The next day at work Sheelagh was paired with Reg Hollis. Don't get me wrong she didn't mind working with Reg, it's just when you wanted a bit of privacy you never got it with himand he was always asking nosy questions. All Sheelagh wanted was a bit of time alone to sit and think about what she should do, but she never got it as Reg followed her around all day like a puppy on a lead.
Her shift was finishing at 5 and by 2.30 she'd decided she was going to leave Patrick. She couldn't put up with him any more. Last night when she got back, he'd hit her because of how long she'd took, because she'd not got 'special fried rice' and because she'd not put the vinegar on the table. He was hitting her for the most stupid of things now and it was just going too far.
Every time they went back to the
station she searched for Des, but couldn't find him anywhere. It was
probably a good thing anyway, now she'd have time to work out what
she was going to say. She'd just about give up at 4.45 when Reg said
the most useful thing to her all day,
"Hey Serge," he
shouted catching up with her after she'd just managed to get
away.
"Yes Reg?"
"Serge, are you going to the
Kareoke night tonight?"
"I dunno Reg. Who else is
going?"
"Erm loads Smithy, June, Honey,
Des...'
"Des?"
"Yer told me earlier he
was."
"Alright then. Count me in."
"Ok, but
you've got to sing!"
"Really? Oh go on then. You've
twisted my arm!"
This was perfect. Sheelagh knew she
wasn't going to be able to tell Des what she was going to do and tell
him how she felt about him in words, but she knew she couls do it in
song. She had a good voice so it wasn't going to sound naff but all
she needed now was the right song. She needed one that said how much
she wanted to be free but that also said how much she loved Des.
"That's it!" she thought to herself as the perfect song
came into her head,
"That's it"
As soon as 5o'clock came, Sheelagh ran to the changing rooms, got changed as fast as she could, and ran home. She got in fast and changed quickly so that she had enough time to get song words off of the internet. She was out again by twenty to 6 and in the pub for quarter to. There wasn't many others there, only Honey and Des, who seemed to be avoiding her for some reason. It didn't start till 6.30 so she wasn't surprised so she got a drink and started going through her song words. Even though it was kareoke she'd got the words herself because she was sure they wouldn't have the song she needed.
Sheelagh had rushed so that Patrick didn't catch her. If she'd told him where she was going she was sure he'd never let her come and she needed to be her, she needed to tell Des how she felt. Patrick was due in at six so she left a message on the answer machine at home saying that she had to work overtime on a very important opperation and wouldn't be in till late.
Sheelagh had been through the song about 10 times by now and new it all off by heart. It was 6.15 now and people were starting to come in. Reg came in with the DJ and Gina, June, Laura and Roger came in a few minutes later and joined Sheelagh. She started enjoying herself instead of worrying and the pub was begginning to fill up, it was surprising to see how many people like a good kareoke.
The board came round for
names and sheelagh wrote her name and song down ready to go up 6th.
The nerves started getting to her but a few drinks soon put them
right. That was untill she saw Des flirting with some easty blond
slut. She felt the tears sting the back of her eyes but she was
determined not to cry.
"Why is he doing this,"she
thought, "I thought he like me. Maybe I was wrong. I can't sing
now, not after this. But I can't back out, NO I'm going to sing, I'll
let him know how I feel even if he doesn't feel the same."
Sheelagh came out of the toilets and found it was nearly her turn to sing.She was getting really nervous now but she was going to do it no matter what, seeing Des flirting with another woman had got her more determined.
Reg and Maralyn ended their tears for fears duet
and the DJ announced the next singer;
"Right, next we have
Sheelagh Murphy singing a Natasha Beddingfield song called 'Wild
Horses'."
Sheelagh got up and walked up to the stage. Her shaking hand nervously picked up the microphone. The intro started and the words started to come up onto the screen. She started to sing and her eyes scoured the room for Des.
I feel these four
walls closing in
My face up against the glass
I'm looking
out... hmm
Is this my life I'm wondering
It happened so
fast
How do I turn this thing around
Is this the bed I chose to
make
It's greener pastures I'm thinking about... hmm
Wide open
spaces far away
She found where Des was and he was looking straight back at her. Their eyes were locked together and Des could tell she was singing the song to him.
All I want is the
wind in my hair
To face the fear, but not feel scared.
Wild
horses I want to be like you
Throwing caution to the wind
I'll
run free too
Wish I could recklessly love like I'm longing too
I
want to run with the wild horses, run with the wild horses
Ohhh
yeah
Des now knew that Sheelagh wanted to be free from Patrick from the words in the song. He knew Sheelagh had sung this for a reason.
I see the girl I want to be
Riding bare
back, care free along the sure
If only that someone was me
Jumping
head first, headlong without a thought
To act and damn the
consequence
I wish it could be that easy
But fear surrounds me
like a fence
I want to break free yeah ohh
All I want is
the wind in my hair
To face the fear but not feel scared
Woah
woah woah
Wild horses I want to be like you
Throwing
caution to the wind
I'll run free too
Wish I could reclessly
love, like I'm longing to
I want to run with the wild horses, run
with the wild horses
Ohh yeah
Iwant to run too.
Hohhh
woah oh woah oh
Recklessly abondoning myself before you
I
want to open up my heart tell you how I feel
Des started
to think that maybe this was a bit more than wanting to be free.
Maybe Sheelagh liked him like he liked her. What was he doing? He was
flirting right in front of her because he thought she didn't like
him, but if she did then he's pushed her away.
Tears were now
rolling down Sheelaghs face. The song meant so much to her. She just
needed someone to help her break free, and she needed that some one
to be Des.
Wild horses I want to be like you
Throwing
caution to the wind
I'll runfree too
Wish I could recklessly
love like I'm longing too
I want to run with the wild horses, run
with the wild horses
Hooaah woah ohh woah
Yeeaaaah
I want to run with the wild horses.
Sheealgh walked off
the stage and everyone cheered and clapped. It was a really emotional
song and Sheelagh still had tears in her eyes. After a few weldones
from June and Reg, Des came up to Sheelagh;
"Hey weldone that
was great!"
"Ah thanks," replied Sheelagh.
"Do
you think we could outside for a minute?"
"Yeah sure"