Chapter 11 – Girls' Night Out

Abby made her entrance in to the lounge, walking to her locker, singing to herself and swinging her stethoscope.

"Another day, another dollar" Susan quoted, sitting at a table applying on her make-up. "I see Neela coming with us"

"Ah yes… if you don't mind?" Abby pulled a bag out from the locker

"Of course not, more the merrier!" Susan chirped, applying on the lipstick. "I think the night out will do us all good!"

"Uh huh… Give me 10 minutes, I'm going for a shower and change" Abby said heading out the door. The door handle turned before she reached for it and stepped back.

"Hey! I'm running late, can I meet up with you guys in Ike's?" Neela asked popping her head round the door.

"Sure" Susan replied. "Abby…"

"Yes Susan?" Abby stood half way out of the door.

"I haven't bothered telling Weaver about you and Jake"

"Oh?" Abby raised her brows in surprise. "Thank you and erm… I'm still working on resolving the issue"

Susan nodded and smiled at her.

Abby and Susan, both walk across the road heading towards Ike Ryan's. A voice shouted from behind.

"Wait up you two!" Neela shouted, running across the road trying to catch up with them.

"Well I guess we go to the other bar then…unless you both want to start here?" Susan asked

Abby and Neela both shook their heads "Nah!"

The three women stroll along the busy street, laughing and chattering heading to the next bar.

"So Neela, have you found another place to live yet?" Susan asked

"Nope… I'm not paying $1000 a month for one-bedroom apartments"

"Jeez… a thousand dollars!" Abby winced at the hefty price." I don't even pay half that for my place"

"Hey Carter!" Susan shouted as she sees him walking towards them.

"Hey" Carter smiles at them, rubbing his hands together.

"Isn't your home that way?" Abby said sarcastically, pointed the opposite direction.

"I left my wallet at work"

"Ah! That's when you realised you couldn't get on the EL!" Abby laughed.

He chuckled with embarrassment and he then made eye contact with Abby, she gave him a little smile.

"I guess I'll let you girls go and have fun"

"You bet!" Neela shouted

They arrive at the bar; the music was so loud they couldn't hear themselves think. Someone had selected a Heavy Metal band on the jukebox. Nothing but screeching guitars riffs.

"I'll get the drinks!" Susan shouted, "What you want?"

"I'll have a light beer!" Abby replied

"What?" Susan mouthed unable to hear her.

"A LIGHT BEER!" She yelled at the top of her voice.

"Neela?"

"Same Again!"

They got their drinks and walked to a table in the corner by the windows.

The Music stopped after a crash of drums.

"Jeez… thank god for that!" Susan probing her finger in her ear.

The other two both laughed at her.

"Don't you like Heavy Metal Susan?" Abby asked, taking a swig of her beer

"No… I like Bon Jovi, Mmm he's sooo hot!"

"Bon Jovi is a rock band!" Neela laughed, "Talking of rock band, Benny's at the bar, I'll be back" She gets up and heads to her friend.

"So Abby… what's it like having a toy boy?" Susan asked out of curiosity.

Abby almost choked on her drink "Sorry?"

"You heard me"

"Oh erm... ok" She grinned.

"Is that all you can say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Well… what I mean a younger guys have a lot of stamina," Susan said, trying to keep a straight face.

"You're right about that, it's all wham bam thank you mam! I'm bored with him already, even after a month. I try to direct him on making love but he doesn't do that, no foreplay, no anything, just straight forward sex!" Abby coughed with embarrassment admitting that her sex life isn't up to her standard.

"Gee… Abby… I'm sorry" Susan gave her a sympathetic look and laughed "I guess Carter hasn't lost his touch then?"

"Susan!" Abby shouted looking shocked.

"I think it would be great if you two got back together"

Abby tried to ignore Susan's comment by watching Neela walking back to their table.

"That was Benny, Ray's friend"

"Oh is he in his band?" Susan asked

"Oh yes… I think he's cute!"

"I'm off to the ladies room" Abby rose up on her feet and headed to her destination.

The brunette walked along the lobby to the ladies room. She felt a firm grip on her arm, then a hard yank that forced her whole body to be slammed against the wall. She lets out a yelp.

"What the f…!"

"You bitch! He knew there were something going on between you two" His hand still firmly gripping her arms.

"Eddie?" Abby gasped, she was shocked seeing it was Jake's brother; she met him at the Scanlon family christening. Her eyes were wide and staring.

"He knows why you've been avoiding him…"

Abby shook her head in confusion.

"What do you know? Has he been running to you crying cos I didn't give him 5 minutes of satisfaction?" She said in a sarcastic tone.

"He saw you kissing that son of the bitch!" Eddie snarled angrily.

Abby opened her mouth in exasperation. Eddie puts his face close to hers. His breath reeked of bourbon. Abby pulled her face in disgust and gritted her teeth trying to free her wrists pinned against the wall.

"Let go of me!" She begged, "It was nothing, it was only a thank you kiss…no big deal!"

"I'll give you a big deal!" He threatened her and lets go one of her wrist. Eddie swung the back of his hand across her face.

"Ugh!" she yelped with her face looking away, wincing at the throbbing sensation on her jaw. She turned her face grimaced with pain to look at him "Bastard!"

Eddie hits her again. This time his ring on his hand catches the side of her mouth causing it to bleed. The stinging pain from the cut on her lip has made her eyes well up.

Abby cried. "Please let me go…"

Eddie backed off by letting go of her wrists. She was trembling with fear of not knowing what the drunken man would do next. He watched Abby rushing off.

"Watch your back…" He rasped.

Abby entered the ladies room, stepped into a stall. Shuts the door behind her quickly and locked it. She leaned her back against it and tilted her head back closing her eyes. She relieved herself by blowing out air from her mouth and broke down in tears.

Abby came out of the toilet, wiping her nose and walked to the wash area. She looked at herself in the mirror and leaned forward to inspect her wounds. She pulled down her bottom lip to see the deep cut where it had impacted against her teeth.

"Shit!"

She opened her handbag and started to rummage inside it to get her make-up out. Abby pulled out a cigarette; her hand is shaking and struggled to light up. She saw herself again in the mirror and started cursing.

"Shit!" She cursed putting her hand on her forehead then slammed the palm of her hand on the mirror, the humiliation made her cry again.

Abby walked back to the bar. She stood on her toes to look over the crowd, to see if her friends still sat at the same place. As she makes her way to them, she nervously looked around for Eddie, no sign of him; he must have left…

"You want another drink?" Neela asked shouting over the loud music.

"Please" Abby replied. She is surprised they haven't noticed her face. She must have done a good job disguising the bruising on her jaw with her make-up. She feels too ashamed to tell them what had happened on her way to the loo and thinks it best left unsaid….