Thank you again, Elva, for your kind review. I must add that I have nothing against Irish people! I love Ireland! ;)
Now, here we go with our story. I'm afraid it will get worse still, before things sort themselves out. Enjoy.
- I'm telling you, repeated Anna vehemently, he did not assault her, he was protecting me when she assaulted me! She had pushed me against the car, and I had hurt my back, so he seized her by her clothes to pull her away from me, or she was going to hurt me more! She's lost it since he has decided to break up with her. She's been harassing us for months, I can show you all the emails, the texts and everything! And if you make a call to Ripon's police station, in Yorkshire, you'll see that I went to report some threats spoken to me by her brother, about her doing just that!
- Just what?, asked the officer, who seemed mildly bored by this spousal feud.
- Reporting him for domestic abuse! She just wants to get back at him for leaving her! Please, please, let him go, he's done nothing wrong…
Anna's voice started to break as she finished her sentence. It seemed to her she had been in that place for hours now, even though it had been much less time, but she felt she had been repeating the same things over and over again. They had not wanted to tell her anything about where John was at the moment, let alone see him. She rubbed her eyes with her hands, while Mary gently squeezed her shoulder. Mary has testified too, about the online harassment they had suffered at Downton, but they had no proof it was coming from her, yet. They would need to look into IP addresses and such things to prove that.
- Alright, Ma'am, concluded the officer. I think I have everything I need. We'll be making some verifications, information checks. If we conclude Mr Bates represents no immediate danger to Mrs Bates, we'll let him go.
- But of course he's no danger!, she exclaimed.
Anna immediately regretted her outburst, and sobered up.
- Sorry, I mean, I know you need to do your job. When do you think you'll be able to reach your conclusion?
- Can't tell you. You should go get some rest. If he's released, he'll call you. If he's not, he'll have the right to one phone call to let you know.
- Jesus…, breathed Anna. Alright. Thank you officer.
Anna and Mary found themselves back on the pavement in front of the police station.
- I can't believe this is happening…, moaned Anna.
- Come on, said Mary. I'm sure they're going to release him in a few hours. I mean, men who are really dangerous are let out on the streets every bloody day, so I don't see on what grounds they can keep him, for God's sake. They only have one neighbour who saw one small gesture, and you gave them the real context!
- I hope you're right… But remember, her brother and her father are in the force. A few well-placed phone calls and they can have those guys drag it on and on. I'm glad Alistair's with him though.
- Yes, it's a good thing. So, I guess we can assume that we won't make it to our return flight in three hours… Maybe we should start looking for a place to stay the night? I'll call Thomas and Matthew to tell them we are going to be delayed.
x x x x
It was one o'clock the following night when Anna's phone rang at last. She had spent the last two hours staring at the hotel room ceiling, unable to find some rest. In the twin bed next to her, Mary had fallen asleep long ago. Anna was very glad that her friend had insisted to come with them. She wouldn't have fancied being on her own right now.
- Yes!, she exclaimed as she picked up the phone in a hurry.
- Anna…
The tone of defeat in John's voice made her want to cry.
- Are you alright?!, she asked urgently. Did they let you go?
- Yes. I'm free.
- Oh thank God! I'll be right there, you wait for me!
- Thank you.
Twenty minutes later, Anna and John were hugging each other tightly in front of the police station. Tears escaped John's eyes as he let off all the pressure he had piled in for the last twelve hours.
- Sorry, he breathed, as he straightened and wiped his eyes with his sleeve, sniffing.
- It's alright, Mr Bates, said Alistair. This is a rather traumatic experience.
- So?, asked Mary. What did they say?
John laughed bitterly.
- They gave me a restraining order, for fuck's sake!
Both Anna and Mary gaped at him.
- Sorry for the language, he quickly added. But I mean. A bloody restraining order. I told them there was nothing I wanted more than never to be around her again. That she should be the one given a restraining order! Anyway, they said that if I went back to England and didn't try to contact her again, they'll leave me be.
- Yeah, right, said Mary ironically. Like she's not going to try and mess up with you again.
- Anyway, said Alistair. I think we should all try and get a few hours of rest, before we take the first plane back home.
- Sounds sensible to me, said Mary. Next flight home is tomorrow at ten. Or later today, should I say. We got a hotel room not far from here, and I asked the night attendant before we left, they can open another for you. You both look like you could need a lie-down.
Indeed both John and Alistair looked rather scruffy.
x x x x
The hotel's night attendant had opened the room next to Mary and Anna's for the two men, but when the four of them had found themselves in the hallway at the rooms' doors, Anna had found she couldn't bring herself to release John. The goodbyes had dragged on for several minutes, when Mary burst:
- Oh, alright, you go in with her, John! I'll share with Alistair…
Anna chuckled, her cheeks glowing, and said sheepishly:
- Thanks Mary.
Mary firmly pointed her finger to Alistair:
- But you had better behave and keep your distances!
Alistair raised his hands in front of him as a goodwill gesture.
- I wouldn't dream of doing anything ungentlemanly with my associate's wife!
- Alright, said Mary. Off you go, then, you two lovebirds! Let me just get my things back and I'll leave you to it.
x x x x
- She's a good friend, Mary, said John, a few minutes later, when Mary had left the room, leaving the two of them alone.
- She's the best, smiled Anna. I wouldn't have made it without her, back then, when… well, you know.
- Yeah. I'm sorry. Sometimes I think I only brought you pain and sorrow since we met.
- Hush now Mr Bates!, commanded Anna. Don't go down that road again. She's bringing us pain and sorrow, not you. Now come here, she said, dragging him to her, so that they both fell onto the beds.
- God I've been so worried about you today…, she whispered in between two kisses.
She started unbuttoning his shirt, but he stopped her, gently seizing her wrist.
- Don't you think we should get some sleep instead of that?
Anna sighed.
- I don't think I can sleep right now.
- Yeah. I don't think I can either, he admitted. Too much adrenaline still running.
- Then we need to do something to wash it out, she said, going back to kissing his neck.
He moaned lightly, then surrendered:
- Oh, alright, you win, he said, sliding his hand under her T-shirt.
- Good, she smiled against his ear.
Moments later, adrenaline had effectively been washed out, and they rested snuggled against each other, as fatigue started to weigh on them.
- You know, said John, stifling a yawn, in all those years with her, I had almost forgotten how good lovemaking could be. You know, when you're really in love. When it's about giving and receiving, on an equal basis. When it's not a power struggle. Thank you for reminding me of that.
Anna smiled.
- My pleasure, she said.
- Was it, really?, he asked. Did you enjoy it?
- It was amazing, she reassured him with a light kiss on his cheek. As you said, it's something else, when you're in love.
He bent towards her and kissed her once again. He felt he could spend his lifetime doing just that, and he wouldn't need anything else.
- So, he said, you never told me… While I was away… Has there been anyone else?
- Ah…, she exhaled, shifting herself in his arms. Have I dated other people, you mean?
- Yes.
- I have. No one interesting though. But I tried. Mary urged me to. She kept telling me I needed to move on. So I dated some guys. I slept with some of them. And each time, I kept thinking about you. It's funny really, when you think about it. We had never even been together properly. We had never been a couple, officially. We had never slept together. There was only that kiss, at that party, when we both said we wanted to be together… And you said you needed to break up with her first. And then you were gone. It's not as if we'd had a proper affair. I should have been able to move on. But I couldn't. Deep down I knew it was you and it wouldn't ever be anyone else.
- I'm sorry, love, he murmured, holding her closer. I never meant to hurt you this way. I felt the same about you. I've thought about you everyday for seven years.
- I know. And we're together now. That's what matters. Now I can forget about all the other guys. They were meaningless.
- All of them?
- More or less. Some were real jerks.
- I hope none hurt you.
A uneasy silence followed.
- Anna?, he asked gently.
- No, not really, she reassured him. But… Once it got pretty close.
- Oh. Would you like to tell me what happened?
He saw a shadow pass across her face as the memory resurfaced.
- Sorry, he said, you don't have to. I'm being too curious.
- No, it's alright, she whispered. His name was Alex. We were on our third or fourth date. He seemed nice. He was outgoing, talkative, always had something witty to say. He was picking me up at our apartment, I was still living with Mary at the time. When I came out to meet him, I realized I had forgotten my phone upstairs in the apartment, so I went up again, and I don't know why, I let him come up with me. And I still don't really know how it happened, but suddenly he was all over me. I tried to push him away but he was stronger. At one point, my brain was telling me, alright, so this is really going to happen, there's nothing you can do about it. So my body froze and I stopped fighting.
- Jesus…, breathed John. But you said it got pretty close, so you managed to get away somehow?
- Mary saved me. She was supposed to be out on a date too, but the guy was sick so he had called it off at the last minute. I heard her coming in, and I yelled to her. Of course when he heard her, he let go of me. She threw him out, and I yelled after him that I never wanted to hear from him again.
She shivered at the thought of what had almost happened that night. The shiver spread out to John. He knew in his bones what it felt like to feel that powerless, and he hated that Anna had to feel it too. He thanked heavens for Mary's arrival.
- I'm so sorry you had to go through this, my darling, he said, stroking her hair.
- Yeah. Seems like we have a thing to attract predators, both of us… I was lucky enough that he kept away after that night.
- We're sticking together now. I'll never let anyone hurt you again, I promise.
Anna chuckled.
- I'm sorry, John, but I don't think this is a promise you can keep. You know, the world being as it is. But I appreciate you saying it. Thank you.
- I'll do my best, anyway. All I want is for you to be happy.
- I know. And I promise I'll do my best to keep you from being hurt too. By her, especially. We'll wage this war together.
- You're a brave lady, you know that?
Anna smiled.
- And a tired one too. Maybe we should really sleep a bit now. We need to be up in three hours…
- Yes, we should. Sleep my love, he said with a kiss on her temple.
x x x x
Mary looked with an arched eyebrow to Anna, who was deeply asleep next to her on the plane back to England. She lifted her gaze to John, who was sitting on Anna's other side and asked pointedly:
- Didn't you sleep at all last night?!
- Not very much, he admitted. We TALKED!, he added hastily, seeing Mary's mocking glare. A lot!
- Yes, right, said Mary dubiously. Of course.
- Alright, not only, he said, but we did talk a lot. She told me about that Alex guy, so I wanted to thank you for what you did for her that day.
- Oh. Yes. That time. Well it was very lucky my date was ill. Urgh, that guy was awful. She was quite shaken after that, and for good reason.
- You've been a very good friend to her in all those years, you've cared for her when I couldn't, and you still do, so, yes, thank you. Truly.
Mary smiled.
- Well, you're welcome. She's been there for me too, at times. Now I hope I won't have to pick up her pieces again because of you.
- No. Not if I can help it, he assured.
- Good. Because she deserves better.
- I know.
