Thanks for the Review; Gillian Kearney Fan
How dodgy was that robber? Anyway, let's commence.
"Stella darling!" Karl yelled from inside the Rovers living room. Stella finished serving Jason and walked inside up to Karl with a smile.
"And how may I help you today?" Stella asked her boyfriend.
"Hey, don't treat me like the customers" Karl smirked standing up, "And could you pop down to the bookies and pop this bet on for me? My shift starts in five minutes"
"It doesn't take five minutes to 'pop down' to the bookies you know" Stella said.
"Yes, but I wouldn't want to be late and be on the receiving end of a telling of from a certain bar manager" Karl said, holding Stella's hand.
"Fine" Stella said, taking the betting slip from Karl and picked her bag up. "But you owe me"
"I usually do don't I?" Karl said.
"Yes, now then, customers need to be served, hurry up" Stella said, jokingly pushing her husband out into the bar.
"I'll report you for assault" He smirked.
"If you do, then I will assault you" Stella winked, walking outside. As soon as she left, the factory girls (Plus Sean) entered the pub.
"Evening ladies, how may I help you?" Karl asked, turning the charm on.
"Well" Julie said approaching the bar as the others sat down. "One larger, three tomato juices, two gin and tonics, one vodka and a packet of cheese and onion crisps please"
"Um, okay" Karl said, handing the packet of crisps over "Now, repeat that order slowly please"
Stella arrived in the bookies to see Leanne sat behind the bar with a bottle of wine in her hand, knocking it back as if it was lemonade.
"Leanne?" She said cautiously, Leanne looked up and stared at Stella for a moment.
"Wanna put a bet on?" Leanne asked, standing up slowly.
"Leanne, what's wrong?" Stella asked caringly.
"Why do you care?" Leanne asked "What you gonna do? Sit in the Rovers with Norris bleeding Cole and have a nice gossip about that silly little prostitute getting bladdered at work?"
"Of course I won't" Stella said, feeling uneasy over the prostitute comment but carried on, deciding to overlook it for now "You can tell me, I promise not to tell anyone"
Leanne snorted and picked the bottle up, taking another drink of it, immediately, Stella pulled the bottle out of Leanne's hand.
"That's better; now then, what's wrong?" Stella asked.
"It's none of your business" Leanne said slowly, tears forming in her eyes.
"Is it Peter?" Stella asked. And to her surprise, Leanne nodded, and the tears began to cascade relentlessly down her face. "Oh, come here" Stella said, running to the other side of the bar and pulling Leanne into a hug.
"I'm scared, I think he likes someone else" Leanne confessed.
"And why would he like someone else when he's got you hey?" Stella said reassuringly. "Here" She added, passing Leanne a tissue from her bag "Wipe your eyes, shut this place up and come over to the Rovers. Not for a drink though, I think you've had enough"
"Why are you been so nice to me?" Leanne asked.
"Why shouldn't I be?" Stella asked.
"I mean, you've come in to put a bet on and you end up comforting me and inviting me round to the Rovers" Leanne said quietly "Why?"
"Because, I just want to help" Stella said.
"Well, you're doing a good job" Leanne smiled.
"Any mind this bet, come on, get your coat" Stella said with a reassuring smile.
"Are you sure?" Leanne asked.
"Go!" Stella said, pointing towards the office. Leanne put her hands up in a mock sign of mercy and walked into the office, returning moments later with her coat and bag.
"Peter's gonna kill me" Leanne said.
"Any mind him" Stella said, "Come on"
"You're a bad influence you are" Leanne laughed, going to turn the open sign to closed when the door flew open and a teenager in a mask stormed in.
"Don't move" He yelled, holding a wooden bat up in front of Leanne's face before locking the door, "Now then, whichever one of you owns this place, open the till"
"No" Leanne said, despite the fact the man was holding a bat to her face.
"No?" The robber asked, grabbing Leanne's arm and throwing her behind the counter, "Open the till"
"No" Leanne repeated.
"Leanne, open the till" Stella said.
"No" Leanne repeated stubbornly.
"Acting tough won't help you" The robber said, swinging his bat angrily at Leanne missing her by an inch, she went to move further away from him, but the bat came at Leanne again, this time hitting Leanne in the stomach, winding her.
"Leanne!" Stella said, going to help the girl.
"Back of" The man growled pointing his bat at Stella, turning away to face Leanne, he grabbed her hair and pulled her head up so she was staring at him. "Now, open the till before I cave your head in"
"Get... lost" Leanne said, the robber growled and flung Leanne to the floor with a crack. He walked over to the till and whacked it with the bat to open it, when he didn't work he did it again, getting frustrated. Stella sensing that the robber was too busy attempting to open the till, made her way over to Leanne on the floor.
"You okay?" She asked, before she could get a reply the robber had seen her and has turned around.
"Stand up" He said, cautiously Stella stood up. "You too" He growled at Leanne.
"Leave her alone" Stella said.
"I said stand up!" The robber yelled, Leanne tried to stand up uneasily, using Stella for support, having to hold onto the woman to remain upright, Due to a mixture of alcohol and a baseball bat.
"Now, open the till and I'll leave" The robber said.
"How's about you just bugger of instead?" Leanne asked.
The robber swung it bat for Leanne but Stella stepped in front of her and grabbed the bat, trying to tug it out of the man's grip, Leanne made her way over to the phone to phone the police.
"Get off!" The robber yelled, trying to tug the bat away from Stella, but as he stepped back he slipped and lost his balance and Stella grabbed the bat, swinging for the robber.
"Stella!" Leanne said shocked, putting the phone down.
"This piece of scum needs to realise that you shouldn't mess with us lot" Stella said, swinging the bat.
"Stella, the police are on their way, leave it" Leanne said, stepping forward with difficulty, clutching her rib. Ignoring her, Stella attempted to get the robber once more, hitting his arm.
"You silly cow!" The robber yelled in pain.
"Go!" Stella yelled, swinging again, forcing the robber closer to the door.
"I'll be back, when your mummy isn't here to protect you" The robber said attempting to unlock the door. When he did unlock it he ran out, yelling something over his shoulder. Stella shut the door and ran over to Leanne.
"Are you okay?" She asked as sirens blared out from somewhere.
"I'm fine" Leanne said "Thanks to you, you're like bloody wonder woman"
"And your probably the most stubborn person I have ever met" Stella smirked, "But if you weren't he would probably be off with quite a bit of money in his back pocket"
"And if you hadn't have been here I'd probably be a bloody mess on the floor" Leanne said, "Thanks"
"Well, at least your sober now" Stella said.
"It was a sobering experience" Leanne shrugged with a laugh. Before clutching her rib in pan.
"Leanne!" Stella said, putting her hands on Leanne's arms. "Come on, I'm taking you to Dr Carter, the police can wait"
"I'm fine" Leanne said.
"That stubbornness is coming to light again" Stella said, "You could have done some real damage their"
"Look, I appreciate you helping me, but I have had worse" Leanne said "It's probably just a bruise"
"Better to be safe than sorry" Stella said, just then the door flung open and Peter ran into the shop, looking around.
"Sophie Webster told me she saw someone run out of here with a bat" Peter said sounding out of breath "What's happened, are you okay?"
"I'm fine" Leanne said, "The police are coming"
"Should think they are" Stella said, "I'll be off, I believe you are in safe hands now"
"Thanks" Leanne smiled.
"No problem, I wasn't exactly gonna standby and let you take a beating was I?" Stella said patting Leanne's shoulder before walking out of the shop as the police car pulled up outside the shop. A police man walked inside and Stella sighed, watching through the window as he addressed Leanne.
"I thought you had gotten lost!" Karl said, "I've had to leave Eva in charge... what's happened?" Karl asked shocked. Stella broke down and flung her arms around Karl's neck.
"Come on, let's go home" Karl said, leading his wife to the pub.
Enjoy and Review please? It means a lot.