Absolute Betrayal

by Ronni Meyrick

  Carly shifted in Stella’s arms and laid her head against her shoulder. Stella placed a kiss on her forehead and tightened her hold as she watched Carly struggle to keep her eyes open.

  “Stay awake, sweetheart. I think you have a concussion.”

  The paramedics soon had Gemma in a hard neck brace and strapped onto a spinal board. As the paramedics carried her out, Carly followed them out with an ice pack pressed to her left cheek.

  Stella had their belongings and coats, and she stumbled along beside her. “Claudia, get the car and meet us at the hospital. I’m sure someone here can direct you. Send everyone home with full pay, and we’ll contact them when the club has been cleaned up and refurbished!”

  The thin steps into the back of the ambulance wobbled as Stella stepped inside. The door was slammed shut behind her. Carly was in a small seat next to Gemma, holding her hand and talking in a low voice as their eyes met a small smile formed on her lips. “I’ll be okay. I know Gemma is unconscious, but if I talk to her it might help, and it will keep me awake as well.”

  Stella sat beside her and took her hand. “Good idea.”

  A few hours later, Carly, Stella, Claudia, and Trish sat next to Gemma’s bed, waiting for the doctor. Gemma’s appearance had stopped them all in their tracks. Instead of being in a bar brawl, anyone would’ve sworn she’d gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson. Her head was wrapped in a bandage, she had stitches over her right eyebrow, her hair was matted with blood, and her ribs were heavily bandaged to support the four that were cracked.

  Gemma’s eyes fluttered open, and she reached blindly about with her hand “I’m…sorry…didn’t mean…”

  Stella jumped to her feet and towered over the bed to look down at Gemma. “Shh, rest, get your strength back.”

  “No…sorry about…last night. Wouldn’t…” She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “Have…a job…if didn’t keep gays out. Delia paid…me extra…to be…nasty.”

  Stella’s head shook from side to side, her mouth fell. “Don’t worry about that. You still have your job, and I’ll make sure you’re still paid for your time off.”

  Gemma’s lip cracked and a small trickle of blood pooled on it. “Thanks.” Her eyelids slipped closed again.

  “I’ll arrange for the nurse to get her anything she needs.” Stella turned to study Carly. Her head bobbed forwards and backwards as she struggled to stay awake. “I think we need to head home. Carly needs to rest. I’ll call the airport and have the pilot get the plane ready.” She bent and carefully kissed Carly’s forehead. “Don’t worry, darling, we’ll have you home as soon as we can.”

  The wheels of the plane touched down at London City Airport two hours later. Carly had slept the entire journey home. Stella and Claudia helped her from the plane and sat her in the passenger seat of the waiting car.

  “Can you help me get her to my house? I’d feel better if I could keep an eye on her overnight.” Stella handed the baggage handler some money and shut the boot of the car.

  “Sure.” Claudia helped Trish into the car and jumped in next to her.

  When they arrived at Stella’s an hour later, the front door swung open and George ran out to greet them with Helen and Thomas close on their heels.

  “Cool, Aunt Carly is here!” Stella caught him in her arms to stop him from waking Carly.

  “Aunt Carly doesn’t feel well, GT, let her sleep.” She picked him up and shielded him from the sight of Carly’s bruised face as she didn’t want to worry him. “Go and help grandpa with the bags.”

  Helen stood with her arms across her chest, frowning at her daughter. She waited until her husband and grandson were inside before walking to Carly’s window. “Oh God! What the bloody hell happened?”

  She threw open the door and leant over the sleeping woman to better inspect her injury.

  Stella rubbed her eyes. “I’ll explain everything after I get her inside and tucked up in bed.” Ushering her mother out of the way, she leaned over Carly and undid her seatbelt. Her hands slid underneath Carly’s legs and around her shoulders with ease as she lifted her up, cradling her against her chest.

  Carly weighed hardly anything, and the trip into the house and up the stairs to Stella’s bedroom was made quickly. Thank God dad has George entertained downstairs. I’d hate for him to wake her up. Laying Carly flat on the bed, Stella crossed the room and rummaged in one of her drawers for something for Carly to sleep in.

  Stella’s attention was drawn back to the bed as Carly moaned, and she heard movement. Carly had one eye open watching her.

  “Where am I?” Carly moved against the pillow under her head, and Stella’s scent surrounded her.

  “In my bedroom as I didn’t want you to be alone tonight. I don’t think it’s safe for you to be alone for a couple of days.” Stella held up the t-shirt she’d found for her to sleep in. “Let me help you change into this then you can go back to sleep.”

  With Stella’s help, Carly positioned herself on the side of the bed and held her arms up for Stella to help remove her clothes. She hung her head as Stella fell to her knees in front of her. “I’m sorry I’m so useless. My head is all fuzzy, and my eye socket is throbbing and burning.”

  Stella made quick work of undressing her and covering her with the t-shirt. That’s all she needs is for me to get carried away at the sight of her body. She pulled the duvet back and helped Carly into bed. She placed a kiss on her forehead and watched as Carly squirmed about to get comfortable. “I’ll be back up soon with some paracetamol and a bottle of water. Rest, darling, I’ll leave them on the bedside table for you if you’re asleep.”

  Carly tugged on Stella’s hand pulling it to her lips. “Thank you.”

  Carly kissed the back of it and then dropped it as her body relaxed against the softness of the bed covers. Her eyelids drooped heavily and closed a moment later.

  Stella’s heart ached as she evaluated the injuries. Carly’s eyes were already turning a deep shade of purple. The bruise was spreading down her cheek and over one side of her nose. Stella bent and placed one last kiss on her lips. “I can’t believe you pushed me out of the way… Good night, sweetheart.”

  Tip-toeing out of the bedroom she closed the door quietly behind her.

  “I guess it’s time to head downstairs and face my mother. It’s a good thing that Delia is in custody because when I explain how you got hurt to my mother, she’ll not be happy, and I can see her wanting to dish out some revenge.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The normal Monday morning mayhem greeted Stella the next day, and she spent most of her time chasing around after George getting him ready for school. Carly’s presence only made it worse, as Stella had to keep him from waking her up. He tried every trick in the book to get around Stella and had left for school with his grandma with a pout firmly fixed on his face. He’d even jutted his lower lip out to try for the extra cute factor, but Stella remained strong. The last thing Carly needs is for a hyperactive seven-year-old to jump all over her when she has a concussion.

  The rest of the day unfolded like any other, except for the regular visits to the bedroom to check on the still sleeping woman. At one o’clock, she abandoned her office. Her eyes squinted together as she stared at the bedroom door. She shouldn’t have slept for this long. Oh God, I hope there’s nothing wrong! Running across the landing, she pushed the door open to find her bed empty and the en suite bathroom door closed. Thank God!

  The door opened a few seconds later, and a delightfully dishevelled Carly stumbled into the room. The sight of her in the t-shirt with her bare toned legs on display sent an electric current through Stella’s being. When her eyes finally locked onto Carly’s face, she couldn’t stop herself from wincing. It was completely swollen on one side, and the deep eggplant purple bruise covered her face. It reminded Stella of the half face mask the phantom wore in Phantom of the Opera.

  “Oh, sweetheart, how do you feel?” Stella held her arms out to Carly and grunted as she fell into t
hem.

  “Better than I did last night. But my head still hurts, and I know I look hideous.” Carly rubbed her uninjured cheek against Stella’s soft fleece jumper. “I can’t believe I slept this long either. Ryan is probably pulling his hair out at the club.”

  Stella released her and placed one of Carly’s travel bags on the bottom of the bed. “I called him this morning and also made arrangements for a professional cleaning crew to go into the Birmingham club. The only thing I want you to concentrate on this week is getting better and resting.” She kissed Carly on the forehead. “I left you some fresh towels in the bathroom. Go and have a shower and get dressed. I’ll make us a snack when you come downstairs.”

  Carly placed a small kiss on Stella’s chin before going back into the bathroom.

  “Call if you need me.”

  While Carly took her shower, Stella strode downstairs and went straight to the kitchen to prepare them a late lunch.

  Carly appeared in the kitchen doorway an hour later, dressed in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, but the left side of her face was covered with a portion that had been purposefully left loose.

  “Something smells good.” Her stomach grumbled loudly as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

  “It’s only chicken and pesto pasta—nothing too extravagant. I thought you’d want something more substantial than a sandwich.” Stella picked up one of the pasta bowls she had ready on the side and dished up a generous portion from the saucepan on the hob. She placed it in front of Carly and turned back to fill her own. “There’s some left over for George to have for a snack when he gets in.” Stella glanced to the clock above the door. “He’ll be here in an hour. I hope you’re ready for him. I had a devil of a time keeping him away from you this morning.”

  “What am I going to tell him about this?” Carly pointed to her face. “I don’t want to scare him.”

  Stella covered Carly’s hand with her own. “We’ll tell him the truth. He’s not stupid and will know something is wrong if we try to play it down. Leave it to me.”

  While they ate, their eyes met numerous times, and soft smiles and touches were shared. But they enjoyed their meal in silence.

  When Carly rose to put her bowl in the dishwasher, Stella placed a hand on her arm stopping her. “Leave it on the table, I’ll do it in a minute.”

  Carly sat back into her chair and sighed heavily; the puff of air caused her hair to move aside, showing part of the bruise. “I’m going to have problems keeping this covered.”

  “The only people who didn’t see you when we arrived last night were George and my dad. Mum saw your injuries, and when I explained to her what had happened, she hit the roof and demanded to know what had happened to Delia.” Stella shook her head and chuckled. “I think my mum quite likes you.”

  After stacking their cutlery and dishes, Stella took Carly’s hand and led her into the front room. She stumbled backwards as Carly pushed her into her armchair and sat on her lap, tucking her face into the crook of her neck.

  “Thank you for taking such good care of me.” Carly pecked Stella’s lips and ran her fingers down her cheek. “I’ve never had anyone look after me before.”

  Stella returned her kiss. “Well, get used to it, as I’m not letting you out of my sight until you’re healed properly.” The loud thud against the hallway wall caused them both to cringe, and Stella rolled her eyes. “He’s ho—”

  “Aunt Carly, Aunt Carly!” George yelled as he run through the house to the kitchen. When he saw them sitting together in the living room, he dropped his book bag on the floor and sprinted towards them.

  “Hey, Georgous.” Carly opened her arms and welcomed him into the chair with them. His little arms wound tightly around her neck, and he bounced as he embraced her.

  “Calm down, Son.” Stella repositioned Carly on her lap and held her by the hips. Her heart swelled with love as Carly stroked George’s back and he snuggled in even closer.

  George released her neck and sat back in her arms staring at her face. “I like your hair.” His small hand reached out and brushed the overhanging hair out of her eyes. A frown creased his forehead, and his eyes narrowed as he saw her injuries. His bottom lip trembled as he reached out with his index finger, and Carly flinched back, moving her face away. “I won’t hurt you…promise.”

  He moved his hand forward, and this time Carly didn’t cower away. Using the pad of his finger, he trailed it down her cheek, mapping out the bruise.

  Carly melted at his tender touch, and a tear formed in the corner of her eyes. “I’m okay, and the colour will fade in a few weeks.”

  “What happened?” He searched both his mother and Carly’s faces as he waited for a reply.

  Carly bit her bottom lip and tilted her head to the side, gesturing for Stella to answer.

  “A bad lady was going to hurt me, and Aunt Carly protected me.” Stella saw his frown deepen and stroked his forehead, tucking a wisp of hair behind his ear.

  “Will she come back and try to hurt you both again?” His gaze swung between them as he laid his hand on top of Carly’s

  “No, she’s in prison for what she’s done.” Carly kissed his cheek. “So there’s no need for you to worry about it. As I said, I’ll heal, and the woman will be punished, okay?”

  George’s head bobbed up and down. “Okay.” He watched as his mother leant over and placed a brief kiss on Carly’s lips. “Mum! I can’t believe you’ve just done that. Yuck!”

  Both Stella and Carly’s cheeks twitched as they smothered their laughter. Stella took Carly’s hand and kissed the back of it then held it tightly against her body. “There’s something else we need to talk to you about as well.”

  His little face scrunched up as he studied them carefully. He shifted out of Carly’s embrace and perched his bottom on the arm of the chair.

  “Okay, remember when we had a conversation about your friend at school having two daddies?”

  When he gave a slight nod, she rubbed his cheek.

  “I told you that I was like them and that one day you’d possibly have a second mum. But first I’d needed to find someone to date and see how things went. Well…I’ve…I…” Stella worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she nibbled on it. Damn, I didn’t realise how hard this was going to be!

  Carly couldn’t help but chuckle at her girlfriend’s discomfort.

  Helen walked into the room unobserved when she heard George asked about Carly’s face. She silently stood and listened to their conversation, and at seeing her daughter’s unease, she had to say something. “George, your mum and Carly are dating.”

  The high-pitched squeal that left George caused them all to cover their ears as he jumped off of Carly’s lap and bounded around the living room like a gazelle all the while clapping his hands together. He stopped bouncing and turned to face them, “So…I’ve got two mums now?”

  Stella choked on her suddenly dry mouth. “I…we need…George…” She rubbed her forehead with the palm of her hand vigorously.

  Carly chuckled patted her lap, indicating for him to sit with them again. “Not at the moment. Your mum and I have only been dating a little while. But in time, who knows.”

  George fell into her arms and kissed her cheek. “So, you’re still Aunt Carly?”

  “Yes, George, no matter what, I’ll always be that.”

  A tear fell onto Stella’s cheek as she watched her two favourite people together, and her heart swelled with love and beat fast in her chest, and she kissed both of them and held them tight to her body.

  The trio were so enthralled in each other they were oblivious to what was going on around them. The flash from a camera drew them out of their conversation, and they turned to look at Helen.

  “Your first pictures together. I can’t wait to get these printed!” Helen continued to snap pictures off them with her phone.

  Stella turned Carly’s chin with her fingers and kissed her tenderly.

&
nbsp; George’s hands went to his hips as he frowned at his mother. “Ewww. Mum! Stop kissing her!”

  The three women laughed at his dramatics. The noise level meant that the shrill ringing sound from Carly’s briefcase went un-noticed for a minute.

  “That’s my iPad.” Carly struggled out from underneath George and then off of Stella’s lap. “There are only two people who call me on Skype, so it’s either mum or dad.” She staggered out the room and retrieved her briefcase from the hallway. Her iPad was in her hand as she entered, and she tapped the green icon to accept the call. “Hi, Mum.”

  An audible gasp left Gabby Martin’s lips as she saw her beautiful girl’s face, and her bright smile vanished. “What the bloody hell happened to you?”

  Carly rolled her eyes as she sat on the sofa and explained everything once again. Before her mother was able to answer or react to the information, Carly cut her off. “Mum, an old friend wants to say hello.” She thrust the tablet at Helen and returned to sit with George and Stella. She climbed on Stella’s lap and laid her head on her shoulder.

  Helen took the tablet from Carly and waved manically at the screen. “It’s so good to see you again.”

  “You’re preoccupied, Helen. What’s going on?” Gabby’s head moved from side to side as she tried to see Helen’s surroundings.

  Helen waved her hand at the screen. “Shhhh, and I’ll show you. It’s adorable.”

  Turning the iPad around, she pointed it in Stella and Carly’s direction to display the affection and love radiating from them.

  “Your grandson is a handsome young man and your daughter never seems to age, she looks amazing as always.” Gabby’s voice echoed out of the device. “Where has my mischievous daughter got to?”

  Helen glanced from Gabby’s viewpoint and realised she couldn’t see Carly. “Hang on she’ll soon come into view.” Helen turned farther to her left, and Carly’s form slowly came into the shot.