Return to Love
Chapter 36
John still couldn't believe the woman stood in front of him.
She did have a resemblance to the younger Sue.
"I don't understand" He said.
"I asked Sue when we got married,she said her parents were dead"
Gloria laughed.
"Suppose that's partly true,her Dad left before she was born. I brought her up by myself.
She had what I could give her,but always wanted more,the next best thing.
Sue kept in touch with me but was ashamed,so kept me a secret"
John had his head in his hands.
Rory rounded on her.
"Why now? What is the point? Do you want money?"
"Rory" John said looking up at him.
"It doesn't matter anymore"
Then he said to Gloria
"Did you know about the drugs,Jack?"
"Not at first,or that, she was sleeping with him behind your back,Sue let that slip later.
She was losing it at the end,because of your divorce,couldn't get what she wanted from Jack,so"_
Looking over at John.
"She came to see me at my Aunt's to try to talk me into coming back"
John holding Clara's hand.
"I'd had enough by then. Moved on with my life. I told her where to go"
"Even though I shouldn't say it about my own child,I'm glad you did.I thought she should be grateful for what life had given her"
"Mother,she use to say,men are there to be taken for what ever you can get from them!"
Clara touched John's hand.
"I think he wants to start"
Gloria sat down on a seat in the opposite aisle as the man on the lectern started to speak.
"We are here to say goodbye to Susan Smith,wife,daughter friend,she was a model took from us aged thirty"
He looked across at them,Rory nodded for him to draw the curtains across the coffin.
There was really no more to be said. There seemed to be no love lost between Sue and her mother as well as John.
Clara felt John's hand tighten in hers.
"Good riddens!"_
She heard Amy mutter under her breath.
"Amy!"Rory,nudded her.
"Well"_ She said back.
The man came shock hands,with John who seemed in a daze,with what he'd found out in the last half hour.
To Rory, he said.
"I've never done one that short before."
'Well,he was getting a divorce' Rory thought,though didn't say.
"If you would like time for contemplation before you leave you are most welcome"
"Thank you"
John said he did not need to,but wanted to talk more to Gloria.
He got up and went across to her.
"I'm sorry,Sue treated you that way.
Do you need anything?" He asked.
Gloria looked at him.
"I didn't come here for your money"
She said softly then looking at Clara.
"Is that your lady friend? She's very pretty"
"Yes,she is, I met her after Sue and me split up"
He replied back.
"John.I understand,after what Sue put you through,you deserve to be happy"
Standing to leave.
"I only came today to say my goodbyes.
I'm sorry Sue was like this with you. Be happy"
Taking his hand,kissed his cheek.
"Rory"_
As she turned to leave.
"Have you got one of your business cards on you?"
Rory took out his wallet,and handed one to him,which he then gave to Gloria.
"I'm no longer practising at the moment,"
Looking at Clara, smiling...
"I'm doing,other things, but if you ever need anything Rory will find me"
"Thank you"_
Gloria said putting it in her purse.
"I expect you won't see me again John"
Then she was gone.
"Well she was!"_ Amy said trying to put into words.
"Not now Pond"
John said not looking at her as he watched Gloria leave.
"Well,shall we go and have lunch?"_
Clara looked at Amy and Rory as they followed him out of the building into the car park.
Standing near Rory's car his back was to them,
but his shoulders were shaking.
"John!" Clara hurried up to him."What!"
He turned round to her with tears in his eyes.
"I'm alright. It's over!"
Putting his arms round Clara,hugged her to him.
They went to the 'Golden Fleece' for lunch.
While waiting for a table,Rory looking at John.
"What?"_
"Do you think we'll hear from her again?"
"Gloria?" John asked.
Rory nodded.
"Shouldn't think so,but I've been thinking,Sue's estate it should go to her"
"Why?"_ Rory asked.
"You were married to her, had to put up hell of a lot!"
He looked worried.
"Are you sure about this John? Just because she says she is Sue's Mother. It could be a scam"
" Rory,the likeness, for a start,surely that's how Sue would look in thirty years time,that's"_
"Your mother-in-law" Amy commented.
John looked at her shuddering.
"Don't joke. Pond please.
Anyway,I have enough for our needs"
Holding Clara's hand, then kissing her fingers.
"You could find out,sort it?"
"If that's what you want,John" He replied.
"We can do it tomorrow afternoon with Sue's solicitor,I've made an appointment to see him"
"Table for Williams" The waiter called.
"That's us" John said getting up.
"Come on,I'm starving"_
They had never seen John so eager to eat for a long-time.
He ploughed his way through a starter,main course then a pudding.
"John_slow down!"
Clara said,feeling slightly sick watching him.
"You'll get ill later eating like that!"_
"I feel as though I've not eaten anything in the last few days only coffee and toast"
John replied between mouthfuls.
"You haven't" Rory said.
Just as worried._
"John please,you'll be sick"
"I think he's the one who's pregnant" Amy commented.
"Ha ha,very funny Pond,are you going to eat that"
He asked her looking at the plate with the trifle on she had for her dessert.
Amy sighed,pushing it over to him.
"No,you can have it,just don't sit next to me in the car going home.
If he's sick,Rory,you can clean it up"
"Oh great! John,don't you dare!"
Rory said.
"Who's for coffee anyway?"
They all did except Clara who wanted tea.
After Rory paid the bill,they went out to the car. On the way home,John who was sat in the back holding Clara's hand said.
"Rory,do you mind if we stop off in the high street,I want to get something"
"Indigestion tablets? Think I've some in the seat pocket there"
Pointing behind him.
John closed his eyes.
" Stop it! I'm not going to be sick!" He said.
"Just take me to the high street,please"
"What are you up ?" Clara asked.
"You'll see" He replied.
"Pull into this side street here"
Getting out of the car.
"Ten minutes,okay?"
He leaned back in the window,kissed Clara on the lips, then walked off round the corner.
"Rory! Will he be all right on his own?" Amy asked.
"Look, Amy we've got to trust him!"
Rory said.
"Give him the ten minutes, if he's not back,I'll go look for him"
"He's been in a funny mood since before lunch" Clara said.
"Perhaps he's gone to get a present for Daisy?"
Rory said.
"You are going home in a couple of days?"
"Maybe" Said Clara.
"We've bought so much for the baby,I don't want her to get jealous,even before,it's born"
"He's coming back" said Amy looking out the window.
John came round the corner and got back into the car.
"What?"_
As they all looked at him.
"Yes,what indeed,have you been up to Raggedy Man?"
Amy said suspicious.
"Don't be so nosey Pond,you'll find out soon enough"
Rory said,yawning,pulling away from the curb.
"Do you think we can go home now,you know,that place that's got coffee and armchairs?"
When they got back,Amy went to put the kettle on,John loosened his tie and sat on the sofa,next to Clara who was half asleep.
"Clara"
He said putting his arm round her.
"Hmmm!"_
She said opening her eyes to see a little black box in his hand,her heart started to beat a little faster. Was that?
"I was going to pick this up the other day, after we had had lunch,but events sort of got out of control"
He rubbed the back of his neck. Remembering.
"Like you to have it now_"
Clara took the box from him and opened it.
In it was a ring with a white diamond. She couldn't speak at first.
"If you don't like it"
John continued, taking her silence for that.
"We can always change it"_
Suddenly,she screaming and throwing herself at John.
Rory,who had been nodding off in the armchair shot up.
Amy ran in from the kitchen,to see Clara covering John in kisses while holding up her left hand.
"BLOODY HELL !?" Rory said.
_"Clara where's the fire?"
"Look,Amy,Rory,what he's given me"
She rushed over to Amy,who looked at her hand.
" I suppose that makes it official then"
Shaking John's hand then hugged him.
"Well done mate"
"Yes"_Amy said swopping with Rory to sit next to him on the sofa and hugging him.
" You done something good,Raggedy man"
"I take it that you like the ring then?"
John said as Clara,sat down on his knee and held her hand up admiring it.
"Oh,yes,it's,beautiful,thank you John"
She hugged him
"I never expected you to give me anything so lovely as this"
She was getting tearful now.
"Why?"He replied.
" You deserve it_
"I've got you" she said.
"As we're getting married in August,I didn't think we would be have the time to be engaged"
John kissed her.
" I wanted you to have it,besides,I have one more surprise,though strictly speaking this,isn't for you"
He took another box from his pocket.
"Do you think"He said.
"That a certain person will like this?" as he handed it to her.
Clara opened it,inside was a,necklace made of silver it said "DAISY" with a,silver heart at the end of the "Y"
"Because she as my heart as well" John said.
"OH,John," she said.
Daisy will love this."Then burst into tears.
He laughed.
"Why do I have this,affect on you?"
"It because I'm H-happy" she said in between the tears wiping her eyes.
" Well,I'd hate to see you when you're sad" Rory stated.
"She was just the same when I asked her to marry me the first time"John said.
"Amy said. "I'll think about it!"Rory said.
Faraway look in his eyes.
"_Hey_I did not!"
Amy was still sat next to him on the sofa.
John put his,arm round Amy.
Liked this arms,round his two favourite girls.
"I thought it was you will marry me or "else"Pond!"
"Never forget the or "else",she said.
"Well,better go and finish making the drinks"
she got up and kissed John on the cheek...
"Well done,you" she whispered.
Clara got up as well.
"I'll help,Amy."
She was holding her hand admiring it.
"It is lovely"
Amy said as they walked to the kitchen,
"you will have to come back next month,bring Daisy and we will do shopping for dresses and shoes"
"Oh-oh mate,you'll never hear the end of wedding talk now,it will be clothes,shoes,receptions etc, for the next two months. You did reinforce your credit cards?"
Rory said.
John smiled after the girls.
"What ever Clara wants,as long as she's happy! Rory...you don't think it was wrong of me to do this today,give the ring to Clara and everything?"
"Because of the funeral?" Rory said.
John nodded.
"No ,I don't,you need to get on with your life,John.
Especially if you want to get well. I know you are better than you were two weeks ago,but you still have some way to go.
You need each other,don't ruin it okay?"
"I won't.I want to make her happy,and I have so many plan's for the hotel. This is why I want to sell the flat,sort out my parent's money,I'm going to need it" He said.
"I can do that for you over the next few weeks,the only thing we need to do before you go home is sign Sue's over to her mother,if you still want that?"
Rory asked him.
"Yes,I do,I think it's only right"
looking at Rory..
"I-we don't need it,she does for what Sue put her through! I don't want to talk about this"
Then,John said.
"Rory,you will be my best man? Won't you?"
"Mate,after what we've been through together,I will be honoured!"
A/N
Well,think that it's time to let
John and Clara returned home to Daisy and
Auntie...
But there are lots of trails to come yet in the
Lead up to the wedding.
There will be another visit to Rory and
Amy's.John should have reinforced his credit cards
by then like Rory said.
Please read and review.
Thanks.