Wow, now that last chapter got a whole load of reviews
Thanks to all
But first, I need to explain
This chapter doesn't directly follow on from the last events
I thought I'd provide a more light-hearted interlude in here cos it's getting me down…
The angst will continue and chapter 12
With more from this new storyline dotted throughout
Now thank-you very very much to:
Serenite, dracula5555, britgirl2003, maura, HappyAbby, starbright, Proffy, hyperpiper91, Carby6, squiggle7, KayH, SplongyFrog, sam, Angel Dust, Hibbs and SnapDragon
I told you there were a whole load of reviews
Thanks so much! But for now…
Enjoy! Love LJ xXx
Beyond All Of Everything. Chapter Eleven. Dinner For Two
o
o
o
o SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 10: Abby did give up drink when Ollie asked her to. The truth that she has to keep hidden is actually that Richard abuses her
o
o
o
Carter will never understand – he truly knows nothing about her. And she'll keep it that way
- o -
There is a knock on the door; it's a welcome chance for Abby to stop reliving her past and to carry on. A dark figure stands in the hall and Abby almost shuts the door, again out of suspicion – you get all sorts of people around here, but the man steps into the light.
"Eric?" Abby can hardly believe it.
"Surprise?" he offers, with an awkward smile, in case his uninvited appearance is rude and inconvenient. "I kind of decided to uproot my life, you know, start again. Everyone near where I live thinks I'm this crazy guy who'll eat their children or something so I thought I'd come to Chicago – is that okay?" Abby grins and ushers him in.
"Of course, of course it's okay!" she insists before stopping and asking: "Are you off your meds?" Eric laughs.
"No, actually no, I'm not," he assures her. "Although I can see why you asked – I'm not in your way, am I?" Abby looks around her place, uneasily.
"Well – Eric, I don't know where you were planning on staying," Abby begins. "I'm really sorry, but you can't stay here."
"That's okay," Eric nods. There's a pause as he runs his hand through his hair, slightly embarrassed. "Know anywhere where I could stay?"
"Erm – wait a second, make yourself at home," she says before disappearing into another room.
"Hello?" the voice of Susan Lewis comes down the phone line.
"Hey, it's Abby," Abby starts off, wondering where to go from here.
"Hey Abby," Susan sounds a little surprised and fair enough – Abby is surprised at herself.
"I'm sorry but could you do me a huge favour?" Wow, asking for help twice in one week – she never thought it'd come to this. "My brother's come round, sort of unexpectedly, and I have nowhere for him to stay. I was wondering if you could –"
"Sure, he can stay at my place," Susan cuts her off, brightly. She can sense how uncomfortable this is for Abby.
"You don't have to say yes," Abby adds, hurriedly. "I'll totally understand."
"It's no problem," Susan laughs. "Unless he has some weird habits I should know of. I take it he's fully housetrained." Abby laughs, too.
"Thank you so much, Susan," she gushes. "I'll send him over. Thank you."
"No problem."
Abby hangs up the phone with a sigh of relief. She hadn't expected it to be so easy – she had no idea that Susan was so generous.
Eric squints up at a dimly lit road sign, glances down at a piece of paper in his hand and turns left down Susan's road. He lugs his small suitcase behind him and presses the buzzer of the apartment block.
"Hello?" a voice crackles through the intercom.
"Hey – it's, erm, Abby's brother," Eric replies, feeling as though he really shouldn't be here. This whole visit was a bit of a failure – it should've been planned ahead. But he just hadn't seen his sister in so long…
"Come on up," Susan answers with a light-hearted laugh. There's a raucous buzz and Eric pushes the door open to let himself into the dark, empty hall.
A blonde-haired woman opens the door of apartment 22.
"So does Abby's brother have a name?" she asks with a friendly grin.
"Eric – I guess you're Susan," Eric stands apprehensively in the door frame and shakes her hand, formally.
"So, Eric," Susan begins. "Are you always this tense or is it just today?" Eric chuckles.
"I'm sorry, I just feel completely guilty turning up without much warning," he apologises. Susan waves it away.
"Hell, it's alright – I wish more men would drop by like this," she says breezily while she fell onto the couch and began to flip through a book. After a few minutes she turns to find Eric still standing in the doorway and she laughs.
"You can come in, y'know."
"Hey, so have you got any embarrassing stories about Abby to share?" Eric is relaxed on Susan's couch with a mug of coffee just minutes later. Susan's book lies forgotten on the floor.
"Hmm – well if I did, no doubt she wouldn't thank me for spreading them about."
"Well tell me what you know about her – it's been years since I've even spoken to her," he urges. Susan tilts her head to one side, thinking.
"Abby is…" she starts off, Eric watching her eagerly. "She's…well, she's a nurse." She finishes lamely. Eric looks unimpressed.
"She's a nurse?" he repeats in a dull voice.
"She's a very good nurse." Susan adds, fervently.
"Well I bet you're just the life and soul of a party," Eric mutters.
"Huh, you're nice." Susan's equally sarcastic voice raises a red flush in Eric's cheeks, though Susan looks vaguely amused.
"I'm sorry," he apologises again. "I'm really sorry – I tend to say whatever comes into my head. Abby hated that about me." Susan laughs it off.
"I can see why – I don't think you're gonna be very welcome here," Susan kids. "I can insult myself without you." Eric smiles as he lifts his mug of coffee.
"Well I think you're very pretty," he says with a shrug before he can stop himself. Susan looks surprised and for a while they sit in an embarrassed silence.
"And you're very pretty too," Susan teases, eventually. Eric's red face loosens up as she breaks the tension – he can't believe he let that out.
- o -