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The Mighty Boosh
Holly mumbled against his chest,' I'm in trouble Vince. '
Vince rested his hands on her forearms and held her at arms-length,' What d'you mean, trouble? What sort of trouble? '
Holly sighed,' I don't know what to do; if ... if ... oh god, Vince. '
' Hey,' frowned her elder brother - Holly being 27, and Vince 32,' what is it? '
She sniffed - the panicky wide-eyed girl Howard had seen first enter the shop was back,' I just need you to be here for me - he's gonna come and get me - you've got to help me. '
' Holly! ' Vince hissed,' calm down, will you? This isn't like you. Look, let's go upstairs and talk about this, eh? ' he didn't wait for an answer before continuing,' c'mon - I bet it's not as bad as you think. '
' You'd be suprised,' she said darkly.
Briefly, Howard was reminded of the time that Vince had come into the shop very upset - Howard had been genuinely worried, until he found out that Vince's sorrow was because someone had copied his clothes. He hoped this wasn't a similar situation.
As Vince placed a hand in the small of Holly's back and guided her towards the door which led from the shop to the flat upstairs, he looked over his shoulder at Howard, and then back to Holly.
He paused before asking his sister,' D'you think Howard should maybe come too? Only, if you need help, I'm not much good at plans. Howard always comes up with the plans. '
Howard didn't expect her to agree - why would she want someone she didn't even know to listen to her problems?
Holly didn't consider this properly - all she knew was she needed help, and quite frankly at this stage it didn't matter who from. And Howard had seemed nice enough when they spoke before Vince's arrival.
' Yeah,' she nodded,' if Howard doesn't mind, that it,' she added, her eyes meeting his.
' I'd - I wouldn't mind,' Howard assured her, heading for the door and turning the sign on the door from OPEN to CLOSED.
The three of them walked upstairs, and Vince went straight into the living room, telling his sister to sit down. She sat besides him on the sofa, and Howard sat down opposite the siblings.
' C'mon then,' Vince said,' what's up? '
' So, um, I've been in Newcastle a few months right, and everything's been going fine - you know that,' Holly told him,' but ... um ... my mate, who got me the job and who I've been living with, she's going out with the guy who runs the bar. Things got back - he's not a nice guy. '
' What did he do? ' demanded Vince at once,' if he did anything to you ... '
' Easy, little man,' Howard frowned,' maybe you should listen to the story, eh? '
Vince obeyed his friend and sat down, looking back at his sister, whose face was pained, as her bright blue eyes glassed over. She was staring at one spot on the carpet as she spoke.
' He was controlling from the beginning - but it's your boss, you don't question it, do you? Jus' did as I was told and got on with it. But he was staying at our flat more and more too, and he was trying to control things there too. He hit her sometimes. '
' He didn't hit you? ' Vince asked, as her eyes welled up with tears
Holly sniffed, wiping a stray tear on the back of his hand,' Not at first. He wasn't very nice, but he never touched me. But then I did something really stupid ... I maxed out three credit card - owed a lot of money and didn't have the money to pay it off. '
' Tell me you didn't . . . ' her brother began, shaking his head.
' I did,' Holly told him, more tears following as she told him,' He lent me the money, but then he got really nasty. He demanded it back straight away - I didn't have the money and none of the girls working in the bar could help me out either. They were all terrified of him too. When I couldn't pay it back soon as, he got violent. '
She shuddered and more tears fell. Wincing, she tried to wipe them away with her hand again, only for more to fall,' He said I should take on an extra job, to earn more money to pay it off. He wanted me to work as a dancer. '
Vince grinned,' You've always been a good dancer. '
' Vince, I don't think she means actually dancing,' Howard said quietly as Holly rubbed her arms, hugging them to herself.
' Exotic dancing,' she told him.
' Oh,' he nodded in understanding,' you mean, like latin dancing or something? Samba? Salsa? '
' Vince,' she sighed in exasperation,' he wanted me to be a lap-dancer! Then he asked me to be a hooker! '
' No! ' Vince cried,' tell me you didn't?! '
' Course I didn't! ' she replied indignantly, her tears stopping in favour of anger and bitterness,' and when I told him that, he battered me. It was last night, so this morning I waited until I knew him and my mate wouldn't be around, and I packed everything up, threw it in the car and left. I didn't know where else to go - and since I was coming next week, anyway . . . '
' Oh, Holly,' Vince sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders,' you were meant to be the smart one - how could you get yourself in this trouble? '
' Please, Vince,' she sighed, leaning into his touch,' I know I've been an idiot, but I need you. I owe him tens of thousands of pounds, and I don't know anyone who has that sort of money. If he comes after me, I'm done for. He doesn't know I've gone, but he'll know within a few hours. He's seeing my mate, for god's sake - what if she tells him I've a brother in London? He might track me down! '
Vince sighed - he had to look after Holly. It was the last thing their father had said to him before he died. The car crashed, and whilst Mrs Noir died on impact, Mr Noir survived until the ambulance got there. He told his 6 year old son to look after his 1 year old sister and that was that. Bryan had always been telling him to watch over her, when they were growing up in the forest too. He hated seeing her down - she was hardly ever down. He loved her, he had to do something.
' You're staying here,' Vince said, squeezeing her close,' you'll stay here for as long as you want. Your things're in your car? Your car's outside somewhere? '
She nodded,' But what if he shows up? How do I pay him back? '
Howard cleared his throat,' He probably won't find you here - your friend wouldn't sell you out, and even if she did, London's a big place. If it comes to the worst, and he gets here - well, he don't have the money either, but Naboo could probably come up with something to make it go away. '
' Naboo? ' asked Holly quietly.
' He's a shaman,' Howard added,' owns the shop. And this flat - good mate of ours.'
' Howard's right, Holly,' Vince added, thankful that his friend was quick at thinking up the right things to say in the right situations,' Now, shall we go get your things from the car? ' he suggested, getting up.
' This .. Naboo .. won't mind me staying here? I won't get you into trouble? '
' Course not,' Vince insisted, pausing at the door, ' he's a good guy - shaman - thing. '
His sister hugged him again,' Thanks Vince - I knew I could count on you. '
To the suprise of both men, she turned to Howard too and added,' You too. Thanks.'
He didn't get chance to reply before she was standing right in front of him, and she outstretched her arms, hugging him as she had Vince.
Vince smirked to himself and waited for Howard's Don't touch me, but it didn't come. Instead he stood there awkwardly, but not awkard enough to tell her not to touch him, and waited until she let go. When she pulled away, her hands were on his shoulders,' I don't bite, you know,' she told him, before removing her hands and following Vince down the staircase, leaving Howard behind to ponder this mysterious woman.
It took him a full minute to realise that she'd just hugged him, and he'd stood there like a statue. She must have thought he was an idiot. Not that he cared what she thought, of course. She was just Vince's sister. Why should he act any differently towards her than he did Vince? She was just some girl he'd met that afternoon.
' Yeah ' said the niggling voice in the back of his mind,' but you never let Vince touch you, do you?'
'Shut up,' he told himself,' I was hardly going to push her off was I? She was upset and all that. '
' Whatever,' the little voice said, ' just make sure you keep an eye on this one, will you? You've hardly got an excellent track record, Sir. '
' Hey! I'll have you know I've brilliant record. Howard Moon is a chick magnet, Sir! ' he told himself.
' Howard! '
It was Vince, standing at the bottom of the stairs, and sounding none too pleased.
' Howard! Are you gonna help us carry this stuff in? She's got almost as many clothes as I do! '
