Whisper My Last Goodbye
Page 27
They all looked over at her. “Who is it?" Harpur asked curiously.
“It’s erm, Neil.”
Maddie choked up, she’d had enough heartbreak for one day and couldn’t take anymore. “Mam, I’m going to bed. Please don’t let my dad go on at me. I’ve not slept properly for days. Just keep him down here for now .”
Harpur nodded. She knew she’d have to face her husband sooner or later and there was no running away from it. Bridget stood up and placed her hand on her shoulder. “I’m just going to nip home and then I’ll come back. You two need to speak love, even if it is to say it’s over. I’ll go now and give you some space.”
Bridget left and Harpur could hear her talking to Neil in the hallway. Harpur looked like she could drop at any second, she’d had so much stress, her head was battered. All she needed right now was two loving arms to hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright. Neil opened the door slowly and entered the room. His eyes were red raw and you could see he wasn’t in a good way. “Harpur, where’s Maddie? Is she alright?”
“She’s fine Neil, just a bit teary but what else can you expect?”
Neil edged closer to her. “Harpur, I love you so much. I can never say how sorry I am for what I’ve put you through. Please love, don’t give up on us. Let’s work it out. We can’t just throw away our marriage just like that can we?”
Harpur stared at him. If she was being honest with herself she had her own guilty secret too. Could she forgive him though, make things work out? Neil put his arms around her neck and sobbed his heart out. “Please babe, just give me one more chance. I’ll never hurt you again. I swear, name it, I’ll do anything.” His arms around her neck made her feel loved again, somebody who cared about her, would be with her through thick and thin.
“Neil, I’m not sure anymore.”
He didn’t let her get the rest of her words out. “Just let me sleep here tonight and then I’ll give you some space. I just need you near me again, just for one night then I’ll leave in the morning I promise you. We can take it as slow as you want. I won’t pressure you.”
Harpur let out a laboured breath. It was sad to see him like this, so desperate, so full of remorse. “Go and get in bed Neil. I’ll be up soon. I just need to clear my head and I need to be alone.” Neil had an overnight pass, a start, a way back into her life. He kissed her cold hands and looked deep into her eyes. “I’ll never let you down again. I’m going to make you the happiest woman ever. You just watch Harpur, you’ll want for nothing. I’ll talk with Maddie in the morning if that’s alright. I just need to get my head around it all.” Neil left the room and headed upstairs. Harpur was alone with her thoughts.
The midnight hour fell and Harpur lay wide awake next to her husband. He was sound asleep and snoring. She heard someone come into the house. Sneaking out of bed, she crept out of the bedroom and headed down the stairs. “Mam, what are you doing up, go back to bed.”
Harpur shot a look at her son’s hands. They were covered in blood. He could see her looking at them and placed his hands into his pocket quickly. “Come on, let’s have a brew. It feels good to be home Mam.”
Harpur was confused, where was his other half, they went out together? “Where’s Joanne, is she not with you?”
Sam sniggered and shook his head. “Did you really think I didn’t know what was going on with her? The lads in the jail talk and I know everything that dirty slut has been up to while I’ve been banged up. Come on, give me some credit?”
Harpur’s eyes were wide open. “Oh, you’ve not killed her have you? Please Sam, is she alright?”
“Yeah, course she is. She’s back at her mam's. I’ve told her I will look after Joseph but as for me and her, well, it’s over isn’t it?”
Harpur sucked hard on her lips. She was glad he knew the truth, she hated hiding anything from him. But where was the blood from on his hands, there was something he wasn’t telling her? Mother and son sat in the living room slurping on hot cups of tea. Sam looked over at her and shook his head. “What’s up Mam?”
“Nothing love, it’s just you realise what’s important in life don’t you when things like this happen.”
“Yes, it takes a trauma to see what really matters in your life. And sometimes you have to do what makes you happy, not everyone else.” Harpur lifted her head and stared directly at her son. Did he know about Dessie? No, surely not, how could he? “So, you can’t stay fallen out with Nana and Auntie Diane forever can you?”
“I’m still too angry with them both at the moment to even think about it. It will sort itself out, it always does.”
There was a text alert on Harpur’s phone. Sam shot a look over at her and nodded his head. “It’s your phone that not mine, see who it is then, what you waiting for?” Sam’s mother had to act cool. Pretend everything was normal. Her eyes shot down to the screen and a lump formed at the back of her throat.
“I’ll always love you no matter what. I’m leaving in the morning and you will be rid of me forever. Please don’t hate me. Love Dessie X”
This was it, the end, it was finally over. The whirlwind romance had hit a brick wall. “Who’s the message from?” Sam enquired.
“Oh, it’s just Bridget. She was checking if I was alright. She wanted to come back over here earlier but I told her I was fine. She’s been my rock through all this Sam. Honest, without her I would have crumbled.”
“She’s a top girl Bridget is. Mam, are you sure you want Neil here? Maddie text me and told me he’s in bed upstairs, if you want I’ll drag the cunt out and kick fuck out of him.”
Harpur smiled, he was such a hothead. But you could see in his eyes he was serious. Oh yes, he would have done him in proper if he had the go-ahead. His mother was his world and if anyone hurt her, they would have him to deal with. “No son, there has been enough trouble in this house to last a lifetime. It’s a wonder I’m not six feet under. I swear to you, it’s a wonder I’m still breathing.” Harpur stood and kissed her son on his head as she stood over him. “I’m going back to bed Sam. I’m exhausted.”
“Yes, I’m coming to bed soon myself. I’m just getting my head around being out of nick. I’ll be up soon. See you in the morning Mam and remember, nobody can make you happy but yourself. All you’ve done is run about after us lot for years. Do something that makes you happy for a change.”
His words were heartfelt and she dabbed a single finger in the corner of her eye to stop the tears from flowing. “I know love, I know. Goodnight, see you in the morning.”
Sam stretched out on the sofa and looped his hands over his head. “Night Mam,” he whispered as she left the room.
Sam was just drifting off to sleep when he opened his eyes in a panic. “Maddie, what the fuck?”
His sister moved his legs from the sofa and sat down next to him. “I couldn’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes I can still see his face,” she made sure they were alone and spoke in a low voice. “Did you get rid of him like you said you would? Please, tell me it’s done. You said you would help me.”
Sam chewed on his bottom lip and nodded. “I’ve told you no one will see sight or sound of that cunt again. Paul Burton is history. We have a bond me and you, like my mam had with Brady, and your pain is my pain.”
Maddie reached over and patted his leg. “I had to deal with this mess. He was laughing at me, at our family. I only meant to scare him but before I knew it, I stuck the knife in him. His eyes, I can still see them.” Sam could see she was about to go hysterical.
“Ssshhh. This is our secret, not a word about it to anyone. If we get caught for this we will both be jailed for life, you know that don’t you?”
Maddie was shaking, twitching. “He told everyone I was just a bang. I loved him Sam. But I was just a bit of fun for him, nothing more. I was such a fool.”
“Live and learn sister, live and learn.” Sam eased her down to lie at the side of him. He stroked his hand across her forehead. “Big brother is home now, you’re
safe. Remember that always.” Maddie lay with her eyes wide open. She would never breathe a word of this again. She would take it to the grave.
*
Harpur stood at her bedroom door looking at her husband. She’d already been outside to the car and put something in the boot. The morning light was breaking now and the house was in complete silence. She crept over to the bed and placed a letter quietly at the side of Neil. With one look behind her, she sneaked down the stairs. Harpur popped her head inside the living room and looked at her children who were sound asleep on the sofa. Under her breath, she whispered, “I love you both so much. Look after each other. Goodbye now.”
Where was she going at this time of the morning?
Harpur sat in the car and rested her head on the steering wheel. Slowly, her hands moved and the key flicked the ignition. Before she started to drive off, she sent two text messages.
Harpur walked up the street. The birds were tweeting and dawn was breaking. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and raised her eyes up towards the sky. “This is it our kid, wish me luck.” The sound of feet coming towards her, pounding the pavement, heavy breathing. He gripped her tightly in his arms and choked up. “I love you so much. I promise, I will never let you down again. We’ll be happy together forever I swear. Thank you so much for giving me a second chance.” The two of them shared a passionate kiss and walked away together holding hands. Harpur was on a new journey now with the man she never stopped loving. Just before the two of them got into the taxi, Dessie took her suitcase from her and placed it on the floor. He held her head in his hands and a single bulky tear ran down the side of his cheek. “Me and thee. You and I. Who’d have thought it, ay. Come on lovely. We have a plane to catch.
Harpur smiled as the taxi pulled away from the street. She reached over and held Dessie’s hand tightly. “This is forever. You know that don’t you?”
Dessie smirked and nodded his head. “You better believe it is, always.”
THE END
Table of Contents
Although my heart is broken it keeps breaking every day...
In Memory of Darren Anthony Woods
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN