Chapter 10

Sarah trailed Leonard's car for a few miles flashing her headlights and sounding her horn in an attempt to make him slow down. The snow was really coming down hard and fast now making driving conditions treacherous. As he drove images of Penny flashed through Leonard's mind visualising her on the day he had first met her standing in her apartment unpacking boxes, their first kiss on the couch on Halloween and then the day when she had first told him that she loved him out in the hall

"Listen to me you're the one I'm with, you know I love you, so please relax because you're driving me crazy…."

Leonard didn't slow down and stop until he had driven into what looked to be a very rough neighbourhood with numerous graffiti covered walls and copious amounts of trash littering the street. It seemed that every other house was boarded up, the residents having long since abandoned it. By the time Sarah pulled her motorcycle over Leonard had jumped out from his car and had run across the street towards a house and was pounding on a door with his fists

"Jimmy!" he cried out "Jimmy get out here now!"

The light in the porch came on; sensing that there was going to be trouble Sarah darted across the street and called out to Leonard

"Leonard what are you doing?"

Leonard didn't respond. The front door opened and there stood Jimmy wearing stained and dirty jeans and a sweatshirt; his breath reeked of alcohol. It was obvious to see that Leonard was in his wedding suit, the red rose was still in his button hole although the suit itself was now completely dishevelled.

"Leonard"

"You killed her" Leonard spat at him through gritted teeth "You killed my wife"

And with those words Leonard launched himself at Jimmy with all the force he could muster, and although Jimmy was twice Leonard's size and by far stronger he did not resist or try to defend himself, instead he stood still as Leonard punched him in the gut over and over again until eventually he doubled over clutching his stomach and fell to the ground

"I'm sorry man… I'm so sorry I didn't mean to…" Jimmy whimpered pathetically

"We just had a baby…. we got married today everything was going to work out ok. You made my life a living HELL during high school but that wasn't enough for you was it? You had to take the most precious person in my life from me too…"

Leonard was beginning to break down, the adrenaline that had been keeping him going was fading and now agonising pain was beginning to overwhelm him. She was gone. His beloved Penny was gone and no amount of hitting out or shouting was going to bring her back. Leonard collapsed onto the ground only meters from where Jimmy was still lying; Sarah rushed toward him and threw her arms around and held him as he cried like a child. Ironically it was how he would often cry in private all those years ago when the bullying really got to him. Jimmy began to apologise again

"Don't you dare even try to say you're sorry" Sarah yelled pointing her index finger angrily in his direction "Do you know how many lives I have seen ripped apart by jerks like you that don't think of anyone but themselves before getting into their car drunk?"

It was a rhetorical question to which she neither expected nor wanted a response

"Get away from us!"

Jimmy got to his feet but instead of going back inside the house he staggered off down the street to do the one thing he always did when he didn't know what else to do. Drink.

"What am I gonna do?" Leonard sobbed as Sarah tried in vain to comfort him

"Grace oh my God Grace I just left her…"

"Sssh" Sarah soothed and stroked Leonard's hair "Grace is being taken care of we just need to take care of you right now"

Leonard was visibly shaking from the cold

"Come on honey let me take you home"

Leonard was watching as Jimmy walked away along the street. The harsh reality was hitting him hard, not only had Jimmy taken the love of his life from him but he had robbed Grace of ever having the chance of knowing her mother. At that moment he knew he couldn't let him get away with what he had done. Before Sarah knew what was happening he was on his feet and had run back to his car

"Leonard!" Sarah screamed after him but his anger had possessed him.

She could only watch as Leonard started his car and revved the engine a few times before speeding off. Turning her head she could see Jimmy a short distance away and about to cross the street. As he stepped off the sidewalk the headlights from Leonard's car dazzled him causing him to shield his eyes with his hand. There was a blood curdling thud as Jimmy flipped up onto the hood of the car and smashed up against the windshield his eyes fixing directly onto Leonard behind the wheel…

Leonard sat bolt upright in bed. His heart was racing and he was out of breath and in desperate need of his asthma inhaler. The t-shirt he was wearing was soaked in sweat and was sticking to his body. The room was in total darkness; from beyond the door he could hear the TV and the sound of an audience's laughter. Then the sound of someone laughing in the lounge, there was no mistaking it was Penny's laugh.