
“It’s not my house,” I state.
“Come on. It’s ours.” He moves to the side.
I walk in through the door looking at everything I did to make the house perfect. I spent months decorating this place making it like the dream home I had always wanted to raise our children in.
“Okay, it’s over. You are with Chad. That’s it,” I state.
“But…Jenny,” Rich stutters.
“But what?”
“I love you. I always have.”
“You’re fucking gay!” I scream at him.
“I’m bisexual.”
“Finally admitting something,” I state, placing my hands on my hips.
“I will still marry you, be with you.”
“Do you really love me, Rich?” I question.
“No.” He looks down at the floor.
“There you go. That answers everything. I will get my stuff and leave,” I state.
I turn around to head upstairs when Rich grabs hold of my arm. “Why are you not shouting and screaming at me?”
“I have no energy. I’m tired, and I feel sick. My head hurts, my chest hurts. I just don’t care anymore. I’m losing everything all at once. You have changed, Rich.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not. You’re happy. You get to be with Chad.”
“Don’t be like that,” he states.
“How long?”
“How long what?”
“Have you been fucking him?” I fold my arms.
“About eight months now.”
“What?”
“Just after my birthday party that you surprised me with.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me?”
“I was scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“This.” He makes a motion with his hands between the two of us.
“You’re not losing anything. Your family will be fine with it all.”
“I’m sorry,” he states.
“Go get Megan, will you? I’m off to pack.” I walk away. Tears begin flooding my face as soon as I reach the top step.
“Jenny, are you all right?” Megan asks.
I nod. “Let’s do this.”
It does not take long for us to pack my clothes, pictures, jewelry and other important items. Rich leaves us alone to do it. Megan places everything into the car while I see Rich for one last time.
“Here.” I stand at the front room door.
Rich walks towards me. “Your house keys and ring. Mark will drop off the car key with the car when he brings it.”
“Thank you.”
“Goodbye, Rich.”
I turn around and walk out of my house. My dream house. My life is gone. Where do I go from here?
Chapter Twenty-Two
When we pull up in Megan’s driveway, I just sit there not knowing what to do. I want to cry, but I can’t cry anymore because I have no tears left. I need to sort out the last remaining things linking me to Rich. Then, maybe I can finally move on with my life and look forward to my new life. Why can’t everything be like a fairytale? Trouble free.
“Thank you, Megan,” I say, turning to face her.
“You’re welcome, hun. What are your plans for today?” She asks.
“I am going to go upstairs and cancel everything wedding related then I can move on,” I state.
“If you need a hand, give me a shout,” she says. “I will take all your stuff upstairs for you.”
“You’re the best,” I say, climbing out of the car, grasping my wedding folder.
I settle myself on the bed, placing everything I need around me. I look down at my mobile to check my unread messages. There is one from Michele.
Jennifer, I am so sorry that my brother did that to you, I am here if you need me XO
I cannot talk to her yet. I start at the top of my list ringing each one and holding back the tears as I say goodbye to my dream. Goodbye to my life.
I have one last call to make, but I need the number. I take my bag and pull out the card with the hotel’s number on it. As I place the card on my knee, Warren’s card falls out from behind it. I pick it up and stare at it. All the memories of that night with him flood my mind. Do I call him? I just don’t know. I toss the card onto my pillow and ring the last number on my list.
“Hey,” Megan says, standing at my room door.
“Hey, they are all done,” I state.
“That’s fab. Mark’s dropped off the car. He is going to pick up some takeout on the way back,” she says as she walks towards me.
“Michele texted,” I say showing her the message.
“Are you going to answer her?” She questions.
“Yeah, I’ll do it now before I chicken out.”
It’s okay, he needs to be happy. Thanks for everything. XO
“Done. Right, that’s everything done. I just have to collect some stuff from the hotel and the castle,” I state.
“I can drive you,” she says, taking a seat on the side of the bed.
“Thank you. Can we do it tomorrow? When do you go away?” I question. I have only just remembered that Megan is going away to Mark’s for his mum’s birthday.
“Yes, we can. I leave in two days’ time. Will you be okay without me? I can stay. Mark will understand,” she states.
“No, you go. Have fun.”
“Come with us,” she states.
“No, you go,” I say. “Right, I need to burn all this.”
“Wow, really?” She questions while collecting the bits together.
“Yes, really. Do you have any matches?” I question.
“Yes, I do.”
“Let’s do this.” I slide off the bed and head downstairs into the garden with everything.
“Do you have anything we can burn it in?”
“No, don’t think so.”
“What can we burn it in?” I question. “I have no idea what we can use that’s safe.”
“Me either.”
“Shall we shred it instead?” I suggest.
“Come on then.”
I sit there in the front room shredding everything, shredding my life away. This is it. My life is officially over. As I place the last remaining papers of my dream wedding into the shredder, my mobile signals an incoming text from Michele. Her words are encouraging at a time when I need them most.
Jenny, we are friends for life, sod my brother. You’re still family to me. Is there anything I can do to help you out? XO
I smile and send a quick reply. She always seems to know the right things to say.
Thanks hun, No everything is done, Megan’s help
ed me. XO
Where are you staying? XO
Megan’s. XO
Chapter Twenty-Three
I take a deep breath as we pull into the car park of the castle. This is the last place I saw Warren. I hope he is not here; I do not want to see him. I wonder if I can run in and get the stuff out as quickly as possible.
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Megan asks, turning off the engine.
“Will you?” I am so lucky to have an amazing friend like Megan. She is always here for me, and she will do anything for me. The thought of losing her kills me. I hope she does not move away from me. I don’t think I could cope without her.
She nods, undoing her seat belt and sliding out of the car.
“Hey Lucy Doo, time to go into the princess castle,” she says as she takes her out of the back seat. She holds her on her hip and locks the car.
“Ready.” I smile as I hobble along the gravel path towards the castle. My castle. The place my world was going to become perfect. We were going to spend our wedding night here, while everyone else was at the hotel. This place was a dream. I cannot believe how much money I wasted on this place, and I am not going to get anything in return. It leaves me penniless with nowhere to live. I feel tears start to stream down my face. I turn to face Megan as we walk through the door.
“There is no way I can go through with this,” I say, placing my hands over my face.
“You can. Believe in yourself, everything will be sorted in time,” she assures me while moving Lucy onto her other hip before placing her hand on my lower back.
“Thank you, Megan.”
“Jenny, so lovely to see you again,” Michael says as he hurries towards me.
“Hi, Michael, we are here to collect the things I dropped off last time.”
“Oh, yes, I’ll go and grab them for you.” He turns around and heads off to one of the side rooms.
“Is it me, or is he really happy today?” Megan enquires.
“Really happy,” I laugh. “Someone got some last night.”
“Here it is.” Michael walks over to us.
“Thank you. Nice to see you again,” I state.
“You, too. Just be happy you found out before the day,” he says.