Final Chapter.
Thanks to all who have read this and followed it, I hope you enjoyed it.
Biting into a piece of toast his mind wandered to things he needed to do today, clean the car, laundry, tidy up a bit not to mention shopping as the fridge suddenly was totally empty. The joys of living on your own. He hadn't even finished that first piece when the phone rang. Probably work. It was always work. Lazily, half interested, he walks to the phone and answers, already making up excuses in his head.
"Hello?" But it wasn't work. It wasn't who he expected and at first he hadn't a clue who it was. All he could make out was crying.
"Sorry, what's happened? Who is this?" Eventually he could make out the name 'Kate'.
"Kate? What's wrong? Is Duffy okay?" His mind raced, he only seen her yesterday she was fine. She should be going home soon and she'd not seen Andrew in weeks. Of course they were right there was no proof Andrew had attacked her but her leaving him was enough to help him sleep at night. On the other end of the phone she forces herself to stop crying.
"She's...She's taken him back Charlie. They've discharged her and she's gone back with that bastard!" He physically felt his world collapse, she might as well said he'd killed her because that's what that sentence would eventually mean. How the hell? Why? She hadn't gone near him!
He'd given himself a few hours to attempt to calm down, which really meant a lot of yelling before a lot of talking to Baz. It hadn't helped, he was still furious. What was it going to take to get through to her? He nearly killed her! Did she really believe he wouldn't turn on the kids eventually? Of course not right now, they were so little but what about when they were difficult teenagers? Even if he controlled himself how would she hide it from them? They would eventually pick up on the bruises and odd 'accidents'. She'd seen enough families destroyed by the actions of people like Andrew. She knew how this ended. Eventually he couldn't sit in his house any longer. He tried calling her but of course she didn't answer. He knew she wouldn't. But he wasn't going to sit and let her walk back to him. No fucking way. Reaching the fence he took a slow breath before forcing himself forward glancing around the garden full of kids toys as he waited for someone to answer the door. If they even would. He knew who would answer if anyone and of course he was right.
"What do you want?" His arms were folded across his chest making his already muscular torso appear stronger. It would have caused him little effort to brake her skull. She was so small, she appeared to vanish before his eyes.
"To make sure she's okay. To talk." He wasn't giving in that easy. He knew what Charlie wanted. He was only here to take her away from him. She was his.
"She's resting. She doesn't want to see anyone, more so you." Shutting his eyes he sighs, he needed to be friendly. Yelling wasn't going to help.
"Don't do this Andrew. Just let me see her, let me reassure myself she's okay." It wasn't really working.
"Of course she is, I'm looking after her." He softens his voice further almost pleading.
"You know full well that doesn't make me feel any better. Let me see her and I'll be out your hair before you know it." Caving in he steps aside just as Duffy slowly walks into view. She was just bones, broken at that. Walking wasn't easy for her, she still had a long way to go before she was even close to recovering.
"Hi you." She just stared at first, scared. For once in their friendship she had no idea how he'd react. Sensing things would just be worse if he hung around Andrew slowly walks towards his wife before kissing her gently on the forehead and turning to go up the stairs. Charlie was still stood in the door way, now shaking his head. He felt like crying. Once more he shut his eyes and sighs.
"What are you doing to me..." Biting her lip she sighs herself now. Knowing she was hurting him. But he didn't understand. No one understood. How could they?
"I'm sorry." She was holding onto the banister, unable to keep herself upright for long. She should have her crutch but vanity stood in the way, she wasn't sure who was at the door.
"Don't be. Just come home with me." Silent tears escaped, she knew he'd say it. Of course he would.
"I can't." His voice became desperate.
"You can. Please Lisa." Her heart broke but fear was stronger. She wasn't as strong as he believed her to be.
A year passed quickly, too quickly. She still remained alimented in her decision to stay with him, pleading to Charlie he was a changed man. Promising he was in therapy, which was true. He checked. But he still had that horrible feeling in the gut of his stomach. The one that told him not to relax. All was not well. Trying to get through the mountain of paperwork in front of him his mind was focussed on rotas and budgets, not her. But it should have been. A soft knock at the door barely moved him, not until a broken Baz entered his office. Something was wrong. He knew that look. Staring up at her she'd been crying. It was still written in her eyes, he looked out of the office in time to see Mike turn away. Before he could ask she spoke.
"I'm sorry Charlie..."