Beautifully Unfinished

by Beverley Hollowed

  Once again Alison attempted to pass Trent, but this time, he grabbed her arm.

  Lucy’s blood boiled with anger. Without even thinking, she ran as fast as she could towards her friend, each step she took, her heart raced faster.

  “GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!” Lucy screamed, as she reached them and she pushed Trent away from Alison with all her might.

  Trent stumbled backward, caught completely off guard by Lucy, and the look of shock on his face told Lucy he was completely thrown.

  “Lucy,” Alison said, stunned by her friend's reaction. “What’s wrong?”

  “He is what’s wrong,” Lucy growled angrily without taking her eyes off Trent. The look of shock he had a few moments before, was quickly replaced with what only could be described as an arrogant smirk. “You stay the hell away from her, do you hear me?”

  “Hey, Luc,” Trent said, as he tried to act as natural as possible. “I was just talking to your friend here. She was telling me she was staying with you for the weekend. Fancy me bumping into her. Maybe I could take you two ladies out for a good time tonight.”

  “Not if you were the last man alive,” Lucy spat back, as she tried to seem more confident than she was feeling on the inside.

  “Don’t be like that, Luc,” Trent said, as he stepped towards her, but Lucy quickly stepped back and grabbed Alison by the arm.

  “We are leaving,” she told Alison without letting her eyes leave Trent.

  “Where are you going?” he said, as he took another step closer to the two girls. “It’s still early and there is plenty of fun to be had.

  Lucy was aware they now had an audience, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to get away from Trent McAlister as fast as she could.

  “Lucy,” Alison said, completely confused by her friend's behaviour. She had never seen Lucy so angry before. “Sweetie, it’s okay. We can just go.”

  “Luc,” Trent sighed, and gave her a smile. “When are you going to get over what happened? Can’t we just be friends?”

  “Never,” she replied, as she released Alison’s arm and stepped towards Trent. “I will never forgive you for what you did. Nor will I ever forget. But I will make sure every girl you ever meet from now on, knows what kind of an animal you are.”

  “You were always a fucking bitch,” he snarled into her face.

  “Lucy,” Alison said as she dropped the ice-creams she was still holding and grabbed Lucy’s arm. “We should go.”

  Alison pulled Lucy and led her away from Trent as fast as she could. There was a good distance between them and Trent before Lucy turned and began to walk towards the exit of the park as fast as her legs would carry her.

  “Lucy,” Alison said, once they were far enough away him. “Who is that guy?”

  “No one that matters,” Lucy replied without slowing down. “At least, not anymore.”

  Chapter 23

  “Lucy,” Tucker said softly, as he sat down next to her on the floor. “Talk to me.”

  Lucy hadn’t said a single word the entire walk home, despite Alison’s best efforts to get her to talk to her. When they reached the house, she walked straight up to her bedroom, sat down in the corner of her room, and stared into space.

  Alison had never seen Lucy like this before, and she had no idea what was wrong. She found Tucker’s card on the counter in the kitchen, and she called him.

  “Hi,” she said, as she looked up, surprised to see him sitting there. She hadn’t even heard him coming into the room. “What are you doing here?”

  “Alison called me,” Tucker replied. “She was worried about you. She said something happened at the park, and that you seemed upset.”

  Lucy stared at Tucker but didn’t reply. There were no words she could say to begin to explain how she was feeling inside.

  “It was Trent, wasn’t it?” Tucker said, as he took her hand. “He is the guy that you both met in the park.”

  “He grabbed Alison,” Lucy said, as she could feel the tears suddenly burn in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them back. “Every time she tried to walk away, he stepped in her way. Just like he did…”

  She didn’t finish her sentence. Instead, she closed her eyes as the memories of that night, nine years before, crashed into her mind.

  “Lucy, everything is going to be okay,” Tucker said, as he wrapped his arm around her.

  “How can it be?” She asked, as she opened her eyes and looked up at him. “He is never going to let me forget what he did. As long as I am here, and he is here too, it will always hang over me. And he knows he got away with it, so he thinks he has all the power.”

  “I will never let him put a finger on you again,” Tucker said, holding her tighter. “I promise, he will never hurt you again.”

  “I hate him,” Lucy said, as the tears trickled down her face. “I hate him so much. I hate what he has made me become. I hate that I just feel so helpless all the time. He did this to me, and I hate him for it.”

  “It’s okay,” Tucker said, as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. “It’s okay to hate him because I hate him too.”

  “When I saw him talking to Alison,” Lucy sobbed softly. “I knew I needed to protect her, but for a moment, I froze. When I saw him grabbing her arm, I just lost it.”

  “Did you tell her who he was?” Tucker asked.

  “No!” Lucy exclaimed. “How can I? How can I tell her I let her come here, let him close to her, knowing what he was like?”

  “Lucy, she wanted to come,” Tucker replied. “She loves you. Besides, what happened today was not your fault.”

  “Then why does it feel like it is?” She asked, as she buried her face in his chest and cried until there were no more tears.

  When Lucy finally calmed down, she headed back down the stairs to face Alison, who was sitting on the back porch drinking coffee.

  The moment Alison saw Lucy, she stood up and without saying a word, hugged her tightly.

  “I’m sorry for…” Lucy began to say, but Alison quickly stopped her.

  “You have nothing to be sorry for,” she said, as she held her friend at arm’s length. “I am just happy you’re okay.”

  “Thanks, Ali,” Lucy replied, grateful for her friend's support.

  “Lucy,” Alison said, looking into her friend’s eyes. “You know you can talk to me about anything.”

  “I know,” Lucy smiled, and gave her friend a hug.

  About an hour later, Tucker took the two girls to the hospital to see Tom. Lucy was quieter than usual, and Tom noticed.

  “Is everything okay, Peanut?” He asked Lucy as she bent down to kiss him goodbye before she left, later that evening.

  “Yeah, Dad,” Lucy said with a smile. “Of course, it is.”

  “Are you sure?” He pushed. “You seem awfully quiet tonight.”

  “Yeah,” she replied, this time, her smile was a little less convincing. “I’m just tired, I guess.”

  “If you’re sure, Sweetheart,” Tom said, as he gave her a worried look. Lucy looked at Tucker and Alison and smiled.

  “Can you give us a minute?” Lucy asked them, as she gave them a pleading look.

  “Sure,” Tucker said as he opened the door and stepped back to let Alison leave first. He gave her a questioning look before he too left the room.

  “What’s wrong, Lucy?” Tom asked, once he and his daughter were alone. She sat back down on the chair next to her father and took and deep, steadying breath. “And don’t tell me you’re tired, I know it’s more than that.”

  “I know about what happened to April,” Lucy finally said, and she knew from the look on her father’s face, he was surprised.

  “Oh,” Tom said, as he tried to push himself up in the bed further. “How did you hear about that?”

  “It’s a long story,” Lucy replied, not wanting to worry him more than she needed to. “But I know what happened to her. And I know what happened between Tucker, Riley and Trent too.”

  “I see,” Tom said n
ervously, as he dropped his eyes to his hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

  “No,” Lucy said, as she reached for his hands. “No, I am not mad at you. I know why you never said anything, and if I am honest, I probably wouldn’t have listened if you told me anyway.”

  “Then what’s wrong?” Tom asked.

  “Do you think Trent could do it again?” Lucy asked, knowing she was taking a chance asking her dad this.

  “Has he come near you?” Tom growled, as he pushed himself up in the bed further. “Because if he has, I will kill him myself this time.”

  “No,” Lucy quietly replied. “No, he hasn’t come near me.”

  “Then what is it, Peanut?” Tom asked. “Why are you worrying about this now?”

  “I just want to know if you think that Trent could do it again?” Lucy asked although she already knew the answer. “Was it a stupid kid that made some mistakes, or is he truly a monster?”

  “Lucy,” Tom said, but stopped and took a deep, steadying breath. “You know what he did to you. That was no stupid kid making a stupid mistake. He is an animal, and a leopard doesn’t change his spots.”

  “Yeah,” Lucy sighed. “That’s kind of what I thought.”

  “Are you sure he hasn’t come near you?” Tom asked.

  “I’m sure, Daddy,” Lucy said, as she stood up and kissed him once again. “I should be going. I will be by tomorrow.”

  “Okay, Sweetheart,” Tom said as he gave her hand a final squeeze. “I love you.”

  “Love you too, Dad,” Lucy said, then walked to the door and went to go find Tucker and Alison.

  “Everything, okay?” Tucker said when he saw Lucy walking down the hallway towards him and Alison.

  “Yeah,” Lucy said, as she forced a smiled. “Everything is great.”

  “Then let me drop you girls home,” Tucker said as he reached for Lucy’s hand.

  “Aren’t you going to have dinner with us?” Lucy asked, as they walked to the elevator.

  “I need to go somewhere,” Tucker said without looking at Lucy. She knew straight away where he was going, and she could feel her stomach knot.

  The doors of the elevator opened, but Lucy stood rooted to the spot. She just stared at Tucker.

  “Are you okay, Lucy?” Alison asked.

  “Where are you going?” Lucy asked Tucker without replying to Alison’s question.

  “I need to talk to someone,” Tucker said, still not looking at Lucy. “It shouldn’t take long.”

  “You’re going to see Trent,” Lucy said. “Aren’t you?”

  “I am going to talk to him,” Tucker said, finally looking at Lucy. “I am going to tell him to stay the hell away.”

  “Tell him,” Lucy said, a little more coldly than she meant to. “Or beat it into him.”

  “Lucy,” Tucker replied, as he stepped towards her. “I told you I will never let him hurt you again, and I mean it.”

  “What if you beat the crap out of him,” Lucy said, “And you end up in prison? What good will that do to anyone?”

  “I am not letting him get away this time,” Tucker whispered, as he stepped closer to Lucy. “I can’t Lucy, please don’t ask me to.”

  “I don’t want you to do this,” she pleaded with him, as Alison looked on, unsure of what was happening. “I’m begging you.”

  “I need to,” Tucker replied.

  “Then go,” Lucy said, staring into his eyes as she stepped back from him. “But don’t ask me to say it’s okay because it’s not. I will see you whenever.”

  She stepped around him, and into the elevator.

  “Lucy,” Tucker said, as he turned to her but she refused to look at him. He just stood there and watched her as the doors closed.

  “What the hell just happened?” Alison asked, as the elevator began to move.

  “It’s complicated,” Lucy replied.

  “Well, I have the time for you to explain,” Alison said, as she linked her friend. “We can have a girl’s night, and you can tell me everything.”

  “Okay,” Lucy smiled.

  When they got back to Tom’s, Lucy started to prepare some food, as Alison started to mix up some margaritas.

  Once they had eaten, they took their glasses and the pitcher of margarita into the living room.

  “So,” Alison said, as they sat on the sofa drinking. “Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on between you and Tucker, and what the hell it has to do with that guy today?”

  “I don’t even know where to start,” Lucy sighed.

  “Maybe at the very beginning,” Alison said, as she topped up their glasses.

  So Lucy began at the start. She told a very emotional Alison what had happened, she told her everything. Well, almost everything.

  Lucy didn’t think she needed to tell her every little detail of what Trent had done to her. She didn’t tell her about the bite marks. They were just a little too personal.

  “Is that why you tried to kill yourself?” Alison asked when Lucy finished telling her what Trent had done.

  “How did you know about that?” Lucy asked, surprised by what she asked.

  “I noticed the scar on your wrist the first day I started to work for you,” Alison replied with a smile, as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

  “Why didn’t you ever say any?” Lucy asked.

  “Because it was your story to tell,” Alison shrugged. “I knew one day, you would tell it to me.”

  Lucy just smiled.

  “I’m sorry for what you have gone through,” Alison said sadly, as she reached out and took her friend’s hand.

  “Yeah,” Lucy smiled. “I know.”

  “I think we should get drunk,” Alison giggled, as she reached for the pitcher of margarita and topped up both their drinks.

  An hour later, and another pitcher of margaritas, the two friend’s sat giggling on the sofa together.

  “So tell me about Tucker,” Alison said, as she tried to pour them another margarita. “Did you two…you know?”

  “Oh my God, Ali!” Lucy exclaimed with a laugh. “I can’t believe you asked me that.”

  “What?” Alison laughed too. “Why not? I want to know.”

  “I am not answering that,” Lucy insisted, as she took a long sip of her drink.

  “OH MY GOD!” Alison exclaimed. “You did.”

  “Alison,” Lucy giggled.

  “Was it awesome?” Alison asked excitedly. “I bet it was. He looks like he would be good.”

  “I can’t believe you are asking me this,” Lucy laughed.

  “Just tell me,” Alison said, as she clapped her hands with excitement.

  “Yes!” Lucy exclaimed as her face burned with embarrassment. “Yes, it was amazing.”

  “YES! YES! YES!” Alison screamed as she flopped back on the sofa. “I knew it.”

  Lucy just buried her face in her hands, but she couldn’t help but laugh.

  “We should drink to that,” Alison said, as she sat up suddenly. She grabbed the pitcher and filled up their glasses again, then raised her glass. “To great sex.”

  “To great sex,” Lucy repeated at she lifted her glass and then brought it to her mouth, before knocking it back.

  She set her glass back down on the table and flopped back onto the chair.

  “I feel like the room is spinning,” Lucy said, as she closed her eyes and tried her hardest not to get sick.

  “You need to make up with Tucker,” Alison said, as she flopped back down on the sofa next to Lucy. “He is a good guy, and he loves you.”

  “I blew it with him,” Lucy replied with a sad sigh. “I mess up everything good in my life.”

  “No you don’t,” Alison said, turning suddenly serious. “You just didn’t find the one, but now you have. You need to go tell him he is the one, and make this right.”

  “I don’t even know if he will talk to me now,” Lucy replied.

  “Then go see him,” Alison told her.

  “I can’t
,” Lucy insisted and she sat up. “I can’t leave you.”

  “Yes you can,” Lucy said. “I’m a big girl, I will just call it a night, happy in the knowledge that my friend is finally happy too.”

  “Do you really think I can do this?” Lucy asked as she nervously twisted her hair around her finger.

  “Yes you can,” Alison said as she pulled her phone from her pocket and handed it to Lucy. “Here, call for a cab. You’re too wasted to drive.”

  Lucy took the phone and called for a cab. When she hung up, she handed Alison back her phone.

  “Oh shit,” she said to her friend. “What the hell am I doing?”

  Chapter 24

  When the cab pulled up outside Tucker’s house, Lucy sat for a moment, unsure if she should get out, or just go home.

  She wanted to make things right with Tucker, but she wasn’t sure he would want to make things right with her. He had made no attempt to contact her after their disagreement earlier that evening, and this made Lucy feel uncertain.

  She looked up at Tucker’s house and longed to see him. There was a light on in the house, so she knew he was home.

  “Is everything okay, miss?” The driver asked as he turned back to look at Lucy.

  “Yeah,” Lucy nodded, as she glanced up at the house once more before she sighed and turned back to the driver. “Can you just take me back to where you collected me earlier, please?”

  “Sure,” the driver shrugged as he put the car into drive and pulled away from the kerb.

  Lucy looked up at the house as they moved away, and her heart ached, she wanted Tucker.

  “STOP!” She yelled suddenly, and the driver slammed on the breaks. “I need to get out.”

  Lucy quickly paid the man and got out of the car. She walked back to the house and stopped when she reached the bottom of the driveway.

  “This is a mistake,” she whispered to herself as she stood there and stared up at the house. She looked back to where the cab was moments earlier, but it was gone. “Damn.”

  Suddenly the front door opened, and Tucker appeared on the front porch. Lucy froze as her heart raced in her chest.