by RJ Hunter
"Okay, we'll give it another go, but you've got to keep your cool, Jonathan and not have another blazing row with her."
As they went to find their mother, Jonathan surprised Laura by asking if she'd heard anymore from Nick.
"No, nothing." She muttered, going bright red, as her thoughts returned to the two bouts of rampant sex she had with Lincoln Greene. "He's back with his wife and good riddance to him. Besides, I've met someone else!"
"Really!" Replied Jonathan, in a mocking tone. "It didn't take you long! So who is he, another student?"
"No, he's a registrar actually!"
"A doctor eh, so my little sis is going up in the world!"
Laura however, decided to leave it at that. She thought it best not to mention that she'd been seeing the most prolific womaniser in the hospital's history.
The following morning brought with it blazing sunshine and a welcoming south westerly breeze. However to Sally, it just didn't seem right attending a funeral on such a lovely day, but it was a day she could have done without. She had awoken during the night and had vomited again. It was something that had been happening for about a week now. While the others were still stirring, Sally had gone out to the chemists, just as it was opening and had brought a pregnancy testing kit. Unlike those of today, this involved taking a urine specimen and a wait of two hours in order to get the results. Her worst fears were eventually confirmed mid morning, and the thought of knowing she was carrying Frank's child mortified her. She couldn't think straight and tried to avoid her family as much as she could, but it wasn't working and she knew she would have to bluff the day out.
The coroner had released Tina's body the week earlier, and the solicitors, anxious to put her to rest, in order to concentrate on the estate of her parents, had organised the funeral at short notice. The whole of Sally's family had decided to go and pay their last respects. Whether Frank Gant would receive similar was still open for debate. Sally had already received a written request to attend Tina's funeral, but in a sad twist of fate, the request had been sent by Pauline shortly before she was shot by Claire. Since Frank and Pauline's solicitors had now taken control of all the arrangements, there weren't many expected to be present at the service.
The Peddlescoombe women's choice of attire differed greatly. Sally had elected a more traditional, knee-length, plain black dress, complete with matching hat, while the girls preferred everyday dresses, but dark in colour. Jonathan, not even possessing a tie, let alone a suit had to be content wearing one of his father's old suits that Sally had got out of the attic for him.
The car was booked for 2.30pm, and the women were ready and waiting patiently. Jonathan caught his mother staring at him, dressed in his father's clothes, and felt awkward.
"Perhaps, I shouldn't have worn Dad's suit, Mum. I think I'll go and change."
"No, Jonathan, you look just fine. I'm just a bit touchy about funerals. You know what I was like at your father's." Replied Sally, giving her son a hug.
Jonathan smiled and kissed her on the cheek. His mother looked different now. She seemed so much quieter, and had a far more distant air about her. Even physically, she had changed, she had lost weight not only around her bust and hips, but it was noticeable in her face, where she now had the beginnings of crows feet, and even a few grey hairs were clearly visible. But none of this really looked out of place on Sally. She was still a stunningly beautiful woman, and her new attributes only served to give her a certain, graceful, accomplished look.
"What are you staring at, Jonathan?" Asked Sally, fearing he could read her mind and tell she was pregnant.
"I was just thinking how proud I am to have a mother like you."
"Don't get me crying again, Jonathan!" Part of her wished it was her own funeral that was taking place, instead of Tina's. She wanted to be with William, but now she was tarnished, and to make matters worse, she had fallen pregnant to the man who was his killer.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"It's only two o'clock, the car must be early?" Called out Laura, checking her hair in the hallway mirror.
Sally opened the front door, expecting it to be the driver. She wasn't prepared to see David standing on the doorstep, and looking so much like William.
"You're not going to faint again, Sally, are you?"
"David, but you're here!" Sally gasped. "I can't believe it's actually you!"
David's delight at seeing Sally, quickly turned to despair, as he noticed her black attire, and the limousine pulling into the drive.
"Sally, what's happened? Is everyone alright?"
"Yes, we're all fine, David." She lied, still in a state of shock. "Laura and Jonathan lost a friend recently."
"Oh, that's terrible. Look, I should have rang first. It's a bad time, I shouldn't have come."
"Please, David, come inside." Said Sally, reaching for his hand.
"Sorry, I'm a bit sensitive where funerals are concerned." He replied, stepping into the house.
"I know, David, it's the same with me. In fact, I just said as much to Jonathan."
"I was so worried about you, Sally. You didn't reply to my letters?"
"I was a bit pre-occupied with things going on."
"Carol, my housekeeper said that was probably why you didn't answer."
"You look well, David."
"Thank-you, but are you sure everything is okay?"
Sally practically collapsed into his arms, her heart heavy from the pain and torment of the past few weeks. He held her tightly, wishing he could rid her of the demons that ravaged her soul.
"I'll not leave you again, Sally," he whispered into her ear, not wanting to let her go.
Sally was taken up to her room by her daughters. They laid her on the bed and remained at her side, while their mother retched into a bowl. Penny switched on the electric fan, and the effect of the cool air, and the reassuring sound of Laura and Penny's voices soon brought Sally around.
"I must go to the funeral." She said in a determined tone, making her way into the bathroom to freshen up.
"I don't think you should, Mum." Called out Laura anxiously, "You've just been sick!"
Sally didn't respond, and a little later went downstairs to David.
"Can you wait for me?"
"Of course I can, Sally."
"Lizzie will be here to keep you company. She's trying to sort the garden out."
"What, Lizzie from Falcondale?"
Sally nodded and tried to smile at him, as her two daughters led her out to the waiting car.
"Don't let her get you drunk, David!"
He recognised Lizzie immediately, even clad in an old pair of jeans, a man's shirt and green gardening gloves. Her make-up looked fantastically overdone as usual.
"No wonder Sally fainted when she saw you, David." She exclaimed.
"That's the effect I have on women!" He replied, jokingly, as he surveyed the garden.
"No, I mean you look just like William. That's what made her faint."
"I think that may have happened before." He said, shocked at the state of the garden.
"Dogs and a motorbike!" Replied Lizzie, picking up a tray of plants.
"Can I help you, Lizzie, it looks like you've got a massive job on your hands."
"Yes, thank-you, David. Sally's going to get a professional company in to do the turf and landscaping. But, if you can just help me re-plant these last few.
David hesitated as he bent down awkwardly to a kneeling position. The artificial leg he'd had fitted was rather restrictive where some movements were concerned.
"Sally looks very different to the last time I saw her, Lizzie. In fact, she looks like she's been to hell and back."
"She has, David."
"What on earth has happened to her?"
"Sally cares a lot about you, David. I don't think she would ever tell you what happened. Sally is the type of person who prefers to live with her pain, rather than inflict it on others."
"Was I wrong to come here tod
ay, Lizzie. Does she have someone else?"
"No, there's no-one else, David. Her heart, or whatever's left of it, belongs to you."
"I came here to ask her to marry me."
"Be careful, you must give her time. Sally has been through quite an ordeal."
"Will you tell me about it, Lizzie?"
As Sally and her family alighted from the black limousine, they couldn't help noticing there were more undertakers present than Tina's relatives.
Jamie was there, along with his father, Mark and a few others who Sally assumed were related to the deceased. A haughty, and very aloof-looking woman stood a few feet away from the rest. Sally wondered who it could be, and was later informed that the woman was none other than, Irene Gant, Frank's mother.
Laura nodded her head in acknowledgment of Mrs. Drayton, the nurse tutor, who had been in charge of Tina's training while she was carrying out her nursing. Next to her, was a student nurse called, Sonia. It was Sonia who would always be the first on the scene when Tina was tormented by the most horrific nightmares. She worked wonders with her troubled colleague, re-assuring her, and making sure she was safe, even in the middle of the night.
The service was short and concise. Inevitably there were tears, but these were from Jonathan, and later, Jamie, who had to be consoled by his father.
The floral tributes were sparse, but impressive, the most beautiful being the huge angel-shaped wreath ordered by Pauline before she was shot. There was nothing from Frank. Perhaps he merely expected his wife to arrange everything, or had he planned to send something spectacular, no-one would ever know.
It was while Sally was looking at the flowers and reading the messages that she began to feel unwell again. Jonathan was immediately at her side.
"Can you please take me back to the car, Jonathan. I think I'm going to pass out. It must be the heat."
Sally felt as if her life had literally come to a halt. She felt as if all her systems had suddenly packed up and stopped working. She was totally drained, and shaking profusely when Jonathan and Laura helped her into the car. Laura offered her mother's apologies to all concerned, and asked the driver to take them home.
"Is he waiting for me, is William still there?" Uttered Sally incoherently.
"It's David, Mum! David is waiting for you at home. He just looks like Dad." Replied Laura looking deeply concerned, as she clutched her mother's hand.
"You're early!" Exclaimed Lizzie. "David and I were just having a glass of wine and a chat."
"Mum's ill, she nearly passed out at the funeral." Said Jonathan anxiously.
"I'm okay, Jonathan." Replied Sally, a little tetchily as she was helped into the house. "I'm just tired, that's all. It's too hot."
"You look very pale, darling." Said Lizzie, examining her friend in great detail. "I think it's all been a little too much for you."
"Where's David?"
"Don't worry, Sally, I haven't stolen him, he's sitting out in the garden. In fact, he's been helping me plant some flowers."
"I don't want him to see me like this."
"Don't be so silly. Look, I've got something to tell you, Sally."
"It's Pepys isn't it, he's dead?" Gasped Sally.
"Gosh, no - it's nothing like that." Replied Lizzie, puzzled by her friend acting so strangely.
Sally sighed and sat herself at the kitchen table.
"You look very guilty, Lizzie, what have you done?"
Lizzie sat down, and reached across for Sally's hand.
"I've told him, Sally. I've told David all about Frank, and everything else that's happened. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have, but I thought I was helping."
"Lizzie, you had no right to do that." Replied Sally, angrily. "I'm surprised he's still here. He must think I'm nothing more than a cheap tart!"
As Lizzie was about explain further, in walked David from the garden, with his shirt sleeves rolled up and grass stains on the knees of his white chino's.
"David, you must be hungry? Sit down, and I'll fix you something to eat." Said Sally, trying to act as if nothing was wrong, while Lizzie quickly disappeared from the scene.
"No, thanks, Sally I'm fine. I'm glad you're feeling a bit better?"
"Yes, I'm okay now, thank-you. But you really should have something. I'll make you some tomato soup, we've got some lovely crusty bread in the cupboard."
"That sounds nice!" Replied David politely.
"I really can't get over seeing you again, David. I had been meaning to answer your letters."
"Don't worry about that, Sally. I understand."
"I expect you've guessed I wont be taking up the course in October." She said, opening what looked like a tin of rice pudding.
"There'll always be other times, Sally. You have to feel ready for it in your own mind."
"You see, the children don't want me to sell the house, and I was a fool for even putting them through such torment. I was only thinking of myself."
"Yes, Sally you're right putting your children first," he replied looking into her eyes, to see if there was any of the old spark still there. "But you also need someone to be there for you."
"Perhaps, we can keep in touch, if I ever go back to Falcondale we can meet up?" Replied Sally, choosing not to answer his last question.
"Would you ever have a reason to go back there, Sally?"
She swallowed hard, and looked down.
"No, David, probably not."
"Sally?"
"Yes, David?"
"Did you hear what I said about having someone to take care of you?"
"Yes, I heard what you said."
"I also meant what I said earlier. I'm not leaving you again."
"It wont work David, you don't understand."
"I love you, Sally - that's all I need to understand."
"Is it, David, is that all?" She put the plate of food down in front of him, but he barely noticed.
"Will you marry me, Sally? I could sell up in Wales and come and live here with you and the children."
"No, David, please."
"But Sally, we've both been battered and bruised by life. I can't bear to be without you anymore. We were meant for each other."
Tears welled up in her clear, blue eyes as she looked into David's handsome face.
"I can't marry you, David. I'm your brother's wife!" She then ran from the kitchen in tears and fled to her room, where she lay on her bed sobbing and clutching her stomach.
"I told you not to rush things, David!" Remarked Lizzie, who had obviously been listening to the conversation. "Why do you men always think you know best?"
David glanced down and noticed that Sally had served him up tinned rice pudding on toast.
"Yes, she's very ill, David," added Lizzie, looking down at the plate.
He returned to Falcondale that same day, with Sally's current mental condition weighing heavily on his mind, and Lizzie's words of wisdom ringing in his ears.
It was a little later in the evening when Laura went upstairs to check on her mother. Lizzie had finally gone, Penny was listening to some music on her Walkman, and Jonathan was watching TV and making inroads into Frank's alcohol supply. Laura had been thinking about Lincoln, and was tempted to return to London in the hope of seeing him again, but the welfare of her mother now had to come first. She thought Sally had taken something, but could see no sign of any tablets or bottles. She called out her mother's name and shook her gently, but she couldn't be roused from the tortured malaise she had fallen into.
"Jonathan, come up here. It's Mum, she's got worse."
"I knew there was something wrong at the funeral." He replied despairingly. "It's like she's having some sort of breakdown or something. What shall we do?"
"I think we'd better call the doctor," said Laura with anguish in her voice, as she ran down to the telephone.
It was mid-morning and the large expanses of vacant beach were now disappearing at a rapid rate as holiday makers of all nationalities descended on the quiet, Cataloni
an fishing village. It was only the third day of Sandra and Nick's holiday, but already Sandra was jumpy and pre-occupied about something.
"I'm bored Nick, I think I'll go and have a look around the shops."
"That sounds good," he replied, sitting up from his inflatable sun bed. "I'll come with you, it's getting on for lunchtime, perhaps we could find a place to eat?"
"You don't have to come with me, Nick. I'm a big girl now, I wont get lost. Besides, I might take the car and drive into Calella."
"Okay, if that's what you want." He replied, a little disappointed. "I'll just stay here then until you get back."
He watched as Sandra put on her sarong, and gathered up her bits and pieces, before heading off to find the little Renault they had hired. Nick wasn't quite sure why she was acting like this, and simply put her mood down to PMT, which she regularly suffered from. Putting his sunglasses back on, Nick noticed a couple of nubile, young beauties set up close by him. He watched admiringly as they removed their bikini tops and took turns rubbing lotion into each other's skin, before settling down to soak up the sun. Perhaps, it wouldn't be quite so bad waiting for Sandra to return after all, he thought.
The nearby village of Calella was rather hilly, and what with the narrow streets, Sandra decided it would be best to park up somewhere, and wander around on foot. It was a beautiful, rustic village and more rugged and bohemian than its smarter, more exclusive neighbour, Llafranc, where Sandra was staying in a hotel with Nick.
She stopped and had a coffee in a sea-front cafe, before continuing her fact-finding mission.
"Gracias, Senorita!" Said the waiter, as he collected the bill.
"Excuse me, but do you speak English?"
"Yes, Madam. How can I help you?" Replied the charming waiter, in perfect English.
"I'm trying to find the Hotel Antonio?"
"It's not far, just up the hill a little, and you will see it in front of you."
Before going up to the hotel, Sandra walked along the sea front, taking in the wonderful view of the natural harbour. Although, becoming increasingly popular with tourists, Calella de Palafrugell was still a working base for a small fleet of fishing boats. It was the busiest and hottest time of the season, but the area, including Llafranc certainly wasn't overwhelmed by visitors. Sandra called in at a couple of shops, and in one, purchased a new slinky bikini. She certainly had the figure to wear something so revealing, and couldn't wait to see the effects it would have.
