How Many Chances

by Beverley Hollowed

  “I should be going,” Gus announced standing up suddenly. He turned and looked directly at Ally. “Will I see you back at work tomorrow?”

  Ally opened her mouth to speak but Cole spoke before she could get a word out.

  “Actually I was hoping that Ally might come to London with me for a few days,” Cole said to Gus before he turned and looked at Ally. Ally could see nerves and worry written all over his face. “I need to go back to London, I have to see Ben. And I know I am asking a lot of you to come with me. But I don’t want to go and leave you here. I want you with me every step of the way. Please say you will come with me.”

  Ally stared at him in shock for a moment. She could feel her heart begin to race. She knew if she wanted to be with Cole she would have to learn to accept Ben. But this all seemed so soon. She looked at her Nan and Pop, who were both looking at her expectantly. Then she looked at Gus, who face was completely unreadable.

  “Ally please,” Cole pushed her. She looked at him and she knew she wasn’t ready for this. She would tell him straight.

  “Okay,” she said and completely surprised even herself. What they hell was she thinking? The last thing she wanted to do was go to see some kid. His kid. She didn’t want any part of it. But she couldn’t bear the thought of him going to London and leaving her again.

  “Really?” Cole replied a little surprised she agreed so easily. He thought he would have had a hard job convincing her to go with him. He couldn’t help the big grin that covered his face. “You don’t know how happy this makes me.”

  Ally smiled but inside she was screaming. What had she just agreed to? Why couldn’t she be stronger and stand up to this man. It was like all reason left her body when he was around.

  “So you are not coming back yet?” Gus said he voice flat and his face still completely unreadable.

  “Is that okay?” Ally asked and secretly part of her hoped he would say no. But he didn’t.

  “Its fine,” he said as he moved towards the door. He stopped in front of Ally. He looked at her and Ally could see sadness in his eyes. “I am glad you are home safe. Please don’t’ scare us like that again.”

  “I won’t,” her voice was barely a whisper. Something about Gus behaviour seem strange to Ally and almost a little sad. She wanted to hug him and normally she would, but he seemed strange and she decided against it.

  Without another word Gus walked out of the sitting room. Seconds later the front door slammed shut and he was gone.

  “What the hell was all that about?” Ally asked once she heard the front door close.

  “He was just worried like the rest of us,” her grandfather said dismissively as her grandmother picked up the tea pot and began to pour the tea out.

  Ally looked at Cole but he looked as confused as she felt. But something in the tone of her grandfather’s voice told Ally not to push it further.

  **********************************

  It was almost two o’clock in the afternoon when Ally kissed her grandparents goodbye, promising she would call them from London, before she followed Cole out to his car. He held the door open for her and closed it once she had climbed inside.

  Once Cole climbed into the driver’s seat, he slipped the key into the ignition and started the engine. He smiled over at Ally before he slowly pulled away from the curb, Ally waved goodbye to her grandparents then sunk back into the seat.

  They drove for a few minutes without either saying a word, each lost in their own thoughts. Ally was worried about going to London. She was nervous about seeing Cole with his baby. And completely terrified at the prospects of coming face to face with the child’s mother.

  “Are you angry with me?” Cole asked finally, glancing sideways at Ally.

  “Why would I be angry with you?” Ally asked, looking at Cole in confusion.

  “For dropping the London thing on you last minute,” Cole said stealing another glance at Ally nervously. He almost felt he was treading on eggshells. He knew he had her hurt and he was terrified of screwing up and hurting her again. “I was planning to talk to you about it later but when Gus said about you going back to work, it just kind of came out.”

  “It’s okay,” Ally smiled at him reassuringly. She knew he was nervous and tentative. She knew he was trying really hard to get it right. She wished she could give him the full reassurance he needed but the truth was, she was struggling hard. She didn’t want to go to London. But how could back out of it now without upsetting Cole. She would have to just suck it up and do it for his sake. For both their sakes if they were going to get through this and have a future together.

  “I need to stop by Sid’s and collect my things,” Ally said absentmindedly, as she stared out the car window.

  “I still can’t believe that asshole lied to me about not knowing where you were,” Cole growled, the anger in his voice surprised Ally. “I went to his house so many times and you were there the whole time.”

  “Please don’t blame Sid,” Ally pleaded as she turned in her seat to face Cole. “I gave him no choice. I made it clear if he told anyone I would pack my things and leave, then no one would have known where I was. He did it for the best. But he really wasn’t happy about it.”

  “But he knew how worried everyone was,” Cole replied glancing at Ally briefly. “He could have told me, I would have respected your needed space.”

  “Really?” Ally said, but it wasn’t really a question. “Cole I left a note saying I needed time and space and you spent the whole time searching for me. You really believe if you knew I was at Sid’s you would have just left me there?”

  “I guess you’re right,” Cole sighed. He knew she was right. He would have camped out on Sid’s door if he had known she was there.

  “You know,” she said as she turn once again in her seat and staring out the window. “It was Sid who convinced me to call Caitlin. He hated lying to everyone. He pushed and pushed for me to talk to you. It was killing him to see you and everyone else so upset.”

  She turned and looked over at Cole.

  “Please don’t be mad at him,” she said softly. “He was a good friend when I needed one the most.”

  Cole didn’t reply. He thought about what she had said. He was glad she had someone to turn to. But it killed him it wasn’t him.

  Finally, when they stopped at a traffic light, he looked over at Ally and smiled. He reached over and took her hand and squeezed it softly.

  “I promise I will be nice to Sid,” he smiled brightly at her. “He took care of my girl and kept her safe. I guess I owe him for that.”

  Chapter 6

  They reached Sid house about fifteen minutes later. Ally climbed out of the car and waited on the path for Cole before she took his hand and led him up the pathway to Sid’s front door.

  She reached for the doorbell but paused for a moment and turned back to Cole.

  “Please be nice,” she begged him.

  “I am always nice,” Cole laughed and kissed her softly on the lips. “That why you love me so much.”

  “You know what I mean,” Ally laughed as she playfully slapped his arm. She turned and rang the doorbell.

  At first there was no answer, but then she rang the second time and could hear a familiar voice calling they were coming. But it wasn’t Sid’s voice. It was a girl’s voice. Finally the door opened and Ally was shocked to see Hannah standing there, dressed in, what looked like one of Sid’s white t-shirts and a pair of his boxer shorts.

  Hannah’s face dropped when she saw Ally and Cole standing on the front step.

  “Good morning,” Ally said and couldn’t hide the big grin on her face. This was so unlike Hannah. She was always the quite, shy one. Hannah’s face was bright red as she nervously pulled the bottom of the t-shirt down to try cover her legs.

  “Morning Ally,” Hannah said as she stepped back and let Ally and Cole into Sid’s house. “Morning Cole. I can explain.”

  “Don’t think that is necessary, do you?” Ally said w
ith a giggle as she kissed Hannah on the cheek. “Did you have fun?”

  “Oh yeah,” Hannah giggled too. “Oh My God Ally!”

  “Ladies, ladies,” Cole said putting his hands over his ears. “Too much information.”

  Both girls burst out laughing.

  They followed Hanna into Sid’s kitchen.

  “I would offer you a coffee but there is no milk,” Hannah said as she sat down on one of Sid’s kitchen chairs and pulled one of her knees up to her chin. “That’s were Sid is. Gone for milk. I thought you were him and he had just forgot his keys.” Ally just nodded.

  They sat for a moment in awkward silence. Until Hannah spoke again.

  “So you guys,” she asked nervously, unsure of how she should broach the subject. “You two are okay now?”

  “We are fine,” Ally smiled at her friend and then glanced at Cole who had the biggest grin of his face.

  “Good, I am really happy for you both,” Hannah said happily, but before she could say another word, Sid opened the front door and strolled down the hall.

  “Hi,” he said, stopping dead at the kitchen door when he saw Ally and Cole sitting there. He nervously looking from Ally to Hannah and back to Ally again. Ally had always warned him to stay away from her friends. Ally knew Sid was a bit of a player and she didn’t want him to hurt her friends. So she had made it clear he was not to go there.

  But he liked Hannah, he really did. Still he was afraid Ally would be mad at him.

  “Hi yourself,” Ally said with a laugh, she could see Sid was panicking and she was tempted to make him squirm some more. But she owed him for the last few days. And the crap he got off Caitlin and Hannah the night before for not telling them where she was. And no doubt Gus was probably mad at him too. “Good night?”

  “Very good night,” Sid replied with a smile as relief washed over his face when he realised she wasn’t angry with him. He walked over and to everyone’s surprise he leaned down and kissed Hannah softly on the lips. “Best night ever.”

  “Oh God!” Ally exclaimed as she stood up from her seat and walked towards the door. “Get a room. I am off to pack my things.”

  “Are you going back to your apartment?” Sid asked as he switched on the coffee machine sitting, all ready to go, on his counter.

  “Yeah I…” Ally replied but once again was interrupted by Cole.

  “No she’s come home with me,” Cole said very matter of factly. Ally looked at him in sheer disbelief. “Ally, I don’t want you alone in that apartment. That fact has never changed.”

  “And what about what I want?” Ally said angrily.

  “Ally, that apartment isn’t safe,” Cole replied with determination. “Last Wednesday, when I went back to your apartment to talk to you, and you weren’t there. The first thing I thought was Jason had come back.”

  “What do you mean, had come back?” Sid asked sitting down the milk on the counter and turning to Cole and Ally. “What the fuck has happened Al. Has that asshole done something to you?”

  Ally could feel the blood drain from her body. She didn’t know what to be more upset about. They fact that Cole just expected her to do what he wants or the fact he just blabbed to Sid about Jason, or worse of all the fact that Sid now knew something happened with Jason. And Sid being Sid, he wouldn’t let it sit until he knew the truth.

  “Nothing happened,” Ally replied quickly as she stood up and shot Cole a looked that could kill. “I am going to get my belonging and I am going home. Alone!”

  She walked out of the room and up the stairs before she headed straight to the spare bedroom. She grabbed her suitcase and started throwing her things into in temper. She was so mad at Cole right now. How could he have been so stupid?

  She could hear hurried footsteps coming up the stairs and then towards her door. She took a deep breath and waited for the explosion about to come through the door.

  “Ally,” Cole said the minute he burst through the door. “What do mean, ‘you are going home, alone?”

  “What part of it don’t you understand?” Ally snapped back turning to face Cole. She was mad as hell. “Who the hell do you think you are? Cole you might have gotten me back into your bed, but that doesn’t mean you own me.”

  “I never said I did!” he exclaimed taken back by her biting remark. “I just don’t want you in that apartment anymore. It isn’t safe.”

  “So you told Sid about Jason!” Ally said looking at him in complete disbelief. “And you think Sid will side with you now and I will just back down and do what you say?”

  “I never thought that,” Cole protested. He couldn’t believe she would even think that. “Ally, I am just worried about you. I want you safe.”

  “Fine then,” she snaps taking a deep, calming breath and rubbed her temples trying to ease the sudden headache she had. “I will look for somewhere new to live.”

  “Why?” Cole said trying to appear calm too, but failing miserably. “My house is big enough for the two of us. You can have all the space you need. It makes more sense for you to live there.”

  “Cole listen to yourself!” Ally said completely thrown by what he said. “We have known each other a month. And you want me to move in with you! Do you know how stupid that sounds?”

  “Why is it stupid?” Cole asked looking her straight in the eyes, taking a step towards her. “You love me don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do” she agreed.

  “And you know I love you?” he continued as he walk towards her slowly.

  “Yes,” she swallowed nervously as he stopped directly in front of her. He was so close she could feel his breath wash across her face. She knew she needed to stay strong but she also knew he knew exactly how to get under her skin. He reached up and traced his fingertips down her face and her stomach contracted.

  “I want you Ally,” he said breathlessly, his lips barely and inch from hers. “I want to have you with me when I go to sleep at night and I want you next to me when I wake up. I need you. Please. Tell me you want me too.”

  “I do,” she whispered as he brought his mouth to hers. Pulling her into his arms he kissed her like it was the last thing he would ever do.

  Ally’s body melted into his, as his hand ran softly down her back until he reached her backside. He cupped her bum firmly, pulling her closer to him.

  “I want you now,” he groaned as he breathlessly pulled his mouth from hers. He backed her up till she could feel the bed against her legs.

  “Cole,” she whimpered as he held her closer and she could feel his erection hard against her hip. “We can’t do this here.”

  “I can’t wait,” he replied as he eased her back onto the bed and climbed over her. “I need you now.”

  “ALLY!” Sid’s angry voice suddenly echoed throughout the house. Followed by heavy footsteps, pounding up the stairs at speed. Cole groaned as he reluctantly stood back up and helped Ally back to her feet. She barely had time to straighten herself up before Sid burst into the bedroom.

  “He tried to rape you?” Sid blurted out as anger poured from every inch of his body. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Sid, clam down,” Ally begged.

  “I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!” he shouted as he paced up and down. “That bastard forced his way into your apartment and hit you. And pinned you down…”

  “Sid that is enough!” Cole said standing in front of Ally. “She has been through enough. She doesn’t need you shouting at her.”

  “And what the hell did you do about this,” Sid asked standing nose to nose with Cole. “Why is this scumbag still able to walk?”

  “He has been taken care of,” Cole snapped back angrily.

  “Sid, stop this now! “Ally said stepping in between Sid and Cole. She turned and looked up and Cole as her heart pounded in her chest. “What do you mean, taken care of?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Cole replied quickly and turned back to Ally’s suitcase. He closed it up for her and pulled it from the bed.

 
“Cole, you said no more lies,” Ally demanded dragging him by the jacket so he was facing her. “You tell me the truth now or we are done.”

  Cole closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew he had no choice.

  “Okay,” he sighed, finally opening his eyes. “The morning I found you, and you refused to go to the police. I couldn’t just do nothing. He had attacked you Ally, yes he didn’t go all the way, but he hurt you. When the girls came by and you fell asleep, I went to see Jason.”

  “What did you do to him?” Ally asked, not really sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

  “What do you think I did?” Cole replied looking her straight in the eyes. He could see the fear in her face but he had to tell her the truth. “I beat the ever living shit out of him. He was lucky Nathan turned up, because I would have killed him too.”

  “Why did you do that?” Ally asked him in disbelief.

  “Because he hurt you, Ally,” Cole replied like the answer was obvious. “Ally don’t you understand how much I love you. Seeing you that morning, well it almost killed me. He did that to you. And I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.”

  Cole closed his eyes as the memory of that morning filled his mind. Ally curled into a ball in the corner beaten and terrified. He remembered feeling sick when he saw her torn panties on the bedroom floor. The memories mad him so angry.

  Ally wasn’t sure what to say to that. She wasn’t sure how she felt. Part of her was angry he did something so god damn stupid. But part of her loved him more for being the only person who ever stood up for her like that.

  “I didn’t tell you because I knew you would worry,” Cole explained when he finally opened his eyes and looked at Ally. “I know you would have been worried about him going to the police.”

  “And what if he had?” Ally asked.

  “Then I would have crossed that bridge if it happened,” Cole shrugged. “But I don’t regret doing it.”

  “I can’t believe you did that,” Ally whispered, as she reached up and stroked his face with her fingertips.