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Café et fraises
Chapter Seventeen
The wrong person came back
If Shannon hadn't lived here for over five years, she would have thought she had gotten the wrong address. When she pushed Ben's new buggy into the living room, she stopped short, eyes wide as she gazed around. All the furniture had been pushed to the far wall, almost piled up. Ben's buggy, which she'd left by the bridge, was on its side. Books and smashed ordainments covered the floor as well as numerous photos. The house was quite dark and dusty. Mud was trailed up the stairs, a mark in the wall as if someone had punched it; no guesses on who…
Someone appeared from the kitchen, eyes bloodshot, hair tousled.
If Shannon had said the house was unrecognizable, that was nothing to the man that stood in front of her now, Jack Daniels bottle hanging from his hand.
'Shan?' his voice was a croak, weeks of old stubble covering his jaw.
'Hey,' she smiled weakly. 'I… I came back.' He gave a snarl and chucked the bottle against the wall where it smashed and then he came forward. Ben gave a wail at the noise, his face red as he sobbed. Shannon backed off as fast as she could before Steve grabbed her arms and slammed her against the wall.
He was a madman.
'You took my son away from me!' he snarled in her face and she whimpered.
'I'm sorry-'
'You took my son and disappeared for weeks on end! WEEKS, SHANNON! And now you're back with your hair straightened and a stupid smile plastered on your stupid face! It's not like you've been on fucking holiday, is it? You gunna pull a fucking magnet out your pocket with the words 'Wish you were 'ere' on it?' She trembled beneath his grip, tears rolling down her high cheekbones.
'I'm sorry. I really am.'
'Do you know that while we were out fucking running around trying to find you, my little sister was fucking kidnapped? Huh? Did you, you selfish bitch?' Shannon stared up at him, Ben's wailing hurting her ears.
'Kidnapped?'
'Yeah. She fucking was.' He pushed away from her and she sank to the floor, legs feeling like jelly. He moved over to the buggy, lifting his son out of it. Steve smiled the first smile in weeks as he soothed the little boy. The sobs subsided quietly and he looked back at Shannon. 'I want you to get out my house,' he growled.
'What? Without Ben.'
'Yes, without Ben. Take your shit and get out of 'ere now before I do something I regret.' Climbing to her feet, Shannon stepped forward but Steve backed off. 'Get the fuck out!' His voice rang through the room. Picking up her case, Shannon wiped her eyes and dragged it back out the door. She looked up at Steve but he was too busy murmuring to Ben to care. She let the door fall shut behind her as she dragged her case down the steps and back onto the street.
She couldn't say she didn't deserve it.
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Wherever she was she was fucking cold. Pulling the little blanket they had chucked at her, Lucy wrapped it around her shoulders, giving a sniff. She'd given up crying ages ago; it wasn't going to help – just make her look more pathetic than she already felt.
Curling up, she rested her head against the concrete floor. Her arms wrapped protectively against her stomach. Even if she couldn't fight for herself, she would fight to the fucking death to save her unborn child.
Lucy and Bov were having a baby. Just as they were about to enter a serious stage of their relationship, she went and got herself bloody kidnapped. She gave a small laugh. It sounded like something in a movie; something that didn't happen in real life.
But she just had to grin and bare it; yes, she'd grin alright. It was the thoughts of her family and friends that would keep her going.
And Henry. Weirdly, she missed that fish. Only now did she long to see him floating on his side, blind eye staring blankly.
Oh, how she longed.
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