|
|
CHAPTER: 16 LOVES CONFUSION
Shelley had stormed out of the restraunt without even looking at Jimmy
and Jackie. Lindsey returned to the table a few minutes later after having
cleaning herself up yet again. She told Jimmy and Jackie that it was all
over between her and Shelley, but she didn't tell them why. Jackie though
believed that she had a fair idea of why.
Lindsey dashed straight upstairs when they arrived home. She felt depressed,
she felt as though she would burst into tears at any moment. Though she
knew it was nothing to do with Shelley. Jackie had to talk to Lindsey,
she didn't want her bottling it all up again, she wanted her to know that
she wasn't alone in all this.
Jackie crept quietly into her daughter’s room. She watched for a
few seconds as Lindsey had not noticed her presence. She realized that
Lindsey was sitting crying over something in her hand. As she came forward
she realized that it was a picture of Callum.
“ Looks nice there doesn't he, doesn't look like the cold-blooded
psycho we all thought he was” Lindsey had heard her mother walk in
but had not responded to her presence. The picture in question was one
of Callum holding Chloe in his arms carrying her down the street as they
laughed together. Lindsey smiled, it was clear that the fact that she
was his daughter tore him apart because he couldn't have her. Lindsey
began to wonder where Chloe had been when she went to see him.
“ No he doesn't does he” Jackie agreed sitting down beside
Lindsey.
“ Hm, you could imagine her been his, she’s got his dark eyes”
Jackie looked at Lindsey for a second. “ Then again she could’ve
been, he had an affair with Rose you know, said he loved her” Lindsey
spoke bluntly.
“ But he had her killed didn't he?” Jackie queried.
“ Yeah but only because she was going to have me killed, he killed
Alasdair because he'd found out about the affair”
“ Why was she going to kill you though?”
“ Because she found out that Callum was planning to propose to me,
she got jealous because Callum had ended their affair after Chloe’s
birth, she had never moved on and she wasn't happy because he had”
Lindsey put the picture down “ I thought I saw him tonight, that’s
why I took so long at the bar”
“ Was it him?” Jackie asked softly despite the fact that she
hated the idea of Lindsey having feelings for the man she hated so much.
Jackie only responded in kind because she believed that they had left
Callum behind them in Portugal, and of course she didn't know all the
facts of what had really happened.
“ I don't know, I tried to get closer but it was too crowded, by
the time I got through the crowd he was gone” Lindsey sighed.
“ Well surely if he was here he would come and see you” Jackie
tried to dissuade Lindsey from the idea.
“ Maybe he’s afraid to, maybe he’s worried about what me
Dad would do if he found out about him”
“ He wouldn't be afraid of your dad, he could easily get him out
of the way” Jackie immediately regretted this, she didn't want to
go on about Callum’s dark side incase it upset Lindsey.
“ Nah he wouldn't hurt me Dad because he knows it would hurt me,
that’s the last thing he'd do now” Lindsey smiled up at her
Mam “ Do you think he'd try and meet up with me somewhere away from
you and Dad, like come into the garage or something while no one else
is there”
“ Maybe love, maybe” Jackie cuddled her daughter in, she may
be grown up, but she was going through a very difficult time and Jackie
was the only person she had. Despite what she had said she didn't want
to give Lindsey false hopes about Callum coming back for her. She was
so confused even though she had got rid of Shelley, she still didn't know
where her feelings lay. It was loves confusion, it was never easy to know
if you were in love or not, but it did help if the person you thought
you loved was there.
CHAPTER: 17 THE DISCOVERY
It was Jacqui Dixon’s birthday and Lindsey had forgotten all
about it until she woke up from a dream about the party at Bev's Bar.
The dream had been vivid and Lindsey had thought it true, now she was
awake, she wished it had been.
Lindsey had been sitting miserable and feeling left out at Jacqui's
party. She sat at the bar toying with her glass and hardly having anything
to drink. Then it happened, she heard her Dad's voice as he cried
“ What the flamin' hells he doing here!?” Lindsey looked up
and saw Callum casually and coolly strolling into the bar. She felt an
unbelievable wave of emotion wash over her. She jumped up from her stool
and waited until Callum spotted her. When he did his face lit up as a
grin spread across his face. He wasn't bothered by the stares of hatred
coming from most of the people there. Lindsey also wasn't bothered as
people looked on in amazement as she threw her arms around Callum’s
neck and planted a warm kiss on his lips.
Then she had woke to the sound of a gunshot. The noise had clearly
came from her dream as everything was quiet and calm around her house.
Lindsey sat up dropping her head into her hands and sighing deeply. In
the dream she had felt an immeasurable warmth when she had seen Callum.
This did nothing to decrease her confusion.
Lindsey stumbled down the stairs, she felt terrible. Jimmy was sitting
at the table reading a newspaper, Jackie was waiting for the kettle to
boil.
“ Morning love” Jackie smiled warmly “ Do you want one?”
Jackie asked indicating the kettle with a slight nod of her head.
“ Sure thanks” Lindsey sat down opposite Jimmy, Jimmy did not
look up.
“ Looking forward to the party tonight?” Jackie asked sitting
herself beside Lindsey and handing her a boiling cup of coffee.
“ Suppose so” Lindsey answered in a mumble.
“ Well it'll get you out won't it” Jackie said smiling cheerfully,
hoping that it would rub off on Lindsey. Jackie glanced briefly at Jimmy,
she was waiting for his outburst. Shelley had phoned early that morning
deciding to give Jimmy the details of her and Lindsey's break up and who
caused it.
“ Nah she’s not that excited about it are you” Jimmy put
the paper down. Lindsey knew by his face that he was preparing for an
argument.
“ What do you mean?” Lindsey asked apprehensively, she couldn't
think of anything she'd done to cause another argument.
“ Jimmy please don't” Jackie protested.
“ You’re not looking forward to it because you won't have anyone
to dance with will you.....” Lindsey cut in immediately, more in
Callum’s defence than her own.
“ Look Dad if this is anything to do with the night at that club,
it was a dance, just a dance, we nearly kissed but we didn't okay”
“ The only reason you didn't is because we turned up, anyway that
wasn't the end to it was it, after that you had, how can I put it? 'unfinished
business', so you went to see him again....”
“ Dad!...”
“ Didn't you!” Jimmy snapped, despite his promise what Shelley
had revealed to him that morning was too much to ignore. The tears were
beginning to sting Lindsey’s eyes, she turned to Jackie.
“ Look at it this way Dad, you can't sit there and say you never
made a mistake, at least what I did didn't hurt you and Mam like your
drug addiction, at least what I did I'm admitting to, but there’s
one thing I can say about my ‘mistake’ as you see it”
“ And what’s that?” Jimmy asked his voice icy.
“ I don't regret it!” Lindsey growled. With that she stormed
upstairs to get ready. She needed fresh air, she needed to go for a walk.
CHAPTER:18 SOMEONE TO TALK TO
Lindsey stood by the front door, praying Jacqui Dixon would be in.
She gave a sigh of relief as Jacqui opened the front door.
“ Lindsey! What are you doing here?” Jacqui cried in surprise.
“ I was wondering if I could talk to you” Lindsey replied quietly.
“ Eh sure come in” Jacqui stepped back and lead Lindsey through
to the living room.
“ So what can I do for you?” Jacqui asked sitting down.
“ Look Jacqui I know we haven’t been the best of friends, but....I
can’t think of anyone else I can turn to” Lindsey’s voice
was wavering already.
“ So get talking what is it?”
“ Jacqui I-I think I’m pregnant” Jacqui stared at her in
shock, she knew Lindsey was with Shelley, she didn’t understand how
she could be pregnant.
“ But Lindsey you’re....you’re batting the other side of
the field, how can you be? Who do you think the father is?” There
was nothing on earth which could have prepared Jacqui for Lindsey’s
answer.
“ Well I’ve only slept with one man in the last nine month”
Lindsey sighed, she looked up and saw the questioning look on her face,
she dropped her head “ Callum Finnegan” she mumbled. Jacqui
didn’t take it in.
“ What about him?” Jacqui had heard what Lindsey had said,
but she refused to believe that she meant he was the man she had slept
with.
“ I think I’m having his child” It began to sink in, Jacqui
almost passed out.
“ What!? Well Jesus what happened? Did he rape you?” Lindsey
shook her head.
“ It’s a long story” She sighed. Jacqui rose.
“ Right then I’ll get the bottle out and you can start talking”
Once Jacqui returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses Lindsey began
talking to her, pouring her heart out to her, telling her things she wouldn’t
have dreamed of telling anyone else.
“ I can’t believe it, he proposed to you, out of the blue,
no warning, while you were thinking he was going to kill you. Talk about
a brass front” Jacqui laughed, she had to, she couldn’t believe
what Lindsey was telling her.
“ Yeah, I can’t believe I actually believed that someone like
Dave Burns could kill Callum though, I must have been desperate to have
thought he was gone after trusting Dave Burns to do the job” Jacqui
laughed with her.
“ It’s called wishful thinking” Jacqui went serious “
So how have things ended up like this?”
“ He loves me Jacqui, as hard as everyone else seems to find that
to believe he does, he truly does” Lindsey sighed draining her glass.
“ Yeah well he has put you through hell” Jacqui sighed.
“ Yeah and I gave him his fair share too, I guess it’s just
the way things are, like he said we always sparked, it’s just ‘business’
seemed to be the only thing that brought us together, his exact words:
‘If we’d only met under different circumstances’ ”
Lindsey poured herself another glass of wine.
“ So when exactly did you end up in bed with him?” Jacqui
asked almost silently.
“ The night before we came home, me and Shelley we both knew it was
over just, well Callum made me look at my life differently, and in 'his'
style rammed a few points home that needed to be rammed home” Lindsey
looked at Jacqui, there was no change in her expression.
“ Well didn’t you use protection or anything?” Jacqui looked
at her in disbelief.
“ No, I mean it’s not like I planned for it to happen, it just
did” Lindsey replied.
“ Why did you...sleep with him though, I mean you two always hated
each other, it was a fact of nature, you and him weren't allowed to like
each other” Jacqui was very curious, she knew how much Lindsey and
Callum were always fighting, she had actually interrupted Callum the second
time he had tried to rape Lindsey, they had been at war for nearly four
years, this sudden change in their attitudes towards one another was simply
unbelievable.
“ Well, he was...different, he wasn't Callum Finnegan the evil
gangster, he was Callum Finnegan, he was this different person with a
whole, heart-breaking story behind him. He was just so different, he was
kind, a good listener, friendly, definitely popular over there, he was
loving, loyal, totally devoted, he was really easy to talk to and on top
of all that he was a great dancer” Lindsey looked at Jacqui who looked
as though she were about to laugh.
“ Are you sure we're talking about the same man here, you know the
man who runs protection rackets, the man who kidnapped you, tried to rape
you, twice!, had you beaten up, blew up our nightclub.....” Jacqui
was cut short.
“ Yes, Callum Finnegan is actually underneath it all a
being” they now both laughed, it suddenly didn't bother Lindsey anymore
when someone mentioned the bad times with Callum, she knew what the real
man was like and she knew deep down that she could easily have fallen
in love with him if she had stayed with him.
“ So what was his excuse for appearing to be a bitter, heartless,
evil, violent, vicious non-?”
“ You really want to know?” Jacqui nodded “ Well his family
practically disowned him because they all loved Alasdair so much more
and they all knew Alasdair was going to be the successor of their Dad's
business, so they all thought he'd be the one who made them the most proud
and the one who'd be the most successful, but the absolute breaking point
would be the fact that his daughter thinks he is her uncle” Jacqui
stared at Lindsey in shock.
“ You’re kidding, Callum and Rose!?” Jacqui exclaimed.
“ Yeah, apparently she loved him but she loved Alasdair's money more”
Jacqui had been an enormous help to Lindsey, she had been able to get
things off her chest which she had previously been unable to. Also Jacqui
seemed to understand how Lindsey had almost fell in love with him. Jacqui
of course had had to swear not to say anything to anyone else.
CHAPTER:19 THE PARTY
Lindsey walked for nearly six hours. Stopping off only once for something
to eat. When she got back it was just after five. She immediately went
upstairs for a shower before deciding what to wear for Jacqui’s party.
She was determined not to let the days earlier events spoil her night
out. If only she knew, things were only going to get worse.
Callum was all ready to make his appearance. He only hoped he wasn't spotted
by anyone when he did take Barry down. Callum knew he was ready and Sam
knew everything was ready, but still Callum insisted on going over everything.
He didn't want anything to go wrong.
“ Look Callum, the boys keep everyone in the party at bay so
as that Barry can have a go at Lindsey, right?” Callum nodded “
Then when you get your chance, you wing Barry, the boys, Henderson and
Addams grab him, you make a quick exit before anyone tries to see who
popped the shot, okay?” Sam knew Callum was anxious, he was worried
he wouldn't be there in time, he was worried he wouldn't be able to get
Barry before he got Lindsey. Sam wished he would let him do it instead,
but Callum was adamant he was going to do it. Sam understood why, Callum
wanted to make sure the job was done properly and Sam knew that Callum
would do it properly. And anyway if anything went wrong, Callum wouldn't
be able to blame Sam for it.
Lindsey strolled casually and coolly into the bar. She knew Shelley
would have been spreading the poison but she wanted to appear confidant.
If she did, then she wouldn't look guilty that way people were less likely
to believe Shelley’s story.
Lindsey glanced round, there wasn't many people there, Lindsey didn't
know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. The less people, the
less chance of Shelley been able to tell too many people about the events
in Portugal. The more people, the more chance of Lindsey having someone
to talk to and have a good time with. Lindsey looked up and saw Dave,
he was making his way towards her.
Dave Burns, great, Lindsey knew she wanted someone to talk to, but
Dave wasn't the person she wanted to see.
“ Is it true?” he suddenly asked sounding out of breath, he
was clearly anxious.
“ Is what true?” Lindsey asked frowning.
“ That Callum’s alive”
“ Yes, yes its true” Lindsey replied sighing.
“ Oh God, why didn't you tell me?” Dave asked, Lindsey could
see that he was worried.
“ Why would I have told you? What’s to tell? He’s alive,
he’s living a healthy, fit life in Portugal, what’s the big
deal?” Lindsey knew what Dave was worried about, but she also knew
that there was no point to it.
“ What do you mean 'what’s the big deal!?’ Me, Lindsey
I tried to kill him, do you not think he'd be just a little bit angry
about that!”
“ And do you not think that if he was going to do something, he would've
done it by now” Lindsey retorted in a slightly sarcastic tone, before
rising from her stool at the bar and walking over to Jacqui.
“ Hey, Happy Birthday!” Lindsey gave Jacqui a warm, friendly
hug.
“ Thanks” Jacqui smiled, then she looked at Lindsey for a second
“ Come over here I want to talk to you” Lindsey followed although
she already knew what the topic of conversation would be.
“ What is it then?” Lindsey asked as she sat down.
“ Everyone’s raving about the ‘oh my god Lindsey slept
with Callum’ thing, but I know there’s slightly more important
things at hand” Jacqui smiled at Lindsey, Lindsey knew she had done
the right in going to Jacqui.
“ So what’s more important?” Lindsey frowned.
“ The baby thing” Jacqui hissed trying to keep her voice down.
“ Yeah I suppose, so what is it you wanted to see me about?”
“ Have you taken a pregnancy test yet?” Jacqui was leaning forward
over the table, she wanted to keep her voice as low as possible, but for
Lindsey to hear her over the music was difficult.
“ No” Lindsey sighed.
“ No! Why not? Jesus Lindsey you have to find out”
“ Yeah, yeah I know, but.....but I’m afraid Jacqui, I mean what
if I am pregnant, that means I’m going to be giving birth to Callum’s
child, that means another child of his he gets to miss out on and that
means another fatherless child for me to bring up on my own” Jacqui
looked at Lindsey full of sympathy.
“ Here” she slid a bag over the table to her, Lindsey stuffed
it straight in her bag as she realized what it was, a pregnancy test.
“ How much do I owe you?” Lindsey asked reaching for her purse.
“ Oh god don’t be stupid, just promise me one thing, if you
are pregnant I get to be babysitter and godmother” Jacqui smiled.
She liked Lindsey and sympathized with her situation, she’d like
to think she could help bring the child up, having missed most of Harry’s
childhood.
Continued Next week.......
|
|
