The Runaway Woman

by Josephine Cox

  Lucy turned round. ‘Yes?’

  ‘Please … do enjoy your stay!’

  For a long moment, Lucy choked back a tear. ‘I will,’ she answered softly. ‘Thank you.’

  As Lucy walked away out of sight, the receptionist leaned back in her seat and momentarily closed her eyes.

  When she opened them they held the softest gleam. ‘My troubles seem small, compared to hers,’ she mused. If I’m right, that lady has been through hell and back, she thought.

  She looked about nervously, before reaching behind the newspaper and drawing out the partly filled wineglass, which she then stealthily lifted to her lips to enjoy a crafty little swig. She gave the merest smile as she glanced after Lucy. ‘It must be true what they say,’ she murmured. ‘It really does take one to know one.’

  She believed that she had met a soul mate in Lucy Lovejoy.

  Acutely aware of her position here, regrettably she had to put aside any thoughts of making a friend, to whom she might offload details of her acrimonious divorce and recent money troubles. She could not afford to lose this well-paid job.

  On the third floor, Lucy followed the porter out of the lift.

  ‘Here we are, miss.’ The smart, young man led Lucy to her room, where he opened the door and guided her inside.

  After advising her of the usual facilities, he told her, ‘If you need anything, just call the desk. I’m never far away.’

  When he lingered at the door, Lucy realised what he was after and dug into her purse once more.

  ‘Thank you, you’re … most kind.’ He went away whistling, leaving Lucy suspecting that she must have counted out too many coins to send him away with such a wide smile on his face. You do well to whistle now, she thought, but it might have to be a smaller tip on the way out.

  With a little chuckle, she went to the window and looked out across the harbour. But as she looked out, her smile fell away and her heart was sore.

  She had noticed a middle-aged couple walking arm in arm alongside the harbour. It made her think: that could have been me and you, Martin. With the children grown up, we should have grown closer … able to go away occasionally … enjoy each other’s company.

  Her mind was now alive with memories. ‘What happened, Martin?’ she murmured softly. ‘Was I so unattractive that you preferred my younger sister? Or maybe you never loved me at all. When we were all children at school together, maybe you always had a hankering for Paula, but she was too young and you were afraid to pursue her. Is that what happened, Martin? Did you only go for me, because you could not have my sister?’

  The very idea shocked her, and then she felt a rush of shame for even thinking such a terrible thing. Clenching her fists, she wanted to punch something, someone, anyone. She hated Martin. She hated Paula. And then she hated herself.

  ‘Was it something I did to make you both turn against me?’ she asked herself. ‘Am I such a failure as a wife and a sister that neither of you needs or wants me? That’s it, isn’t it? I’m a failure, and a fool.’

  Drained of emotion, she leaned against the wall, her fists clenched tight as she rhythmically knocked her knuckles on the wall, over and over again. And when the tears broke free, she could no longer hold back the painful emotions. ‘I never even suspected anything … not even for a minute! What kind of an idiot am I?’ she wondered out loud. ‘Was I too giving … too loving? Too accommodating … too easy to fool?’

  Then suddenly she was fighting back. ‘No! Why should I take the blame for their cheating?’ She paced the floor, angrily ranting, ‘You … my own sister … and you, Martin – I really don’t know either of you, do I? You used me … ignored me, like I was nothing – like I didn’t matter – and for that I can never forgive you. Either of you! You are without conscience. You don’t give a damn for the children, or how this would affect them if they knew. But you know what? We don’t need either of you. So, yes, if you want each other, then go ahead, because I for one don’t care any more.’

  But even while she was ranting, Lucy knew that was not true, because when she gave her love it was unconditional and for ever. She regretted being that way now, but she could not change her nature.

  She could not stop caring, but any semblance of loyalty and respect she had for her husband and sister were now gone.

  ‘I can’t be near you any more,’ she whispered. ‘How could I ever again look either of you in the eye?’

  Taking the stool from the dressing table, she carried it to the window, where she sat down, and deliberately focused her mind on the scene below.

  She was delighted that she had been given a room with a sea view. The hotel overlooked the pretty harbour. Lucy had not forgotten it, and from what she could see now, it was still exactly the same as she remembered: the narrow walkway alongside the harbour, and the little stone wall that ran the entire length of the walkway.

  Oh, and there was the doughnut stall, and the ice-cream stall, and the bric-a-brac stalls either side. And beyond them was the restaurant with the same, wide decking she remembered, the tables set beneath parasols, and beneath the decking, the massive, wooden pillars.

  Lucy recalled the manager himself explaining to her parents how the whole ensemble was skilfully brought together, with the giant wooden pillars driven into the sea bed in order to take the considerable weight of the decking.

  Drawing the stool nearer to the window, Lucy began to notice many other landmarks, and the more she discovered, the quieter of heart she became. After the anguish and turmoil of the past few days, she was finding such a great sense of peace here, in this precious, hidden gem, away from the hassle and rush, and the bad things that she had no control over.

  High above, the sun was shining in the bluest of skies. In the harbour the little boats were being got ready to go out, and as they swung about to enter the narrow causeway to the open sea, the water made wide, mesmerising patterns as it swirled beneath the chugging engines.

  The cliffs around the bay and the endless blanket of shifting blue sea completed the picture. So quaint, and magnificent.

  It was as though a tiny piece of heaven had sometime fallen from the skies and settled here.

  Lucy’s attention was drawn to a small child playing on the beach, her parents ever watchful as she began to wander. Lucy saw herself in that small child, and tears once more threatened as all the earlier, precious memories of this idyllic little seaside hideaway came back with a rush of love and appreciation. ‘Are you here, Mum and Dad?’ she murmured brokenly. ‘Are you watching over me?’

  A moment later, Lucy’s inquisitive gaze followed the couple, who had stopped at the ice-cream stall before, strolling along arm in arm again. They were so easy with each other, she assumed they must be man and wife; or maybe old sweethearts. Or both!

  Lucy continued to watch their progress, as they turned off the walkway, obviously still enjoying their ice creams. Then they skirted around the path, as though heading for the jetty.

  In her troubled mind, Lucy saw her mum and dad walking the same path, also eating ice cream. And she turned away. It was too much too soon. She could look no longer.

  She stood and turned her back to the window, eyes closed, thinking of how it used to be.

  Gently shifting the memories to the back of her mind, Lucy reminded herself there were loved ones at home waiting for her to call.

  Kathleen wanted to be home when Lucy called, so today she had swapped her afternoon shift with a colleague.

  With no word from Lucy, she was now concerned. So when the telephone rang, she grabbed up the receiver. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Kathleen, it’s me!’ Lucy was relieved to find her at home. ‘I’m calling to say I got here all right. I thought you might be worried.’

  ‘Yes! I was worried! Sure, I’ve been worried all morning. So, where are you now?’

  ‘I’m at the hotel, and oh, Kathleen, it’s wonderful. It’s the same hotel we stayed in when I was a child, but it’s been renovated, and it’s just lovely. Every
thing here is the same – the harbour, the ice-cream stalls – and, oh, Kathleen, it’s like being a child again.’

  ‘Well, that’s good, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes, but the trouble is, I can’t stop thinking about what Martin and Paula did. And I do miss my parents. Looking out at the harbour just now, I saw this middle-aged couple, and for some reason, they reminded me of Mum and Dad … and—’

  ‘Whoa!’ Kathleen smiled. ‘You’re talking so fast, I can’t take it all in. So, you’ve seen a couple who reminded you of Mum and Dad. Well, that’s kinda nice, but don’t go looking for your parents in every couple you see. It will only make you tearful.’

  ‘I realise that, Kathleen, but it isn’t easy.’

  ‘You need to remember why you’re there. You, Lucy Lovejoy, are there to think about your future, and what you want to do next. So, please, don’t torment yourself with painful memories. Focus on the real reason why you’re there. Walk a lot. Laugh a lot. Go dancing. Flirt with every man that looks at you, and go a little bit mad if you feel like it. Let your hair down. If your cheating sister can do it, so can you.’

  Lucy actually laughed out loud. ‘Kathleen Riley! You’re a terror! If I took notice of you, I’d get locked up.’

  ‘Yes, you probably would. But then it would be a new experience for you, don’t you think?’

  ‘I suppose so … yes.’ Lucy thought herself very fortunate to have such a crazy friend. ‘Only, I haven’t come here to get locked up, or to flirt with every man I see. I’m not you, Kathleen, though sometimes I wish I was. But Lucy Lovejoy is not and never will be wild and wanton, more’s the pity!’ She quickly changed the conversation. ‘It was a straightforward journey here, thank goodness.’

  ‘Aha!’ Kathleen clicked her tongue. ‘What’s been going on then? Come on, out with it!’

  ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  ‘Yes, you do, Lucy, girl, so … what have you got to tell me?’

  Lucy groaned. ‘All right … and don’t read anything into it, but …’

  ‘Come on.’ Kathleen grew excited. ‘I’m waiting.’

  ‘It’s nothing really, but there was this man at the station. I’ve seen him before, but I don’t know who he is. But when I got off at the station here, he saw me … and I rushed away from him.’

  Intrigued, Kathleen was now like a dog with a bone. ‘Out with it, Lucy girl. What are you not telling me?’

  ‘He recognised me.’

  ‘So, there’s more? Go on, get on with it!’

  Begrudgingly, Lucy related the incident at the bus stop soon after she’d learned of her husband’s affair with her sister. She then described the events at the station today.

  ‘What makes me curious is why two complete strangers would offer to take you for a drink?’ Kathleen replied. ‘I reckon you did right to run off.’

  ‘I had wondered the very same but, he was so kind and caring – good-looking, too – and he seemed honest and genuine. And then, like I said, today I got on the train and a few minutes later, he got on. I think he must be a businessman because he seemed to be looking at official kinds of papers. I kept my head down. I was so afraid he might see me.’

  ‘And did he?’

  ‘Yes! When I got off the train he looked straight at me, and I ran away again. I jumped into a taxi and came here, to the hotel.’

  ‘Don’t tell me he was waiting at the hotel … was he?’

  ‘Crikey, no! But, honestly, though, it’s spooky to see him twice in as many days. It was all a bit worrying.’

  Kathleen thought about everything Lucy had told her, and she now had a question for Lucy: ‘Do you want to know what I would have done?’ she asked.

  ‘No, tell me.’ As if she couldn’t already guess.

  ‘I would have encouraged him,’ Kathleen admitted. ‘I would have smiled and enticed him, and got him to take me out to dinner, and spend lots of money on me. And then, I would flirt outrageously, and dance really close to him, so he could feel the thrust of my boobs against his chest. Then, afterwards, when he was all worked up, I’d let him take me to bed, and I would ravish him like he’s never been ravished before. After that, when I was ready for off, I’d make sure I left him gagging for more.’

  Lucy laughed at that, ‘Kathleen Riley!’ she chided. ‘What are you like? You’re a shameless, teasing harlot, that’s what you are!’

  The two of them giggled before chatting some more. Kathleen remembered speaking to Anne. ‘She called me less than an hour since. She was in a bit of a state, because she had not heard from you. When I had to admit that I hadn’t heard from you either, she was even more frantic.’

  Lucy blamed herself. ‘It’s my fault. I should have called her the minute I got here.’

  ‘Well, Lucy girl, as soon as I put the phone down, you’d best call her and put her out of her misery. And if you ever see this particular fella again, don’t be frightened. Enjoy what he’s got to offer. You need to let loose, and show him what you’re made of.’

  Lucy sighed regretfully. ‘I wish I was more like you, Kathleen. But there you go. I’m not and that’s the end of it!’

  ‘If I give you some good advice, would you take it?’

  ‘I won’t promise, but give it to me, anyway.’

  ‘Right then! And it’s nothing terrible, or shameful either. I just want you to get out and about, Lucy. I know it will be hard, but try not to dwell on what you’ve lost. Think about what you could gain by taking this precious time for yourself. Try exciting things. Take your mind off your worries. Do something completely different from anything you’ve ever done before.’

  ‘Oh, so now we’re going back to the man on the train, are we?’

  ‘Well, that would not be a bad idea, but I was not about to say that. Though, while we’re talking, don’t you think it’s strange that you met him in the bus shelter, and then he turns up on the very same train that you were on? I reckon Fate was taking a hand there, Lucy girl!’

  Lucy agreed but she now assured Kathleen, ‘I’m sure it was just coincidence and it has nothing to do with Fate.’

  ‘If you think so. But, look, sweetheart, all I really want is for you to take things easy.’

  ‘What else would I do anyway, except take things easy? This is a very quiet little village, with lovely scenery, delightul walks, and a pretty harbour, with cafes and little shops. To be honest, that’s enough for now.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it. And you’re right. You do best to just walk in the sunshine. Feel the sea breeze against your face. And please, Lucy girl … do not come back until you feel you’re ready to deal with everything. And if you do find yourself short of money, just give me a shout.’ She gave a naughty chuckle. ‘Unless, of course, your sugar daddy turns up again, pouring money at your feet, in exchange for a favour or two … know what I mean, Lucy girl?’

  ‘Oh, yes! I know what you mean all right.’ As always, Lucy felt easier when chatting with Kathleen. ‘I have sufficient money for my needs,’ she confessed, although she did not go into detail. ‘I’ll be alright, honest.’

  ‘Well, the offer is there if needed,’ Kathleen assured her. ‘Call me again tomorrow, but for now, don’t forget to talk with Anne. Call her right now!’

  ‘I will,’ Lucy promised.

  When she had rung off Lucy couldn’t help but reflect on what Kathleen had suggested. The very idea of allowing a stranger to take advantage of her just to get her own back on her husband was unthinkable.

  Partly indignant and partly amused, Lucy promised herself that she would not even think about the man from the train any more. Hopefully their paths would not cross again. Ever! The very thought of allowing a stranger to get close to her in the way Kathleen had joked about made her shiver!

  Somewhere in the back of her mind, though, she could not help but wonder if he might actually be attracted to her in that particular way.

  Banning the thought from her mind, Lucy picked up the telephone receiver again. She dialled the prefix
number for outside, and then her daughter’s number.

  I hope she’s in, Lucy thought. I know she often takes the baby across the park to feed the ducks.

  Anne was just securing the baby into the pram, ready for their walk, when the telephone rang. Taking the pram with her, she hurried to the telephone and snatched up the receiver.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘It’s me, love.’ It was good to hear her daughter’s voice.

  ‘Oh, Mum! I’ve been worried about you, waiting to know if you got to Kathleen’s aunt’s all right.’

  Lucy had been so preoccupied, she’d forgotten that Anne believed she was taking her break with Kathleen’s old aunt. ‘Yes, I had a good train journey and then I got a taxi, and now I’m just settling in.’

  She was careful not to reveal her true whereabouts. The last thing she needed was for Martin or Paula to find out where she really was.

  The baby was making sounds down the telephone. ‘He can hear you, Mum,’ Anne told her. ‘He’s reaching out to touch the phone. Go on, Mum. Talk to him.’

  For a few precious moments, Lucy listened down the line, while her grandson made familiar noises close to the receiver.

  She laughed. ‘He really does know who I am, doesn’t he?’ She was thrilled. ‘He’ll be holding proper conversations before you know it,’ she told Anne. Then it was back to chatting with her little grandson. ‘Love you, big boy. I’ll be home soon, and then Nanna will take you out to feed the ducks, or walk across the park, through the trees and up to the top of the hill. You’ll enjoy that.’ The thought of her darling grandson brought the slightest gleam of a tear to her eye. She was glad that she had managed to move the conversation away from where she actually was without lying to her daughter. ‘I’ll call again tomorrow, and you are not to worry about me. I mean to rest a lot and think things through, and hopefully, come home a stronger person.’

  Anne was greatly relieved. She knew her mother was capable enough to achieve what she had set out to do. Although she was also aware of the grief and pain her mother was being made to deal with just now.