Abi sat up with a start, her breathing fast and heavy. She'd just woken up from a dream, or more like a nightmare, and didn't want to go back to that place again. She never wanted to go back to that place again. She looked at the clock sitting on her bedside table and noticed the time was only now five, too early to get up for work, but she opened her wardrobe and pulled out her running gear instead, which consisted of some black and pink workout leggings and a black vest top. She pulled a black hoodie on over her head as she went downstairs, making sure to be quiet as not to wake up Dot, and grabbed a bottle of water on her way out of the door.
Abi didn't go out for runs very often, preferring to attend the classes at her gym instead where she could have a quick catch up with her old school friends before it started, but this morning she needed to get out and clear her head.
Stella hadn't given her much to go on the night before. She said she didn't want to talk about it over the phone and instead arranged to meet her when Abi's shift ended at six that evening but that didn't stop Abi's mind from wandering. In fact it had only made her worry even more. The thought of seeing Stella scared her and the thought of the things she could tell her scared her even more.
Jay put his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath again when he saw a certain blonde jog past across the square. Since everything had happened with Linzi, Jay woke up early most mornings and went for a run to prepare himself for the awful day he knew he had ahead of him, but today was the first time he had seen Abi. He knew she used to get up early for a run when she lived at the Mitchells and before when they were together but it was never very often. It was usually because she was stressed out about school or worried about Ben breaking up with her and it got him thinking about what Ben had told him yesterday, the social worker coming round. He wanted to go over and ask if she was okay but when he looked up to find her again, she was already gone.
Abi checked her phone again for the 100th time that day and although it felt like it had been hours since she'd last looked at the time, her phone told her it had only been two minutes. She was beyond nervous to meet Stella and she still had to get to work first for a shift that didn't start for another hour.
She jumped a few minutes later when somebody sat down in the seat opposite her, placing a mug of coffee in front of her.
"I saw you were finished."
Abi looked up and saw Jay in front of her.
"Oh, it's you."
"Gee, thanks. You know how to make a guy feel welcome."
"Sorry, I didn't meant that. I just-"
"It's alright, Abi," Jay laughed. "I was only joking."
"Oh." Abi tried to smile and failed.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?" Abi answered defensively.
Jay shrugged. "No reason. Listen, I was wondering if you could do me a favour?"
"Yeah, of course."
"You don't know what it is yet," Jay laughed.
"You know I'd do anything to help you. I know the stuff Linzi has been saying is a load of rubbish."
"You do?"
"Of course. I know you better than you know yourself, Jay. Anyway, what was the favour you were after?"
"I know it's a big ask, but I was wondering if you could have a word with Jack."
"Jack?" Abi repeated. "What for?"
"I am in desperate need of a job. Funnily enough, not many people want to hire a pervert."
"Jay, you're not a pervert. Don't say things like that."
"It's what they're all thinking."
Abi shook her head but continued anyway. "I thought Pam had given you a job."
"She gave me the sack, didn't she?"
"What? Why?"
"I don't know, said they couldn't afford to take me on or some rubbish like that."
"Well I can have a word with Jack if you want, but I can't make any promises."
Jay lent forward and kissed her on the cheek. "You are a star, Abigail Branning."
Abi was surprised at the fuzzy feeling in her stomach when Jay lent towards her. She hadn't felt anything like that for him for months but she quickly brushed it aside, putting it down to somebody actually paying attention to her for the first time in what must be months.
"I try my best," she smiled. "Although I'm not sure everybody would agree with you."
"Hey," Jay spoke soothingly. "What happened with Ben, that wasn't you fault."
"No, I'm pretty sure it was. I didn't see Ben faking a pregnancy. Anyway," Abi breathed. "I don't want to talk about him."
Jay nodded understandingly. "Actually, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about."
"Yeah?"
Jay nodded. "Ben said somebody was looking for you yesterday, some social worker?"
"What? Why was he talking to her?"
"He didn't know who she was or what she was after, but I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."
Abi nodded far too enthusiastically. "Everything is fine. Of course it is."
"You sure?"
Abi checked the time on her phone once again and made an excuse to leave. "I'm sorry, my shift starts soon. I didn't realise it was so late."
"Right, of course. I'll see you around then."
Abi nodded before quickly standing up, grabbing her coat and walking out of the cafe.
Abi had been wishing her shift to hurry up all afternoon but now it had finally finished she didn't want to go. She knew what was coming but she couldn't stand to hear it be said out loud.
"Everything alright, Abi?" her colleague, Matilda, asked. "Usually you shoot out of here when you're shift has finished."
"Yeah, I've just got a lot on my mind at the moment."
"Anything I can help you with?"
Abi shook her head, trying to maintain a smile. "No, nothing I can't handle."
"Okay, well I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Yeah, see you then."
Abi made her way outside and got into her car before heading in the direction of the cafe where her and Stella had arranged to meet. She hadn't wanted to meet her anyway nearby in fear that somebody would see them and start talking. She didn't want any more gossip going around the square, not after everything that had just happened with Ben.
Fifteen minutes later, Abi arrived. Stella was already sitting at a table with two mugs in front of her presumably filled with coffee. It had been over ten years since they'd last seen each other but Stella hadn't changed one bit. Abi, on the other hand, was far from the innocent, ginger kid she had once been all those years ago.
"Stella," Abi smiled. "Hi."
"Wow, Abi." Stella stood up to give her a hug. "You look so different. I almost didn't recognise you. What happened to the ginger?"
Abi laughed nervously and sat down opposite Stella. "Being compared to my dad all the time didn't quite cut it."
"What have you been up to all these years? Did you become a vet?"
"Almost, I'm a vet's receptionist."
"Close enough, right?"
"I guess. What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Abi asked. She didn't want to hang around all night making small talk. The waiting only made her more and more nervous.
"It's nothing to worry about, I promise, but there's been some new developments."
"Developments?" Abi repeated. "What kind of developments?"
"John has been let out."
"What?" Abi lent back in her chair, a shocked expression on her face even though she had been half expecting to hear this news. "He can't have been. He still has another-"
"Five years, I know. But he's been released early."
"Why? For what?"
"Good behaviour, the usual kind of thing."
Abi closed her eyes, trying to come to terms with what Stella had just told her.
"I know its a shock, Abi, but you have nothing to worry about."
"He...he can't come near me, can he?"
"Well, technically yes," Stella told her, looking slightly guilty as she said it.
Abi shot up from her chair. "Sorry?"
"Because you're over eighteen now, Abi, we can't put a restraining order on him, especially because of his behaviour."
"It's because of his behaviour that I'm in this mess." She put her head in her hands. She couldn't believe any of this was happening.
"I know this must be hard for you, Abi, but-"
"Hard? This is hell. I thought I'd never have to go through this again but now, now I don't know what to think." Abi hadn't even noticed her hands were shaking until she picked up the mug in front of her.
"Abi, you have nothing to worry about. He won't come near you. He wouldn't risk it." Stella sighed realising how trivial it all sounded. "But if anything does happen then all you have to do is call me or call the police."
Abi nodded.
"I promise you, Abi. You don't need to be scared anymore."
"Yeah? Well that's what I thought when they put him behind bars."